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wayne

Not to be confused with a heavy metal band that is also called Wayne, the focus of this bio is a very melodic and accessible alternative pop/rock band from Birmingham, AL. Despite its Deep South roots, this Wayne is not overly Southern-sounding; no one would mistake the Alabama quartet for Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Outlaws, Molly Hatchet, Black Oak Arkansas, or any other bands that have had a stereotypically Southern sound. The Southern band that Wayne has the most in common with is Georgia's R.E.M.; like R.E.M., Wayne shows a healthy appreciation of the Beatles and British Invasion rock. But not all of Wayne's influences are British Invasion or Brit-pop influences; the artists who have influenced Wayne come from North America (Neil Young, the Beach Boys) as well as Great Britain (Elton John, Radiohead). Wayne is a perfect example of a band that has both Baby Boomer and Generation X influences -- there are plenty of '60s and '70s influences on Wayne's debut album, Music on Plastic, but there are also plenty of alternative rock influences (including R.E.M. and Radiohead). Wayne was formed in 1997, when lead guitarist/singer Michael Swann started working with lead singer/guitarist Rodney Reaves (who wrote all of the songs on Music on Plastic except a cover of Elton John's 1973 classic "Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road). Wayne's two other members are Justin Johnson (bass, vocals) and Jon Hornsby (drums). Playing around Birmingham, AL, and elsewhere in the Southeastern United States in the late '90s, Wayne created a buzz and developed a small regional following. In the early 2000s, Reaves landed a publishing deal with EMI, which funded the recording and producing of Music on Plastic. Thanks to EMI, Wayne had a finished product and began shopping it; TVT liked what it heard and signed the band. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi

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