Nelaska revives indie, rock genres with original music, raw talent

There's a brand new band on campus, and unlike other bands that get started on a whim, this one is actually worth listening to. About three weeks ago, Nelaska -- the band's name is a mix between Alaska and Nebraska -- was founded by Bradley Turner, a junior at USA. Turner wanted to start a band that would not only play fun, simple music, but that would perform it well. "Luckily, I found the right guys for the group really quickly, and we immediately planned a show on Halloween to force us to write the songs and get the music together incredibly fast," Turner said. Nelaska features Greg Gulbranson on guitar and vocals, Turner on bass and back up vocals, Daniel Howard on keyboard and back up vocals and Adam McGee on drums. All of the band's members currently attend USA, except for McGee, who graduated from South last spring. In many cases, it is unjust to confine a band's reputation to one stifling musical genre. Turner says Nelaska is an indie, rock and pop band, since its members all listen to a lot of different music, and that musical influence translates in their playing. Friends of Turner will admit to his musical brilliance and accomplished ability in performing, especially on the electric bass or double bass. It is no doubt that his musical taste filtered through when choosing band mates, so one can expect an exceptional show charged with talent and good musicianship. Nelaska performs its own songs, which are written by Gulbranson and Turner. "We aren't a cover band," Turner said. "We don't want to be like a majority of bands in this town. Everything we've played so far has been original. It is possible, though, that someday we might cover one song or something." The band is more concerned with recording than simply booking shows to play at. "Next, we are going to try to record a demo," Turner said. "That is our priority right now. But, if we get the opportunity to play some more cool shows, we will do it." Like any guy band, Nelaska has big plans for the future. "We just want to have fun, get famous, and meet famous actresses like Natalie Portman, Scarlet Johansson, etc.," Turner said. "Seriously though, we love music and just really enjoy playing. The whole Natalie Portman thing would just be a bonus."