Label's interest has Fern back in business

June 6, 2002

Michael A. Brothers
Springfield News-Leader



Ever wonder what happened to Fern?

The local rock group has been riding a roller coaster career path over the past few years and was almost pushed to the brink of extinction after releasing its newest indie album, "Departure," in October. Now the band is looking to rev things up again, but nothing has come easy for Fern.

The trio fronted by vocalist Jason Gaylor lost its bass player, Brian Snadon, because of creative differences last fall. So the group that was originally intended to be a quartet was down to two: Gaylor and drummer Jay Sandidge.

All this after being hand-picked by the Goo Goo Dolls to open several tour dates in the summer of 1999. The Web site mp3.com submitted 20 unknown bands as possible opening acts to the Goo Goos, who had just scored their biggest hit with the Top 10 single "Iris." Fern, which plays an aggressive brand of power-pop, was selected to open nine shows.

"After that, nothing really big happened," says Gaylor, adding that a showcase concert in New York during that tour didn't pique the interest of any major-label scouts.

Fern was back to square one: playing bars in Springfield for a few bucks here and there. When Snadon left, Gaylor and Sandidge reluctantly decided to call it quits after six years together. It was a bittersweet moment for Gaylor, who is a talented songwriter and can convey anguish in his voice without resorting to shouting or whining like so many bands on the radio these days.

"It's a hard place to be when you're 26 and years are going by quicker and quicker, and things haven't happened and they're looking really grim," he told me. "It's just hard to keep going."

Enter Sparrow Records, a major Christian label based in Nashville. That label is now expressing an interest in signing Fern and is in regular contact with Gaylor. Now, after a nine-month hiatus, Fern is back with new bass player Brad Russell and guitarist Brad Russell. They'll play the Magic Bean at 10 p.m. Friday.

"The vibe we're getting (from Sparrow) is they want to come and see us as soon as possible," Gaylor says. "And the vibe IÕm giving them is, 'Well, we just got the band back together, give us several months to get the live show back together.'"

Ironically, Fern performed a showcase for Sparrow four years ago. Like several other Springfield bands, the boys of Fern are Christians, but have a secular focus.

If you've ever been a Fern fan in the past, then there's never been a better time to show your support.

"We're starting to feel it all over again, and it's fun," Gaylor says. "We're starting to enjoy the music."