By Verla Roberts

The life of a music star holds a unique allure for all its glamour, but most people don’t realize just how cumbersome the music industry really is.

Not every band or singer becomes a mainstream name. For the majority of musicians, trying to make it in the music business can take years to land a record deal. Because of such, many aspiring artists give up on the dream of making it before they are ever noticed.

“To get into the music business is easy, you just simply have to form a band with band mates that know how to play an instrument,” senior Amanda Ruter said. “But to succeed in the music business is a different story.”

For a band or an artist to make it in the business, they need to be noticed by a recording company, which isn’t an easy task. It’s certainly not cast in stone that a hopeful artist will get a contract offer or any other deal and then be able to keep it. There are so many different bands out there that there is no possibility for all of them to become famous, Ruter said.

A band called the Disciples of Groove is trying to achieve that very goal. Making up the band is vocalist and guitarist Dan Jost; saxophonist and guitarist Matt Totora; vocalist and drummer Dave Gardner and bassist Rob Smith. The Disciples of Groove became a band seven years ago in Vineland, N.J. Gardner came up with band’s name, which he said refers to the group’s style.

The band has a unique style and sound that isn’t commonly found these days. Their style is a self-made genre called progressive funk rock. Their genre name is based exactly on what their music really is: a mix of rock and funk styles and rhythms.

“We have a really eclectic style,” Totora said. “We all have really different backgrounds in music, but we all have funk in common.”

The band started out with Jost, Gardner and Smith. The three played together throughout high school, but only performed in a few shows. The band’s earlier music was mostly instrumental and did not have any vocals. The band recorded a full-length album of their instrumental work. When the three were in their senior year of high school, they started to play in more shows.

The direction of the band changed in 2001 when they met Matt Totora while at college. Totora, a musician who plays bass, sax and guitar was added to the band after they heard him play. After his addition to the group, the band became more focused and driven in their effort to improve.

“Matt adds a very different sound that the normal rock band doesn’t have,” Smith said. “It adds a little extra element.”

In 2002, the Disciples of Groove was given the opportunity they had been working towards for five years. They were offered a major record deal with RCA. For a year, the band worked hard rehearsing and putting in time at the studio only to have it fall through.

“The recording people promised us so many things, such as opening for Lenny Kravitz,” Smith said. “They wanted us to be really creative, but they didn’t like anything that wasn’t radio friendly.”

Since the let down of that project, the band has been working harder than ever. They have started to establish themselves as an independent band, Smith said. The band is coming out with their first self-produced EP of seven songs within the next few months.

To help advertise its album, the Disciples of Groove have been working diligently. The band has played in several venues around New Jersey and Philadelphia, such as the Grape Street Pub, the Fire and the main stage of the World Café Live. What makes it so easy to get shows is that all the members of the band are professionals, sax and guitarist Matt Totora said.

The band is developing a bigger fan base, doing more promotion and playing in more shows. One major factor that is helping the band become more popular is simply through word-of-mouth. Friends of the band, other bands and fans are helping to spread the word.

“It all started with all our friends going out and telling as many people as they could,” Totora said.

From the band’s experiences, the members have learned more about the music business. They tell other bands not to get their hopes up until they get signed and sometimes even then it isn’t guaranteed said Smith. Smith added that a band should play music that they love and to stay true to themselves.

When the band isn’t playing shows, they are all professional music teachers. Each of them has well over one hundred students.

“I feel like we are doing something good for music,” Smith said. “We are starting to see a lot more music come out of South Jersey.”

The Disciples of Groove will be performing at the University on May 4. The show is free for all ages and will be held in Dempster Hall studio A. The show starts at 9 p.m. The band says their ready for their performance on campus.

The Disciples of Groove will be performing at the University on May 4. The show is free admission for all ages and will be held in Dempster Hall studio A. The show starts at 9 p.m. (Image courtesy disciplesofgroove.net)