Eagle Chow

Dustin Snipes/Easterner

Members of band Seven Years Absence from left: Mike Uhlenkott (drummer), Brian Jones (bassist), Allen Hayes (guitarist and pianist), and Nick Lambert (vocalist and pianist).

A tad tardy but Seven Years Absence is here to stay

by Sophie Swecker

April 11, 2006

Mae, Emery, MxPx, the Fold, mewithoutyou, Further Seems Forever and Anberlin: just a few of the past and present artists on Seattle-based record label Tooth and Nail Records. Hoping to soon be added to that list is Seven Years Absence, a band partially made up of EWU students with goals that stretch far wider than the expanses of Eastern Washington.

Only seven months old, Seven Years Absence has already spent time in the studio recording demos and has played shows around Spokane and Walla-Walla.

“We went to an Anberlin show last summer and said, ‘Let’s rock like that.’ Then we all started writing songs together,” said Nick Lambert, EWU senior and guitar and piano player for Seven Years Absence.

That’s the short version of the band’s conception. To go into detail, Lambert and lead singer Casey Luport of Walla Walla have known each other for 15 years. Lambert and fellow EWU senior Brian James (bass) have “been in failure bands together” in the past, according to Lambert. James also writes all lyrics for the bands. Drummer Mike Uhlenkott, EWU junior, was added to the lineup by chance when Lambert sat in front of him during a fall quarter math class.

“I just turned around and asked him if he played drums and he said yes,” said Lambert.

Skeptical, Lambert invited Uhlenkott to a practice.

“We went right into the studio from there,” said Lambert.

Finishing out the lineup is lead guitarist Allen Hayes, a high school senior.

With the exception of Uhlenkott, none of the musicians are classically trained, although Luport has been a member of a touring quartet that has traveled to South America.

Recording has become one of the best parts of being in a band for the members of Seven Years Absence. The band records at Black Coffee Recording in Spokane. “They do recording for (local bands) Mylestone and Seaweed Jack,” said Lambert.

In addition to paying for recording costs out of pocket, the band has also produced and mixed all of their own music.

Seven Years Absence has put just as much effort into their live playing as they do in the studio. They’ve played shows at Fat Tuesday’s as well as in Walla Walla.

“Our music evolves in live shows. We’ll play things differently, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t… Usually it does,” said James.

“I usually lose an average of six picks a show,” added Lambert, alluding to the liveliness of their live shows.

The members of Seven Years Absence are all students with day jobs, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t take themselves seriously.

“We take the band and the music very seriously,” said James.

With two of members graduating college this spring, the band is looking to bigger and better things. Specifically, Seattle. “The music scene there is a lot more accepting. Here, you either have to be in a ridiculous metal band or a really horrible punk band,” said Lambert.

Seattle also happens to be the locale of their favorite record label. “We would love to get on Tooth and Nail and stay in Seattle,” said Lambert, adding that they’re also looking at record labels like Gotee (Relient K) and Fueled by Ramen (Fall Out Boy) as possible alternatives.

However, through one of James’ friends, the band already has a contact at Tooth and Nail that they’ve been communicating with.

“We’ve been talking to him on the phone and through Myspace messages,” said Lambert.

The band’s myspace, www.mtspace.com/sevenyearsabsence has also helped to build their fanbase, within the Northwest, as well as some more distant ones.

“We have some fans in the Netherlands, apparently,” said Lambert.