Basic Cable Preachers, a local band from Columbus, relies on heartfelt lyrics and upbeat live shows for fans.
The indie pop band Basic Cable Preachers was due to play as the opener for fellow musicians Ona and Bright At Night at a show at Jackie O’s Public House on Oct. 16.
Due to sickness and other commitments the band lacked a drummer and a keyboardist. However, the founding members, Pat Schlafer and Steve Kainec, performed the band’s songs in a much more intimate and unorthodox way.
A year ago, lead vocalist Schlafer and guitarist Kainec met at Capital University while studying music.
“It took us about a year to start getting serious,” Schlafer said. “But after we got situated, we wrote the album and kept going.”
Their debut album, Ma, was released back in March, but Schlafer said the band doesn’t necessarily identify with the sound exhibited on that album as a whole.
“I think we have grown so much in the past six months,” Schlafer said. “It’s nice to have Ma, but it definitely has songs I wrote a long time ago, and we’re a lot better now.”
The musicians have recently been in the studio working on new content, which they hope to release in the spring.
“Our songs aren’t really made for mass consumption,” Schlafer said. “We all want recognition, but we don’t really keep that in mind when playing these songs.”
The music the band puts out is described as “energetic pop-rock with heartache” on its Facebook page.
“I just try and write honest songs while trying to keep it upbeat,” Schlafer said.
Schlafer said the lyrics work both ways with self-discovery and what the audience can interpret from them, as well.
“I really like seeing people bobbing their heads and dancing to our music,” Kainec said. “That’s a very rewarding feeling for me when you actually see people respond to your music.”
A few weeks ago before the band’s improvised show at Jackie O’s, Basic Cable Preachers played a show at The Basement in Columbus. The show turned out to be fast paced and a very receptive night for the band with some unexpected events.
“It was a high energy, kind of punk-rock show for us,” Schlafer said. “I hit my head really hard during the middle of our set while jumping off of an amp and knocked off my glasses. … I think I almost got a concussion.”
The latest addition to the band, drummer Tyler Birch, said he thought the show at The Basement was an eye-opening experience.
“I grew up seeing a lot of bands that I love at The Basement,” Birch said. “To play on that stage with the sign behind us was definitely a big full-circle thing for me.”
The members of the band give credit to the growing music scene Columbus has to offer. Birch said without the music scene, the band probably wouldn’t exist.
“There’s a lot of music happening in Columbus,” Schlafer said. “People are making really good music, so it pushes you to make better music.”
Whether it be in Columbus or Athens, many musicians find themselves starting from the bottom and rising up. Basic Cable Preachers wouldn’t be a band if it weren’t for the support of local music fans.
“It has given us a glimpse at what the future could be like and, at the same time, given us more drive to get out there and take out music to bigger cities,” Birch said.
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