Sister Hazel flying high, but stays true to itself

• BayFest events: Concerts, contests, rides

By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer

The alt-rock band Sister Hazel (clockwise from top: Ryan Newell, Mark Trojanowski, Ken Block, Andrew Copeland, Jeff Beres) highlights the lineup of concerts at the Ocean Concepts BayFest 2001 Saturday. Gannett News Service Sister Hazel In concert at the Ocean Concepts BayFest 2001 9:45 p.m. Saturday Marine Corps Base Hawai'i, Kane'ohe Bay, main stage Free with BayFest admission 254-KBAY (5229) or www.bayfesthawaii. com

No slathering on coconut oil and baking in the Waikiki sun, no buying matching aloha shirts, no posing in front of the Duke Kahanamoku statue.

Not these guys.

"We went straight to the karaoke bar," declared Andrew Copeland, the multi-tasking guitarist and vocalist of the Florida band, in town to perform at the Ocean Concepts BayFest 2001 Saturday.

The waitress at the Outrigger Reef hotel, which has karaoke nightly, recognized them and punched in their single, "All For You."

Seems unfair, doesn't it, for a band that has three albums out, tours more days out of the year than stays put and has carved a niche in a finicky market with its acoustic jangle-pop and Southern rock sound.

"Aw, it's all fair in those places, whether you're a pro or not," Copeland said assuringly. "It was a very supportive crowd."

Not that they frequent karaoke bars often. But the 25 people at the bar were entertained and very appreciative, Copeland said, especially with his rendition of James Taylor's "Handy Man" and Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered."

Of course, karaoke wouldn't be complete without a song from "Grease." Copeland and bassist Jeff Beres got up and sang "Summer Nights." Beres played Olivia.

"This was late in the evening," Copeland said, still laughing about the performance. "And we were really toasted."

This is Sister Hazel, in the flesh and loving it. They aren't above karaoke or "Grease" or playing a gig on a Marine base.

Though they have reason to. Their self-titled debut album sold more than 11,000 copies, turning the proper heads at Universal Records, which signed the Gainesville-based quintet. Their second album, "... Somewhere More Familiar," the band's first with Universal Records, sold more than 10,000 copies in less than three months in 1996, on its way to becoming a platinum disc. The catchy single "All For You" was all over the radio that year.

They're rock stars, but above all they're collaborators, neighbors and friends.

"We're all pretty close," Copeland said. "I consider the other four guys my best friends, that's for sure."

Even after traveling more than 300 days out of the year. Even after sharing close quarters in tour buses. Even after bickering during recording sessions, arguing, complaining and disagreeing.

They've learned to live by a few philosophies.

"The biggest lesson I've learned is to pick your battles," Copeland said. "We have this thing called 'the six-week rule.' If you know you're not going to ... (care) about something six weeks later, don't fight about it. It's probably not worth fighting about."

Another lesson they've learned is to remain true to themselves, to who they are.

While recording their third album, "Fortress," in Los Angeles, far away from familiarity, the band decided to take a break.

"It just wasn't happening," Copeland said. "So we packed up and went home to write some more."

It was during that time that they rediscovered the reason they were all here, pouring their lives into the band. Proverbial batteries were recharged and the purpose was defined.

But not without reservations and fear.

"It scared the hell outta me," Copeland admitted. "You're in the middle of the recording process, following up to selling over a million records ... The pressure was pretty intense. I felt it. When we took that break, I thought, 'Man, we're failing.' But it was really a smart move, to take that step back."

They started to write music that wasn't contrived or written for the sole purpose of selling albums or getting airplay.

"We wrote music from the heart," Copeland said. "And thank goodness we did that. We sounded more like Sister Hazel."

It's a sound that's difficult to define. Influenced by Van Morrison to Van Halen, James Taylor to the Eagles, Sister Hazel focused on creating a clear, crisp sound that utilizes four-part harmonies in a distinct way.

But that soulful distinction doesn't apply to their live shows.

"It's weird because our live show has so much energy," Copeland said. "It's just a completely different thing from our album. I think people who hear the album consider us a Southern pop-rock band. Come to the show. We're a jam band."

Staying alive in the temperamental recording industry, one saturated with Dave Matthews knock-offs trying to earn salaries on one Top 40 hit, isn't easy. But Sister Hazel is up to the challenge.

"I think we're just going to continue to grow musically," Copeland said. "If people connect to us, I think Sister Hazel will be around for a while. We're good at what we do. And if we're all headed in similar directions as we have been, we'll keep doing what we do. We won't stop."

Get to know Sister Hazel

Here are some random facts about the Gainesville, Fla., band.

• The name "Sister Hazel" came from the name of a revered African American minister who has run a rescue mission in Gainesville since the early '70s. They respected and admired her passion and work ethic, basing their philosophy on her principles of tireless effort, positive impact and unconditional regard for everyone.
• Lead vocalist Ken Block and vocalist/guitarist Andrew Copeland grew up in the same neighborhood in Gainesville, but never knew each other. They met in the early '90s and started an acoustic duo, playing gigs at keg parties.
• Copeland lived in Hawai'i from 1989 to 1991, working at the Hard Rock Cafe. His brother, who moved here with Copeland, lives in Kona with his wife and two children.
• To find members for a band, Block put up fliers around town with the adjectives "creative, positive, insightful, energetic."
• Drummer Mark Trojanowski's biggest pet peeve? Parents who put their children on leashes.
• Before joining Sister Hazel, bassist Jeff Beres was working toward a master's degree in architecture. He would love to design recording studios and amphitheaters.
• Block has two children, a son named Chanson Montgomery Block and a dog named Quila.
• Copeland always performs with his shoes off. It's become a superstition more than a habit. "It's almost to the point where it's ridiculous," he said, referring to the time he played shoeless during a concert before an Ohio State football game in the middle of winter. "It was freezing, but I did it. I went a little overboard on that one."
• If Trojanowski had to pick one album to listen to for a few hours, it would be Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue."
• Guitarist Ryan Newell was named Best New Guitarist by Gibson Guitars in 1998.
• Beres' relaxation technique is to eat a large pepperoni pizza and watch a good James Bond or martial-arts flick in the back lounge of the tour bus.