Page 10, April 6, 1988, Capital Times
The Ocean Blue is Riding A Wave of Success
'3y Andrea Abolins
The Ocean Blue is riding a
wave of success that's carrying the band
from the local club scene to a chance at
national recognition.
The four member band's
original sound has been a welcome
alternative to the area's heavy metal and
Top 40 dominance. Now, the band is
ready to pursue national publishing and
recording contracts.
"We're in the midst of getting a
publishing deal and with that it would be
easier to get a record deal," said Dave
Schelzel, The Ocean Blue's
singer/guitarist and a Penn State
Harrisburg student.
Schelzel said the Hershey-based
band will be looking at various record
companies during April in hopes of
finding the best package. Many major
companies have already expressed
interest in signing The Ocean Blue.
The band, which stresses its
original style, started in the early 1980 s.
A group of friends interested in
progressive and new wave music began
playing at parties. Right from the
outset they played their own songs.
"We did our own stuff because
we weren't good enough to do other
people's," said Schelzel.
The band went through
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numerous personnel changes, and finally
arrived at the current line-up of Schelzel,
keyboardist Steve Lau, bassist Bobby
Mittan, and drummer Rob Minnig.
Throughout the changes they played
bars, clubs, and colleges. With the 1987
addition of Minnig, letters poured in to
local music magazines commending The
Ocean Blue's sound and style.
Schelzel said he was shocked
and surprised by the positive letters.
The Ocean Blue wasn't playing the metal
that seemed to define the area's music,
and covers didn't make up much of the
band's show.
"We usually do 150 minutes of
live material with 20 original songs and
10 covers," explained Schelzel. The
band does covers of R.E.M., U 2, Echo
and the Bunnymen, and The Smiths, but
prefers not to be categorized into a
particular music style.
Schelzel writes most of the
group's original material, but the band
has a lot of input.
"Sometimes at practice we'll
fool around and expand on songs.
Writing comes in spurts--four great
songs and then six months without
any," said Schelzel.
The Ocean Blue is managed by
Peter Freedman Entrtainment in New
York City. When the band's members
decided to get serious about a career in
the recording industry, they sent out
demo tapes to booking agencies across
the state and to Freedman in New York.
the band felt their best choice would be
Freedman because of his national
connections.
"Our manager keeps in touch--
we talk to him almost everyday. He
books dates and keeps us busy," said
Schelzel. The band also books club
dates through local agencies.
Lancaster and Philadelphia have
given the band large followings of fans.
The members of The Ocean Blue, all
under 20 years old, don't want to be
thought of as a teenybopper band.
Schelzel laughs as he recalls stories of
girls jumping on stage to be next to the
band's members. More than image,
though, he's concerned with "making
good music."
The Ocean Blue members are: (left to right) Dave Schelzel, Bobby
Mittan, Steve Lau, and Rob Minning.
Around Capital College
By Judy L. Hricak
Question: What was the most
memorable experience you have had
while attending the Capital College?
The responses to this question
were less than underwhelming. The
apathy of the campus is spreading.
Only a few students had an
answer to this question. Most said they
would prefer not to remember their days
at Capital.
One student's most memborable
experience was a stressful one.
Everyone knows that an
engineering student does not go
anywhere without his or her caculator.
Just imagine how senior Mark Couldren
felt.
"My most memorable
experience," said Mark, "was probably
the time I was taking an EET final my
In Harrisburg, The Ocean Blue
often makes good music as the opening
act for national performers. They
recently opened for Tommy Conwell at
Lebanon Valley College and for Jerry
Harrison (of Talking Heads fame) and his
band, The Casual Gods, at the Metron.
When they opened for Wang Chung, the
group's soundman, who had also worked
with Echo and the Bunnymen and U 2,
said he really liked The Ocean Blue's
music and gave them advice.
The Ocean Blue is hoping to
someday be on tour as a main attraction.
With a national recording contract right
on the horizon and support from loyal
fans, that day may not be far away. For
a group that was looking for a name that
"didn't mean anything," The Ocean Blue
has come to symbolize originality and
persistance in the local music scene.
first semester here and my calculator
died." ,
And then there is Jon Geisler,
the man who is "trying to forget all of
the experiences that I have had at Capital
College."
Not everyone is as pessimistic
Jim Bubb looks at things more
optimistically. He said: "As soon as I
have a memorable experience, I'll let you
know."
I honestly thought that I had
already had the most memorable
experience of my time at Capital until
Friday, Mar. 25.
That was the evening of the
semi-formal. It was there that I saw the
provoSt boogie down to "Pump Up the
Volume."
It was great to see a member of
the administration on the dance floor
having just as much fun as the students.