Local Rock StarSitting at the table with long, thick blonde hair and a hint of Brad Pitt's facial features sits Brian. He's a 17-year-old high school student, guitarist in a local band, and this is my interview. He starts almost every sentence with “uh…” but then moves on to long, interesting answers. I started by asking him when he became interested in music and what his influences were. “I always listened to music,” he said, “my first album was Nevermind by Nirvana; it was a tape. I also listened to a lot of Michael Jackson – don’t laugh, I mean Thriller and all that. » What inspired you to play an instrument? “The Red Hot Chili Peppers CD Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic was the first time I realized I wanted to play an instrument. » What instruments do you play? “I've been playing guitar for four years and saxophone for two years, but only in the school orchestra,” he said. “I can “musically understand” the keyboard, bass and drums, even though I don’t usually play them. » So tell me about the band. What is the meaning of the band's name, No Name Charlies? “Um… well, we had about 100 names that we had heard and didn't really like. Then Greg, our old trombone player, said that every time his teacher in elementary school received an essay with no name, she called him “Charlie with no name.” We all loved it; Since then, it has really grown on us. » He told me that the band was formed in November 2001 and that their first concert was in the spring of 2002. There was a lot of movement among the band members: some came and went, some others came, left and returned, some changed instruments and others intervened. The setup, as I... middle of paper ...... your first,” he says, referring to their 2003 Demo Shut Up and Listen! They met Catch 22 bassist Pat Kays when he opened for his band last year. Kays told the boys that he liked their sound and was interested in engineering and, to some extent, production. “It was mutual,” Brian said, “because we wanted to record and he wanted to do engineering. Everything just kind of fell into place. » Youthful stamina, continued optimism, and a small but steadily growing fan base all contributed to No Name Charlies' local success. When asked if the band would take the chance to become famous – if given the chance – Brian said they would definitely take it. However, he believes balance is important and wouldn't sacrifice a college education for it. When asked if he thought the group would be successful, Brian replied: "I'd like to think so..”