Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: The Verge

Learn To Fly. (Submitted Photo)

Learn to Fly seems to be living up to their motto of "Music for the Greater Good."

The quartet, made up of three Eastern students - Andy Masters on guitar and vocals, Adam Schneider on bass, and Bryant Fritz on drums and one Lake Land student Caleb Francis on guitar and backup vocals, will be playing Relay for Life at 6 p.m. today at the Panther Trail.

"Last year, I had some friends who were involved in the American Cancer Society, and they knew we played in a band," Schneider said. "They set us up to play at the actual Relay for Life."

The band was asked to play the relay again this year.

The ACS also asked the band to play the first Rock for Relay, a benefit concert to raise money for the ACS, on April 4.

"(They) knew that we had a little bit of popularity around Charleston and knew that we could bring some people in to raise money for the concert," Schneider said.

Learn to Fly compares its sound to Radiohead, The Mars Volta, and Chicago band, Wax On Radio.

Although their sound is very specific when they play as a group, each member has his own set of personal influences that comes out in his playing.

Francis, for example, is influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughn, which explains the bluesy riffs whenever he plays solo.

"I probably like more harder stuff," Fritz said, comparing his taste in music to that of the rest of the group. "I don't really like drummers that are really technically good. I would rather listen to a drummer that sets up the music really good."

Learn to Fly came together last year when Schneider, Masters, and Fritz were living in Carman Hall, and Schneider was trying to start up a band.

He saw Masters walking around with a guitar one day, and asked him if he wanted to play.

"We met Bryant because I was friends with his RA (resident assistant)," Schneider said. "He would pack up his drums every day, put them on the elevator and take them to the basement of Carman to the piano room, set them up, play for a couple hours, and then take them down again."

Masters and Schneider thought if someone was that devoted, they would be willing to be in a band.

The band had been together for about a year, then in 2007 added Francis.

Learn to Fly considers their education as top priority, but the band comes as a close second.

They joked, saying that they balance school and the band with "really big muscles," Schneider said.

"We work out a lot," laughed Fritz.

"It's kind of an emotional roller coaster sometimes," Masters said. "If you want to do something, make time for it."

Although they each have busy schedules they make time to practice three times a week.

"I rarely pay attention in class; I just think about music," Fritz said. "I go to class all day Tuesday and Thursday, and as soon as I get out of class, I get back to the dorm and we take off to go practice."

Although the thought of the rock star life style is tempting, the band doesn't let it get to their heads.

"There are so many great bands that nobody knows about, and it's really too bad. No matter how good we are or how much we do, if you're not heard by the right person, you're not going to make it," Schneider said. "I know for me, and I'm sure the guys can probably echo this; it's not really about that. It's more about playing for people and having fun."

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