Fresno Famous

Shove the mouth guard in, lace up the straight jacket and let the head banging chaos begin. Spoiled is playing at Manfest! As they set up, the crowd at KRZR's all-day hard rock extravaganza begins to congregate around the stage with eager anticipation.

Like little boys waiting for a peep show, the fans whisper the bands name: Spoiled, Spoiled, Spoiled. Loyal supporters move to the front to get a better position to watch the band. The curious newcomers gather to see what the fuss is all about. Mike D., the lead singer, comes out to greet the crowd with encouragements of a memorable show. The energetic static is felt by everyone. The band belts out the first song and the fans go crazy. The crowd is building and I am curious where security is, it is going to get rough. This nu-metal/new rock music feeds the crowd an anarchy pill that is best swallowed dry.

Their debut song, Nothing Can Save You, has strong guitar riffs with edgy lyrics. This sexy song gets your blood pumping and hits you to your core. The song line up keeps things under control till the end, when the fans can't hold themselves back. With no security insight, an all out pit develops with the band continuing to pump out swift intoxicating beats. Like great sex, the climax comes with everyone breathing a sigh of pleasure. Thank you, thank you very much! Spoiled passes out CD's to impatient hands and signs autographs. They felt that this was their best show yet.

Winning the right to the local stage at Manfest, came from the votes of onlookers during Battle of the Bands at Fresno club Avalon. Radio station KRZR promoted the event, which started as a one-time shot, but has now turned into a weekly Saturday night ritual. Battle of the Bands gives local acts time to showcase their talent to starved city natives who can't get enough live music.

Although Spoiled has been playing locally since January 2004, their growth and popularity has risen tremendously this past year. The band has focused on developing their feel for the stage and connecting with their audience. From playing at Crossroads, Club Fred's, J Street, Zapp's Park and a long list of other venues, Spoiled has built a strong fan base. Now, as Mike D. sings the song's lyrics, the crowd is singing along with devoted participation. They keep people interested in listening because their songs have variety. Each song is individual with different guitar riffs, bass line and percussive grooves.

Developing a song is a joint effort with everyone contributing their special talent.

"The sun rose, when songs were just flowing out." During a jam session, Ramer throws out a riff and Schlotterback follows with the base line. It continues with David Carlos pulling it all together with drums and finally Mike cultivates the lyrics. They have a chemistry that is rare in bands, which makes for pure success. The respect level is high for each other, knowing the time and effort it took just to put the band together. David Carlos and Schlotterback were the original founders of Spoiled. Self-taught, David Carlos has been playing drums since he was 18. His expansion from pop to rock, in junior high school, has lead him down a clear path and he's never looked back. Influenced by Rage Against the Machine and Snot, Carlos clearly brings foundation to the group. Schlotterback, who is responsible for their eye-catching webpage, is originally from Kansas. Coming from a large musical family, his favorite band was KISS because "Mom just didn't like them." Schlotterback liked David Carlos's style and they began to play steadily.

They continued searching high and low to find a guitar player that was compatible with them. After numerous failed attempts they found Ramer and the band was now three. Ramer's first guitar came from a pawnshop bought by his mom. Now at age 24, he persists on putting out wicked talent that makes Spoiled unforgettable. David Carlos had coveted is neighbor's singer for some time but didn't want to confront, for fear of stepping on toes. Once the band decided it wasn't working out, David Carlos asked Mike D. to join Spoiled. "This dude is tight," David expresses his opinion to the band about Mike D. During performances, Mike's animated character fuels fans to a fever pitch. Working together for almost two years has made the puzzle pieces connect. This brotherhood band feels, "We were meant to be!"

The catchy one word title, Spoiled, has become a mentality. "You will get Spoiled," is a promise the band makes to their fans. From house parties to Manfest, Spoiled's longevity has proven that talent married with determination, equals success.