Since eighth grade, friends Sean Neppl, Jeff Cornell, and Jack Woolsey have come far. They’ve long since graduated from their “choir-boy” days at Friendly Hills Middle School and are now on their way to releasing their band, Gloss’s, first EP.
Frontman Jeff Cornell and guitarist Sean Neppl’s interest in music budded in middle school, where they grew up less than a block away from each other. “On the first day of seventh grade, at which point I was still listening to country music, Jeff came up to me and asked, ‘Have you heard of Panic at the Disco?’ It all started from there,” said bassist Jack Woolsey.
“I think I was the only person they knew who played the bass. That’s half the reason I’m in this band,” jokes Woolsey.
Woolsey didn’t start on the bass, though. Originally, he’d played with his school orchestra on the viola, but “sucked” and switched to choir. Cornell began in Eagan’s “Bach to Rock” class, said Woolsey-- the equivalent of Wayzata’s “Music History” elective.
“In seventh grade I knew this kid who was the first one into ‘counterculture.’ He was kind of my idol, and he played the bass,” said Woolsey. “He sold me his crappy Squier P-bass, and I learned to play from there.”
Their drummer, Jordan Bleau, had just moved from Iowa to Minneapolis when he was introduced to Gloss one year ago. “Even though he was still in a band, he said that whatever we needed, he could do,” said Woolsey.
“Even though Jordan’s actually a guitarist, we had him play drums for us. When we all played together for the first time, that was the moment when everything just clicked. We had three songs put together on that first day.”
Since then, Gloss has been working on networking and spreading their name across the Twin Cities music scene. “If you’re not a hip hop or folk band in Minneapolis, it’s hard to get your name out there,” said Woolsey.
“It’s really about who you know,” said Woolsey. “Sean went to the U and did Radio K there, so was able to meet people through that. The Current has approached us and we got to be their ‘Track of the Day.’”
“The Minneapolis music scene is incredibly supportive,” said Woolsey. “We’re getting better at playing live shows. Our first real venue was Cause in Uptown. I couldn’t eat before the show. It’s the same thing that happened to me in high school theatre, I still get nervous.”
Gloss’s dream-pop sound has the guitar driven melodies of an eighties punk rock band, blended with elements of dance and synth. “We all have different music inspirations,” said Woolsey. “I’ve got my bass strap as low as possible because I want to be Peter Hook from Joy Division.”
“The only song we’ve got written down is ‘Front Porch,’” Woolsey said. “Jeff writes lyrics, and they’re all very personal subject matter, from relationship, to stress. It’s a way to vent.”
With nearly all of the band’s members at a job or in school, “stress” is one thing that’s bound to happen. While it’s difficult balancing “band life” with “real life,” Woolsey says he couldn’t be happier.
“I’ve been dreaming of this since seventh grade. The fact that I’m on vinyl is the coolest thing,” Woolsey said.
“Success, to me, is making music you like with the people you like, and not compromising yourself to get to the next level,” said Woolsey. “It’s amazing when you have people coming up to you after a show who are enthusiastic about your music.”
For young musicians, Woolsey offers one piece of advice: practice, practice, practice.
“Practice your instrument, practice with your band, and get used to your stage legs,” said Woolsey. In the end, it’s worth it.
“This has single handedly been the greatest experience of my life,” said Woolsey.
Gloss will be playing Earth Dog on April 21. This summer, they plan on making a Midwest Tour with stops in Madison, Chicago, and more. In addition, they’ll be working on writing music for their full length album debut. In the meantime, you can wait for the 6 song EP, which is planned to be released at the end of June.
