Techno and dance music accompany soundtracks and commercials. Rock is slipping off the pop-culture radar as technology inspired tracks and hip-hop rise in prominence. Rock may be on a cultural respirator but it’s far from dead. Helping to keep the genre alive is Kalamazoo’s own hard rockin’ Joint Chiefs. Their high-voltage music keeps rock from having a cardiac arrest. "We’re trying to sound bigger than life," explains front man and drummer Jon Powell. Contributing to the band’s larger sound is Jon’s dominating drum kit. While not the largest drum set, it’s one of the most prominent as Jon sits near the front of the stage along with the guitars. This enables the audience to feel the drums as well as see Jon while he sings lead. "We’ve opened up for bands like Great White and Union. The audience received us very well," James mentions casually. "Our type of music goes really well with people who like rock." Their 1998 CD, "Science Friction", gave the band members a chance to establish themselves as Earth-shaking musicians. The CD has impressed many listeners including radio station WRKR(107.7FM) which includes one of their cuts on the "Naughty Bits Vol. II" compilation. The CD focuses on the power of their songs as the Joint Chiefs flare their speed and competence. Ironically, the most gripping track on the CD is "Feel"; a subdued radio friendly song about shyness. The song features harmony between the two brothers and a melody that crescendos into a fevered pitch before dropping away again into a shy collection of notes. Their more recent music reflects a maturity and growth as musicians. With the addition of Jon’s wife, Dawn on bass, the band now performs as a single cohesive unit with several complex facets. Dawn, a longtime cellist, brings in intricate bass lines while James weaves his seven string guitar masterfully around it. The combination of Dawn and James has given Joint Chiefs a multidimensional sound not found in many bands. Jon writes a good share of the music by creating what he calls "memos" which are snippet recordings he makes in his studio. He then plays the "memos" for Dawn and James. "When I have an idea, they’ll be able to take the original idea and build on it." Jon’s falsetto voice is a refreshing change from all the Limp Bizkit knock-offs saturating the hard rock scene. Combined with an increasingly original blend of harmonics, melody and diesel powered music, the Joint Chiefs are certain to leave newcomers as well as their fans clamoring for more.

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