SouthDown Approaching a breakout

As hundreds of thousands of bands across the country try to make it big, most toil on the local scene and become enraptured with performing for a set audience. The ones that do breakout must first transcend their hometown, and it seems SouthDown, of Houma origins, is on the path to do just that.

Facilitated by networking in the industry and the proliferation of two singles, of sharp contrast in tone and sound, SouthDown appears to be on the precipice of realizing its dreams.

“It’s overwhelming,” lead singer Jason Cupp said of the band’s current situation, which requires practice four days a week while he waits on the details of a national tour to be finalized. “I’ve never been this close before with another band. I kind of kept it independent, you know, I liked doing what I wanted to do, but this is ran totally different.”

Cupp joined SouthDown right around the time it became the first rock band to ink a record deal with No Limit Forever, a rap label, in February of this year. He brought with him from Tallahassee, Fla., the gruff background of an independent rock band but has since made the transition to delivering lyrics with a sound reminiscent of the Nickelback and Creed variety.

Myke Fay-z (Mike Fesi Jr.), owner of The City Club of Houma and general manager of SouthDown, said the record label has taken charge of the national tour, but the band does have options and he foresees a variety of genres on display. He pointed out the success of a joint show with Master P in Houston and said the tour could feature similar fusions as the band determines a regional audience base.

“It was weird, with that genre, majority hip-hop, they really welcomed the band,” Fay-z said. “It was really a cool vibe. It will be a mix of different audiences, but I think it’s a prime opportunity to be able to expand and broaden their base.”

One of the aforementioned singles that lead SouthDown to this juncture, a hip-hop and rock infusion titled “The Beast Inside,” was picked up by ESPNU. It features rapper Co-Ruff, also on the No Limit Forever roster, who co-wrote the song and toured with SouthDown.

“Just pretty much, [being featured on ESPNU] gives us credibility,” the band’s manager said. “This whole music industry is a step-by-step process. You’ve got to build these credits as you go. It’s almost like going to college. The more credits you have, the more likely you’ll succeed. Every little bit that we do is credit based and as we establish that and get that reputation, then the word spreads and that’s pretty much how the No Limit thing came about.”

Taking up the cause of the United States military, SouthDown cast its other popular single “Angel, Not a Human Being” with heart-bending images of soldiers in conflict. The emotion-evoking production has nearly eclipsed 20,000 views on YouTube.

Taking the military dedication a step further, Fay-z said the band is in the process of launching IOU 4 Life, a foundation that would donate to soldiers with mental or physical ailments and their families.

IOU 4 Life, still in the planning stages, is expected to kick off when SouthDown performs a benefit show July 16th at the City Club that will donate $2 per ticket sale to the foundation.

“Of course, people might take it as a certain thing, as some kind of exposure or whatever, but it’s to be able to give back because without the freedoms that we have, we wouldn’t be able to pursue music,” Fay-z said. “We wouldn’t be able to do the things that we might take for granted every day if it wasn’t for our troops.”

Band members say the sharp contrast between its hits is indicative of the band’s range. Lead guitarist Matt Rhodes, who can be heard blasting solos typical of classic rock, said the band has kept an open mind when developing its sound and every member, each with his own bevy of influences, has a voice in the development of new music.

“We try to touch on all of our influences,” Rhodes said. “Personally, I am more of the classic rock, as you can hear through my solos, but that doesn’t mean that’s all I want to play or will play. We don’t like to stay in one spot.

“We’ll mix it up with hip-hop and rock, and there’s really nothing we won’t do, because when it comes down to it, we’re music lovers. We love all music.”

Zach Dufrene, who plays the keys and contributes vocally, said the band has undergone an evolution since he joined two years ago.

“When I first joined up with the band, I would probably describe the sound as more grunge than anything,” Dufrene said. “Maybe even post-grunge would be more accurate. I think since we’ve added the keyboard, there have been some maybe more pop elements, maybe even some more progressive rock elements. It’s kind of evolved from post-grunge to… I’d probably consider it alternative rock, but it has a lot of different influences with it.”

Although members shied away from placing one label on their work and couldn’t describe exactly what sound has propelled them to this on-the-cusp moment, they were unanimously in favor of maintaining it.

“The primary feeling is excitement,” Dufrene said. “I speak for myself, but I’m sure I can speak for everybody in the band. It’s excitement, anticipation and happiness because it’s been a dream for all of us. It appears … on the cusp of it coming true.”