Colony grad hits big time

May 4, 2007

By MATT TUNSETH/Frontiersman

WASILLA - Colony High School graduate Toryn Green has hit the big time.

Green, who graduated from Colony in 1994, was recently named the lead singer of the rock band Fuel, a platinum-selling group best known for its hit albums &#8220Sunburn,” (1998), &#8220Something Like Human” (2000) and &#8220Natural Selection” (2003).

&#8220Its been quite the experience,” Green said Monday from Los Angeles.

Green was officially announced as the new lead singer on April 19 on the television program &#8220Extra.”

The addition of Green came after the band mounted a nationwide search to replace lead singer Brett Scallions, who departed in February 2006. Fuel posted music to its top-40 song, &#8220Hemorrhage (In My Hands),” on its Web site and asked singers to fill in the vocals.

Green said he heard about the open audition from a friend and immediately laid down vocal tracks to send to the band.

&#8220I was actually driving to L.A. in my car,” he said. &#8220I stopped immediately and turned around.”

After sending his version of the song to the band, Green said he wasn't sure he'd done enough to get noticed. So he went to a karaoke supply store and picked up a couple other Fuel songs, which he also sang over. He then submitted a second tape from a different e-mail address.

&#8220I basically made a medley of three songs,” he said.

Green didn't have to worry about getting noticed. When members of Fuel announced that they'd picked 12 finalists from the submitted tapes, Green was on the list. Twice. &#8220It worked out pretty good,” he said.

After his in-person audition for the band, Green said it started to become apparent that Fuel was definitely interested in him. With dozens of other prospective singers still waiting to sing, Green said the band members took a break from auditions to meet with him personally.

&#8220At this point, they were just vibing my character to see if I wasn't some crazy weird guy that they couldn't live with on a van,” he said.

Over the next few weeks, Green kept in close contact with the band, cutting demo tapes for the group's upcoming album. In July, he signed a contract to officially become the new front man.

Since then, Green and his new band have been laying down tracks for an upcoming album and rehearsing seven days a week in anticipation of going on the road. They're scheduled to release the band's fourth studio album - which includes vocals by Green - later this year.

Before landing the Fuel gig, Green was the lead singer of Something to Burn, an up-and-coming band that had previously won two prestigious rock contests and played concerts in China and Hong Kong. Green said he couldn't turn down the Fuel gig, despite being close with members of his previous group.

&#8220I had a pretty good relationship with the other guys in my band,” he said.

Still, he said the opportunity to sing for Fuel was a chance he simply couldn't pass up. &#8220Fuel's always been a big part of my life,” he said. &#8220Being able to front the band that I've been inspired by was a big step for me.”

Green - whose given name is William - left Alaska when he was 22 to pursue his music career. Growing up in the Valley, he said he never gave much thought to becoming a rock star, although he did start writing songs at an early age. He also was active in the drama program while at Colony.

&#8220I always wrote music at home, but I never really thought it would turn into anything,” he said.

As his songwriting and vocalizing improved, however, Green said he thought he might have a future in music. So he packed his bags and headed for California.

&#8220I said, I'm gonna go out and try and do something with this,'” he said.

Green last returned home last summer, when Something to Burn played a couple of shows in Anchorage and one at the Refuge in Palmer. A picture from that show - as well as several others of Green in Alaska - are posted on his Myspace page on the Web.

Since he's been named Fuel's new singer, Green said he's heard from a few people who knew him during his Valley days. He said he still has friends in the Valley, and said he enjoys the fact that he's given people in Alaska someone to be proud of.

&#8220It makes me feel good to know people up there are proud of what I've done,” he said. &#8220And I'm proud to be from there.”

Contact Matt Tunseth at

352-2265 or matt.tunseth@

frontiersman.com