From humble Wasilla beginnings, the band is making it big

A band comprised of Wasilla men is making it big in Oregon -- and nationally, if you look at the charts.

"Anatomy of a Ghost," comprised of John Gourley, Joe Simon, Dewey Halpaus, Zach Carothers and Nick Simon, recently signed a record deal with Rise Records and is getting ready to release its first album in February. Until then, the band will been touring the Pacific Northwest, and it is building quite a following already.

Last week, the band's song in case of future complications peaked at number one on the charts at the enormous music downloading site MP3.com, which seemingly has music from every band that has ever put out a song. Hot on its heels was streetlights everywhere, which hit number three on the charts. Because of the size of MP3.com, topping the chart is nothing short of amazing.

"It's hard to believe when you see your band's name right there on the chart," Halpaus said. "And at the top, too."

The band's name is relatively new, but the band should be familiar to some in the Valley. They played under the guise of "Nice Guy Eddie," and built a loyal fan base within Alaska. After moving to Oregon two years ago and adding two members, "Anatomy of a Ghost" was born, and the record label soon followed.

"A band dropped out of a show that our manager was doing for Rise [Records}, and we filled in because the owner wanted to see us," Halpaus said. "He gave us a couple of months to improve and wanted us to tighten it up a little. We played again last September, and he said it reaffirmed to him that he wanted to sign us to the label."

The band did just that on Oct. 13. The advantages of being on a label are tremendous for a band, especially one that is just starting out and forging a new identity.

"Before, we were just trying to get shows and get our music out there," guitarist Joe Simon said. "Now, people are calling us. It's so much easier to get your stuff out there."

The immediate success of "Anatomy of a Ghost" comes after some maturation by the band's members. Halpaus said this kind of success wouldn't have been possible as recently as two years ago.

"We've definitely struggled, and we've finally settled down more," Halpaus, a vocalist and guitarist, said. "I don't think we were ready for something like this until now.

"We started listening to more music and we've matured in the songwriting and the way we play," Halpaus said. "I guess we've matured, you could say."

Categorizing the style of music "Anatomy of a Ghost" is putting out is difficult, at best.

"It's heavy, there's some pop in there, and just about everything else," Halpaus said. "We don't really give ourselves a certain label as to what kind of music we play."

Even the band's manager, Kevin Keehn, has difficulty in labeling the band.

"There are quiet moments of profound beauty amid the ferocious hardcore attack, elements of sugary pop buried behind the walls of guitar and progressive metal/punk that provides a rollercoaster of sounds and emotions," he wrote in the band's press kit.

That diversity, and the band's lively stage show, has already built a following in the Pacific Northwest. Portland is the perfect location, Joe Simon said, because of its proximity to music markets.

"We are six hours from California and three hours from Seattle, so we have a lot of options for our live shows," Joe Simon said.

Playing live is what Halpaus enjoys the most. He said the crowd gives him and the rest of the band an energy to feed from, and the result is a powerful, chaotic show that leaves people talking about it for days.

"Our live shows have gotten a lot more personal," Halpaus said. "It helped being down here and seeing other really good live bands push the envelope. We've definitely learned from other bands, and our shows are better because of it."

While "Anatomy of a Ghost" builds more steam in the Pacific Northwest, the band's members haven't forgotten the days of "Nice Guy Eddie" back in Wasilla.

"We'd love to come back and play at home in Alaska, but right now the money is a little tight," Joe Simon joked. "It would be cool to come back and play a couple of shows with 36 Crazy Fists."

That band is another comprised of Alaskans that is making it in the music scene in the Lower 48.

"Up in Alaska, it is harder to get the whole music scene. Here, it's so much bigger, and there are so many more bands to compete with that you have to get better," Halpaus said. "[Growing the Alaska music scene] is a matter of bands like 36 Crazy Fists and us bringing attention to what is coming out of Alaska. A lot of people will come up to us and say 'Oh cool, you guys are from Alaska,' but it's not that big of a deal to us."

Topping the charts is a big deal, though, and you only have to ask Halpaus' father. While he admits "that isn't my type of music," he will proudly talk about the success his son and his son's friends have enjoyed in such a short amount of time.

"It amazes me how quick something like this builds," John Halpaus said. "I'm so proud of them for sticking with it and going down to Oregon and pursuing their dreams."

Through the rest of this year, that dream means being on the road. This weekend they played in Olympia, Wash., and Bremerton, Wash., and through the end of December, they are playing in state in Medford, Bend and Portland. The beginning of next year not only holds the release of their first CD as "Anatomy of a Ghost," but possibly a full-fledged tour.

"I love being out on the road playing, because you get to concentrate on just band stuff," Halpaus said. "We've got shows lined up and a CD coming out. Everything is looking good for us."