8/21/03
The Daily Mining Gazette Houghton, Michigan
By MIKE COULING
Gazette Writer

Eyes Wide Open
'Squint' looks to take music world by storm

HOUGHTON — Eight years ago, two Houghton teens set out on a road trip around the country to check out colleges and visit various local music scenes in the hopes of finding a new home for their fledgling band Squint. Singer Dane Adrian and guitarist Matt Fredrickson, both 1993 Houghton High School graduates, settled in Ruston, La., home of Louisiana Tech University. The alternative-punk band was reborn when drummer “Tote,” a 1994 HHS grad, and bass player “Young Charles” were recruited.

The rock quartet strived to make their rock and roll dreams come true. The tires of their touring van have traversed hundreds of thousands of miles, the bandmates playing whenever they could catch a break from the work world.

“We’ve now toured well over 50 percent of the country without any help from anybody,” Adrian said.
Squint opened shows for the Goo Goo Dolls and the Toadies, traveled on the Mentos tour with Stroke 9 and Sumack and has even met Willie Nelson.

In 2002, Squint was named Band of the Week by Rolling Stone magazine. They were nominated for the New Music Award by the American Music Awards in 2003.

They’ve recently held a position near the top of the college radio charts for their latest recording “tinsel life” on Hoxie Bat records.

“Squint’s music is chock full of sticky pop hooks, with lyrics both general enough for mass appeal and clever enough to set the band apart,” wrote Chris Smith of the Houston Press.

Last week “Anthem for Closure,” the lead song off the album, was played on MTV’s “Road Rules,” right around the time Squint returned to Houghton to play a private party at Ex-Urban Exchange.

The band also was featured on Copper Country compilation’s “The Misery Sessions” and the “Sun” album, a tribute to late musician and friend Oren Krumm, of Elo.

It was full circle for the band, having cut their first demo tape “Crashing Down” with Ex-Urban chief Bernie Larson while still in high school.

“You guys have something special here,” Adrian said between songs at their Houghton show. “It’s always good to come back home and play these songs in front of our real home.”

It’s been six years since Squint last played the Copper Country.

“It’s really special to us because it’s going home,” Adrian said. “It all started here.”

Said Fredrickson, “We always hope to come back to Houghton. Maybe next time we come we can play Dee Stadium.

“We were here when we were kids. We’d drive two hours to go to Marquette to see a show, we were starved for any kind of music.”

Kevin Berry, an Interscope Records intern, suggests catching a Squint performance. “Do the band, and more importantly yourself, a favor and see Squint live while the price is cheap. It might not be that way for much longer,” he said.

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