UHS senior’s band, Halle Drive, trying earn spot in Warped Tour
By Hannah Christopher, Staff Writer, UnionvilleTimes.com
Unionville's Tyler Adair
Anyone who watches American Idol, or even just sings in the shower in the morning has had the dream: making it big-time in the music business. But one Unionville High School senior is living that dream.
Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Tyler Adair, a senior at Unionville High School. Tyler is one of those kids if you have ever had the pleasure of getting to know him you will instantly fall in love with him as a person. He is one of the kindest and most talented young men I have ever met and I think one day he is one of those people you’re going to say “I knew him in Unionville.”
Tyler is the frontman for a local rising band — Halle Drive — and they are trying to qualify for the Warped Tour during the summer in Camden. You can go here to vote: Click here: Battle of the Bands – Halle Drive
And register and vote for them and then they will be on their way to the stardom they deserve. And then one day you can say I knew Tyler back in high school…
Hannah Christopher : Hi Tyler- – What is battle of the bands and when is the deadline to vote.. When is the Warped tour? Are there any other bands in the contest from this area..?
Tyler Adair: The Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands is the 15th of its kind this year, and it is a country wide battle to play on one of the dates of Warped Tour this year, which takes place across the country, every day of the summer. Every band has a shot at the grand prize, assuming you have the highest number of votes of any of the bands on the website, which is a guaranteed slot on the tour, a three song demo with highly acclaimed producer Matt Squire, and a $15,000 shopping spree at Guitar Center.
However! You don’t have to win the grand prize and get the most votes to play at Warped. Having the most votes out of any band just guarantees you a slot. When you register, you pick a desired venue to play. Halle Drive is registered to play at the Camden, NJ date of the tour, and as long as we remain in the top 100 (currently 2nd place for our genre, 4th place for all genres) we have a shot. The top 100 bands for each date are individually graded on a number of things, so even if we are in 100th place, there is still hope. Voters must register as ‘fans’ on the site, and have the ability to vote once per day. Make sure people know it’s not a one time thing! Voting must occur every day in order to have a real chance. There are a few other bands we’ve played with registered on the site as well, but not from the Kennett/Unionville area. We have just confirmed a tour over the summer with our friends, Carousel Kings, a band from Lancaster, who are also registered on the site.
HC: When did you start singing?
TA: I have been singing my entire life, for as long as I can remember. Whether it was in the shower or just around the house, singing just kind of… happened. I never thought I wanted to be a singer! And I’ve only taken lessons for a couple of months out of my almost 19 years. It’s just something I love to do.
HC: Did you start by singing in the shower?
TA: Shower songs are the best songs. The acoustics in there are phenomenal.
HC: Where are you going to college?
TA: I’ve recently decided on Full Sail University, a media school in Winter Park, FL to major in Recording Arts. I couldn’t be more excited.
HC: Would you consider trying out for American Idol next year?
American Idol has been mentioned to me by so many people. I guess if my peers want me to do it, it wouldn’t hurt to at least try. I’d go into it with no expectations, only for fun and to have the ability to say I was on it. Who knows, maybe I’d get a call back.
HC: Who is in the band with you from this area?
TA: Halle Drive consists of five members, including myself. We all live within 30 minutes of each other, but we go to four different schools collectively. The only dude that goes to Unionville with me is big boy junior, Collin Walsh. He slaps the bass. Dallas Molster and Johnny Camero tickle the guitar strings, and go to St. Mark’s and Garnet Valley, respectively. On the drums, Mr. Nick Veno, who is the only other senior in the band, goes to Bishop Shanahan.
HC: What other interests do you have?
TA: Lots! As some people may know (hopefully), I was an athlete long before I was a serious musician. The end of my sports career, due to various head injuries, led me to discover my musical talent. God bless the ground we walk (and fall) on! I still love to play sports. School athletics may not be there for me anymore, but I go hard in gym class.
Aside from that, I’m a huge nerd. I love computers and technology in general. I could talk for days about competitive online video games, and I thoroughly enjoy mythological game worlds more than this one. I’m a dreamer, what can I say? Fantasy rules.. hard. I am very interested in other time periods, and I hope that one day mankind reaches a method of altered reality in which I can temporarily witness Middle Earth first hand. The Wild West and the Middle Ages would be nice too, but nothing beats magic. I also love to shower, write, draw, and watch Netflix.
HC: Do you have any quotes in life that you really like?
TA: There are so many quotes that I try to live by. The world has been/is blessed by so many amazing speakers and philosophers, so here are a few examples that I find meaning in. I’m not sure who said it, but they said it right: “Music is what feelings sound like.” A simple quote, but important to me. Some others are “He who laughs last, thinks slowest.” ; “If the world didn’t suck, we’d all fall off.” ; “Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of being right, there’s a 90% probability you’ll be wrong.” ; “For Gnarnia!” ; “Be normal, and the crowd will accept you. Be deranged, and they will make you their leader.” A bible verse that means a lot to me, and a lot of other kids associated with Young Life is John 10:10. It states that “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
That’s it for what other people have said, but if you’re interested in a quote from MY mind, I have this: “Thank you to all who have ever doubted me. If it weren’t for you, I’d have nobody to prove wrong.”
HC: Why didn’t you run track in high school- you are probably one of the fastest kids I ever saw with natural talent!
TA: Track and Field in middle school was fun, but it wasn’t me. People have told me I could have been great in high school, and I don’t doubt it, especially if I put as much effort into track as I do into my music. To anybody currently running track, best of luck to you! If it’s what you love, stick with it. That’s exactly why I had to stop. Music will forever be my first and only true love. How’s that for a quote?
HC: Thank you Tyler! Good luck to you and Halle Drive. Unionville is rooting for you and we look forward to voting for you on American Idol next year!
