Wrong Way was formed in early 2005 by several musicians from Athens, GA. While each of those musicians was already involved with one or more of their own original music projects, they came together to form a tribute to Sublime. The idea was to make the band a side project in which they would be able to perform in and around town a few times a month, have a good time, and hopefully get a few drinks out of the bargain. After only a few shows though, it became clear that this music was far too popular to keep the band in only one town. Within a few months, Wrong Way began performing in venues all over the Southeast and today the band is playing more than ever!
<< read the long version of how Wrong Way came to be
JOEL - Guitar/Vocals/Bringing the Rock
Joel Byron is Wrong Way's resident guitar scientist. His crisp reggae rhythms, creative use of effects, and fluid lead guitar playing lend an air of authenticity to the sound of the group. Sharing many of the samemusical influences as Bradley Nowell, he aims not only to recreate the songs of Sublime, but to capture the spirit of the music.
BRADY - DRUMMER
Brady started drumming ninety-seven years before he was born, on an island off the coast of Brazil. By the time he was seven years old, he had destroyed 33.333(repeating of course) drumsets, and beaten Super Mario Brothers as many times. His first recording was actually at a 311 concert in Atlanta, where he ruined the bootleg his friend was making by screaming all the lyrics too close to the recorder. His skill with the Merciless Gladiator's Deadly Bastard Sword of the Monkey Bandit is considered quite legendary, but he's probably most well known for frequently setting his drumset on fire with his feet while juggling cats during drum solos.
DOUG - BASS
Upon hearing him perform for the first time, it is a common assumption that Doug must have been born with a bass in his hands. That's actually physically impossible and makes absolutely no sense. But still, his awesome talent and sheer musical virtuosity do kind of make you wonder. Actually, Doug started out like any other kid. He got his first electric bass when he was just 14 years old. By the age of 14, after much practice, he was fast becoming one of the best in the business. Finally, at age 14, he became recognized the world over as the greatest bass player to ever live. Coincidentally, he was also 14 when he first saw Sublime perform at the Warped Tour at the Masquerade in Atlanta!
Geoff - Keyboards
Though he first played keys at age six, it was in high school that Geoff (a.k.a “Japanesus”) became enamored with the sound of the organ and the great ‘60s bands like the Doors, Santana, and Booker T. & the MGs. As a graduation present he begged for and received his first clonewheel organ, which lasted him until it was destroyed in a freak accident at a Wrong Way show involving copious amounts of alcohol and some stairs. Two keyboards later his skills are reaching top form, particularly those of playing with one hand while chugging a beer with the other, as well as triggering an entire song with one button press. His favorite pastimes include Street Fighter 4 and calling his friend Anthony a honky.
Anthony - Vocals
Anthony was a very shy young lad, and so it took him until the age of 5 to sing his first sold out performance at what was then known as The Omni in Atlanta, GA. The show sold out one year in advance when a local news channel broadcast Anthony performing his first symphony on his youth sized guitar. The vocal stylings he had developed by the age of 5 are still studied in the great conservatories and arts schools of the world. Unfortunately, Anthony’s ear was trained so precisely that the slightest degree of intonation caused Anthony severe pain. This caused Anthony to stop performing live for many years. The slightest mistakes made by his band members brought on severe panic attacks. It wasn’t until May of 2009 that Anthony decided to resurface in the music world to share his gifts with the most talented group of musicians in the galaxy…the band you know as Wrong Way.