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Ars Supernova is in it for the people in Africa who can't get clean drinking water. Their foundation, SoundWave, aims to make music work for the impoverished.
Senior agricultural leadership and devlopment major Dustin Kemp and five of his friends make up Ars Supernova, a rock band dedicated to the music and to the message of giving back.
Making waves
By: Romy Misra
Posted: 10/9/08
Some bands are in it for the money, some for the fame, some for the sex and the drugs, or just for the good ol' rock 'n' roll, but Ars Supernova is a little different. They're just here to help out.
The Ars Supernova (meaning the rebirth of art) is by no definition just another college rock band. This is a rock band making a difference.
The Ars Supernova (meaning the rebirth of art) is by no definition just another college rock band. This is a rock band making a difference.
And not just with their music but also in the lives of people - people living thousands of miles away in Ethiopia. The Ars Supernova has built a well containing clean, sustainable water for an Ethiopian village - an impressive humanitarian feat for a college rock band still in its nascent stage.
In November 2006, Dustin Kemp, an Aggie majoring in agricultural leadership and development and three friends from South Texas (David Butler, Ross Falcon and Matt Erickson) dreamed up the Ars Supernova. Two others, Alejandra Canas and Dietrich Schmidt, eventually joined them to form the humanitarian rock band. Six individuals influenced by diametrically opposite types of music with a common objective: to create and perform music that transcends the regular stuff.
For instance, Kemp is influenced by Beyonce and learns from her stage performances.
"The six of us each have distinct personalities that all shape the group as a whole. My part syncs up with Matt's very well as together we draw out the landscape for the rest of the players to dance upon," said Ross Falcon, the group's bass player.
"I've definitely had to learn to manage my time better, especially before shows because it takes me at least half an hour longer to get ready. But it's really very cool. The guys look out for me a lot, like brothers," said Canas, the only woman in the group.
"We are a family," Butler said. "If we weren't all in a band together, we would probably all still live in the same house and hang out all the time. It is the only life we know."
What differentiates them from a regular college rock band is the musical vision and desire to be more than just a college rock band. Talent and a passion for music makes up a band. To break through and make the band known to a larger audience requires more than talent - it requires the drive to promote the music. This is the extra that the Ars Supernova possesses.
"We all grew up around music. We all love music. Our music is unique in itself. It is the kind of music that makes people think. Most of what you hear on the radio today sounds the same. The way we express ourselves through our music is what sets us apart," said Kemp, also known by his stage name Jirod Greene. "We want to bring the listeners something new to listen to. Then you have the business aspect to it. We understand with music there is a business side to it. We want to take our band to the next level and we are capable of doing it."
Ars Supernova started a nonprofit initiative called SoundWave. The group thought of it in Austin one day and decided to do something Kemp wanted "to echo in the community."
Butler researched and found a nonprofit organization in Austin that builds wells and provides clean drinking water to people in Ethiopia called Glimmer Of Hope. After meeting with the organization and being moved by the goal, they knew they wanted to commit themselves to the cause.
"SoundWave is what happened when you put a group of six artists together who really have a passion for changing the world," Butler said. "The Ars Supernova as a group decided to take our message of hope one step further. And so SoundWave was born. From day one, SoundWave has been committed to doing tangible things to help the global and local communities."
SoundWave's first project was to contribute to building one well in Ethiopia. The proceeds from concerts, T-shirt and CD sales funded the foundation. With the support from fans, they managed to complete the project in half the time they had anticipated.
They never thought they would impact people on such a scale.
"While not at all surprising that this concept of spreading brotherhood through music works, it is astounding how effective it has been," said Erickson, the band's drummer. "Who would have thought that by walking on stage I'd be a part of a movement that would save lives? How can one fathom the incredible potential of bettering the world just by going to a rock show? The real magic is that so many people have already been a part of SoundWave - the well in Ethiopia wasn't just built by us, it was built by thousands."
"It's a pretty simple concept, 'Love Music. Change Lives,' but sometimes the far-reaching effects take a little more time to sink in," said Schmidt, who plays the keyboard, "It's hard to wrap your mind around the fact that through music a water well was built and lives were saved, but when it hits you, you can't really go back."
The members of Ars Supernova have no intention of slowing down and are as committed to the expansion of SoundWave as to music.
"Expanding SoundWave for me is just as important as expanding the music of the Ars Supernova," Schmidt said. "In many respects, the inspiration and drive for both are one and the same."
SoundWave is ready to take some bigger steps.
"Right now we are putting together at least three scholarships for students who want to further their education in music," Butler said. "These scholarships will not be university specific. It will be based on three factors: the level of need, the interest to study music and how you plan to give back through your music to society."
"We don't want to stop at one well," Kemp said. "It's good to get the pat on the back, but at the end of the day the work still needs to be done. We are blessed to still have money left to make a CD. We want to make SoundWave bigger."
"People want to help better this world, but they don't know how," Canas said. "SoundWave gives them that opportunity. With the help of our fans, we were able to save a village in Ethiopia by building a well for clean water. And that is just the beginning."
Ars Supernova is ready to release their next wave of music.
Messenger, their first album, was well received by fans. The second album, Lumina, is in post-production. Butler said. "Lumina has turned out to be everything that we hoped that it would be filled with crazy hooks, great musicianship, complex vocal arrangements, super tight beats, and of course songs that talk about things that make you think. We are all super excited to release the album and start our promotional tour."
"We want to create music that transcends us," Kemp said.
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