By M.J. SMITH
BULLHEAD CITY While many musicians are moving to California or Las Vegas to promote their sound, Savage Kat has come back to its roots in hopes of tapping into the Tri-state underground.
Former Mohave High School student Shawn Maloy relocated to Bullhead City from Orange County, Calif., to take advantage of the central location.
#8220We can play Havasu, Vegas, Phoenix or California in just a couple hours, the lead singer said.
#8220Using Bullhead City as our home base is a lot cheaper than California but we re just as accessible.
Savage Kat, comprised of Maloy, guitarist Matt Weisgerber, bassist Allan Benton and percussionist Copeland Holt, has been described as acoustic reggae meets traditional-country pop, a sound many will scratch their heads at if they haven t witnessed the foursome s unique sound.
#8220We think of ourselves as genre outlaws, the 25-year-old Maloy said.
#8220Our sound is hard to put a label on. We blend a lot of different musical styles to create something that s ours.
With their varied backgrounds, each member of the band brings different experiences to the music, he said.
#8220I was in a band here called Splifrydm that had a pretty good following but we all kind of went different directions. I moved to O.C to pursue my music and that s when things started to come together, Maloy said.
#8220I was playing coffee shops and bars trying to get a start when I came across Matt. He had a great following just playing classic rock covers because he is so talented. He had to be made a believer but we finally started to mingle our sounds.
Weisgerber looked back on those early days and laughed.
#8220We were horrible, but we had fun, the 26-year-old Orange County native said. #8220We really had to nurture the music before it came together.
Still only two, not enough to make a band, the duo set out to recruit more talent.
#8220We had to prove ourselves to our bass player, Maloy said. #8220He was already established.
He runs a club called Memories in Woodier, Calif., and he wasn t interested in getting involved with something that wasn t real.
The 27-year-old Benton eventually signed on with Savage Kat and continues to travel to gigs across the Southwest, including regular shows at the Emergency Room Lounge in Las Vegas and Stubriks in Fullerton, Calif.
, while keeping his home in Woodier.
The final element for the group s sound comes from Holt, a 29-year-old drummer from Compton, Calif.
#8220Copeland is a very successful painter in his own right, Maloy said.
#8220His abstract, freestyle work is phenomenal. He s moving to Bullhead City.
Rich guitar licks and fun lyrics separate the group from the average underground band, fans said.
#8220Their music is upbeat and fun, said Krysta Thomas who saw the group at the Havasu Underground in Lake Havasu in November. #8220When they play, it s about the music and enjoying the moment. Their CD is good but you have to see these guys live to understand the energy and the vibe.
Kenny Linton, who caught the act at Country CornFest in September said he was very impressed by the group s vocal quality and low key #8220Los Lonely Boys style.
#8220I didn t expect to like a group called Savage Kat, the 46-year-old father of three said. #8220But, a lot of their music could be heard on an easy listening station or Top 40.
It s just good. It s not over the top or buried in a bunch of synthesized garbage. It s straight vocal and musical talent.
While the group might be insulted by the comparison to mainstream music, they strive to offer listeners music they want to #8220chill to, Maloy said.
#8220We re not all American Idol, Paris Hilton singers, he said. #8220So many talented musicians get swept under the rug by the mainstream music industry.
Cult hip-hop and R B has evolved to a point where it can compete with the mainstream for fans.
Local fans have jumped on the bandwagon to support the group, filling up party buses to catch shows in Lake Havasu City, Maloy said.
#8220Our last two buses were insane, the former patio and deck installer said.
#8220They really motivate people to come out of the woodwork and go with us to places they would otherwise never bring themselves.
Fans will have another chance this weekend to join the group on the road for their Saturday show at the Havasu Underground.
#8220It s a festive, DUI free ride to the coolest show in town, Maloy said.
#8220Not to mention, the band will be on board jammin acoustic the whole way, adding to the awesome vibe the bus is already known for. Plus, it makes us look pretty good when we roll up to a spot with a huge crowd with us.
The bus will leave at 9 p.
m. from the Wal-Mart parking lot and return at 1 a.m.
Interested parties can register for the 20 ride, including show ticket, at www.myspace.com/savagekat2005.
Savage Kat will perform with Incentive Red, Veritas, Carnuba and The Day After at the Saturday show.
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