Ryan ChartrandStephen Schulte is the kind of Cal Poly student who goes to the store to buy “a couple brews” and then plays golf with his buddies on a late Monday afternoon. He’s also the kind of brother and best friend who will drive to Petaluma to practice with his best friends and younger brother for their band.
Moods of Melody, consisting of two sets of brothers, will bring a funky reggae sound inspired by the Red Hot Chili Peppers to the Rec Center at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday during “Dusk ’til Dawn.”
The band was started four years ago in Petaluma by Schulte, an agricultural business senior, and his best friend Blaise Turek.
“It’s not really like anything else.It’s a very natural sound, but at the same time you can’t put your finger on it. It’s kind of indescribable, it’s kind of a feeling,” lead vocals and guitarist Blaise Turek said of their original music.
Their younger brothers, Kyle Turek and Marc “The Punisher” Schulte, were always around but joined the band later, Stephen Schulte said. The four have been friends for almost 10 years.
“We are a band based around love,” Moods of Melody wrote on their MySpace profile.
“It’s the love we have for each other because we’re brothers and best friends,” Stephen Schulte said.
Kyle Turek and Marc Schulte are students at Santa Rosa Junior College and Blaise Turek works full time in construction in Petaluma. The distance between Stephen Schulte and the rest of the band is a challenge.
“He bites the bullet because he knows he’s flaking on us so he’ll drive back,” Blaise Turek said of Stephen Schulte.
“Sometimes we’re harder on each other. I feel like I can just tell him how it is without worrying about hurting his feelings.” Working with his brother makes it easier to be honest, he said.
The origin of Marc’s nickname, “The Punisher,” is unclear.
“When we were growing up we used to call him ‘Big Pun’ because he’s bigger than us. It just turned into ‘The Punisher’ because – you got to meet him,” Stephen Schulte said.
Balise Turek said one of the challenges of working with his younger brother is that their fan base is older and Kyle has a hard time identifying with that older crowd. But working with his brother and friends has its advantages, too.
“The chemistry is just always there,” Blaise Turek said.
Schulte attributes this chemistry to his hope for the future of Moods of Melody.
“I think it’s for the long run definitely. We’re only getting stronger and improving. The bond’s only getting stronger,” he said.
Both sets of brothers’ parents have a love of music that has been influential in the life of the band. Their families are very supportive and help them get gigs. Schulte said he can remember that he was 14 or 15 years old when he started playing the bass because his mom drove him to lessons.
Artists such as the Sublime, Bob Marley and Jack Johnson have inspired the band as well.
For Blaise, performing is a release.
“It’s like the climax of music.That’s the ultimate gratification of why you make music in the first place,” he said.
Moods of Melody is opening for The Expendables at Cal Poly at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday. Admission is $4 or free with a PolyCard. They will also be at Frog and Peach on Friday at 10:30 p.m.