Local musicians ready to take over

Local band Anyone's Guess could best be described as "the musical love child of Alanis Morissette and 30 Seconds to Mars."   

That was a recent description given in a past review band member Clint Chambers said.

Their sound is the combination of raw and descriptive lyrics, strong vocals, powerful guitar and bass riffs, and timely drum sounds.

Senior psychology major Jack Demetree joined the band in October 2009 and has a more personal description of Anyone's Guess.

"A source of friendship and a means of expressing myself," he said.

Demetree, who has been drumming for 11 years, joined the band after answering its ad for a drummer and finding that he liked the band's sound and got along with its members.

Demetree is graduating this fall and hopes to make his living by being a drummer in Anyone's Guess, but he is also thinking about going to law school.

He understands the struggles of juggling school and playing in a band and offered some advice to those who may find themselves in the same position.

"Stay organized," Demetree said. "School should be a priority, but if you can handle both of them, everything else will be fine."

The members of Anyone's Guess have changed since its creation in 2006. Its current members are Chambers on guitar, Sanja Jovanovich on vocals and guitar, Benji Hernandez on bass and Demetree on drums.

The band released its first album, Point: Counterpoint in 2008, which was well-received overseas and was played by college radio stations.

Its new EP, The Cost of Silence, will be released in September. It contains five songs that will show the band's concept album meant to encourage people to openly express themselves. The first single, "Finality," will be out later this month.

"It's OK to be different," Chambers said of the album's concept. "You don't need to conform. You have the right to form your opinions."

In addition to preparing for the release of the album, the band has a show July 10 at The Dungeon, where they will shoot a video for the new EP. They also plan on hitting the road to promote the album.

With their newfound success, Anyone's Guess not only focuses on creating their own music, but also on giving local performing acts a start in the music business.

The band created "Orlando's Next Big Thing" last year to showcase local acts and give them an opportunity to succeed.

It consists of 24 acts competing against eachother in order to win prizes such as a custom-built guitar, promotional interviews and custom merchandise.
ONBT began in May and will continue throughout June at The Haven in Winter Park. The final winner will be announced July 24.

Though their line-up has changed throughout the years, the band's desire to create music is unyielding.

"We take the band very seriously," Chambers said. "We want to be doing this for a living."