Daily Inspiration: Meet Basement Recess

Today we’d like to introduce you to Basement Recess.

Hello Basement Recess, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers. 
We are a five-man band, each either a student or graduate of Georgia Tech and brothers of the same fraternity. We first formed the band in the fraternity house under the same band name in Fall of 2021, but the past three years have transformed us and our relationship with Georgia Tech/Atlanta’s music scene. 

Music has always been something that each of us has had a special connection to. From young ages, all of us have been very attached to it – as an art form, as a form of expression, and as a form of entertainment. Each of us who has been a part of the band has had many years of musicianship. However, Basement Recess has been the most permanent musical group that each of us has had the privilege to be a part of. 

The band started about three years ago; although there were a couple different members who have since gone on and graduated and/or moved away, it’s been a goal of ours to keep the band going as long as we could. Meeting at the fraternity and quickly noticing each other’s passions for instruments and music, we slowly found our groove together. This, combined with the fraternity basement as an optimal rehearsal space that was convenient and allowed us to be loud while we practiced, encouraged us subconsciously to continue practicing together and putting on small shows for our friends. Eventually, through marketing and experience playing out, people began to ask us to perform for them more and more. 

We perform as much as we can, oftentimes around the Georgia Tech scene but all across Georgia as well. When we first formed, we played exclusively cover songs at lots of really small shows, often for crowds of less than 50 people, wherever we could find a place to play. Now, we have had the opportunity to play bars around Georgia and large college parties and perform/record original songs that we wrote in the same basement we met each other in. 

Over the years, we’ve played dozens of shows and gradually made more connections around campus, Atlanta, and the state of Georgia. We’d say that consistently putting ourselves out there, even under what might seem like unideal circumstances, has made a crucial difference in the opportunities we have been afforded in terms of playing live. 

We are currently writing and recording music at every chance we get. 

Currently, our five members are: Ollie Davidson, Adam Boss, Lee Johnson, Eric Sander, and Jack McMurtrie. 

Ollie (lead vocals) is from Sandy Springs, GA, and is a rising fifth-year student at Georgia Tech, set to graduate with a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Adam is from Dunwoody, GA, and (lead guitar) is a rising fourth-year student, set to graduate with a degree in biomedical engineering. Lee (rhythm guitar) is from College Park, GA, and is a rising third-year student set to graduate with a degree in Literature, Media, and Communication. Eric (drums) is from Chicago, IL, and is a rising fourth year set to graduate with a degree in Computer Science. Jack is from the Atlanta area as well and is a graduate of Georgia Tech with a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the hardest battles for us is balancing the band with our personal, academic, and work lives. Learning songs, writing songs, practicing together, and playing live is hours and hours of weekly commitment that takes planning and organization from all of us. We are always doing our best and learning how to better communicate with each other as well as be as prepared as we can, especially when we run into unexpected obstacles we can’t prevent. All of us are either full-time college students at Georgia Tech or full-time 9-5 employees year-round; we not only have to study for exams and attend class, but we also maintain busy college social lives outside of the band. Even during the summers, where we all hold jobs instead of taking classes, we have to pivot and find ways to make the band make sense with our working schedules. 

This, coupled with how we are completely self-managed and operated (no booking agent, manager, crew, sound/lights team, etc.) has proven to be stressful at times, yet 100% worth the hustle. 

Sometimes, marketing is a tough fight as well. Especially in the days of social media, finding ways to reach new listeners with original music as well as with advertising ourselves as a band to book have been learning experiences for us as well. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We’re a five-man band who plays a combination of covers and original music. We can play up to a 4-hour set nonstop and have had experience on all sorts of stages playing bar gigs, formal events of all kinds, fraternity parties, and intimate backyard acoustic sessions. 

We’re known for our original music and energetic live performances. Our shows are electric – we love to get loud, jump around, and get people singing along as loud as they can. Our sets often crescendo from calmer, tame songs to vibrant, thunderous crowd-pleasers. We’re also known for our roots on campus as students at Georgia Tech, specifically from the basement of our fraternity. 

We’re most proud of our ability to self-manage and organize without a team. Many bands hire outside parties to come and help with communications, booking, and coordination with clients/venues. Since the beginning, we’ve done it all ourselves and have made really special connections and relationships through doing so. 

We’re set apart by several things. Our collective music taste – combined between the five of us – is all over the place in the best way, allowing us to cover almost any genre, and for our original songs to be birthed out of several different styles. Born out of a fraternity basement filled with leaky pipes and junk, we’ve all also been formed by Georgia Tech as students or alumni, balancing what can be a very heavy academic load with playing in the band. This is notable as it’s not uncommon for people our age to drop out of school to commit to their musical groups full-time. Again, we also do all of this within just the group of us five – no team and no crew. 

We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
That our sound is mixed live by our bass player, Jack! Most bands have a specified sound person or even sound team. Jack has lots of experience with sound mixing and design and has stood by our mixer board at every show that we bring our sound equipment to (most shows) and done it on the fly! He soundchecks everyone and remains by the board so that when something needs to be changed, he can do it mid-set (and effortlessly, too) at any point, even during songs. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/basementrecess/
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7LPBdQwcjcQ5n1WhiaqrOu?si=_ZMYomwBQwOdhlj1QFexAQ

Image Credits
Mitchell Davidson
Hanna Middleton