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FRESHWATER COLLINS
By Mike Huberty
Funk, blues, soul, hip-hop, rock and roll… Milwaukee's Freshwater Collins cuts through diverse musical genres with a natural organic sound that
drummer/manager Anthony Olson describes as "funk-blues-and rock and roll rolled up like a joint." Forming in 1996 when guitarists Chris Vos and Andy Gulotta started jamming together, they started creating
music inspired by such varied artists as Prince, Led Zeppelin, and Muddy Waters. Quickly adding Chris' brother, Brian "Thumper" Vos to bass, the band started bringing their musical melting pot to the
Milwaukee area.
After three successful independently released recordings, "Lean Back", "The Portable Atmosphere", and the sold-out "Metaphysical Hoopla", Freshwater Collins is
ready to start taking on America outside the Midwest. As Chris Vos puts it "I wanna take three individuals with me and push it as high as we can musically go." Gulotta echoes this, "Our next step is
to be a touring act that is consistently selling out 1000-seat venues in major cities. We're not looking for MTV, we want the grassroots following, the word of mouth." And opening up for nationally respected
bands like The Jayhawks and The Jerry Garcia band has certainly given them a headstart.
Be prepared to hear more from these guys as the year progresses, with a new multi-state distribution deal and a new
album in the works, Freshwater Collins is looking to make a big impression. As Chris puts it, "It's genuine music that we love to play, and we put as much love in the music as we possibly can. When we
leave town, we leave our mark. People will remember that we were there."
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