Javier and The Bear

What can be said about Javier and the Bear? They are a true rock and roll band, with a no bullshit attitude. Although still a young band, their development has been years in the making. Hans, Tim, and Joe all met in Curt Morrison's rock band class when they were still in middle school. Hans played the six-string, Tim played the bass, and Joe played them skins. They never knew that one day they would be playing together with seasoned bass plucker Dan Zima opening for "sassy" pop icons The Buckinghams and getting paid three-figures. Javier and the Bear remember the Buckinghams show like it was yesterday, or maybe it was the day before yesterday. Actually it was Labor Day 2005, but who's counting? The fact remains that Tim and Hans were in awe of Bob Abrams' guitar playing, especially when he faked a lick from "Crazy Train" and made fun of Ozzy Osbourne, even though Ozzy has made heavy metal history over the past 35 years, and The Buckinghams...well...we opened up for them. Hans, Tim and Dan all had previous experience in other bands before the era of Javier and the Bear. Hans and Tim began playing together when Tim recruited Hans as a guitar player for the cult rock band Hammerhead Sharks. Later Hans, Tim and the infamous Ranney Brothers formed Harmony Joyride, an 80's rock cover band. This band offered a thorough schooling in the art of rocking. The band covered Van Halen, the Scorpions, Ozzy, Judas Priest, and Micheal Jackson, with a little Iron Maiden added in for good measure. Meanwhile, Dan was playing guitar in Random McCover. Sometime after the summer of 2003, Harmony Joyride and Random McCover fell apart and from the ashes of the wake Javier and the Bear came to life. Joe O' Connor was recruited to provide the backbeat which is at the heart of every raunchy Javier and the Bear tune. The band rehearsed heavily until they felt their sound was defined and held together by the proverbial Rubber Cement. When Javier and the Bear began performing in February of 2004, people realized that this was a band that knew what they were doing. Javier and the Bear continued to write new songs and learn more covers to develop their already supple and irreverent sound, and in the summer of 2005, their hard work paid off. Javier played three "Battle of the Bands" competitions: a local competiton in Forest Park (1st place), a regional battle in Lombard (1st place), and after winning those two they were selected to perform at the Illinois State Battle of the Bands in Springfield. It goes without saying, but this writer will say it anyway, they won. They fucking won. Javier and the Bear are the 2005 champions of Illinois, at the top of the heap out of over 200 bands. After this success Javier headed back to the rehearsal space to do what they do best: Get Tighter. But shows were difficult to find, as the "Boys from Brahma Boulevard" were temporarily split up at different schools. Tired of waiting till the next summer of love, Tim jumped ship and went to school at the Musician's Institute in Hollywood, California. After his brief stay in Hollywierd and sex romp with his in love/out of love mistress Stacy Perkins, he relocated to sanctuary in Tacoma, Washington. At this time Javier and the Bear idled in neutral gear until Tim could get his ass back to Oak Park. In March of 2007, Tim returned to the "Homeland of Hosiery", just in time for Joe to depart to study a broad or two in Japan. This brings us to present day Javier history, where the band hopes to find a temporary replacement drummer and have a memorable summer. Do you know where I could get a good hummer? Let's go check out Fort Sumner. Can't find it? That's a bummer. Let's go watch Dumb and Dumber. How about we build a cabin instead? All we need is some lumber. Please join us in creating our legacy.