The Quiet One

Columbus music and culture

Pure Jam

Most Columbus artists grow up in the city and either decide to stay or move away to pursue a music career. Occasionally, groups from...

Drew Layman

Mar 9, 20254 min read

Hank Marr - On And Off Stage

In the fall of 1964, as rock and roll's popularity exploded—fueled by events like The Beatles’ first U.S. tour—King Records found itself...

Drew Layman

Feb 25, 20255 min read

The 1876 Buckeyes: Columbus' First Professional Team

The largest crowd of the season assembled at Union Station 's ballpark could not believe what they were seeing. They came to see their...

Drew Layman

Feb 9, 202515 min read

An Xalt Christmas

When this CD was gifted to my wife and me by one of the guitarists and arrangers, John Auker , I was only familiar with a few of the...

Drew Layman

Dec 15, 20244 min read

Twenty One Pilots – Clancy

On October 6, 2024, Twenty One Pilots wrapped up a three-night residency at Nationwide Arena on their Clancy World Tour . While I...

Drew Layman

Nov 20, 20244 min read

The Sun – Blame It On The Youth

Albums often get reassessed as time passes. Historical circumstances that shaped an album's reception at its release can fade, allowing...

Drew Layman

Oct 5, 20245 min read

Gaunt - Bricks And Blackouts

When Gaunt ’s gear was stolen from their van after a November 1996 gig in San Francisco, Jerry Wick saw it as a sign from the cosmos....

Drew Layman

Aug 10, 20246 min read

Teen Dream - Let’s Get Busy

In the mid-80s, Columbus musician and producer Chris Powell was on a promotional tour with his Motown act Koko Pop when he realized...

Drew Layman

Jul 6, 20246 min read

The Godz – Nothing Is Sacred

Having set the template of their gritty, raw, meat-and-potatoes style of rock with their self-titled debut, The Godz toured relentlessly...

Drew Layman

Jun 13, 20245 min read

Roland Kirk With Jack McDuff – Kirk's Work

Roland Kirk recorded three albums before his deal with Mercury Records in 1961 began a period on major labels that lasted the rest of his all too brief life. Recorded live in Rudy Van Gelder’s Englewood Cliffs, NJ studio on July 11, 1961, Prestige Records released Kirk’s Work later that year after Kirk had signed and recorded an album with Mercury. Prestige couldn’t compete with Mercury’s distribution, and Kirk’s Work would get overlooked upon its original release as We Free

Drew Layman

May 21, 20244 min read

The Sonic Odyssey of EYE’s Vision And Ageless Light

Few bands of the 21st century captured the global attention of heavy space rock enthusiasts quite like Columbus’ EYE. When recording...

Drew Layman

Apr 28, 202413 min read

Saving Jane - Girl Next Door

In the mid-2000s, a song sprang from WNCI's playlist to listeners across the nation and put a spotlight on a Columbus band: Saving Jane's...

Drew Layman

Mar 16, 20245 min read

Royal Crescent Mob – Midnight Rose's

The passing of Carlton Smith on September 23, 2023, dealt a heavy blow to the Columbus community. His significance extended beyond his...

Drew Layman

Feb 12, 20247 min read

Nightcaller - The Journey of Artimus Pyle and A.P.B.

In 1982, drummer Artimus Pyle inked a five-year, seven-album deal with MCA, marking a significant milestone in what had been a whirlwind...

Drew Layman

Jan 20, 20244 min read

Charlie Bleak – Let Me In

The story of Charlie Bleak provides a glimpse into the relentless and often unpredictable world of the music business. Despite the '68 Upper Arlington grad's talent and a promising break with Pickwick's P.I.P. Records, external business decisions kept the tantalizingly close opportunity for wider recognition just out of Bleak's grasp. Charlie's music industry journey reflects the harsh reality that many artists face, where success is not only about talent but also about navig

Drew Layman

Jan 2, 20248 min read