Owsla
As rememberd by Joby please submit a real one to cool @ leons temple . com (remove spaces)
In the world created by Richard Adams in the "Watership Down" series an "Owsla" is a group of the strongest rabbits assembled to guard thier warren. In the late 90's in Kalamazoo it was a group of four established musicians perhaps assemlbled to do the same. While Owsla never quite gained the populaity of Twitch they had a good following and a great live show. My band at the time played one show with Owlsa, I remember two things very clearly. One being Bryers playing a red SG which I later learned belonged to Brett Fields but, it just looked cool and Chris beating the shit out of it on the last song and screaming OWSLA!!! at the top of his lungs for about a minute straight. Track one Mary Anne? has been stuck in my head for 10 years and I'm so happy to hear it again. this recording was only relesed on Tape and very few have survived. Track 2 is the Original version of the song "Catch Your Death" by Sleet, quite different and a fun listen.
Here is a memoir (not a bio) that Charles sent us today (September 14, 2007)
Owsla was too beautiful... too intense to last long. They were the greatest songs I've ever had the privilege to play and the most overwhelming live shows, not just for the crowd, but for the band as well. Chris Breyers picked me, Brett Fields and Craig Ritenour to help him bring these songs to life shortly after Twitch dissolved in the late 90's. By this time, I had come to realize that I was never going to become a rock star, but playing these songs I instantly believed it was possible.
I hope Chris doesn't mind me saying that those may have been his darkest days. Listen to Owsla lyrics. They are incredible raw and honest; and they're pretty bleak. But somewhere from those depths Chris managed to create the most brutally enjoyable music. I remember standing on stage and playing songs like "Catch Your Death" and the anthematic ending to "Terror Loose" and getting chills, I still get them just listening to unmixed demo.
We played Chris' masterpieces with little, if any finesse. They were pounded out with incredible passion by everyone in the band. We didn't play them for the audience, we played them for ourselves. We bashed our instruments and our bodies with every song and that's the obvious reason we were always out of tune. Despite the sour notes, this passion was one of the reasons we managed to attract a pretty big following in the few months we played out.
There weren't that many shows, so if you ever had the chance to see Owsla play live, consider yourself lucky. I know that sounds conceited, but I consider myself even more fortunate for getting to play the songs. Yeah, we were sloppy and drunk most of the time, but those songs were meant to be played that way.
So, perhaps stardom and success was not our destiny. It was an intense hot flash in time. It burned bright, but faded quickly. I'm glad that Chris continues to write incredible songs. But I'm even more happy to know that I had a part in Owsla.
- Chris Bryers - Vocals & Guitars
- Brett Fields - Guitar
- Craig Rit* - Drums
- Charles Bradford - Bass
- Chris also played With Son of One, Selling Heaven, Twitch, Sleet, Knives are Quiet and now performs solo.
- Brett Also played in the Casies and one incarnation of Dead River Drag
- Craig also played in Black Spring and Fatsack
- Charles also played in Black Sping and Genious Hired Guns
Five Song Demo
- 01 - Mary Anne?
- 02 - Catch Your Death
- 03
- 04
- 05
Comments from the world
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Posted by: Web master on 12-16-10 about Owsla
OK, reload the page and it should be fixed.
Any other broken links you know let me know
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Posted by: downloads regarding Owsla on 12-16-10 about Owsla
Hey, does anyone know where to get downloads of Owsla songs? This website's downloads for them does not work for some reason. Can download other band's website music but not Owsla's. Very curious to hear how they sounded. Thanks, Matt L.
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Posted by: Master on 10-08-09 about Owsla
an informed guess is that the new Bryers will be 'buyable' by mid-November on CD and a bit later for itunes
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Posted by: Dave Berkawitz on 10-07-09 about Owsla
when can I purchase the new "Bryers" cd? is there a release date?
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Posted by: fjc on 09-04-09 about Owsla
I enjoyed Thought Industry very much and I think that they were very talented and original. But going to a show and watching Brent walk around before they perform and refuse to acknowledge anyone speaking to him was hilarious to watch. I'm surprised he didnt have a few bodyguards with him to rough up anyone who got too close to him. And looking at the posts on this site it doesnt surprise me that he had the attitude that he did. Everyone seems to have a story about how Brent looked at them or how he was only 100 feet away from them back in 92. Oh boy how exciting Brent ignored me one night. you guys are name dropping people who arent even remotely famous!!
In response to: Jim Cherry the Daffy Duck dipshit on 09-02-09 for Owsla
to Jeff Till - my hats off you to. Check and mate GAME OVER! I'm the Daffy Duck to your Bugs Bunny- Duck Season! RABBIT SEASON! Duck Season! RABBIT SEASON! Rabbit Season! DUCK SEASON FIRE! and BOOM!!! you blew my Duck bill right off my face. I get it now- so... I'm supposed to say "I got PUNKED by Jeff Till- Hook line and sinker! You played me like a Fender Bass and I fell into your web of pranksterness. I bow to your higher intellect.
I will say that in my defense the whole reason I was fooled by what you were saying is because back in the day everyone in Kalamazoo always said you were the biggest asshole they ever met. You played the part so well recently that even I fell for it- Kudos to you Mr. Till- I think this is the most fun your web-site has seen in a while- heh??
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Posted by: Jeff Till on 09-02-09 about Owsla
PS... Why are you picking on/shitting on Joby all of sudden??? WTF?
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Posted by: Jeff Till on 09-02-09 about Owsla
Jim Cherry hates Chris Bryers and thinks he sucks it. So sad. Why do you hate Chris so? Some people who visit this site think Chris is good musician, singer and songwriter. Perhaps you should just go back to your Creed albums or whatever if you despise Bryers so much. Thanks in advance.
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Posted by: Jeff T. on 09-01-09 about Owsla
You can be mean, Jim, it just has to be funny too. If you are critical and genuine, even while paying extensive fellatiating back-hand compliments, people will mistake you for being sensitive and intraspective. And then no one will sleep with you. Sorry.
In further defense of Owsla, the posted tracks are unfinished demos with scratch vocals (no reverb even) that aren't presented as a finished release, but more as curios for us collectors and fans. Chris had urged me not to post them, but I insisted.
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Posted by: Jim Cherry on 09-01-09 about Owsla
Jeff- really? I thought i was being nice. I was just telling a story and being honest... if that's not allowed here then I apologize.
sorry Bryers- If I hurt your feelings you can kick me in the balls next time you see me.
I'd like to say a couple other things but I won't cuz if I can't say nice things I have to keep quiet.
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Posted by: Jeff T. on 08-30-09 about Owsla
Jim: If you don't have something nice to say... I only saw Owsla play once, and only less Cathartic than "kiss me mary anne" was an incredible version of "The Beautiful Ones" which was as good as I've seen Chris or anyone else do in kzoo. So there. But, really, Chris is so cook that he even has rebound bands. Ghost Stories is indeed cool (and hopefully more to come here soon)
Joby: When your slow leak launch is done, put a package together and we'll post and promote and share here.
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Posted by: jim cherry on 08-30-09 about Owsla
uhh... yeah... all I remember about Owsla was that I drove 6 hrs round trip from Saginaw (with my then new girlfriend) and all the way to K-zoo I was telling her about my friend Chris Bryers who was the shit & rocked my world in a band called TWITCH-
Bryers came up to me after the show and asked me what I thought about the show and being the honest friend that I am I told him the truth- "I want me 4 bucks back since I wasn't on the guest list. It was alright... I mean... It didn't suck or anything but... it wasn't what I wanted to hear- It didn't move me"
I just listend to these songs you've got posted and I'm still not impressed- sorry... and I'm Bryers biggest fan next to maybe Jobi P- I just felt like Owsla was a rebound band until he could find his groove again- and then SLEET came out later and I thought- yup! he's back.
so there it is... Owsla was like that girl you dated after a big break up because you were afraid of being alone.
the thing is- Bryers is such a grreat song writer that even his mediocure stuff STILL sounds awsome to most people- but I'm not most people... so...
his new Album "Ghost Stories" is amazing - ALL of his solo stuff is just incredible- check it out if you haven't already.
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Posted by: Miss Michael on 08-17-09 about Owsla
My favorite band of all time! I think Chris Bryers is an amazing artist! Charles memoir says it all~I feel truly lucky to have heard this band and felt them, as well! Thank you, Owsla!
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Posted by: Mandi L. on 04-21-08 about Owsla
WOW. This memoir is amazing. I feel like a big pussy when I read and listen to this site because I always cry.
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Posted by: Jeff on 09-08-07 about Owsla
The one and only time I saw them they did fabu covers of Prince's Beautiful Ones and Little Red Corvette. But Kiss Me was instantly and insanely memorable, even from one listen one time at a bar
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