ICARES: Bio
Ryan Osbahr - vocals, guitar
Born in Avoca, Ia-1978. Never picked up a guitar til 1997. Moved to Omaha in 1999. Formed a band called Good Speed. Split Good Speed in 2000 to join as the front man for Man Down. Split with Man Down 3 months later and rejoined Good Speed. Good Speed split at the end of 2000. Spent the next year recording solo acoustic material and really learning how to write music.
Likes: Cartoons, Music, The Hawkeyes, the "slow lane", My dentist, cable network series (ie. Weeds, Entourage, Soprano's)
Dislikes: The fast lane and hipster chics
Hobbies: Learning "cover" material on guitar and watching sports
Astrological sign: Taurus
Favorite movie: Batman Begins, or whatever HBO is running every day of the week. I watch it at least twice a week and have no idea why
Favorite Drink: Capt. and Coke - Red Bull & VO
Favorite Food: Chinese Favorite Bands: The Beatles, Stone Temple Pilots, Ben Folds, Billy Joel, the Pixies, Nirvana, and the Foo Fighters.
Favorite Sport: College Football and College Basketball
Favorite thing about being in a band: Recording and making an album
John James Reuben Shepherd - lead guitar
I first fell in love with music in the summer of 1988 when he caught the video for "Sweet Child Of Mine" by Guns N Roses while being watched by my aunt. Mesmerized by the sound (and how sweet those Les Paul's looked!) I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I grew up on MTV and the 80's videos made their mark on me. I am a fan of all sorts of music, as I try to remain open minded. I try to take the philosophy of "if it sounds good then thats all that matters!" I started playing guitar on and off when I was 15 and played in a really shitty high school band. I have played for 2 jazz bands and many shows, both big and small, including for President George Bush at the Mid American Center to 12,000 people! I've always admired Icares' sound so it was an honor to be brought on board. This band has the best rhythm section I have ever had the priveledge of working with.
Likes: Tennessee Titans, Texas Longhorns, Old Horror
movies, cowboy boots, Gibson guitars crunchy amps
Dislikes: being broke, wiping out on stage, mean
people!
Hobbies: professionally annoying my girlfriend
Astrological sign: Capricorn
Favorite movie: too hard, but American Psycho is
quite amazing
Favorite Drink: Dr. Pepper is my ultimate but my
alcohol drink is a king jack; CROWN mixed with JACK on
the rocks
Favorite Food: Sonic and Jack in the box
Favorite Sport: FOOTBALL!
Musical Influences: include but are not limited to GNR, The Smiths, Metallica, Pearl Jam, STP, Johnny Cash, Miscellaneous blues, and my favorite guitarist is Mark Tremonti.
Favorite thing about being in a band:impossible to
name one favorite. playing shows with Tim, Ryan, and
Mike is fantastic, but also the camaraderie between
us. Really looking forward to touring.
Mike Torczon - bass guitar
I started playing bass almost 9 years ago this May. I used my entire high school grad money on a bass guitar instead of college. My parent's were proud!!! My first band was called Acetate. I was the vocalist for this band as well as bass player, original guitar player and replacement drummer. We rocked all the attics, garages and basements around Omaha!!! From there, I was in a ton of different bands called, Electric Kool-Aid, MotherMercy, Palermo, Rhythm Seed, Pull, and many others I can't remember. Then I started Icares over 4 years ago and have been layin' down the groove from then on.
My influences are THE Beatles (Greatest band EVER!!!), Pearl Jam (2nd greatest!!), Stone Temple Pilots, Green Day, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Incubus, Metallica (Old), Pantera, Live, Primus, Jaco Pastorious, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and many, many more!!
Likes: My wife Amy, my parents and friends, my dogs Babar (St. Bernard), Scurffy (Terrier), my cats Maggie and Luna (Black Cats), watching the Huskers play!, watching NCIS, The Unit, and Law and Order!!! Gotta love the gritty dramas!!
Dislikes: Liars and assholes who speed up to get in front of you when you are already speeding and then they slow down once they get in front of you!
Hobbies: Guitar, drums, singing in the shower, computers, taking my dogs for a walk.
Astrological sign: Capricorn
Favorite movie: Dumb and Dumber, Shawshank Redemption, Braveheart, Smokey and the Bandit!
Favorite Drink: Mt. Dew, Dr. Pepper, Corona and Jeager
Favorite Food: Howard’s Restaurant, Wings (the hotter the better!!) and Pizza
Favorite Sport: Football (best sport ever!), Baseball, basketball
Favorite thing about being in a band: Taking an idea and watching in blossom into a song and seeing it take on a life of its own. Getting on stage and performing in front of people…you just don’t understand unless you have been there!!!!
Tim Blair - drums
Born in Omaha. My first band was in high school called Messiah... After that, I joined a cover band named Untold Truth and toured for 2 years. Joined my first local original band called Shed in the mid 90's, which lasted 1 1/2 years. After that, I played with various local acts for a while- Soft House Love, Raygun Revolt, Six Speed Universe, and a few others... During this time, I also endeavored into playing guitar, writing my own material, and recording on my own home recording studio set up. Then I joined Icares just over 4 years ago, and have been a drumming "mofo" ever since.
Likes: Amber, my cats- Todd, Big Fred, and Chloe, watching the Office, and the Huskers! I'd say long walks on the beach... but that's f@#king stupid!
Dislikes: Confrontational dumb ass neighbors and all around assholes!! oh yeah.., and pork chops.
Hobbies: Anything computers, website design (I'm learning), and guitar.
Astrological sign: Cancer.
Favorite movie: Monty Python- The Holy Grail
Favorite Drink: Tequila shots and Red Bull.
Favorite Food: Pizza or anything Italian.
Favorite Sport: Definitely Football.
Favorite Current Bands: My Chemical Romance and the Foo Fighters.
Musical Influences: Led Zeppelin, Rush, Steve Morris Band
Favorite thing about being in a band: Hanging out with the Homies... and the camaraderie between myself, Ryan, John, & Mike. Theres nothing like a good road trip.
