The local band One Direction says, “When all you see is up, there’s only one way to go!” They certainly seem to be living up to their name quickly.
That phrase is signed on the band’s website. It is what the band used as inspiration in coming up with their name.
The band’s popularity has skyrocketed faster than anyone could have anticipated. Since forming One Direction a little more than a year ago in October of 2010, the boys have created a music video at EMG Studios; recorded an album that’s now available on ITunes; had a viral video hit YouTube and are now in not one, but two Bay Area band competitions.
One Direction is comprised of five band members: Lead vocalist Sean O’Leary; lead guitarist/singer Tyler Rodriguez; guitarist Isaiah Chavez-Pickett; bassist Scott Nagareda; and drummer Adam Davis. The band was formed by its lead vocalist Sean O’Leary.
According to Sean’s father and the band’s manager, Dan O’Leary, Sean started out originally playing the drums, “But it’s a little hard to play the drums and sing at the same time,” laughed Dan.
At first, Dan just thought that his son’s talk of making a music video was just a fleeting idea. He told him that he’d help pay for the production costs if his son got up the cash to get down to Burbank. Sean got a job at Bolado Park cleaning golf carts and, with some help from former band member Scott Graham, came up with the money need for the recording trip. That’s when he realized his son was serious. He was so proud of the boys and their determination that he helped pay for them to make a music video earlier this year.
On Sunday, Dec. 4, One Direction will be competing at the Next Big Thing – Battle of the Bands, at Slim’s in San Francisco. Fans can even sign up from the band’s website to take a charter bus out to the concert.
The boys of One Direction have also beat out more than 100 other local bands and landed a spot on the list of 15 finalists competing to open for headliner Jane’s Addiction at radio station Live 105’s Not So Silent Night concert on Friday, Dec. 9 at Oakland’s Oracle Arena. On Sunday, Nov. 20, Live 105 announced that the boys’ band made it into contest. The Live 105 Music Committee selected the finalists, but it is up to fans to vote for the winner. The contest lasts for only two weeks, and votes must be in by 5 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 4, so that the winner can be announced at 8 p.m. that night.
To vote, visit the Live 105 website at http://live105.radio.com and click on the “Which Local Band Should Open NSSN 2011?” link. There you can listen to all the finalists and vote on the final page (One Direction is on page 8 of 17, which includes the introduction and the final vote submission page.)
For more information, visit the band’s website at Onedirectionusa.com, where you’ll also find links to add them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and watch their videos on YouTube.
