The centerpiece of Dylan LeComte’s room in Scarborough is a gleaming chrome-and-black drumkit, the cymbals of which are aflame when struck by early-afternoon light from the picture window behind it. Sitting behind the kit on Saturday, LeComte tapped out a three-count on one of those cymbals, launching his bandmates into a blistering, bottom-heavy instrumental version of their newest song, “I Scream At Walls.”
The band, The Study of Wumbo ”“ comprised of high school students from Scarborough and Kennebunk ”“ is not the only band in Maine with a song by that title. There are, in fact, nine bands total across the state with songs named “I Scream At Walls,” although each band’s song is drastically different from the next, both in lyrics and instrumentation.
The ubiquitous title is not a coincidence.
The Study of Wumbo is facing off against those eight other bands in a statewide high school rock competition called “Off-Ramp: Exit 26,” a six-month, multi-faceted “rock-off” that grades bands in areas such as songwriting, marketing and music video production. Sponsored by Reindeer Records, an independent music label based in Westbrook, the competition is helping to raise money for several teen centers and shelters in Maine, including Mission Possible in Westbrook, New Beginnings in Lewiston, and the Shaw House in Bangor.
Louis Philippe, executive director of Reindeer Records, will be sending half of the competition’s proceeds to those shelters and will offer a cash prize to the winning band. He envisions this as a pilot program for an alternative education curriculum; next year’s contest, if all goes according to plan, will allow high school students to earn credit toward graduation.
“We had kind of a precursor event called ”˜Rock-Off,’” said Philippe, a two-week long battle of the bands that Reindeer had hosted over the span of a generation. “The intention was to stop after 25 years, but it didn’t seem to be in God’s plan.”
Instead, after taking a year off from hosting the event, Philippe conceived of the expanded program that took local bands through all facets of the music industry. Reindeer records recruited contestants the old-fashioned way, by putting up posters and word-of-mouth.
“The bands this year are helping us create the curriculum,” said Philippe. “We’re basically workshopping this live. It’s a great way to test it out, see what works, and what the challenges are going to be.”
For “The Study of Wumbo,” the challenge was to take the assigned song title, “I Scream At Walls,” and craft a tune that was true to their style of music, an aggressive style that draws from progressive influences and throws in a bit of jazz fusion for good measure.
“We all listen to a lot of different genres,” said guitarist Alex Goodwin. “We do what we think sounds good at the moment. We’ve gotten pretty picky with what we write.”
“We definitely take our time,” said LeComte. “But it works for us that way.”
The band is currently rounding the final stretch. Members have already experienced the songwriting, studio recording, marketing and live event production stages, and have played a benefit show at the Mission Possible center on March 12.
For some, playing in front of an audience was a new experience.
“I’ve been in a few bands, but none of them have gotten to the point where we played in front of people,” said bassist Stewart Roelke. “It’s a good experience.”
It has been hard to gauge reaction to the band, they said, since their musical style is much different than the other bands in the competition.
“We’re the odd-ball,” said guitarist Zach Austin. “We’re the only band who screams.”
“My parents won’t even buy tickets,” joked Roelke.
Still, The Study of Wumbo has found an audience; aside from Off-Ramp, the band has played at shows and festivals throughout New England. The competition will also give them a chance to expand their fanbase. All of the Off-Ramp bands’ versions of “I Scream At Walls” are available for download on iTunes, and The Study of Wumbo has recently filmed footage for the competition’s final stage: Music video production.
Philippe hopes that next year, when “Off-Ramp: Exit 27” launches, it will help alternative education students fulfill their graduation requirements. In the meantime, several teen centers and shelters are grateful for the boost. Band members Goodwin, Roelke, Austin, LeComte and LeComte’s brother and vocalist, Curran, are equally grateful, and say they have been enriched by the experience.
“I think it’s really awesome that people appreciate what we’re doing,” said Austin. “It brings the music scene in a better light.”
“We raised a ton of money at the last show,” said LeComte. “It’s rewarding to do something you love and give back.”
— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 319, or at jlagasse@journaltribune.com.
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