Random Pressure: Band raises bar for classic covers, note for note

This article was originally published on Positively Entertainment, and is re-posted with permission. 

By:  Nancy Rae Glass

Random Pressure
At 10 years old this writer read a book by Norton Jester entitled The Phantom Tollbooth. It was an unusual story about a very bored eight-year-old boy named Milo who received a tollbooth one day after returning home from school. Little could Milo realize the fantastic adventure in store for him when he dropped his token in the toll box and went motoring through the tollgate in the small kiddy car.
In the pages of this book was discovered the word cacophony, as defined by dictionary.com as “a discordant and meaningless mixture of sounds.” Not having much use for such a word at 10 years old, it was stored away in the mental custom dictionary for later use some 20 years later when writing about music and musicians.
This is not a word to describe the celebrated band Random Pressure. “Years ago when I was in a recording studio, the engineer used the words ‘random pressure’ to technically describe the term ‘noise’,” recalls guitarist and vocalist Marty McCray. “I remember thinking to myself that would be a really good name for an album.” Ironically, McCray now finds himself playing guitar and singing for this popular cover band.
With such seasoned musicians as bassist Bruce Short (former guitar player for the cover band The Junkyard Dogs); and “right on the money” drummer Norm Whitehurst; with Pat Yadon on vocals; and the precision keyboarding of Ted Gardner, McCray describes the band; “We’re raising the bar a little higher for cover bands by capitalizing on the inherent musicianship of the members, by performing cover songs not normally heard in clubs but are fun to dance to and by all of us to have a great time playing music. We rehearsed nearly an entire year together as a band before we set foot in front of an audience just over a year ago.”
Random Pressure gets it right… every single time. When was the last time you heard Boston’s Foreplay (the song Boston does right before the song Long Time) performed in a club? While watching the band play at The New Hing’s Restaurant in Oregon City a few months back, this listener’s jaw literally dropped open when this song began. Note for note, it was technically correct, amazing to hear and a wonder to watch! And, for whatever reason, folks even tried to get up and dance to that two-minute and 30 second intro to Boston’s song Long Time.
“We’re primarily a keyboard band,” says McCray. With such songs on their weekly changed playlists, the band also performs Manfred Mann’s Earth Band Blinded by the Light, as well as Electric Light Orchestra’s Evil Woman. Not only does the band have a full sound, all members sing backing vocals that go a very long way in correctly rendering the song for the audience’s delight and continued loyalty.
“We’re really all about getting folks out on the dance floor dancing,” says McCray. “We all know what it’s like to have a grueling day job and when it’s the weekend, we want to have fun and make sure other’s do too. At any given moment the band knows over 400 songs and we change it up each time we play to add excitement to the night. We have such a strong following and are very grateful to our very loyal fans that come out and dance and have a good time.”
With the balance of 2011 booked at places like Pub 181 in Gresham, at Hing’s in Oregon City and even the Corbett Fun Fest over the 4th of July, you can check out the band’s website www.randompressure.com for more information.