Brothers make music a way of life

It's been several years now since these two young musicians have lived in Carson City. But, their hearts still belong in Carson City, Nevady.

Nevady? Yeah, Nevady.

That's the way Nathan Clark refers to the place he was born.

"I just like to call it that," the 19-year-old said.

Nathan and his brother, Brian, have had this musical knack since they were young ... well, younger than 19. Brian, who's now 21, got a guitar and started playing it. Nathan, on the other hand, was given a set of drums.

"We used to play in our garage all the time," he said. "I think we drove the neighbors nuts. We started getting into music just about the time we left Carson City. I started in eighth grade."

The two have been playing together now for about six years and have put together a solid "alternative metal" sound - a sound good enough to catch the ear of San Diego-based TMC Productions.

Their group, Shadowdrop, has recorded a 12-song CD to be released in February. The group has been together about three years, and has worked hard to get the release ready, Nathan said.

Aside from the CD, Shadowdrop is planning to tour beginning in July. It's a short tour with six stops that include San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, Las Vegas, and of course, Carson City, Nevady.

The boys moved to San Diego with their parents, but every summer they make their way back home.

"I went to Fritsch Elementary," said Nathan. "I really love the area."

Besides a love of the area, Nathan confides that his grandmother, Violet Eikoff, an aunt, Kathy Albrecht, an uncle Dale Riekenberg, and bunch of cousins all live in the area as well.

"It's just a cool place to come and visit," he said.

The other members of the band are Daniel Camara, who plays bass guitar, and Casey Barmkian, who plays guitar.

"We used to be in another band," said Nathan "But it just wasn't working out."

"We create our songs that are our own, and have them ready to show to the others. Then they add in, and we rehearse them constantly," he said.

That collaboration has given the group a distinctive sound.

"We sound different on just about every song," Nathan said. "Some people have told us that's bad, but the people we play for love it."

He explained that they each like to write their own stuff, perform it, and yet keep their own autonomy.

"I just sometimes will tell (the other band members) that I've got a cool drum beat, and they'll do a guitar riff to it, and pretty soon, we'll have something. That's how it works up," he said.