Southern Fury was born back in the early 80’s in the sleepy little town of Springfield Virginia. It all began when Dave “DJ” Fernandez got a call from an old college buddy of his named Jamie Magarry, who was playing bass in punk rock bands at the time. Jamie knew of DJ’s musical interests as a singer/songwriter and told him that he had found two guys living in the area that were interested in forming a southern rock band. This was literally “music” to DJ’s ears.
Jaimie told him that Tom Fowler, who was lead guitarist, and Steve Kerndt, a drummer, were best friends and had been looking to form a new band. Jaimie suggested Tom and Steve get together to jam with him and DJ to see how things felt and more importantly… to hear how things sounded. That jam turned into the nucleus of the band that would one day be known, around the world, as Southern Fury.
Once the guys decided to form a band, they began rehearsing in Tom’s basement in Springfield, Virginia every chance they could learning Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, Charlie Daniels songs and a variety of other southern rock cover tunes. As time went on they also added a few of their own original songs to their set list and the true Southern Fury sound started to grow. To help develop this sound they decided to add another lead guitarist, named Dave Havil, to the group. Southern Fury was finally complete and the boys began to dig up some gigs to play around town.
Their debut performance was the “now famous Kappa Sigma Fraternity party” at George Mason University. The setting was The Library performance hall in downtown Fairfax Virginia. The place was packed with a crazed crowd of college kids who had never heard of Southern Fury before… but would never forget them after the show. The band played hard, sounded great and their fan base grew.
Of course, like any start up band, it was a bit slow going at first… But the guys loved playing out and the more they played the more of a following they got. Unfortunately time and a lack of cash, in the form of good paying gigs, began to take its toll and Southern Fury started showing signs of disbanding. It began when Jamie announced that he was leaving the band in search of a money-making punk band (his first love). Next, Dave Havil announced that he was moving out of state and joining another southern rock band called Sidewinder.
It wasn’t long after those two events that DJ, Steve and Tom decided to put their time and energies into other outside activities (like earning a living) and give Southern Fury a rest. Of course no one knew that “rest” would last almost 15 years…
Over the next 15 years DJ, Tom and Steve would develop their own professional careers outside of the music business. But music was never out of their hearts or minds. As fate would have it, a strange series of events would eventually bring all three of them together again… and Southern Fury back to life.
As it turns out, one day while DJ was running his own marketing company, an employee of his named Scott who knew of DJ’s past as a southern rocker, asked him to teach him some chords on the guitar. As DJ spent more and more time teaching Scott the fundamentals, he began to realize how much he missed playing. He also realized that at age 41, that he had better get back in the game before it was too late.
As luck would have it DJ discovered that a good friend of his, named Dave Spindel, played bass guitar and had indicated he wanted to join him and Scott to form a new band. Soon after they added a drummer named Carmello and a lead/rhythm guitarist named Jeff and “Do It Again” the band was formed. Although the band did have some success writing songs and opening for acts such as 38 Special and Blue Oyster Cult, it just didn’t sound good enough for DJ.
After many attempts to recreate a band that had that same southern sound that DJ desired. He decided that some changes would have to be made to the current lineup of players. Once DJ gave Scott and Carmello the bad news, he and Dave Spindel spent the next couple of months working with Jeff and a new drummer named John. After a few more shows John decided to leave the band. So they continued auditioning a number of musicians but they just couldn't find the right mix of styles and players.
Frustrated with the current sound of the band DJ placed a call to Tom Fowler to catch up and see if Tom had been playing his guitar. As it turns out, Tom had just recently dusted off his guitar and amps and been playing again at home, so he thought it would be cool to check out jamming with a band again. Once DJ and Dave heard Tom play they knew they were on the right track. Now all they needed was to find a good drummer. Tom convinced DJ to give their original Southern Fury drummer, Steve Kerndt, an audition. After all, he and Tom were still best friends. After quite a bit of urging by Tom, DJ finally agreed to check it out.
So Steve came on down to the audition, dusted his drums off and in no time at all was rocking with the band just like in the good old days. It wasn’t long before the band’s name was changed back to Southern Fury in late 1999 and the group decided to write and play more of their own original material rather than just be another cover band.
The next ten years would prove to be the bands best years ever… writing new songs, recording CD’s, playing live gigs and giving their fans what they were missing for so many years… Original southern rock that kicked-ass!
CONTINUED
History of the Band: Part II Coming Soon!
Jaimie told him that Tom Fowler, who was lead guitarist, and Steve Kerndt, a drummer, were best friends and had been looking to form a new band. Jaimie suggested Tom and Steve get together to jam with him and DJ to see how things felt and more importantly… to hear how things sounded. That jam turned into the nucleus of the band that would one day be known, around the world, as Southern Fury.
Once the guys decided to form a band, they began rehearsing in Tom’s basement in Springfield, Virginia every chance they could learning Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, Charlie Daniels songs and a variety of other southern rock cover tunes. As time went on they also added a few of their own original songs to their set list and the true Southern Fury sound started to grow. To help develop this sound they decided to add another lead guitarist, named Dave Havil, to the group. Southern Fury was finally complete and the boys began to dig up some gigs to play around town.
Their debut performance was the “now famous Kappa Sigma Fraternity party” at George Mason University. The setting was The Library performance hall in downtown Fairfax Virginia. The place was packed with a crazed crowd of college kids who had never heard of Southern Fury before… but would never forget them after the show. The band played hard, sounded great and their fan base grew.
Of course, like any start up band, it was a bit slow going at first… But the guys loved playing out and the more they played the more of a following they got. Unfortunately time and a lack of cash, in the form of good paying gigs, began to take its toll and Southern Fury started showing signs of disbanding. It began when Jamie announced that he was leaving the band in search of a money-making punk band (his first love). Next, Dave Havil announced that he was moving out of state and joining another southern rock band called Sidewinder.
It wasn’t long after those two events that DJ, Steve and Tom decided to put their time and energies into other outside activities (like earning a living) and give Southern Fury a rest. Of course no one knew that “rest” would last almost 15 years…
Over the next 15 years DJ, Tom and Steve would develop their own professional careers outside of the music business. But music was never out of their hearts or minds. As fate would have it, a strange series of events would eventually bring all three of them together again… and Southern Fury back to life.
As it turns out, one day while DJ was running his own marketing company, an employee of his named Scott who knew of DJ’s past as a southern rocker, asked him to teach him some chords on the guitar. As DJ spent more and more time teaching Scott the fundamentals, he began to realize how much he missed playing. He also realized that at age 41, that he had better get back in the game before it was too late.
As luck would have it DJ discovered that a good friend of his, named Dave Spindel, played bass guitar and had indicated he wanted to join him and Scott to form a new band. Soon after they added a drummer named Carmello and a lead/rhythm guitarist named Jeff and “Do It Again” the band was formed. Although the band did have some success writing songs and opening for acts such as 38 Special and Blue Oyster Cult, it just didn’t sound good enough for DJ.
After many attempts to recreate a band that had that same southern sound that DJ desired. He decided that some changes would have to be made to the current lineup of players. Once DJ gave Scott and Carmello the bad news, he and Dave Spindel spent the next couple of months working with Jeff and a new drummer named John. After a few more shows John decided to leave the band. So they continued auditioning a number of musicians but they just couldn't find the right mix of styles and players.
Frustrated with the current sound of the band DJ placed a call to Tom Fowler to catch up and see if Tom had been playing his guitar. As it turns out, Tom had just recently dusted off his guitar and amps and been playing again at home, so he thought it would be cool to check out jamming with a band again. Once DJ and Dave heard Tom play they knew they were on the right track. Now all they needed was to find a good drummer. Tom convinced DJ to give their original Southern Fury drummer, Steve Kerndt, an audition. After all, he and Tom were still best friends. After quite a bit of urging by Tom, DJ finally agreed to check it out.
So Steve came on down to the audition, dusted his drums off and in no time at all was rocking with the band just like in the good old days. It wasn’t long before the band’s name was changed back to Southern Fury in late 1999 and the group decided to write and play more of their own original material rather than just be another cover band.
The next ten years would prove to be the bands best years ever… writing new songs, recording CD’s, playing live gigs and giving their fans what they were missing for so many years… Original southern rock that kicked-ass!
CONTINUED
History of the Band: Part II Coming Soon!
BAND HISTORY 101
