Success (possibly) granted

Although four of the five members of the local Christian rock band Access Granted will begin college in a few weeks -- three at Southeast Missouri State University and one in Nashville, Tenn. -- this is hardly the end of the band they started while sophomores at Central High School in Cape Girardeau.

On the contrary, the band is more geared up than ever to see where hard work and luck will take them. Recently, it has gotten them airplay on a nationally syndicated radio show.

For the band's two Nicks -- lead vocalist and guitarist Nick Mayberry and bass player and vocalist Nick Pupek -- the future of Access Granted is open to possibilities, and they are content enjoying the ride, no matter where it ultimately will take them.

Mayberry and Pupek are the only Access Granted members in Cape Girardeau at the moment, though even they spend most of the summer away and just recently returned from a teaching stint at a Chicago church.

Guitarists Jonathan Poston and Alex Heddle are still in Chicago, and drummer David Pfanstiel is touring with the New Zealand-based band Red Rain until February. In a matter of weeks, though, all the members except Poston will be back in Cape Girardeau.

According to Mayberry and Pupek, the members are so close that they are like family.

In addition to their obvious interest in music, they share a background rooted in area Christian youth groups and church.

Poston and Pfanstiel attend New Plymouth Community Church where Poston's dad is the pastor, while the other three attend Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

Although they knew one other from school and church, the five did not start playing music together until their sophomore year of high school when, as part of their church youth group activities, they started playing live music on Friday nights.

"We weren't really heading in any direction," Mayberry said. "We just wanted to play awesome worship music and not sound like anyone else."

The band started off playing shows at youth group gatherings, youth camps and church events, and they quickly got slots at the City of Roses Music Festival's Battle of the Bands and on the main stage. Last year, they went into Ken Keller's Cape Girardeau recording studio to record a demo.

It was these demos that led to radio airplay. Before the band members headed off to Chicago at the beginning of the summer they mailed the recording to radio stations.

One of those demos made it to the Texas-based weekly radio show "Spin 180," heard on 40 radio stations nationwide.

The show plays the music of independent Christian rock or alternative bands, for which Access Granted proved to be the perfect fit. Starting Aug. 1, their song "Gethsemane" will receive heavy airplay for about a month.

"I thought it was well written," said "Spin 180" host Matt Mungle. "I think they're talented young men. If they hone their skills, they can go places. Access Granted have done a good job of sounding current and sounding modern."

"We've been surprised by the response we've gotten because we haven't been around long," Mayberry said. "We were just hoping that someone would say 'they have potential.'"

For Mayberry, the band's potential was apparent the first time they played music together.

"Everything seems to click," he said. Although there might have been that "click" from the get-go, these self-taught musicians had some growing to do when it came to playing their instruments.

According to Mayberry and Pupek, the band's playing and songwriting has improved a good deal since the demo recording, and they plan to head back to the studio as soon as they get enough money.

"I like the way we're growing," Pupek said. "You can see everyone becoming better musicians."

They have also begun to explore other musical directions. Although they still consider themselves a Christian rock band, Mayberry said they are looking to expand their focus and appeal. Part of the reason for the change is being strictly a Christian band has kept some people from coming to their shows and getting to hear music they might otherwise like.

"Some people would not want to see us because we're a Christian band, but they would hear our music and tell us we're awesome," Mayberry said.

While not wholly departing from faith-based lyrics, Mayberry said the band is starting to write more about problems they've had along the way and how to deal with those problems.

"We're just trying to create music people want to listen to and which will raise questions," he said.

Earlier this week, Mayberry and Pupek were busy signing up for classes at Southeast Missouri State University, but the two already have their sights set on moving to Nashville after completing a year at school. Nashville is, of course, famous for its music industry, and it's also where Heddle will be attending college.

"We want to go there and just see what happens," Mayberry said.

Local fans shouldn't worry yet, though. The band intends to play shows once school starts and have already found a temporary replacement for Pfanstiel.

kalfisi@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182