The Band

"I heard the bass and drums thumping before my hand hit the door. Once inside, that rhythm, overlaid by a flaming guitar solo, dragged my sneakers over to the dance floor to mix it up with the dancers."
Ashbolt Stewart picked up his first drumsticks at the age of four, and he's worn through a pile of them in his thirty-five year career as a drummer. He was born in Detroit, Michigan and grew up in the neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In '72, his band moved to California in a purple school bus, and he spent about 20 years gigging there. Since leaving Sonoma County for Portland in the 90's, he worked with several local bands, coming to be the driving force behind the Norman Sylvester Band for ten years. Finally, after giving so many bands the benefit of his backing groove and musical playing style, BOLT UPRIGHT is the first time Ashbolt gets in front. He's witty, he's watching, and he's taking the opportunity to play the music he loves.


Susie was into T.V. theme songs and classical music from the age of three. She was a flutist in her elementary through high school bands, but then took a Fine Arts turn in college. Great memories of playing music with other people, plus a desire to earn money in a field that didn't involve cleaning products or heavy lifting, led her back to Music. She first took up the bass steel pans, playing in a Calypso and Soca band. Soon she was playing electric bass and before long helped create and name the band BOLT UPRIGHT with her husband Ashbolt. Although Susie would still prefer to perform from backstage, lately she has begun singing and has been writing some tunes, like "Hot Shot Blues." Sus loves coffee. Really.


Ken Brewer has been a noted music expert since the age of eight when he noticed his parents, his friends and their parents using him as a reference source. He majored in music in college, just to make it official, then set out to save the world with his musical powers. It's been a long struggle, but Ken is no quitter. The Pacific Northwest has benefited greatly for the past decade. Following his stint in the Robbie Laws band, Hoodoo Nation, he allowed himself to be roped into B-UP. Currently he has his eye on the tropics (they need great music where it's warm too, after all), but Ash and Susie keep him plied with sushi all the time they're not performing, so you can be sure he'll stay in the Portland area for some time. Meanwhile he is haunted by recurring dreams of having angry Strats thrown at his head...