Ones To Watch
The Vettes
By Katie TapeThe Vettes burst onto the music scene two years ago and with the help of MySpace and heaps of talent, have solidified their presence on the local and national platform. Rachel Vette leads the group with her brothers Todd, Chad, Brian and Mitch. It all began with a simple question, “Do you want to be in a band?” And the rest, as they say, is history.
I met up with The Vettes at the CD release party for their E.P. at Southport Hall. I had never met them, but because of MySpace, I knew to look for a striking blonde. And there she was. I swear, she arrived on the thunderous end of a lightning bolt. Doors slammed shut and locked behind her, chandeliers flickered yellow and every male and female in the place breathed her in, hoping to inhale an ounce of her magnetism. In other words, the girl knew how to make an entrance. Some people just have “it.” And this pint-sized Polly Pocket of rock, has “it.” In fact, the whole band has “it.”
Chad Vette handles the synthesizer, Todd Vette rocks the guitar, Brian Vette smashes the drums, and Mitch Vette (who was adopted by the family as a boy) provides the bass tones. Together they create what they consider “New Wave Alternative Rock” - a blend of throwback synth sounds with modern melodies.
The band was signed to ThroBack Records late last year. The self-titled E.P. was produced in Los Angeles by Grammy Award-winning producer, John L. Parker, and mixed by David J. Holman, who is responsible for mixing No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom among other things. It’s pretty appropriate that Mr. Holman was the mixer, as there is a definite No Doubt kind of sound. Not bad bragging rights for a first effort. Rachel’s sweet, stylized voice coupled with retro synthesizers offers a modern alternative to the mundane generic pop that is currently being played.
The first song, “Give ‘Em What They Want” is fantastically catchy and seems primed for the ever-popular Urban Outfitters summer compilation CD. The softer, more vulnerable “Flame” really showcases Rachel’s pipes, as well as the rest of the band’s abundant talent. Influences from The Bravery and The Rapture as well as Peaches can be heard throughout. Listening to the E.P. is like eating a slice of sophisticated bubblegum pie in the summertime.
Fans of The Vettes are Super Fans. They adopt the group’s last name on their MySpace profiles. One fan, Tammy, gushes, “The Vettes are awesome, magical and spectacular. The best thing about them is they are great people with big hearts. They make music that touches your soul.” Ashley, Caroline and Sonia said in unison, “We love The Vettes!” Their appeal is wide and is relatable to sixteen-year old girls all the way to the 20-something set who would be happy dating Rachel or emulating her hipper than thou brothers.
Due to their first studio release, The Vettes have been touring and promoting nonstop. In March, they appeared in Austin at South by Southwest. They then proceeded on to what seemed like almost daily shows in Texas and Louisiana.
Fame is a veritable waltz for this fab five. They are all so damn cute, talented, and nice that it’s no wonder that promotional stills have them featured on a box of Wheaties. Quality material combined with style, genuine personality, and sprightly youth will take them all the way to the top. And the best thing is, it’s pretty certain that they’ll stay there.