Tuned In Periodically, Our Generation Checks In With Local Teen Bands To Find Out What Drives Them And Their Music. Additional Bands Will Be Featured In A Few Weeks. If You Know Of A Teen Band Worth Profiling, Send Us A Note At The Address, Fax Or E-M

aphonic

Lennon and McCartney, Jagger and Richards, Page and Plant, Bono and The Edge, and, of course, Axl Rose and Slash. Much of rock’s greatest music is the product of creative partnerships formed between singer/songwriters.

For five years, Ben Kordash and Chris Douthitt, both 16, have been writing and playing together with aspirations of joining that elusive list.

Kordash and Douthitt decided to combine their talents with a drummer and a vocalist and soon Fungus — now called aphonic — was formed. Mike Fealk, 15, sings vocals and Dan Fealk, 17, plays the drums.

The instrument players have all played for about five years, and Mike has been singing since elementary choir.

After a month of practice, they bravely took on their first gig, a Saint George’s mixer, where Dan Fealk attends school. They had no stage experience, except for Mike Fealk’s choir concerts.

Kordash broke a string and Douthitt experienced equipment problems; those types of problems should not have been a big deal, but the band had no experience and the performance suffered.

Despite their lackluster showing, they continued to perform and Saint George’s students embraced Fungus as their own (even though three attend Lewis and Clark). A concert video was even produced.

The band realized they needed a new direction if they were to realize their dreams of being so famous they would not have to attend college.

Kordash, whose songs have won awards with a national record producer, and Douthitt began to put together original songs, with Kordash’s lyrics and Douthitt’s music. The inexperienced cover band Fungus became aphonic, a band that plays originals and is currently searching for a new bassist.

They are auditioning for gigs around Spokane and are currently playing the local, high school party scene, gaining experience and party savvy.

Girls have shown a lot more interest in band members since they became public rock figures and they all admit fame is a nice addition to their daily lives.

Though aphonic is still small time (but don’t tell them that), they have come a long way since their opening days at the Saint George’s Sady Hawkins Dance.