Rock ’n’ roll high school
The most buzzed-about young band in Louisville today might be its youngest. Drummer Cameron Lowe formed The Debauchees with guitarist/vocalist Sydney Chadwick and bassist Ashley Bowen, who sat down with LEO to talk tunes. Newly signed to Sonablast Records, they open for labelmates Nerves Junior at the Monkey Wrench tonight, March 6, at 9 p.m.
LEO: How did the band get started?
Sydney Chadwick: We met in (Eastern) high school, freshman year. (Ashley) was in my computer class, and she wore Tripp pants at that time (laughs).
Ashley Bowen: I had black and purple.
SC: I was just, like, “Whatever …”
AB: We just sat next to each other and did our work, and then she left in the middle of the year and just never came back.
LEO: Did you go to another school? Or you just left?
SC: I just left. I said to my mom that I was gonna home-school myself. She didn’t really know much about home-schooling anyway (laughs). You can’t really home-school yourself and get a diploma. I just read and stuff.
LEO: Are you done with self-teaching yet?
SC: Nope. Not at all.
AB: I graduated last year. Cameron’s a senior right now, he’s graduating this year.
LEO: How did you meet him?
AB: He went to Eastern, too, freshman year. And then he left school, too (laughs) … The summer before junior year, I was walking on Hurstbourne, and then Cameron messaged me on Facebook. He was, like, “I saw you walking on Hurstbourne, we should hang out.” I was, like, “What? I haven’t talked to this kid in 10 years.”
So I went over to his house and he taught me how to play bass, which was pretty interesting, ’cause I’d never touched a bass. And then he goes, “I know this chick, she can sing pretty well, and she plays guitar. So we can all hang out.” Now we’re best friends.
Follow The Debauchees at facebook.com/thedebauchees.
This article appears in March 5, 2013.