Letterperfect

We've all heard the expression, "If you want it done right, you’ve got to do it yourself." These are words to live by for the members of LETTERPERFECT. Since the beginning, nothing was ever handed to them and they learned very quickly that they were on their own. "It's like every man for himself out here," says bassist JFunk, "If we don't work hard for our music, who will?" Naturally, the Orlando-based alt-rockers have adopted the "DIY" approach to everything from designing their own posters and flyers to booking and coordinating promotional campaigns. Sean McWilliams, Ryan (Bud) Phillips, Jose Solorzano, Justin (JFunk) Jacobs, and Keith McGrane have become more than just another indie-band in mouse land; they have become a music making machine. "We've lucked-out on a few things, but it doesn't happen often." says JFunk, "We know whatever successes we have had came from the fruits of our labor." Rightly so in regards to their recent accomplishment of winning a slot on the 2007 Van's Warped Tour, a coveted spot that was battled by 200 some odd bands in Central Florida. LETTERPERFECT fans won their vote to see the band on the Tour. But they're no stranger to success. In their 2 year existence, they have also won a finalist spot on the 2006 Emergenza contest, opened for the national act, Forever Changed, played in front of hundreds at Virgin Megastore, and received consistent airplay on one of the area's largest rock stations, OROCK 105.9. They have also managed sponsorships from Jim Dunlop, Stitches Clothing, and SJC Drums. In an effort to create truly unique and heart-felt music, the band has mashed up its musical influences from Incubus, Circa Survive, The Mars Volta, Thrice, Minus the Bear, and Brand New to create beautifully quirky music. "It's so exciting," Bud says of writing sessions, "to go to practice and wonder what new sounds we will create!" With the 2007 self-release of the band’s debut EP "In Transit" under their belts, they have spent the good part of a year touring Florida, gaining momentum and fans along the way. The EP itself is a snapshot of the band's knowledge of multiple genres and is cleverly named after the progression of their musical style. Besides cracking mom jokes to each other between songs, LETTERPERFECT is very serious when it comes to their fans. Taking the time to answer multiple emails from fans on a daily basis is not uncommon for the band. "Our fans are our life-blood," says vocalist Jose, "Without them, we are nothing." Their fans have stuck with them, already demanding new material. Fortunately, the band is close to releasing an acoustic album for 2008, reporting that it will only be available digitally. They have also announced that a full-length is in the works and most likely will be recorded themselves. "Both Sean and Keith have degrees in recording arts," says JFunk, "and, just like everything else, it's almost silly to not do it ourselves."