When Zach Sorgen (20), Chase Jackson (19), Forrest Mitchell (19), and Ryan Thomas (20) were in high school together at Berkeley (California) High, their love of music brought them together as they would stick around after school and practice for hours. “Often times after jazz ensemble rehearsal, we would jam in the band room or at the Jazz School in Berkeley a few blocks away,” says Forrest (drums). Realizing they had something special, they decided to form a band, and not long after, entered a local battle of the bands competition. In order to enter, they needed a name: “We procrastinated filling out the submission form for the competition until just minutes before the deadline when we came up with ‘Thirstbusters,’ which evolved from a slang term used amongst a group of our friends. At first we weren’t sure it worked, but the name has come to embody the fun and enthusiasm we personify in our music,” says Chase (bass). The Thirstbusters sound can best be summed up as melodic and jazz influenced, with a pop rock-driven, feel-good vibe. The fact that the band writes all of their own music comes as no surprise, as all four members come from a diverse musical background and bring a unique sound to the table. They work hard on their craft; rehearsing, studying with great musicians and teachers, it’s all part of what they love to do most, make music. Crowds who come to their shows are quickly won over by the high level of musicianship and energy, as the Thirstbusters love to perform live. “Singing a song that’s connected to the essence of who you are — with your best friends on stage with you and hundreds of smiling faces in the audience singing along — that’s incredible!” says Zach (vocals/keyboards). As for their current whereabouts, all four members of the band are currently majoring in music at colleges across the U.S. Forrest and Ryan are at UCLA, Zach is at Vassar and Chase attends Oberlin. And even though they’re spread across the country, their collaborative creative process never stops. These efforts paid off in a big way late last year when the band was home for Christmas break. They shot their first video (directed by Monique Sorgen) for “So There,” a song from their debut album “Time You Awake.” The video for “So There” went on to great critical acclaim and caught the attention of the folks at Disney who featured the video on their Disney XD channel this past spring. Not long after, the band was signed by the ICM talent agency in Hollywood and they were on their way.
