By Chelsea Schmid
Staff Writer who is Special to LIVE!
April 14, 2008

The Steel Penny got in gear with the political season last Saturday when the Campaign played on a platform of bluesy pop-rock. This time out was the second to San Angelo for the Fort Worth-based band, and having received a standing ovation at one point for one of the finest damn renditions of “Hey Jude” some have undoubtedly ever heard, it’s safe to assume that there are no prohibitive party lines between the Campaign and the crowd.

San Angeloans responded best to covers. But there’s nothing about the Campaign that begs for originality: The trio-gone-quartet seems to have that recipe down, and with nothing but smiles on the people’s faces, we might conclude that the flavor is good. Starting off as a three-piece including Tyler Wood on keys, Blaine Crews on drums, and Paul Jenkins on bass, the whole band contributes to a three-part harmony with Wood at its head. Since the band formed in 2006, Clayton Fike has been added to the mix, thickening up the musical texture with supplementary guitar riffs and another harmonic vocal line.

The Campaign may be just a baby, but there’s nothing wrong with that. In 2007, the measuring stick of talent put this toddler taller than the rest when Fort Worth Weekly named the Campaign “Best New Artist” at their annual Music Awards. The receipt of this award was followed by a performance on Good Morning Texas where the band played “Still Got The World” in front of 200,000 viewers.

Together, the Campaign have put out a four-song demo, and are currently working toward their first EP. A full-length album is also on the agenda for the future and the band relays they have much of the music ready for when that recording takes place.

“We’re very particular in the studio, so it’s just a matter of getting the money…and then the time,” Jenkins says. “We have a good bit of material—Tyler writes a lot of songs.”

As of now, the band are gigging on a regional and statewide spread, and have picked up shows at some reputable venues throughout Texas. When asked what their best recalled show was, Fike responded with a grin: “We kind of played with Bob Dylan. It was in the same venue on the same night—but it was in the room next door.”

For 2008 the Campaign is looking at heading out on the trail and expanding their fan base with hopes of attracting some label attention once the EP is pressed. Head on over to their myspace page at myspace.com/thecampaignmusic.