Student profile: local musician Dylan Harris

Whether he’s jamming on a guitar, screaming vocals or slamming keys on a keyboard, Dylan Harris exudes a presence that audiences simply cannot miss.

Dylan, a sophomore religion major from Hickory, Miss., picked up acoustic guitar at 14 and started playing in his first band, Odetta Avery, a year later.

Dylan met his bandmate, Isaac Deboer, through his brother – a drummer he met a Books-A-Million. Dylan said with Isaac, he truly learned to play as a duo. 

“We wrote music for ourselves.” Dylan said. “We really didn’t care whether people liked it or not. But it was cool when people would come out and listen to us.”

It was during his two years with Odetta Avery that Dylan met Brent Stephenson, a guitar major at USM, and Drew Smith. It was then that Dylan’s second band, The Splinter, The Woods was born, whose name is based on the Bible verse from Matthew 7:5, “You hypocrite, first take the wood out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”

“We hate it when people ask us what genre we are.” Brent said. “Usually, I just answer ‘loud.’ But, if I had to give it a genre, it would be a sort of mix between 90’s hardcore and math rock.”

Both Dylan and his band mates are part of the Do-It-Yourself movement. DIY is a commitment to retain independence and integrity as a band rather than use an agency to book tours or sign with record labels. Dylan explained DIY as being “independent within a community.” The bands make their own CDs, book their own shows, and sell their own memorabilia. They rely on making contacts with each other and are committed to helping any other DIY band regardless of individual social agendas.

Auralee Petzko, the lead singer for Mordechai, a band that Dylan also plays guitar in, said, “DIY is basically where you have a goal, and you try to achieve it yourself. And if there is someone else that you meet who is trying to achieve their own goal, you help them out as well.”

Dylan said the concept of DIY has flooded his personal life as well. “Music helped me to grow up into the man I am today,” he said. “Going on tour and playing with bands all across the country has helped me develop my own philosophies and beliefs, and what talents I have and how I fit into all of it.”

Indeed, Dylan has grown since he first started with Odetta Avery, and has even played for some of the bands that he looked up to when he was first starting. He now sings and plays keyboard, bass guitar, and drums, saying, “It’s health to be able to play everything because you know how it all works when you start writing.”

And when you meet Dylan for the first time, prepare to be wooed.

“There is just something about Dylan.” Maria Newman, a good friend of Dylan, said. “His personality is just so attractive. Dylan’s open willingness to talk to anyone gives a comfortable feel, and his most repeated phrase is ‘I can’t believe I’m about to tell you this.’’’

This personality definitely comes through during Mordechai’s and The Splinter, The Woods’ shows.

Maria commented, “Dylan just gets so into the music. He jumps around on stage, and interacts with the people listening,” Though Dylan’s bands are currently taking a break to write new music, he said the shows should be back by December.