Bedford Drive

Bedford Drive is an alternative rock band from Southgate, Michigan, which is located in the Downriver area of Metro Detroit. The band describes its sound as "post-hardcore power pop." The line up includes: Scott Anger (vocals, rhythm guitar), Ed Sertage (lead guitar, vocals), Michelle Bojanowski (bass, vocals) and Ryan Looney (drums, percussion). It has been active since 1998.
History
Bedford Drive began in 1998 by playing shows in and around Detroit. They released their debut album The Last Time I Saw the Stars on the now defunct Vertical Verve Records. In the summer of 2003, drummer Jay Croft recorded his final tracks before leaving the band and was replaced by current drummer Ryan Looney.
In 2004, they released a self-titled follow up EP. They embarked on a series of brief tours, playing with acts such as Plain White T's, and Sherwood. They entered a contest held by Windsor/Detroit's CIMX FM. Bedford Drive was selected for a slot on the annual "89X Birthday Bash" show. They were put on a bill alongside AFI, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Vince Cannova began playing their song "Four Years Later" on his afternoon show.
In early 2006 Bedford Drive was named in Alternative Press as one of "America's Top 10 Unsigned Bands of 2006". This article captured the attention of recording engineer Mike Poorman (Tsunami Bomb, Piebald) who expressed interest in working with the band on a future project. They accepted his offer and in August of that year, they headed to Strange Ways Studios in Burlington, Vermont, where Poorman assumed recording, mixing and co-producing roles on seven new tracks. Due to time constraints, the band left Vermont with having only completed five songs, abandoning the other two partially recorded songs for a future session. The completed songs became an EP called The In-between which was released in March 2007. An abbreviated "radio edit" of the EP's closing track, "Juliane", as well track two, "Seven to 7", have been receiving airplay on CIMX FM.
In the summer of 2007, after almost a decade of continuous work, the band decided to go on hiatus for all of June and July. Bedford Drive ended their hiatus ahead of schedule (July 27), when they were asked to join the 13th Annual Vans Warped Tour (Detroit) bill. After Warped Tour, Bedford Drive started rehearsing regularly once again. The band has been in a dormant stage with no official word on their future plans.
Trivia
*Ed Sertage and Ryan Looney have played in many other projects together, both live and in studio. Some include: Tim Pak & The Budget Sinners, The Cast The Camera, and the active Matt Dmits Band and Songs from the Moon.
*Tony Thaxton of Motion City Soundtrack provided hand claps on the track "Birthday in a Bearsuit" from the self-titled EP.
*In 2007, Ed Sertage purchased Woodshed Studios where the band had recorded previously.
*In 2008 Scott Anger and former drummer Jay Croft rejoined forces to play in a cover band called "The DR5."
*Michelle Bojanowski sings the female vocal part on Limbeck's "Ohio" when the band is in town playing on the same bill as Bedford Drive.
*Scott Anger, Ed Sertage, and former drummer Jay Croft, were in a band called Sonic Reducer during their high school years. They won their high school talent show and later released a CD called "Smothered" in 1996.
*The main guitar riff from fan-favorite "The Last Time I Saw The Stars" was originally part of a song Jay Croft had started writing for his other band, Segway, which featured Ryan Looney on drums.
*All band members are graduates of Southgate Anderson High School, Southgate, Michigan: Scott Anger class of '95; Ed Sertage class of '97; Michelle Bojanowski; Ryan Looney class of '98, and former drummer Jay Croft class of '97.
*Ryan Looney has a long time-running rap project called Fight School
*The bear on the cover of the self-titled E.P. is named Randy.
*The band's name derived from the name of the street Jay Croft lived on as a child, which is where BD rehearsed from 1998-2003.
*Bedford Drive was called "Driver Six" for one show in the summer of 1998.
*The vocal harmony during the quiet part of "Not Minding, Loving" was performed by drummer Jay Croft.
Band members
Current members
* Scott Anger
* Edward Sertage
* Michelle Bojanowski
* Ryan Looney
Former Members
* Jay Croft 1998-2003
* Josh Boyd 1998-1999
Discography
Albums
* The Last Time I Saw the Stars (2002)
EPs
* The In-Between (2007)
* Bedford Drive EP (2004)
* Live in Detroit (2000)
* Vacuum Cleaner Tape (1998)
Splits
* Bedford Drive/Strapped To A Rocket Split (2001)
Videography
* Birthday In A Bearsuit (2005)

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See Also

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