Anchorage

My Dearest Friend is three musicians out of Brevard County, Florida with the goal of making interesting, dynamic, music while remaining listenable with catchy guitar riffs and melodies backed by funky rhythms and really long sentences.

"It Had To Be Done" is their debut album and is the result of a 9 month recording process done completely by the band. They had to learn as they went and overcome all obstacles armed only with a few text books, the internet, and the dedication to complete their first big project. What made the project special was hearing all these elements come together and working. As the band gathered feedback while recording, they were being compared to a long list of bands, none of which were repeated very often, which was a great sign that they were creating something new.

My Dearest Friend was created by James Brinkle Jr. and started as a solo acoustic act. The act grew and cycled through many line ups with only one consistency; Andrew Wiggins on drums. The two clicked immediately, sharing music and inspirations along with stories and interest outside of music. They grew up wrapped up in martial arts and all sorts of creative media including movies, poetry, writing, and comedy. As band members came and went, James and Andrew only grew more determined to create something new and not be just another bar band.

With shows booked and a bassist short of a full band, Brian Young volunteered to fill in on bass for My Dearest Friend. Brian shared a practice space with the band and had always shared in their musical sensibilities and sense of humor. The chemistry grew quickly and practices became filled with creativity, productivity, and laughter. It wasn't long before the line up was cemented and the band decided to put a product into the world. They began recording their first album, "It Had To Be Done."

James Brinkle Jr. was born 4/14/87 in Cocoa, Florida while his family is spread throughout the south. He grew up captured by bands like Nirvana, Mewithoutyou, As Cities Burn, Joy Division, Muse, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Iron and Wine, Roy Orbison, and Credence Clearwater Revival. When asked if he was forced to eat his dog or lose a limb, he answered quickly. He would prefer to lose a limb, a leg if at all possible. For fun, he loves to party, drink, play music, write lyrics and poetry, and loves to play outside with his dog, Frank, and his niece, Taylor.

Born on 7/26/86 in Merritt Island, Florida, Andrew Wiggins grew up on a collection of indie rock and ska. From bands like The Get Up Kids and Saves the Day to Streetlight Manifesto and The Slackers. His tastes expanded over time ranging from Jazz greats like Oscar Peterson and Wynton Marsalis to Bluegrass bands like Punch Brothers and Nickle Creek. He now seeks new bands on a regular basis, enjoying Parenthetical Girls, Tall Ships, David Vertesi, Laura Gibson, and I Come To Shanghai. For fun, Andrew likes to write, play video games, drink pompous cocktails, and write band bios in third person.

From the mean suburban streets of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and born in the early 1800's, Brian Young joined the band in mid 2011. His influences run from Jane's Addiction, Fishbone, Mr. Bungle, Faith No More, Frank Zappa, The Beatles, Clutch, and Slayer(why not?). He would rather have his nose hairs plucked every day than have to eat a stick of butter three times a week. Also, if he wasn't a musician, he'd be a Pee Wee Herman impersonator.

My Dearest Friend gets together twice a week to practice. During these practices they record a podcast called The Practice Space where they talk about any and everything which often turns into the band yelling at each other. They also play fun conversation games to pass the time and ignite their petty competitive minds. You can search for it in iTunes or go to the band's website for links to the podcast and any of their other projects.