From Christian Rock to the Rock of Ages

Dryve

This Christian rock band was formed in 1993 when two folk  duos merged to create one group. The first consisted of Paul Donovan (guitar, vocals) and Cory Verner, (guitar, vocals) childhood friends who had played together since about 1990, and the second of Keith Andrew (drums) and Steve Pratschner (guitar). With the addition of David (keyboard, sax, organ) and Michael Pratschner (upright and regular bass guitar), both brothers of Steve Pratschner, the band's lineup was complete. By the fall of that year that had recorded their first demo, dubbed South. In November 1994 they released their independently produced debut, Hum. The release lead to some local recognition: The first track, "Happy Song", won the 1994 San Diego Songwriters' Guild contest, and the album was nominated in the "Best Rock Album" category at the 1995 San Diego Music Awards.

Dryve Christian rock band became well known locally, and between 1995 and 1996 Dryve played 90 shows in the San Diego area. During this time they opened for acts such as Possum Dixon, Sonia Dada and Jeff Buckley. Their break came in 1996 after opening for Black Eyed Sceva, later known as Model Engine, at a local show. They signed with SaraBellum Records and soon began touring the country. Their first national tour was in the fall of 1996 with labelmates Black Eyed Sceva and the Dime Store Prophets.

February 1997 saw the release of what was to be this Christian rock band's only nationally distributed album, Thrifty Mr Kickstar. In support they toured with Sixpence None the Richer and Model Engine.  In June of that year Dryve Christian rock band was featured at the Cornerstone  Christian music festival. Thrifty was critically acclaimed, and took the title of "Best Adult Alternative Album" at the 1997 San Diego Music Awards. Their song "Nervous" received some radio airplay alternative rock stations and charted on Contemporary Christian music stations, peaking at #22. The band's final tour began in October 1997 with The Call.

Dryve Christian rock band broke up in 1998 but its members have continued to pursue other projects. Paul Donovan is singing and playing guitar in a San Diego band called The Midwinters. Michael Pratschner continues to play bass guitar at his home church in Encinitas, CA. Steve Pratschner teaches guitar lessons, leads worship at his home church, and continues to write and record his own music. He, along with Keith Andrew, played with Justin Stevens, formerly of Dime Store Prophets and ((Tremolo)) and did a tour in the UK and Europe . Cory set up a home studio where he writes and records his own music and also plays at his home church.

Keith Andrew has probably been the most musically active since the breakup of Dryve Christian rock band. He played with Justin Stevens, formerly of Dime Store Prophets for a few years and toured with him a number of times to places such as Europe, UK and Russia. In 2001 Keith got involved with a band in Los Anegles called 'Parlour' (later to be changed to Marjorie Fair) who quickly got courted and signed by Capital Records. The business end of things grew very shady and unethical so Keith left the band. Also based in Los Angeles, Keith Andrew worked with a band called The Paper Dolls who did a number of showcases for major labels including Interscope, Capitol and Virgin Records. They also worked with a few top name producers such as Dave Jerden (Alice in Chains, Jane’s Addiction) and Damon Elliot (Pink, Macy, Gray). Currently, Keith is playing with a band called The Tallships based out of San Diego. The Tallships are signed to a European label called Minority Records and completed a seven country European tour in Summer 2006.