Local Anthology got its start under the silver pines and rugged mountains of North Lake Tahoe, but its neo-punk/reggae sound sways like the palm trees and burns like the summer asphalt of Southern California. That imagery is familiar to guitarist and vocalist Harrison Russell, who was born in the Bay Area and raised in San Diego. Now, he and his band mates are on a mission to spread that West Coast vibe through a complex lyrical style, down-and-dirty grooves—and a host of legendary influences.
“It’s punk. It’s reggae. It’s Bad Brains mixed with Jimi Hendrix, Santana, Bob Marley,” Russell said. “Our punk is more like the Dead Kennedys or the Misfits versus Blink-182 or AFI or any of those kind of bands.”
In forming the project about a year ago, Russell found a community of local musicians who were quick to pick up on the sound. Lloyd Lopoz provides bouncy bass lines for Russell’s sweeping guitar solos and classical upbeat reggae tempo, while drummer Amearist Phillips keep pace with a loose snare and rattling hi-hat. Drummer Mic McAndrews lends credence to the island sound with a variety of percussion.
“I met Harrison playing music, and we had a mutual respect for each other, and then we ran into each other a year later through social media because of a mutual friend,” said Lopoz. “When I realized he was serious—you know, you need people to hold your back.”
“Serious” is a good word for Local Anthology’s attitude toward performing. In sharp contrast to their laidback style, the band members have big ambitions for where they want to be next year, with plans to release an EP and sights set on opening for the big names to come through town, like Tool or Pepper.
“We could open for even more, like, hip-hop shows or other punk bands,” said McAndrews. “We have enough material where we could put play any 50-minute set, and we’d be able to hold up,” Lopoz added.
Right now, a fraction of that material is available on Local Anthology’s Soundcloud page, with tracks like “My Voice” and “Can You” demonstrating the band’s chops as a reggae act that crashes seamlessly into punk breakdowns. The “So Long” remix treads the tracks of golden-era hip-hop, but it’s on “Rock Bottom” that Russell displays the aggressive lyrical metering at the heart of the project.
“Music in this day and age has a big lack of lyrics and vocals,” Russell said. “People don’t have the attention span anymore, or they don’t want to hear what people have to say in poetry or anthology. And that’s what it is, that’s what Local Anthology stands for. It’s the voice and the music of the people.”
Even with the goal of setting out on an international tour, Local Anthology has made a habit of pressing the venues in Reno and Tahoe with an ever-expanding list of shows. And, while their California sound persists, the bandmates say they feel fairly at home in Reno and Tahoe.
“Reno’s great, it’s growing,” Lopoz said. “At this point it’s perfect. It’s low key, it’s very chill, fits our vibe. Every once in a while you get some crazies in here. We like to get crazy. And sometimes you get a little casual. So it’s all the same.”
Local Anthology has a full list of dates on its Facebook page. They’ll be playing often—they’ve got a job to do.
“Rock and roll will never die, and we got to keep it going,” Russell said.