Article by Kevin Cummings, with much appreciation to Dawnzella Gearhart for coordinating all the information. Photo credit to Samantha of Ohme Gardens

The Spin-offs are a blues, funk and soul band that has a rock roots edge and plays venues, parties and festivals throughout the PNW. They were originally created from the All-Star Women’s Blues Jam at Spinnaker Bay Brewing in Hillman City. Lea Weber and Dawnzella Gerhart had so much fun playing together they decided to form an all-girl band. However, when the guitar and bass players left to pursue other projects, Lea looked at Dawnzella and said, “my husband plays guitar.” Dawnzella said “my husband plays bass,” the rest of the legend is still growing.

Today the Spin-offs Band consists of Dawnzella Gearhart on vocals, “Mikey G” Gearhart on bass, Daniel Neumeyer on guitar, Lea Weber on drums and Jeff Herzog on harmonica and vocals.

Dawnzella Gearhart has a long history of performance: Church, High School and College choir; playing clarinet in the marching band; writing and performing in musical parodies in “Laughingstock Comedy Troupe” and a couple of years on stage doing stand-up. She met her husband, “Mikey G” while doing karaoke. She sat in with many bands. Her raw, honest vocals found a home in the blues, adding a touch of her rocker soul to each tune. She grew up in Montesano and her early influences were the big band music of Glenn Miller, Johhny Mathis and Ella Fitzgerald – and of course singing with the family in the car on trips. Her best friend introduced her to rock and blues in her early teens and she fell in love with the female singers like Dusty Springfield, Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt and Etta James. She credits Iris Little, her high school chorus teacher, as a huge influence on her musical life.

She and Mikey created her first band “Velvet Hammer” and their second band “The Crack of Dawn” played at “Nudestock” on Tiger Mountain. Their next band was formed to play at a friend’s 50th Birthday party and broke up at another friend’s 50th.

“Mikey G” Gearhart was born at a naval hospital in Corona, CA, moved to the Seattle area after a short time in Yakima. He enjoyed all types of music, his first instrument was a drum set gifted from his parents at age 9. His earliest influences in music were witnessing his mother’s excitement when the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan, all the top 40 AM radio hits, and his father’s Big Band and Jazz influences.  Soon, he began to learn guitar, begging everyone to teach him about the instrument, mostly h learned to play by ear. He took guitar instruction classes in high school and accompanied the choir for a performance. Later, he switched to bass guitar and plays with a passion as if it’s the meaning of life.

His first gig was playing solo guitar accompaniment to a vocal choir performance, and he was terrified. After that, he played neighborhood garages while still in school. After school he had the chance to play in a working band because the guitar player quit; he got canned when that player came back. His first official band was Velvet Hammer with my wife, Dawnzella, Scott Malone, Mary Malone, and Mike
Valley. His advice on life? There are three things in life you should try. 1) Sing Karaoke 2) Visit a nudist Park 3) Learn to play a musical instrument. Each of these things is a
challenge and you’ll learn about yourself.

Daniel Neumeyer’s first instrument was also the drums.  His mom played a lot of classic rock around the house and he discovered Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at the age of 10; he started playing guitar and hasn’t looked back. His guitar playing is largely inspired by artists like David Gilmour, The Edge, and Steven Wilson. He strives to create complex textures through the use of space, sustain, and effects. Daniel writes music, but starts with a completed piece of music and then adds in a story that fits the mood of the piece. He typically starts on either the guitar or piano and just plays until something comes to him, not trying to force anything. He describes his musical journey as one that still ongoing. His advice to new musicians, or those looking at a career in music is to just do something every day and be patient.

Daniel grew up in Boise, Idaho and his first gig was playing drums with a friend’s band “Red Merl” at a festival there. He attended Gonzaga University where he earned a degree in music and met Lea – his partner in life and music. He eventually made his way to the Seattle area to pursue a law degree. He and Lea have now moved to Portland but look forward to playing more gigs throughout western Washington. They are working on a few projects there, including plans to release a progressive rock concept
album touching on themes of mental health, substance abuse, and technology addiction
(Dawnzella lent her voice for one of the tracks); there are also plans to do something that focuses on original music.

Lea Weber is originally from Portland, Oregon began playing the drums at the age of eleven and started her professional career by touring the PNW with Ben Rice and The Youth of Blues. She met Daniel at Gonzaga University while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in music. She can play any style of music, but especially enjoys laying down a sick beat for originals in her band Auditorius or driving the groove train in The Spin-offs. She was first drawn to music at around the age of 7, after hearing her parents’ vinyl record collection and felt the beauty and depth of the music.

She eventually made it to the Seattle area when she attended the University of Washington in pursuit of a graduate degree. Currently she and Daniel are located in Portland and she continues to work with The Spinoffs and her own band “Auditorius”. She credits two of her youth band directors, Ken Clark and Richard Elliott, for their support in her growth as a young musician.

Jeff Herzog began taking piano lessons at an early age but couldn’t deal with the drudgery. At 17 he discovered the harmonica. Jeff was big into ski racing and spent many hours riding ski lifts – where he got in a lot of practice sitting in the lift chair. Because of its portability, the harmonica became the instrument he spent enough time playing to get good at. He didn’t get serious about singing until about 40 years old. Jeff started The Jet City Fliers band in 1999, hoping to deliver a New Orleans style experience. He has played a lot of kinds of music – a folk duo, a rock band and a country band. Jeff has known Dawnzella and Mikey for a long time, before The Spinoffs were created. He is the newest member of the band and joins them on stage whenever he is available. He writes original music and begins the process with the lyrics.

Herzog grew up on Cougar Mountain, near Issaquah, Washington and graduated from Western Washington University with a BS in Environmental Studies. After struggling to find meaningful employment he went back and got a BSN in nursing, which led him into a 35-year career in Nursing. All the while slowly becoming a better musician.

Do yourselves a favor and get out and enjoy these extraordinary musicians whenever they are in your area.

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spinoffsblues@gmail.com