From a dorm room talent show to packing venues across Minnesota, the rock band Gradients has been steadily carving their unique musical identity since 2019. In a recent interview on The Jay Franze Show, this group of passionate musicians shared their journey from college roommates to a unified musical force that defies clear genre boundaries.

The band’s origin story begins in the most quintessential way – a college talent show at MSUM College in Moorhead, Minnesota. Original members Ford and John, along with their first drummer, seized an opportunity to perform and quickly realized they had stumbled upon something special. Darian soon joined as bassist and vocalist, and by February 2020, they were performing their first show together. This formation would later welcome Trevor on drums, completing today’s lineup of the band that describes their sound as existing in the gradient between hard rock, alternative, and metal.

What makes Gradients particularly fascinating is how their diverse musical influences converge into their signature sound. While many bands claim varied inspirations, Gradients’ members genuinely come from different musical backgrounds. Ford draws from 70s hard rock like UFO and Randy Rhoads-era Ozzy, later expanding into thrash metal. Darian brings a strong Beatles foundation, citing the Fab Four as his primary influence, along with Queens of the Stone Age. John’s tastes run from modern rock acts like Royal Blood and Arctic Monkeys to Chevelle, while Trevor brings punk energy from Green Day and The Offspring, with a side of Tom Petty appreciation that even surprised his bandmates.

The band’s collaborative creative process mirrors their musical diversity. Sometimes a member disappears and returns with a fully formed song idea, while other tracks emerge organically from jam sessions. “We were jamming on something for about a minute,” Darian explained about one of their songs, “and I edited it down, restructured it to have a full song structure, put vocals over it, and said ‘okay, this is the idea.'” This fluid approach to songwriting has served them well, allowing them to build and refine songs collaboratively while remaining open to scrapping elements that don’t work.

What sets Gradients apart from many emerging bands is their professional approach to recording and production. All three original members hold Bachelor of Science degrees in audio production, which explains their self-sufficient approach. Darian handles the recording with Logic Pro and Universal Audio interfaces, even going “a bit overboard” with drum miking techniques to capture the perfect sound. This technical expertise allows them complete creative control over their music from conception to final product.

Living together (except for drummer Trevor) creates an environment of constant creativity and musical growth. “It helps living together because we can just grab each other and be like ‘hey, let’s record something,'” Darian notes. This shared living situation has also fostered a playful dynamic that includes elaborate pranks – from fully carpeting a bathroom to hiding items in guitar pedals and equipment for months at a time.

For Gradients, performance energy is non-negotiable. The band emphasizes how important stage presence is to their identity. As John explained, “I’m very much a believer that when I go to shows, it could be the best sounding show, but if every band member is just standing there looking at their fretboards, it kills the mood for me.” The band works hard to ensure their playing becomes second nature, allowing them to focus on engaging with the audience during performances.

Behind every successful band is often an unsung hero, and for Gradients, that person is Emma Christensen. Their photographer and videographer has been documenting shows while helping create music videos, including their ambitious recent production for “On A Roll” that involved renting a boxing ring and Darian taking boxing lessons for a month to prepare.

As Gradients continues to build momentum with upcoming shows and their latest album “Come What May,” they represent a refreshing example of musical authenticity – friends who genuinely enjoy creating together, respecting their diverse influences while crafting something uniquely their own.