I. In the summer of 1999 Leonardo Silva and Peter Hollens met in a University of Oregon writing class. Their common passion for singing inspired them to start a vocal group. That winter, Pete and Leo gathered a small and talented group of 6 music lovers for their very first rehearsal. On the Rocks was born.
Known as the first official collegiate a cappella group in Oregon, On The Rocks began a tradition of excellence in a genre that was previously unheard of in the Northwest. Since 1999, several other groups, including University of Oregon’s Divisi and Oregon State’s Outspoken have followed their lead and joined the fast-growing A cappella community.
OtR has established itself as one of the top a cappella groups in the nation. Their current repertoire ranges from contemporary pop to doo-wop classics to holiday standards and the occasional original piece. OtR is comprised of mostly undergraduate students and usually consisting of 9 – 12 members. Every fall and spring, an extensive audition process is held to find quality replacements for graduating members in 4 different vocal categories-, tenor, baritone, bass and vocal percussion. Auditioning students are evaluated on tonal memory, solo talent, blending ability and, of course, personality. Once the new members are chosen, OTR can be heard singing every Friday @ the EMU amphitheater and around campus at various events throughout the year. Aside from hosting quarterly concerts, they have toured the West Coast and have visited the east coast often, and Canada. They have performed with the professional quartet the Coats and at various a cappella festivals all over the west coast.
In 2002 OtR placed 3rd at the International Competition of Collegiate a cappella and returned the next year in 2003 to place 2nd out of hundreds of groups. During the competitions they took in more than a dozen awards including, Best Soloist, Best Vocal Percussion, Best Arrangement and Best Hair. They have appeared live on the NBC Today show, along with other various semi-national news stations such as WB news @ 10 on “Toni Time”.
Every year in the winter since their inception OtR has been invited to sing the National Anthem at the UO Basketball Games in Mac Court. Their performance has been broadcast on UO radio to several thousand listeners and was received with uproaring praise from the appreciative 7,000 fans and radio commentators alike.
OTR has also reached viral status with their YouTube videos of Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up," and is probably best known for their version of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," which reached 7.5 million views on YouTube. OTR has toured all over the US and Canada. The group travels to Berkeley, CA for the West Coast A Cappella Showcase every year. OTR has toured San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, New York, New Haven, and Boston, and hope to tour more in the future. In 2010, OTR was featured on the second season of the hit NBC show "The Sing-Off".
Since it’s inception, On the Rocks has released two albums:The self titled OTR – 2002 and Backgammon Sessions – 2003. They are finishing up their latest CD, soon to be released in fall of 2005. Awards for their recordings include a selection on the 2004 BOCA compilation album (Best of Collegiate A Cappella). The selected track was Yellow off the Backgammon Sessions album and it was also chosen as the runner-up best male song of the year by CARA (Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards) Their most recent CD, Full Coverage includes tracks from such artists as Mr. Mister, Justin Timberlake, Rufus Wainwritght, and more. On the Rocks A cappella can be contacted via email at uoontherocks@hotmail.com.
II. On The Rocks
Colorado rock has a distinctive sound, identified by a blending of acoustic and electric guitars and an emphasis on tight vocal harmonies. No band around present this as powerfully as 'On the Rocks'. Add to the mix, dynamic rhythms and emotional originals, and you have the recipe for a band on the rise. Frontman Shawn Wright's gravely voice and passionate performances move audiences to frenzied levels, then gently brings the house down with love songs, such as 'til the end' or a power ballad like 'something more than this'. His sense of humor shines through with songs such as 'nailed your best friend'. Nn lead guitar is Ohio born Mike Princehorn. He cut his rock and roll teeth in the northern Colorado area. His versatile styles keep up with the bands ever-changing moods through each set. His strong vocals are heard on front as well as in harmonies. He's no shrinking violet, evident when harmonizing with Shawn's powerhouse vocals. Also a song writer, original material seems limitless. Arriving all the way from Detroit is bassist Sonny Lentz. He brings a streetwise edge and Motown influences to the music. Combining blues, rock, soul, country and reggae, his rhythms keep the songs, and the audience, moving. He contributes original material that is provocative and somewhat unpredictable. Rounding out the quartet is Colorado's own Norris Jones on drums. Norris has played with northern Colorado favorites 'canebrake run', Walt Jenkins, Liz Barnez, and 'harmony road'. His jazz and infusion roots add a cool and diverse bottom to the passionate original material. He is dynamite on the rockin' tunes as well. As word spreads, the band's calender is filling up. They are playing regularly up and down the front range, and extending into Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana.
Collectors Choice Music: On The Rocks - Intoxicated
Collectors Choice Music: On The Rocks
Discogs: On The Rocks - Mamonama
And So It Goes
On the Rocks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A sanctuary safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along
I spoke to you in cautious tones
You answered me with no pretense
And still I feel I said too much
And every time I've held a rose
It seems I only felt the thorns
And so it goes, and so it goes
And so will you soon I suppose
But if my silence made you leave
Then that would be my worst mistake
So I will share this room with you
And you can have this heart to break
And this is why my eyes are closed
It's just as well for all I've seen
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows
So I would choose to be with you
That's if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows
The lyrics to On the Rocks's song And So It Goes are about the fear of being hurt in love, and the struggle between wanting to open up to someone and the instinct to protect oneself. The first verse reflects the idea of everyone having a "sanctuary safe and strong" where they can heal from past relationships until a new one comes along. The second verse focuses on the fear of saying too much and being vulnerable, and therefore uses silence as a "self defense." The third verse shows the acceptance that holding back would be a mistake, and therefore they will share their heart with this person, even if it means being hurt again. Finally, the chorus repeats the idea that this is just how love goes, and only the person they are opening up to truly knows what they are feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
In every heart there is a room
Each person has a personal, private space within them.
A sanctuary safe and strong
This space is a safe haven where they can recuperate and heal from heartbreak and other pains.
To heal the wounds from lovers past
It's where one goes to recover from the traumas and hurts of past relationships.
Until a new one comes along
It's only when they're ready to move on that they open themselves up to new love.
I spoke to you in cautious tones
I approached you cautiously and with care.
You answered me with no pretense
You responded honestly, without any hidden agendas.
And still I feel I said too much
Even though I was careful, I think I may have revealed too much of myself.
My silence is my self defense
I'm reluctant to speak further because I feel it may put me in a vulnerable position.
And every time I've held a rose
Whenever I've opened myself up to love, it's ended in pain.
It seems I only felt the thorns
The negative aspects of love are what stand out and linger in my memory.
And so it goes, and so it goes
This is the pattern I've come to expect in love-related situations.
And so will you soon I suppose
I'm afraid the same cycle will repeat itself with you.
But if my silence made you leave
If my hesitation caused you to lose interest and leave,
Then that would be my worst mistake
I would regret having let my fears ruin a potentially good relationship.
So I will share this room with you
I'm willing to let you in and share that private space with you.
And you can have this heart to break
If things don't work out, you will be the one to hurt me.
And this is why my eyes are closed
I'm guarded and closed off because I'm trying to protect myself from getting hurt.
It's just as well for all I've seen
In my experience, love has led more to pain than to happiness.
And you're the only one who knows
I'm sharing this with you so that you're aware of where I'm coming from.
So I would choose to be with you
If given the choice, I would want to be with you.
That's if the choice were mine to make
The decision is ultimately not mine, however; it's up to both of us.
But you can make decisions too
You have agency in this as well.
And you can have this heart to break
Even though I'm guarded, I'm willing to be vulnerable and give you a chance to hurt me if it comes to that.
And so it goes, and so it goes
This is how love often plays out.
And you're the only one who knows
I'm letting you in on my fears and apprehensions so that you can better understand me and our situation.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILLY JOEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Lanynhams
This voice is so amazing!!!
@shartbutter
The end of a legacy of legends, and an amazing end at that. No idea where you guys are now but I wish you all the best.
@mixingmadesimple
Im the soloist. Thank you :).
@shartbutter
@@mixingmadesimple no problem brother, you have great talent and you deserve recognition <3
@jvandystadt
This is absolutely beautiful, the soloist voice is mesmerizing. Come down to Brazil guys, really. There`s a lot of acappella activity going on down here, specially here in Rio.
@arturojoe1
The best on the rocks generation!
@music_works
+Arturo Ruiz amen
@supernerdization
I LOVE THIS SOLOIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@isasmakeup
Incredible!!!!
@Megan12music
I think this is an awesome version! I can tell the soloist is really connected to the song, and I think ya'll are amazing! :)