Robert Leo Newton (Guitar, Vocals) Rob was born in 1986 in Buffalo, MN. Drawn to music at an early age, he played around with several musical mediums, learning to play the drums in fifth grade, followed by bass guitar and eventually, the electric guitar. From that point on he has continued to write and perform music of all styles, usually with his voice and guitar. In his senior year of high school he was granted several blocks of the day to study music and compose with the theory program, Finale. He studied music at the MacPhail Center of Music from the fall of 2005 to the summer of 2007 under the instruction of Craig Anderson for guitar, Ruth Mackenzie for voice, and Paul Renz for a jazz ensemble, he learned to write, read, and expand his chord vocabulary. On a side note he was the first to audition at level 12 in the St. Thomas guitar program, as well as the first to pass. He performs in a rock band called Blood Root Mother. He continues to pursue a deepened understanding of music, both theoretically and creatively.

Robert Kanawyer (Bass) Bob got into Primus when he was 13 years old. Incidentally he fell in love with the bass guitar, and his life was improved vastly on Christmas 2002 when Christ gave him the greatest gift of all…the funk. He literally played that bass until his fingers bled. He quickly developed a very percussive slap bass technique which later evolved into a more melodic, however rhythmic style. In 2006 and 2007 he attended MacPhail Center for Music and completed jazz classes. His largest influences are Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primius, Alice in Chains, P-Funk, Tool, and his Mother. Robert enjoys showering to the smooth grooves of the Ohio Players, and reading books by his favorite author, sci-fi artist, Kurt Vonnegut.

Elliot Weiner (Drums) Born in Minneapolis in 1986, Elliot Weiner began formal piano training at age six. His study of the great works of classical piano literature gave him a strong sense of melody, harmony, and composition from an early age. But it was the primordial force of rhythm that was the source of Elliot's deepest calling. After being swept up in the sound of 90's Grunge Rock and the visceral power of bands like Tool, Sound Garden and Alice in Chains, Elliot was inspired to take up the drums.

Anthony Ellis (Guitar) Tony was born in 1989. He was exposed to the rock scene immediately. Gun s N’ Roses and Alice in Chains were among his most familiar bands. Having not picked up a guitar until the age of twelve, he picked it up quickly, starting with the classic tune, “Sweet Child O’ Mine”.  After playing alone his basement for several years, rockin to the tunes of the current bands, he grew a deep appreciation for classical music and began to study both music theory and the classical masters of the past. In the winter of 2006 he was invited into Blood Room Mother. Bringing his knowledge of music to the table, he and Rob composed their first piece together, “Snares Flower”.

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BAND HISTORY

Blood Root Mother came to be in the summer of '03, it was created by Rob Newton and Zach Clifton from Buffalo, MN. Rob and Zach had always been in bands together and they decided to make a new one, recording a nine song demo on Rob's 4-Track in Zach's basement. Zach played bass, and Rob played guitar, drums, and vocals. They performed smaller shows at the Montrose VFW, the Java Joint, anywhere they could get a gig. Numerous drummers would sit in with them, including Zach himself for a couple of shows. Eventually Brandon Boorse from Delano asked if he could play drums for Blood Root Mother. Rob and Zach were overjoyed, finally they had a real drummer, and he was a way cool guy too.

The power trio wrote material and performed at benefits and battles of the bands. The most popular band in Buffalo at the time, Surreal, had recently broken up, and the guitar player, Steve Vannelli, was asked to join the group on second guitar. He accepted, but soon after that Brandon announced that he was leaving for the Air Force, and Steve would quickly have to switch to drums. Back to being a trio, Blood Root Mother began work on completing their next project, a jumble of new and old material entitled, "Shady Subject". The music was remiscent of bands from the sixties, tinged with a modern approach to instrumentation and production. Songs like "Cain if You're Able" and "Modern Day Man" began to touch on Rob's love for social commentary and satire.

In the winter Tony Ellis was invited to join the band, Tony brought a younger perspective and a love for classical music, it was at this point that songs were written and Rob had not been the one to bring them to the table. They wrote an epic, pseudo classical rock piece entitled, "Beer Flower", but it was renamed "Snare's Flower", in loving memory of a departed friend. Soon after Tony's arrival marked Zach's leaving to pursue school, and Bob Kanawyer was asked to join Blood Root Mother. Bob brought a love of all black music, especially funk. Paired with the fact that Rob was studying jazz music at Macphail, this was an interesting combination. Strangely enough, Rob, Bob, and Tony had all grown up in
the same neighborhood but had not met until high school.

Now soundly a four piece, the boys began writing new material for what would one day be called, "The Rabbit Hole", mirroring their, particularily Rob's, descent into the unknown and the shadows of the human psyche. The music began to become transcendental, and the concepts of God, Reality, Infinite, and the Soul were common themes, as well as human choice. Regardless of these exciting themes, the band was headed nowhere fast and would have probably disbanded had one thing not happened. Ryan Gaskill had went to school with the guys and he and Rob were known to sing songs together. The band he was in had broken up in the summertime and he was invited to join Blood Root Mother. The first time Rob heard Ryan sing his song, "Weed", he broke down and wept because it was so amazing and
beautiful, as if Ryan had been meant to sing it all along. At this point things started to turn around for the band. Shawn Ellis, Tony's father, felt comfortable enough with the band's sound to loan them the money they would need to record an album, enlarge their PA, and cover other financial burdens that would have otherwise been impossible to achieve.
Since then he's been like the old guy in the band. It was during this time that Blood Root Mother encountered Machina over a chance meeting. The band included Phil Taylor, formerly of Future Leaders of the World, and John Lecompt, formerly of Evanescence. The music began to change again, the group was becoming tighter, more refined. Ryan and
Rob explored the possibilities of vocal harmony and new songs were added to the arsenal. Ryan had written the doo wop slasher "Gorgeous Murder", Tony wrote the upbeat "Free", and Rob staked claim over the conception of the burlesque rock opus, "Horny". Human sexuality was also becoming a common theme to the music. The boys headed into Eight Fold Path studios to begin the tracking of, "The Rabbit Hole". The process was tedious and the band encountered many hurtles that threatened to end the production of the piece all together, and tear the band apart. It was a period of horrible communication, but nevertheless, the group found enough peace of mind during the tracking that the music turned out like they had intended it to. Afterall, it was there first time in an actual studio, and it was a learning experience for all.

As winter approached the boys were asked to drive down to Benton, Arkansas to write and record two songs with Phil and John from Machina. They piled into the van and took a road trip down south. Depsite some fundamental differing of how music is created, both bands reached a medium and produced two songs for "The Rabbit Hole", "Dead Sea" and "Amongst the Flames". On a side note, everyone in Arkansas assumed accurately that the boys were in a band and they were segregated into their own room at Pizza Hut. The people, however, were extremely nice and generous.

Upon returning to Minnesota the group had finished tracking their CD and took it to Winterland Studios to have it mixed and mastered. The experience was strange for them, the walls were covered in mysterious photos of Prince and the Revolution. After several hardships, "The Rabbit Hole" was complete. It is a dark, passionate album that deals with matters of love, loss, wishes, murder, sex, jealousy, insanity, choice, prayer, and suicide. The album concludes with "Transcension", another epic sounding tune inspired by the Transcendental movement in literature, similar thinkers, as well as Rob's own educations and miseducations. Strangely enough, the ideas reflect those of a man named John Smart who coined the term, "Transcension". For the record, it is not about changing one's sex. Rob has described it as sacred music. The cover art was created by Danielle Sanford. After the CD was completed another dramatic event came upon the band. A schism had arrived between Steve's path and the rest of the band, tensions had arisen between all of the band members over the last few months. When the dust all settled it was Steve who was forced to leave the band. Since then things have gotten better, but the whole experience in general was disheartening and a harsh slap of reality. Ryan and Rob wrote the song, "The Door" about these happenings and the events leading up to them.

Elliot Weiner, another former student of Buffalo High School, came back to Minnesota at this time. He had been going to school in Texas, studying jazz and Indian music among other things. He and Rob had always had a deep musical chemistry ever since the first time they played "My Own Summer" by the deftones in the jazz room at BHS. He was asked to join Blood Root Mother. In the lingering winter of 2008 the line up of Blood Root Mother had changed once again, and the five young men continued to play and evolve their sound. Now every member of the band started to write the music more equally. It became a matter of people speaking to one another using the musical language, letting their ears guide them and applying theoretical knowledge when needed. Every member balanced out the other and the music began to get very rhythmically and harmonically complex.

Right now the group is in a strange state of mind, every individual member of the band feels sonically satisfied with where the music is going, and where it might possibly take them. They are at least dimly aware of what the power of their music could do, and are more than ready to embark on their journey. Ryan is finally in a band where his lazerous
soul is able to shine to it's full potential, Rob is in a band where he can act as more of a spiritual adviser, taking a step back and reacting off of the decisions of his colleagues. Tony, Bob, and Elliot have similarily found themselves in a rock band that is capable of jamming and still satisying their needs to explore their vast musical interests. Blood Root Mother came from the school of Tool, they are five individuals who need to meet somewhere in the middle. Wherever they meet is Blood Root Mother. They are thick as blood, old as roots, they have given birth to a sacred musical vehicle. Driven by the excitement and mystery of the music and their love for their friends, families, and one another, they are ready to help usher in the new Aquarian age. Blood Root Mother will change the world with their music, preaching the bohemian ideals of freedom, beauty, truth, and love in their own way. A way that is as unpredictable as the weather in the state they came out of. Now go tell her you love her or you're gonna lose that girl.