The submission: “We want to get our music out; that’s the main goal.” The quarterfinals: “Oh, we’re making some waves here.” The semis: “Oh man, this is too much!” And the finals? “Ooh, I hope we win now!”
Kid Deposit Triumph eventually did beat out 2,500 unsigned artists to win the Rock category grand prize of Music Nation’s recent 12-week online video music competition, and as singer Mike Otto marvels, “We’re in pre-shock. We haven’t even hit shock. It hasn’t sunk in at all yet.”
Says Music Nation co-founder and CEO Daniel Klaus: “Kid Deposit Triumph stood out early in the competition; they had an incredible, professional-quality video that their energy translated through. They’re a hard-working group of guys, and I think it shows in their video. We could all tell they’re the kind of band that’s willing to do what it takes to break through in this business.”
The spoils KDT receives from the artist-development company include a global recording contract with Epic Records, a year-long Gibson Guitars endorsement and an appearance on Clear Channel Radio’s Stripped performance series. Epic president Charlie Walk, producer Howard Benson and Good Charlotte’s Joel and Benji Madden were among the contest’s judges.
Otto, guitarists Michael Miller and Joey O’Day, bassist Chuck Bailey, drummer Roger Pikrone and synth player Michael Schwab formed the metalcore outfit nearly three years ago from the remnants of Sad Machine, Seconds to Spare and Sorry About Tomorrow. From DIY shows at the Huntridge and self-releasing the Our Peace Will Destroy Many and Hangin’ Tough EPs to opening for the likes of DragonForce on the main stage of last year’s New England Metal and Hardcore Festival (KDT were the first unsigned band to play the event), Otto says supporting the Vegas scene has always been a top priority.
“There was a point where the Las Vegas music scene was pretty much dead. Bands were playing, but nobody was hearing them,” he says. “Hopefully we can inspire a few artists to go out there and make a video, get your press kits out to the right people. That’s kind of what we wanted to do with it, say, ‘Hey, if we can win, if we can do this, you guys can do it too.’ Once you show them that it can be done, it changes everything.”