Rock Band "Free Agent"

Stacey and I generally look for local bands that we can dance to.  When a band specifically bills itself as "dedicated to bringing you a variety of music that will make you dance or sing along," we take notice!  Such is the case with Free Agent, based in the Rochester Region.

Singer Kim Kotel, who does most of the booking and PR for the group, said, "I was looking for a group after one I was in had folded. I auditioned with drummer Scott Hayes and what was supposed to be the remaining members of a band whose singer had left. Only one other person came to the audition and nothing came of it, but Scott and his wife came to see Ian( Kerr) and I in our duo. She suggested he work with us. Eventually, after a bunch of false starts with separate bands, Ian and I were ready to be in a band again together as other things we were in had either folded or were not working out. We joined with three remaining members of Scott's old band and the name Free Agent was chosen when I said to them I had left the group I was kind of in and I was now a free agent. The group worked as it was for a month or two and then the bassist and guitarist left. Scott, Ian and I found replacements and we worked to be ready to play out. The first Free Agent gig was in May of 2015 and by the late summer of 2017 we had gone through two lead players and three bassists before lead guitarist Richard Gramm and bass player Karl Joslin joined us in November of 2017. That incarnation had its first gig on May 4th of 2018 at Jose' and Willy's. We have been playing out as this group since."

Free Agent doesn't have a particular influence. The original concept was for them to be open to just about every genre and every decade. Kim calls it variety rock. Their goal was to make people dance and sing along; it's a very broad musical palate made possible by the four members who sing leads. Another focus is making sure they have a lot of great harmony.

Richard (Gramm: lead guitar and vocals) has been playing and singing most of his life. He first picked up the guitar at age 12 and three years later added the bass. He has performed and recorded mainly in upstate New York, but has been fortunate enough to play shows across the U.S., Europe, South America and more. He also plays in other bands.

Scott( Hayes: percussion and vocals) has a diverse musical history playing with such local bands as the hard and progressive rock band "Euphoria" in the 80's. Later he moved to the sounds of Neil Young and Crazy Horse along with Santana in the late 80's with the band "Dark Light". Scott's favorite drummers include Peter Criss of KISS, and the legendary Neil Peart of Rush. Scott also played in Skyway and Red Sky.

Karl (Joslin: bass guitar) cut his teeth as a bassist in South Florida at the age of 13. Prior to bass (his instrument of choice), he played French horn for a few years. His main influences at the time were Geddy Lee, John Entwistle, John Paul Jones, Chris Squire, John Deacon and Jaco Pastorius. By the time he was 16, he was writing, collaborating and performing with an all-original band called “The Astronomical Artouche”. He played around with several bands in the Treasure Coast area until the late 80’s. He has also played locally with Wayward Wynd, Killing Time and 5 Hole.

Ian ( Kerr guitar, keys, vocals) People always told Ian he had an ear for music. As a kid he used to mimic what he heard on the radio and play it on the piano while tossing in a harmony that wasn't included originally. Growing up, he listened to oldies with his dad and they would sing along with them together. His father was one of the many people who has inspired him and got him started. While he started on keyboards as a child, he then learned sax in High School but didn't begin playing the bass guitar until 2007. Until recently the bass was his primary rock band experiences. He has also played in Black Ice, Curveball and Shifting Gears. He and Kim have the duo, Tuned InK, but play in Free Agent for the full band experience.

Kim (Kotel: vocals, aux percussion) has been singing since she was a young child, but until 2010 it was only for her own enjoyment in a choral setting or out at a Karaoke night. That all changed when she joined a band called 7 Green. Although that band only lasted about 4 months after she joined, her whistle was whetted and soon she was lucky enough to be part of Black Ice which became her first real band experience. When that folded she went through a number of bands trying to find her niche again and also  teamed up with Ian to form Tuned InK. Free Agent is now her band "home" Free Agent plays in a variety of locations around Rochester and surrounding areas. You can find their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/vareityrocksyou/



Kim and Ian in their duo, Tuned InK
https://www.facebook.com/TunedInK/videos/1289852081131721/