Throughout the campus of Oakland Tech, many talented bands and musical artists are following their passion for creating music. One such artist is John Muir, a junior at Oakland Tech and the metal bassist/vocalist in a band called Baby on a Rampage.
As a kid, he shared a unique connection with music. His parents were musical themselves and began taking him to concerts when he was a little kid, foreshadowing his future of enthused crowds and loud amps. Recognized as a gifted musician, John was given all the xylophone solos in his elementary school concerts, but John has since moved far past quiet sounds. John’s mom eventually enrolled him in Bandworks, a music program targeted towards grouping musicians of all ages to form bands.
Through the program, he met his bandmates, Ash, the guitarist and vocalist; Bruno, the rhythm guitarist; and Lyra, the drummer. Together they became Baby on a Rampage in just the 4th grade. As the band got older, they started playing sets at the Cornerstone in Berkeley. The Cornerstone is a large bar/restaurant venue on Shattuck Avenue that hosts shows. Since the band started, they’ve played at underground places around the bay like Cornerstone.
Aside from the close-knit local scene, Baby on a Rampage has expanded across the West Coast. They toured for 3 weeks in the Pacific Northwest and played shows in Vancouver, Olympia, Tacoma, and Seattle. The band sold enough merchandise for a tour this past summer without ever releasing an album.
John expresses he appreciated being able to go on tour, but, as he explains, “When you’re playing the exact same songs every single night just going along, unloading, loading, it just kind of all meshes together”
In the future, the band aspires to release their first album and set out south to LA, Phoenix, and places near there on another tour in the winter. Meanwhile, they will continue headlining at local shows across the Bay.
The joy and curiosity John finds in playing music gives him a purpose in life and is something he dedicates his time to. Although John shares a strong passion for music and his band, it’s not his number one priority.
“For right now I don’t think I want to pursue music as my main career,” John explains, “but if Baby on a Rampage does take off, that will obviously change.”
The band started making a profit not too long ago, but even then, all funds are invested back into the band to supply art, merchandise, and other musical goods. As a band, Baby on a Rampage has made a name for itself and is looking forward to more accomplishments in the future.