Preview: Backstage Pass with The Olympics

Posted March 7th by Abbey Stanerson in Entertainment

The Olympics are a five-man team, with Jeff Roalsonon lead vocals (and guitar) and his brother Dan slappin’ the bass. Trevor Polk rocks the keys, Noel Nissen hammers out the beat with the drums, and Lucas Adolphson is the lead guitarist, as well as the newest member.

The Olympics, originally known as The Happy Chromosomes, first formed with the Roalson brothers in high school. Polk soon joined in 2008 and in 2010 they added Nissen to the addition. This past year Adolphson came on board, filling in the gap as the missing link which has led them to be the gold-metal-standard act they are now.

“Lucas brought in a different sound that we needed,” admitted Jeff, as the group nodded in agreement. The talented addition has helped them make what they think to be a groundbreaking genre, one they like to describe as “dark pop”–upbeat, but with some soul. This unique sound sets them apart, as opposed to simply being being lumped into popular modern rock labels such as “indie” or “pop rock.” They listed off a few bands that have inspired this catchy and fresh sound, mentioning the likes of Free Energy, Miniature Tigers and Dear and The Headlights.

And if you’re one of those people (like me) who like a fresh sense of creativity and great sense of humor in their favorite bands, well look no further. The Olympics are passionate about what they do. They always make sure the crowd is entertained and leave a show asking themselves, “Who the hell are these guys?!” Per an example, Trevor tends to have something of a “story time” in between sets, dubbing his narrative digressions with lucrative titles such as “The Wolf Story” or “The Bear Story.” Or, as a more flashy example, take their main groupie Faye, a mannequin that only wears the bands T-Shirt and a Mad Bomber hat, and is always found on stage.

“We should probably get her pants,” jokes the band.

Despite Faye’s illusory nudity (or perhaps because of that inundating innuendo), her popularity with the fans has unfortunately led to abusive behavior on behalf of said fans. As with all true groupies, she has some evidence of the road on her: A few bumps and bruises, and most likely the occasional hookup–but like a true fan she continues to be on stage with The Olympics for every performance, ready and waiting for the next big thing to happen. The Olympics are, at heart, full of dry humor, the vast majority of which is centered around cracking jokes presented with the sensibility of “the straight-man-comedian,” describing Faye and her “exploits” as if she’s a real human being.

As the lead vocalist and frontman for the group, Jeff utilizes the band’s running by creating a Facebook page labeled Homemade Make-Up for Men. The page came about as the result of conspiracy under the duress of pure boredom on Spring Break last year in Colorado, starting by networking their creativity, as well as mainstreaming their hysterical personality. Some examples? A mix of melting butter and marshmallows for lipgloss. Using sandpaper as an exfoliator (this is a joke for all of you questioning it, so don’t try this at home!) What else did their boredom feature? Jeff’s alter ego as a rapper named DJ Dirty Outlaw making his one hit wonder to “$weet Hunyz Ahn Muh Mind.”

In the interview, Noel defends a bit of innocence left for the band, quipping: “Not all members of the band were associated with this,” as the guilty ones show their shock of it even being brought up.

Although The Olympics are a couple of guys whose sarcasm makes them stand out in, it’s their passion that exudes in their work. They’re driven with an immense determination and focused goal on what they want to accomplish, as well as how to be successful with their music in the process, without comprising their art. Jeff, Trevor, Noel and Lucas always had a knack for music, taking lessons as children and playing for years; Dan just sort of picked up the bass one day and found that it came naturally to him, just in time for him to hop on board with his brother for The Happy Chromosomes. The Olympics’ passion and dedication definitely stand out as they continue to achieve success after success and pursue the opportunity for further growth.

Be sure to catch up with The Olympics at two of their shows this week: