Photo By Spc. Michele Meadows | "Dead Reckoning" debuts at the Camp Taji Mud House, May 23. The Soldiers are a part of...... read more read more
By Spc. Michele Meadows
1st Sustainment Brigade
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Monotony...for some this is just a word but for Soldiers deployed to Iraq, it can be taken to a whole new level. While some tend to gravitate towards sports or video games to break the tension, a group of six Soldiers from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, found their ease in music.
They call themselves, Dead Reckoning, after a term used by the military for navigation.
"I thought it was cool to use," said Spc. Joseph Ray, a Rock Hill, S.C., native, and lead guitarist and vocalist. "It just kind of says, hey, we know where we are, and we know what we want to do; (it) just seemed to fit," he continued.
After practicing in an abandoned warehouse, known to them as the "The Barn" for nearly five months, the band was ready for all their hard work to be shown off. Awaiting them at the esteemed Camp Taji Mud House on their opening night was a crowd of nearly 60 people.
"It was a lot more than (we) expected," commented Staff Sgt. Justin Postlewait, an Arkansas City, Kan., native, and lead vocalist, on their debut performance.
"It was such a change of environment from the barn, where everything just kind of meshes," added Staff Sgt. Shawn Magone, a Mossule, Mont., native, and rhythm guitarist. "We get out here and see all these people staring at us, it was really different," he continued.
After calming their nerves, the band wooed the crowd with a variety of music from heavy metal and older rock to classical rock genres. They filled the air with original songs inspired from personal experiences. However, they added some popular soft and new-age rock classics to their playlist for their fans to enjoy. Though they don't prefer it, the band will even play a little country.
"I love listening to country, but I hate playing it," said Staff. Sgt. Mike Billingsley, a Winfield, Ala., native and drummer. "I would rather play heavy metal or fast rock and roll," he continued.
As they closed out the evening, Dead Reckoning played a tribute to their fellow brothers and sisters in arms with a song they wrote called, "In Gods Land."
"It has everything to do with Iraq, from being deployed, Soldiers on the front line, and remembering all the Armed Forces; especially those who have sacrificed their lives," concluded Billingsley.
| Date Taken: | 05.29.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 05.29.2008 11:53 |
| Story ID: | 19914 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 1,004 |
| Downloads: | 905 |
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