Sounds 'Crazy,' but Holly Pond band takes off

08/06/99

What, exactly, is the price of fame?

Three Holly Pond musicians may have an answer to that question during the next few months, courtesy of Teen People magazine.

For a shot at stardom - and a spot on a Warner Bros. compilation CD - they'll give up all rights to their most popular song, "Little Crazy," if it wins a contest in the magazine's September issue.

"If it makes you millions, what does it matter?" says Jarrod Oliver, 26, manager of the Cullman County trio known as Third Door.

He and the alternative rock band - singer/bassist Jason McBrayer, 20; guitarist/singer Shane Scott, 22; and drummer Justin Oliver, 21 - insist they'll be happy to sacrifice one tune for an opportunity to become the next Third Eye Blind or Matchbox 20.

Teen People isn't promising that, but if Third Door gets the most votes from readers in a "Five Live" call-in competition, "Little Crazy" will be heard all over the country on a multi-artist album sponsored by the magazine and the Warner label.

According to the magazine's promotions coordinator, Dawn Baxter, the Teen People "soundtrack" will place material from an unknown band alongside songs by hot youth groups - possibly the Backstreet Boys,

'N Sync or 98 Degrees.

Sounds like bopper heaven, but the guys in Third Door say they'd be thrilled to see their names in such chart-topping company. In fact, just making the final cut of the Teen People contest has been a coup.

"When we first started playing, we had the worst luck," says Justin Oliver, Jarrod's brother. "Things would break; the sound wouldn't work; we'd trip and fall. Then it's like God spoke, and we had a drastic change of luck."

Third Door bested 1,200 hopefuls throughout the United States to become one of Teen People's five finalists, Baxter says. Entrants had responded to ads in the magazine's February and April issues, asking bands to submit original material.

"We had a committee that sat down and listened to the tapes," Baxter says. "They were judged strictly for the music."

Now Third Door will vie with Tin Fish ("Said and Done"), Jessica Martins ("You Never Know"), Candyheart ("Muffett") and justincase ("The Key") for telephone votes from readers who see the contest highlighted in the latest issue, or those who spy it at Teen People Online.

"I think we're as good as any of them," guitarist Scott declares. "I think we're better than some of them."

Not leaving matters to chance, however, the members of Third Door and their manager have launched an enthusiastic call-in campaign, asking friends, relatives and neighbors to cast votes in their favor. Fliers about the contest have been posted in Holly Pond and nearby communities. An area pizzeria even agreed to put a Third Door plea on every box it delivers.

The band members, who've been together about one year, chose "Little Crazy" for submission because it's their most requested number - although, Scott says, the song was written in "about two minutes."

Inspired by his admiration of Sarah Michelle Gellar, an actress on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Little Crazy" has a chorus that says "I might be a little crazy/ to think of you as my baby."

Some folks might have labeled them loco for mailing an entry to Teen People, but the members of Third Door say they've already gained from the effort.

If they fail to win, the group is still guaranteed $500 from the magazine. Clubs near and far have been calling for bookings. Music stores can't seem to keep Third Door's self-produced CD in stock. And, of course, the boys in the band are local heroes.

"When you see people out there singing your song, it feels good," Scott says. "The community has really gotten behind us."

"Yeah, we don't have any more room on the bandwagon," Justin Oliver jokes. "Things are getting pretty big."

Mary Colurso is pop music writer for The Birmingham News. You can e-mail her at mcolurso@bhamnews.com. To vote in the Teen People contest, call toll-free at 1-877-808-3423.