Nathan Compton, the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Elysium was born with the drive to entertain. From his very first band called "BAD BOYS" when he was in fourth grade, to his endless performances in drama, Nathan thrives from music and entertaining a crowd. As a young boy, he and his brothers would put on concerts for the family, imitating bands like Guns and Roses. Nathan's desire to perform in front of others continued as he landed leading roles in the high school drama department and in public speaking, he was always willing to take up a cause and be it's spokesperson. As Nathan got older his lover for music, acting and public speaking exploded into song writing. Deeply moved musically by Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, Nathan found that Nirvana's music had revolutionized his interest and that of the music world. As did Kurt, Nathan began to write because he realized that others shared his concerns and that he could take up causes and bring realization to those who would listen. It was when Kurt Cobain died that Nathan began to write constantly because he refused to have such powerful writing cease. There have been other bands that Nathan was influenced by, Silverchair and bush being two of them. He liked their three cord style but the bands seemed to burn out and fade away and Nathan began to lose interest. Intro to what Nathan terms as Dark Music came from bands like White Zombie and Korn which were powerful but raw. The messages were there but it wasn't complete. The final piece in Nathan's early influences was from Tool. It was clear to Nathan that their music created a whole new mood, almost like a world unto itself. Tool's music had the complexity that Nathan found to be great writing and it could deliver the messages that Nathan felt were a must in the music industry. From fourth grade until now, Nathan has been driven for over ten years. He wants to be as influential to others as Kurt was to him. He feels he will be successful because it is all he has ever wanted. He is driven by his need to perform for others and by his need to give back to those who have lead him to where he is today.
Jason Ayers, the lead guitarist of Elysium, was driven to
write and play music because of such music greats as Jimmy Hendrix
and Slash. Very much an influence in his life, Jason picked up the
guitar early in life and he purchased his own guitar in the seventh
grade. The driving force behind Jason's desire for music success is
for self satisfaction and the ability to touch people with music as
his music idols had done for him. At the age of seventeen, Jason was
kicked out of his home and learned to live and support himself. It
was his guitar that helped release his anger and the messages that he
felt he needed to deliver to others in the same situation. Meeting up
with Nathan, provided a place for Jason to live and a band that he
could help develop. Never having the support of his parents, Jason's
determination has been one of the strongest in the band. His love for
music speaks for itself especially when he plays for the crowd. When
Jason's guitar talks, people listen. Jason has always known he would
be successful in music and hopes that some day Elysium will become a
national act. He wants Elysium to give to others what he received
from great musicians that came before him.
Kyle Rose, the bass player for Elysium, began to play the bass at the age of eleven after an unsuccessful try at playing the guitar. Kyle was born into a family of musicians. So it only seemed natural that Kyle take up an instrument and play. His father was a lead guitarist in a band in the late seventies and did some of his own recording. Kyle has followed in his father's footsteps. As Kyle picked up his bass and began to play he found that he loved the sound and feel of the music behind it. Kyle's musical influences were southern rock greats like Lynyrd Skynyrd. Bands of this nature were the driving force behind his learning to master the bass. The music that Elysium writes and the style of bass that Kyle plays, he says, just feels right. He enjoys playing for crowds and will put in as much time as it takes to take this band into a higher caliber. Kyle wants to be known as the crazy kid that just can't stop plucking those strings
Gabe Compton, the drummer of Elysium was quite clearly born with a beat. As a young child, Gabe was always getting in trouble because he couldn't keep his hands still. Anything he held became drumsticks. In school, teachers would accuse him of disrupting the class and Gabe would come home confused...he wasn't disrupting, he was entertaining and holding school pencils turned into holding drumsticks and he couldn't stop himself. At the age of six, Gabe took all of the Tupperware and some pots and pans and set up his very first drum kit. Mom never got her belongings back because Gabe was constantly drumming and would get furious when anyone would take his kit down. Plain and simple, Gabe was born with rhythm in his soul. His brother's influences in music seemed to rub off on him and the two of them began to perform in front of anyone who would listen. Finally when Gabe was eleven years old he begged for a real drum kit and received it for Christmas. He spent the next six months in frustrating lessons with instructors that he said were not teaching him anything. Gabe was born with a style of his own so he stopped lessons and began to work exclusively with his brother, writing and creating music. Gabe's biggest musical influence was Danny Carey from Tool. He had finally heard a drummer who was writing drum music not just drum beats and that has been Gabe's goal ever since he started drumming. Through very unconventional drum sounds, Gabe feels that the drum music should stand alone and be a song itself. He's good, he's young and the beat that comes from his hands and feet is natural and intense. Gabe continues to prove that it isn't just a drum beat. It isn't how well you beat the drum, it's how the beat moves you and others that you perform it for. Drumming can move you and take you to another world and Gabe feels it's his job to take you there.
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NOTE:All images and music on this page are the soul property of "Elysium"
