By LYNDA COHEN, BreakingAC
An Atlantic County band is making its mark in the music industry.
Isn’t It Always? hit 16 on the Digital Radio Tracker Top 50 Rock Airplay Chart this summer.
The band is a longtime dream of Devin Scheck, who first came up with the name while at Fernwood Middle School in Egg Harbor Township and grew while he was attending CharterTech High School of the Performing Arts in Somers Point.
“It just continued through high school, where we played fire hall shows and small bars, promoting our original music.”
When the band wasn’t making money, they switched to covers.
But what Scheck didn’t realize at the time was that a fellow classmate from CharterTech would lead an important partnership that would bring the band back to original music, and spark success.
Kyshawn Wyman has been working for years to push forward local musicians with his Hit Nation Empire.
He and Scheck kept in touch over the years following their 2010 CharterTech graduation.
Then they met up while both working at Ideal Institute of Technology when it was first headquartered in the Hamilton Mall.
Wyman’s professional push was just what the band needed.
Isn’t It Always? solidified its lineup with fellow CharterTech alumnus and Somers Point native Joey Dobbins on drums and Juliani Bonilla on bass.
“Juliani and I met networking,” Scheck said of the Atlantic City musician. “It was a matter of right place, right time: We needed a bass player and he needed a band.”
Then they took working vacation to a new level.
The band and Wyman’s team met up at a rental in Luray, Va., and filmed a video for their song “Dream Again.”
The video includes a dream sequence with Wyman, who also directed. Now, the dream is becoming a reality.
“My team and I are super excited for their future,” Wyman said of Isn’t It Always?. “It’s super dope to go to high school with Devin (and), years later, we are still pushing forward toward our dreams.”
Scheck said now his music is inspired by the stories they videos are telling.
The latest video is in partnership with Showboat Resort Atlantic City and takes to the beach — with the band a group of astronauts hunting an alien through the city. Wyman co-directed that one.
“We’re kind of trying to take advantage of New Jersey and its landscapes,” Scheck said. “I think a lot of people don’t know about New Jersey. It’s one of the most flexible places to film, and we have all four seasons to use.”
While the video features an alien — played by Adam Notaro — “Damn Good” is a theme of alienation and hope.
“Hey, I feel good. I know there’s suffering in the universe, but you’ve got the light to keep up the fight,” the song begins.
“If you’re feeling alienated, I want this to be the kind of song somebody comes home from a long day at work and just have a good time,” Scheck said. “It’s a simplistic message of wanting to feel good.”
For now, the band and its supporters at Hit Nation are feeling pretty good.
Wyman shouted out to his team, including Don Anthony Jr. and Douglas Hopkins.
“They are a huge piece of what I do,” he said.
And the band will soon have a permanent piece of history at the Atlantic City studio: A plaque marking their Top 20 spot.
