In a dark kitchen in the middle of a sweaty night in Las Vegas, all 6’4” of Dan Reynolds is hunched over a laptop, slapping beats on the table and crooning lyrics into a tiny microphone. Before long, he and the other three members of indie rock band Imagine Dragons would be playing “It’s Time,” that same laptop-demo-turned-supersized-anthem, from the roof of a parking garage to a wave of thousands of screaming fans. This song title to the single from their 2012 debut KidInaKorner/Interscope release “Continued Silence EP” is an all too apt descriptor of the band’s hard-earned success—but it’s also emblematic of the deep-seated anxiety Reynolds and the rest of the band experienced leaving behind any realistic expectation of a normal job to do the thing they love most.

A third-generation Las Vegas native, Reynolds is no stranger to the adage “the house always wins,” choosing to pave his musical career with a near obsessive work ethic and hundreds of unused demos rather than roll the dice with the first songs that sprung from his mouth. It’s no surprise, then, that he was drawn to guitarist Wayne Sermon, another founding member of Imagine Dragons. Having practically grown up in a recording studio and graduated Berklee College of Music, Wayne had been practicing his guitar through meals and other socially inappropriate situations as long as he could remember; he challenged Dan in a way that was both uncomfortable and exactly what they both needed. When they began writing songs together and recognized something special was happening, Wayne called up his Berklee friend Ben McKee, who promptly dropped out of school with only a few credits left, moving across the country to play bass for the band. This sort of reckless/genius behavior is typical for Ben, who has an uncanny penchant for spicy food and a suitcase full of unbelievable road stories. More recently, the band was joined by drummer Daniel Platzman, another Bostonian schoolmate who seems way too nice to be playing rock and roll until you actually see him in action.

Several tours and three self-released EPs later, Imagine Dragons had made a serious name for itself, particularly in the west coast circuit. Although their songs vary from nearly whimsical and light to brooding and powerful, listeners are drawn to the inherent honesty in the music. The only rule of thumb for the band, it seems, is to write from a true place; the result is songs that literally run the spectrum of human emotion. Attend a concert, and it becomes clear that the live performance of deeply personal songs has a real effect on people. And the band itself is not immune, as demonstrated when Dan literally passed out into the drum set during a finale song, sending cymbals and drum stands crashing while the rest of the band played on until the close.

Great songwriting is bound to be noticed eventually. As proof that the harder you work, the luckier you get, one of those people who noticed was Grammy winning producer Alex da Kid (Eminem, Rihanna). Alex and Dan began collaborating on projects, and soon the band had developed a relationship with Alex and his team. The alchemy resulting from Alex’s hip hop sensibilities and Imagine Dragons’ anthemic rock is nothing short of explosive. The byproduct of this creative collision is “Continued Silence,” a six song in-your-face sonic grenade that breaks musical boundaries and yet is strangely relatable by its improbably diverse audience.

Despite it all, on any given day when they aren’t on the road playing shows, you can still find Imagine Dragons huddled away in a rehearsal room somewhere, banging out song after song in search of the next perfect track. Like most things in Vegas, the band is angled at going big or going bust. For the sake of those who love great music, we hope it’s the former.

(((((ultraSOUND))))) out now: nbhd.lnk.to/ultrasound

Kutter Cole

Following in the footsteps of his grandfather who was a famous country music singer in the community, Kutter’s love for music started as a young boy passionate about singing but with terrible stage fright. He had to grow up fast as his parents were high up on drugs. Even so, Kutter never let the circumstances around him to deter him from achieving what he set his mind to do. Following in his passion, he went on to horn his skills with only one thing in mind- to achieve his full potential and become the best he can ever be. Resolved to make a better life for himself, Kutter boarded the bus for a long ride relocating to Miami from New Mexico when he hit 18 years old to join his friend Kue who showed him a lot of old school Hip Hop. Taking advantage of the simplicity of instrumentals in this line music, Kutter decided Hip Hop would be his music genre of choice. He hasn’t looked back since!

After practicing Hip Hop in the flat lands of New Mexico, Kutter decided it was finally time to move on. Making Louisiana his next destination, this is where he decided to pursue music professionally. He started by learning the bass guitar, switched to the guitar, and then started recording music. With deep industry knowledge, coupled with an analytical and detail-oriented approach, Kutter is equipped to understand the needs of the most discerning beats, delivering an experience rooted in creativity, entertainment, and vibe. His strong rap and performing skills make him a keen advocate for his music, proactively seeking out new ways to enhance his services and to continually attain excellence, with audience satisfaction the ultimate objective. 

A tenacious industry professional, Kutter has made a name for himself as a hardworking and energetic industry professional with an indispensable passion for his craft. He is motivated by the desire to become a global expert in his field, always bringing his best self to the task with a positive attitude in order to get things done. 

Kutters love for music has made him a curious and adventurous person who is ready to take on daring activities and is not afraid of challenges. After horning his skills in Hip Hop music, he decided it was time for another challenge, taking on multiple genres at the same time. This provided an entrance into rock, pop, and country music. Upon making another successful relocation in 2010, this time to Texas, Kutter started an album with Next Level Records and though they were not able to carry it to term, the amount of impact he made was amazing. 

When Kutter takes on a task, he always commits his mind and efforts to giving his very best; never allowing the opinions of other people to distract him from achieving what he has set his mind to do. Committed to his course, he went on to master his guitar skills so that he could pursue country music at his best. Tapping from his strong personal and professional skills, the self-made artist has made it his life’s mission to use his music to reach people. 

Outside music, Kutter is married to his childhood sweetheart, a loving and supportive young lady whom he crushed on during his teenage years. The two love birds tied the knot when he was 28 years of age and together they continue to enrich the world with Kutter’s simple harmonies, accompaniment by his stringed instrument.




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