THE KNOXVILLE BEAT: Wasted Major at Preservation Pub

I was scrolling through my phone the other day when I stumbled on a video that I haven’t seen in a long time. I was standing in the back of the top floor at The Hill Bar and Grill, just on the outskirts of Downtown Knoxville. The scene in front of me was a chaotic one: the crowd is shoulder to shoulder with a continuous roar of voices threatening to burst my speakers. I remember the feeling well – it seemed like every person in Knoxville was in that one room and we were all there for one reason: to see Wasted Major perform live for the first time.

The band had taken the stage, and as they hooked up their equipment, the crowd grew more and more anxious. By the time the first guitar riff swept across the room, I had witnessed one couple break up, two fistfights, and had taken three shots. But, all it took was one strum of the guitar and, even if for a brief second, a hush fell over the crowd. It was as if we all collectively acknowledged we were witnessing something special.

Four years later, that night has stuck with me, and I thought of it as I sat in Preservation Pub sipping my drink. On stage was Daiseychain, a Chicago-based band. Their sultry, bluesy vibe was a perfect match for the bar, and their interesting mix of psychedelic rock with some yacht rock influences was truly captivating.

I quickly surveyed the room. If you have never had the pleasure of going to Preservation Pub, it is a plucky dive bar in the middle of Market Square, and it oozes character. The stage may be small, but it is the perfect scene to listen to some great live music. As my eyes dotted around the room, I finally laid eyes on Wasted Major. Their faces lit up and I hugged them one by one, so happy to see my old friends again.

Together, we climbed the Pres Pub staircase and made our way to a secluded corner on the second floor. As we settled in (and maybe took a shot or two) it felt like old times with some great friends. When I began to ask them about the band, the conversation flowed easily. They are a band with a story to tell, and they’re happy to do it.

I asked them about how the band formed, and Tim Jones, the eldest Wasted Majorite and one of the band’s lead singers and guitarists, took the reins. “I was the house dad at ATO and it really started out with Richie and I in the house’s basement, almost jokingly writing some songs,” Tim told me. The Richie he’s referring to is Richie Miller, the first member of Wasted Major I ever met, another lead singer and the bassist for the band.

Slowly but surely, Tim and Richie added more and more members to their ragtag songwriting team. Next up was Conor Hatala, who lends some vocals to the band as well as some top tier guitar skills. Alongside him, they brought on Andre Bucks, the band’s keyboardist. After that, it was time to round out the lineup with Kenny Kershaw on drums and Simon Heeran as another lead singer and guitarist. The band has since amicably parted ways with Kershaw and added Russell Graves in his place.

When it came to figuring out the band’s sound, Andre told me their inspiration comes from a multitude of other bands and genres. “We’re all definitely diverse in our music tastes, which I think is definitely a strength of ours,” he told me. “But some of the common themes are bands and artists like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty, the Beatles. Lots of rock and southern rock, with some country influences as well.”

Those influences definitely shine in their music. From some of their best covers, songs like “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” and “Come Together,” to their original music, their inspirations are clear, but their sound is a distinctive one that can easily make any song their own.

With a full band and a distinctive sound, Wasted Major began playing all across Knoxville. But, it wasn’t long until they found themselves in a transformative period, which Richie spoke on. “Graduating at different times, we were all at different places. But, we knew we wanted to keep Wasted Major going,” he said. “So, once we were all graduated, Nashville felt like the most logical place to set up shop, and now we all live in the Music City together.”

Wasted Major has gone from jamming at local Knoxville hotspots to filling up bars on Broadway in Nashville. They even recently completed their second European tour, being twice nominated for International Band of the Year in Austria. But they told me they still think of that first concert all those years ago. “When we played that first show, we were really riding off of that adrenaline rush,” Andre told me. “I think we sounded great that night, but since then we’ve become a lot more professional, and our songwriting and arranging has grown a lot. We’ve learned how to operate on stage as one unit. But, that first show was something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

Looking forward to the future, the band told me they plan on releasing new original music all throughout 2025. “We’ve got a lot of stuff already recorded, we’ve got a lot of stuff ready to be recorded, and we just hope everyone sticks around to hear what’s coming out next,” Simon told me. “We plan on being all over the southeast and even the northeast this year, and we hope to release an album pretty soon.”

After chit chatting with them some more – and maybe barhopping a bit before their set – Wasted Major took the stage at Preservation Pub. Over four years, they’ve gained a lot of experience and refined their sound, but their energy is the same as it was the first night I saw them perform. Their music is infused with the passion they have for their craft, and you can tell just how much they love being on stage with one another.

Their set was, first and foremost, impressive. The band, as they alluded to in our conversation, operates as one unit on stage. They have the professionalism and talent of a world-famous band, but a stage presence that feels personal and almost makes you feel like you’re a member of the team. They played a mixed bag of original music and covers, but each song had a special Wasted Major twist on it that would make even their most dedicated fan feel like it was the first time they were hearing it.

While their covers are always incredible, they truly shine with their original music. From “Do It for the Money” to “Blood on My Hands,” and even their most recent release “Don’t Blame Texas,” each song is its own experience. Ready to give them a listen? You’re in luck, because they have an impressive catalog of original music available on most major streaming platforms. It’s something to be in awe of – watching a group of people do something they deeply love. As Wasted Major wrapped up their set, I could only feel proud of those boys.

Watching their first concert four years ago, I don’t think I, nor anyone in that bar, could have predicted how far they’d come. But they continue to up their game and dazzle me more each time I see them.

For their next visit to Knoxville, Wasted Major will be at Lunaverse on May 2nd, and I couldn’t recommend attending enough. Follow them on their socials for more opportunities to see this amazing band in person!