INDEPTH HISTORY

The Story of OverRated is a short and straight path. But to understand what is now OverRated, one must understand what happened at the beginning. This history will take you from the very roots of where OverRated is at today. From the first bands, through the ruff, but promising, times of Third World Powers, to the rise of Death By Bobcat, to the Change to OverRated. Many facts can be verified along with those in Behind The Music: "The OverRated Story". Thank you for you interest and you time.

The origins of OverRated mostly start from various backgrounds. There are 3 particular starting points that will be unified, and broken apart several times. The first of these can be know to us as the "Mike Zafiroff" side. The second being the "Russell Sanborn" side, and likewise, the third being the "Mike Batey" side. Now for Zafiroff, he had a vision to start a band, and because of this, his best friend, named Will Garcia, wished to help him. This happened somewhere in 1997 and he first thing they decided was for Zafiroff to play drums, who had recently bought some, but had no idea of playing them. Next the choose Garcia to play Guitar, who also had recently purchased a guitar, but had some previous knowledge already.

Not knowing who they were going to have play bass, they looked to close friend(by close i mean a little ways down the street) Andrew Rutland. Rutland did not have a bass guitar, but thought that since his father played guitar, that he could play bass as well. The sad thing was that nothing had ever happened concerning Rutland, and he never purchased a bass guitar. Garcia and Zafiroff were now having trouble, and could only make the name "Screaming Silent" and a rew remarkable riffs.

At the same time Russell Sanborn, was starting his musical career as well. At his church he was learning to play drums, and thats about all that stems from his part of the early years.

The final addition consisted of Mike Batey, and his two friends Derek Stogner, and Dustin Johnston. Excluding Johnston, who started playing guitar, none of these 3 played instuments, let alone touched them. All that is known about this faction of the story of Death By Bobcat was that they would write parodys or Wierd Al parodys, and of other songs.

Although, these separations would not last too long.

Zafiroff began to attend the same church as Sanborn, and they found that each other had musical interests. One day Sanborn went to Zafiroff's house, along with Garcia, and they fooled around and to everybodys astonishment, they found that Sanborn was a decent drummer. Although, already wanting Zafiroff to play drums, him and Garcia began to persuade Sanborn into buying a bass guitar. Fortunately, they won, and not only did he buy a bass, but he also bought a decent size amp, which will remain the most expensive, and largest peice of Death By Bobcats equipment, for a long time.

After Sanborn purchased a bass, there were many openings for them to get started. The line-up consisted of Garcia-Guitar/Vocals, Sanborn-Bass(and everybody prayed that he would not sing), and Zafiroff-Drums. However, there wasn't much they could do, and maybe had one or two little practices. The problem arose for more members to join, and for somebody to else to sing. Little did they know, this singing thing would cause a problem forever.

Trying to keep the excitement of what was currently known as "Screaming Silent" in the close friendships that were created through school, The three looked no further than to Stogner. Although, when Stogner came to his first band practice, along with him came Johnston and Batey, who had recently made lyrics to a song, with only a chorus, called "We Got a Nuke."(Great song might i add). With this new member, Stogner wouldn't join unless Johnston was part of the team as well. Then Garcia, Sanborn, and Zafiroff, all agreed to bring them in, and for Batey to be considered a rodie for the time.

Now back at school, the greatest problem arose, what was the band going to be called because only Zafiroff and Garica were keen to the name of "Screaming Silent". Now this was a major problem, and it started 1st hour one day, and didn't end for about a week later. It started out with a name of "Pyro Metal Urgy", from the scientific term pyrometalurgy(as you can guess, 1st hour was chemisrty). From there the name was transformed into "Pyro Metal Urges", and then later to "Pyro Metal Underground". That was all for that day, later on members started to hate the name, and wouldn't settle on one. Many of the names trown out consisted of "Mike Zafiroff But Five", "Herman and the Yukelaly Boys", "No Outlet", "Band-Aid" and "Mike Batey's Super Mega Ultra-Ton Band." All names were however not included.

With days before their next practice, the Unnamed band, needed a name. Then Sanborn stepped in and gave a shot. He came up with the Name "The Big Red Army." However, that too was thrown out, but definitly considered for an album cover with a picture of Batey only on the front wearing all red. Then he said the name of "Third World Powers" and this is what changed much of their history as all knew it.

Now, the start of "Third World Powers" was ready to begin in around the time of 1998. They already had a name, now they needed some songs. As practices came, and practices went, this new found hard rock band had it's problems and its days of glory. They then rallyed togeather for their first official practice as "Third World Powers." Along with their name, they found it was easy to make a little shortened symbol of their name to 3WP.

At the first practice, they started to redifine thier sound, which was never defined. There were two songs that quickly became Third World Powers originals. These were "Mr. Cow", an insanely vicious song about a cow who eats children(there was a moral, but the moral was lost), and a song called "We Got A Nuke", which at that time had only a chorus that basically repeated the name many times.

Now "Mr. Cow" was layed out to be a complete song and it featured some wierd intro that was created by Garcia. At this time the song contained only Zafiroff on drums, Sanborn on bass, Garcia on guitar, and Stogner on Vocals. There was no parts for either Johnston, or the rodie Batey. "We Got A Nuke" however, was a vital part of their new line-up. Since Batey wrote the lyrics to this song, he demanded that he was to play drums. So after playing drums, they found that he was learning faster that Zafiroff. So after a few changes, the final line-up became Johnston and Garcia on guitars, Sanborn on bass, Stogner on Vocals, and both Zafiroff and Batey to switch off playing drums.

What was there for a 6 piece band to do now, well acording to 3 members, it was time to learn some cover songs. They then choose to play Brainstew(Greenday) and Paranoid(Black Sabbath). Since this time, the whole cover issue would be very important, and would in turn start many wars.

The next part in their history, was to write some more songs. They then produced a few riffs, and then trouble struck them. Johnston then saw that he wasn't getting anything to play, and so he persuaded Stogner to leave the band with him, and Stogner did so. And like everybody thought it would be, Batey tagged along with his two bandmates, and Third World Powers was thought to be in shambles. However the two factions started to do their own thing. Behind the scenes however was the ongoing toubles between Sanborn and Stogner over power, and thus creating the great wars of '99.

Once again, the group of Stoggy, Dusty, and Batey attempted something, but little was known about them, and not much happened. Although what is known, is that Batey was becomming a decent drummer, Johnston was learning how to play guitar and taking lessons, and Stogner in turn bought his own bass. Things may have seemed to go well.

Back on the Zafiroff, Sanborn, and Garcia end, they continued to learn some songs. Starting to master such songs as "Derek Stogner Workin' Man"(then known as the micheal myers song, an instrumental) and "Memory Blvd." they were breaking new grounds for 3WP. Then they too felt it was necessary to play their own cover, since they didn't care for the other 2, and could play them well frankly. The choose JCHC(Officer Negative) and took action. During this time, seemed to be the greatest moment in all Death By Bobcat, or Third World Powers history. None of the band members were fighting. However, that would all change.

The greatest problem with the Garcia, Sanborn, and Zafiroff combination of 3WP was that Garica somehow left. He was then hard to get ahold of and continued to miss practice. This is when Sanborn and Zafiroff took action to try and keep the band alive. With no guitarist they looked back to Johnston and asked if he would come back to help. Johnston agreed along came Stogner and Batey once again. Now the band was complete and all seemed well.

The line-up now consisted of Batey on drums, Zafiroff and Johnston on guitars, Sanborn on bass, and Stogner on vocals. Although there was two exceptions to this rule. Sanborn took over on drums for JCHC and Mr. Cow because nobody could play drums fast enough for them. In turn, Batey took over vocals while Stogner would play bass. Now the moment they all were waiting for, new songs.

After many more practices the band had created more songs, one called tribulation and many more of those riffs. Then the time had come, their first gig. It was for a charity event at school titled "Empty Bowls 2000"(which Death By Bobcat played the next year and it was still called the same thing.) Another great problem arose, were they going to play Mr. Cow, and Derek didn't have the lyrics memorized. All in all the played the show, and messed up quite a bit, but got an overwhelming applause from the audience(eiher they liked it or were happy it was over.)

After this first gig, Third World Powers was on the way to stardom. They then wrote many new songs such as "Derek Stogner Working Man", "Memory Blvd.", "C.S.S.", and "It's Too Late." Third World Powers was now ready to take on the local Flint city, especially when they found out that there was going to be a local talent show held at their school. Eager to show of their ability, Third World Powers joined the competion. The problem they ran across however was, what song are they going to play. Not having all their songs down, they tried out with their favorite, "Tribulation." The judges liked the group and allowed 3WP to enter the contest.

Now with the insurance that they were in the talent show, Third World Powers had to decide what they were going to do on stage. They all agreed that if they practiced enough, that they could play "It's Too Late", but they needed more than that. Sanborn remembered what he heard about his favorite band, Crashdog, used to do on stage. James Harper, friend to Death By Bobcat, told Sanborn that Spike Nard, singer for Crashdog, used to walk on stage singing while he ate a loaf of bread. This information hit Sanborn as he presented the option for Stogner to make a sandwhich on stage and eat it in between verses. The idea was embraced.

After practice, the time had come for the talent show. It the sandwhich joke in hand, and a song, Third World Powers, participated as the only act doing totally their own thing. When the curtain was about to be raised, trouble struck. Johnston amp wasn't working. With this heart stopping terror, they couldn't decide what to do. Then after a few kicks, luckily everything was alright. They played their song and Stogner made his sandwhich. In the middle of making his sandwhich, Stogner grabbed the can of mustard and started drinking it. This act got a lot of applause and made Third World Powers known. After the talent show, people would always come up and say, "you are the guys who made a sandwhich and drank mustard." Not a wonderful thing to be known by, but definitely it was something to be known by at least.

Thinking that Third World Powers did well, the results would soon come in. The first 3 prizes went out to a band covering a Santana song, then an old Karate thing, and finally they were jobbed out by a group of crossdressers. However, it was later found out that 3WP recieved 4th place, but they received nothing from that. After the show Third World Powers heard some important information told to them, and it was that Stogner was too vicious of a singer.

What was Third World Powers going to do now that they found that Stogner was a vicious singer. Well Sanborn talked to Stogner, and this just ignited the power stuggle between the 2 of them. Not wanting to sing any other way, Third World Powers started to experience some difficulties. They then had to get ready for thier next show, at Sanborn and Zafiroff's church, a lock-in show. Not much practice was taken for this show, but a new song was written called "Against the Wall."

The time came for the show, and they played to about 20 of their friends, and that was it. They just goofed off afterwards, and still had problems with the viciousness of Stogner. Feeling like they were slowing down, Sanborn made the suggestion that they needed to record the songs that they already had. So for the next 3 or 4 practices, they recorded all their songs in Zafiroff's basement, excluding the 3 covers that they played. Not too satisfied, they continued on anyways.

Summer came, and Third World Powers started to slow down, with less and less practices. Zafiroff and Sanborn, then left at the end of June to go to a music festival called Cornerstone. While they were there, they got many ideas for Third World Powers, and decided that if that didn't work out, they were going to start a new band. Also while they were there, the first time the name "Death By Bobcat" was heard took place. When a hardcore band was playing, a friend to Death By Bobcat, Jason, said that is sounded like they had a microphone up to a bobcats mouth. Playing along with the confusion, Zafiroff said that it was a game called "Death By Bobcat", where all the band members went into a cage and were chased around by a bobcat, thus the surviving members went on to the next show. Everytime a hardcore band was once again heard, Sanborn and Zafiroff would say that Death By Bobcat was playing again.

With inspiration, Sanborn and Zafiroff returned from Cornerstone and got a practice togeather. This practice went nowhere and Stogner and Johnston decided to leave because they wanted to go swimming. Well this is where Sanborn and Zafiroff took their initiative. They asked Batey if he wanted to be in another band with them, and gladly he said yes. They quickly decided that they would call this band "Death By Bobcat."

During that fateful first practice, at the end of July 2000, nothing really happened with the exception that they decided that Batey would play bass instead of drums now, Sanborn would play guitar instead of bass now, and Zafiroff would play drums instead of guitar now. The problem once again was a singer, and above that, the problem was the Batey had no idea how to play the bass, Sanborn could barely play a power chord(and couldn't sometimes) and Zafiroff was very rusty on drums(and wasn't too good anyways). So once again, they were starting over and were no good, and still needed a singer.

Not having anything done with the band, Sanborn had a show to play with friend James Stephen at the Flint Local 432. While there Sanborn and Zafiroff wondered how they could play there. They then talked to a wonderful man named Joel, who told them what to do and was delighted to hear of another local Flint Band. With the show scheduled for a month later, and no songs yet, Death By Bobcat went to serious practices. For a singer they picked up Carrie Sweeney and started to write songs and lyrics. Before the show they had around a total of 5-6 practices and they learned about 10 of their own songs. although they didn't play some and quickly retired them. With Batey, Sanborn, Sweeney, and Zafiroff ready to go on Septmeber 8, 2000, they played thier first Death By Bobcat show.

The first show was now over and the mixed reviews were in. While Sanborn and Zafiroff were fans of the way Carrie sang, the friends of the band said differently. Mike Batey played them the demo that the band recorded after their first show. They didn't like Carrie's singing and through persausion, Mike Batey agreed. So with much diliberation, Carrie, who is Zafiroff's girlfriend, was out and Batey was to sing. This also brought in the rule "seperation of life and band." Well with Carrie gone DBB re-recorded the demo. This time it turned out better quality but the band realized the Batey could not sing. Once again things changed and Sanborn became the frontman. Seemingly all problems were solved and Death By Bobcat started their climb.

Well the band strived on. It all seemed so perfect and suddenly everything went wrong. It all started over Thanksgiving break. Batey decided to like Zafiroff's girlfriend. This inevitably lead to awkwardness between the two. Zafiroff followed the seperation of life and band rule but for Batey is was too much. On Dec. 15 Batey quit the band leaving Sanborn and Zafiroff to play a show on their own. The week after, former band member and roadie, Derek Stogner, Joined the ranks of DBB. This change of bassists turned the band into something new.

With a new bass player and a new beginning for the Bobcat Kids, they decided they needed a new name. After fumbling through some old names such as No Outlet the trio decided on a new name: OverRated (which they though decribed their music wonderfully. More shows were scheduled with the new name of "OverRated," but the workers at the Local 432 were a little dissapointed because they so loved the old name. Trying to start fresh, Sanborn and Zafiroff decided they needed to record a CD of all the new songs. For several hours over a period of 2 days, the do it yourself punk band recorded 10 songs for their first cd as OverRated, using the same equipment as before only this time with post production computer editing. The result was a 9 song, 1 bouns track, album. Since there was more production costs involved in making this album they decided to sell the Album, now titled "Just Like You" for $3 per cd.

After a while Sanborn, Stogner, and Zafiroff were sick of playing with one another, so practices started becoming few and far between. The one hope that kept them together was the decision to une the band fund to record at a studio, before Sanborn left for college. The band set up a day to record with Adam Stilson and UnderTone Recordings and saddly booked what was supposed to be their last shows.

With only a few shows left Sanborn and Zafiroff headed off to the all inspiring "Cornerstone" where the roots of OverRated were planted in the ground. On the way, Sanborn and Zafiroff met the person who revived the hopes of OverRated. Tyler Walker was a 16 year old ball of energy. To him everything was the best thing ever. Zafiroff and Sanborn decided to let him sing for the band. Tyler practiced with OverRated and put some desire to play back into Derek as well. After Tyler joined the band they recored their second full length album called "Little Jimmy's Yellow Pants," which served as a tool to eventually get OverRated into the lime-light. After Russell left the band found new hope for a guitar player in both former member of 3WP, Will Garcia, and emo-kid, Jon Buke. OverRated, now more versed in the world of music, continues to play shows and show Flint, Michigan what Punk Rock really is.