ION INDIE MAGAZINE December 2016, Volume 31 | Page 107

Photo credit: Cliff Steinman

Story by Tim Campbell
In today’s musical climate, I often find myself questioning the motivation behind the songs I hear. How do
you honestly know when music is coming from the heart versus when it’s coming from the wallet? Admittedly,
the two aren’t mutually exclusive. Top 40 radio has made rush hour bearable for decades--and some of
America’s finest draft dodgers wrote songs that make us proud to be Americans. That said, a song should
convey a genuine feeling regardless of financial motivation and political agenda, and no emotion is more
polarizing in music than loss. When music is at its best, it can make beauty out of our darkest hours. This
was especially true when I heard the self-titled debut album from Central Ohio’s YOUNGBLOOD.
Youngblood, a collaboration featuring JARED FRICK, VINCE HICKMAN, CHRIS POMPEY, AARON WICKLOW,
CLIFF STEINMAN, ZACH ZABORSKI, EDDY RITTER, BEAU SUITER and ZACH CHRISMAN, didn’t start out as a
band intent on making a record. Each have their own projects and would come together to share ideas and
collaborate socially as part of a loose collective called BUSCH LEAGUE. For all of Busch League’s talent and
love of music, what was produced rarely left the space where they shared demos over drinks. The few public
appearances made were as the backing band for Ohio rapper ANDY “ANY MAN’S HOPE” HULL. Hull was a
supremely talented and constantly involved member of the Central Ohio scene--as a singer and
instrumentalist in many bands, as well as a hidden gem in the local hip hop community. Unfortunately in the
summer of 2015, Hull passed away at the age of 26. The loss left many local musicians, including Jared
Frick, in a state of disbelief: