Meet WD-HAN, The ReverbNation Band That’s Crushing The Opportunity Game

WD-HAN is a ReverbNation trio with a sound completely their own. Hailing from “outer space,” the band has been going strong since forming in high school. Featuring an Aussie frontman, a renegade female drummer, and a soulful guitarist, WD-HAN is bringing the blues back into popular music, making a name for themselves with more than a decade of face-melting live shows throughout the Southeast.

The band has shared the stage with some of music’s biggest acts, and has been selected for countless ReverbNation opportunities over the years. Get to know the band, their philosophies, and even their favorite beverages in this interview:

For anyone not familiar with you, how would you describe your musical style? What’s the breakdown of instruments/members?

Our band is called WD-HAN and we’re based in Tampa Bay, Florida. We’re a trio, with Spencer as the lead vocalist, Cal playing guitar and Lea on the drums. All three of us have a big influence on the overall sound and our writing process is very collaborative. If we had to describe our music in terms of genres, we’re like blues, pop and alt rock blended together. Ha! That’s a lot of genres…you’ll just have to check it out and decide for yourself. 

What’s your favorite part of being a trio? What are some of the challenges?

We’ve been playing together for over a decade, so that combined with it only being three of us means we’re locked in together on stage, in the studio, or writing. It’s all easier with having such a small group to get on the same page. The challenges are the other side of that coin; it’s less spread of responsibilities in the band and we all have to carry more of the load. We love it, though! 

What is the meaning of your band name?

WD-HAN stands for “We Don’t Have A Name”…clearly we decided to take music seriously, not our band name! 

How did you get started as a group?

We met in high school! Cal and Lea were playing in the original version of WD-HAN and pulled Spence on stage at a show…without warning…to sing a Hendrix cover. The rest is history.

Congrats on being selected for so many ReverbNation opportunities! What do you think is your “it” factor for getting selected?

Thank you! ReverbNation is an amazing platform and we consider it a huge part of our networking as a band. We work really hard on our art, which very much includes our live show. If we have a chance to invest time or money in something, it’s always in getting better as artists. That said, art is subjective so we do what we can to be smart about what we can control, namely being willing to submit a lot and submitting the right way to the opportunities we think we’re a good fit for. 

Could you tell us a little about how you approach using ReverbNation and artist opportunities?

ReverbNation is a community, so the first thing we try to do is make sure our profile is as comprehensive as possible. We want anyone who comes across it to find everything they need, whether they’re a fan, press, or someone in the industry. That includes music and our social media links, of course, but also hi-res photos, a bio that can be used in promotional material or press, and contact information. 

Second, we love to network! We feel that once the foundation of a good profile is in place, we are able to put our best foot forward when submitting for artist opportunities, as well as meeting others in the industry through the platform. Just by messaging with others on ReverbNation, we’ve met some of our best musician friends through the site, exchanged shows in our respective hometowns, and shared opportunities with each other. Artists should have each others’ backs and we’ve found an amazing community here. 

Of all the opportunities you’ve been selected for, do you have a favorite or particularly memorable one?

One of our favorites was being selected to play SunFest in West Palm Beach. We’ve also had our music added to licensing rosters all over the world, been accepted to play at conventions and industry showcases, and booked a ton of gigs through opportunities. Coming up in early 2020, we’ll be showcasing at the Springboard Music Conference in California – again, by being selected through ReverbNation. 

Have you learned any important lessons about the music industry from ReverbNation opportunities?

Persistence and being willing to move out of your comfort zone. The truth is you’re not going to be accepted for every single opportunity, so if you only submit to one and pin all your hopes on that, it can be discouraging if you’re not selected. If you are willing to submit to every opportunity that your act fits the criteria for, and be willing to experience new things if you’re picked, you’d be amazed what can happen. It’s not just a numbers game, but we’ve had success by being willing to say “yes” and looking at the opportunities from the view of those offering them; what do they need and want from the act they choose? If we can provide that, we submit. 

What advice would you give to other ReverbNation artists that want to be selected for more opportunities?

When submitting to opportunities, submit from the view of the person reviewing. Definitely keep to your band’s identity, but while you may have a favorite band picture or song, they may not fit an opportunity as well as another. Be flexible. It’s not a “one song fits all” approach; we really try to provide what the person offering the opportunity is looking for.

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have given yourself at the band’s beginning?

You are right, this thing that you think might be a life-long passion is and will be. Stick to it and don’t give up.

What’s one random/silly thing you want us to know about WD-HAN?

We’ve toured Taiwan three times and are all completely obsessed with bubble tea! 

Five years from now, where do you see WD-HAN going?

Wembley, baby! Haha…that would be amazing, but no matter at what scale, we’ll definitely be releasing more music, touring and hopefully making more people’s day better with our art.