Washington​ ​is​ ​a​ ​community​ ​full​ ​of​ ​music​ ​and​ ​local​ ​bands.​ ​This​ ​musical​ ​talent​ ​resides within​ ​Washington​ ​High​ ​School​ ​as​ ​a​ ​group​ ​of​ ​new​ ​students​ ​and​ ​former​ ​alumni​ ​have​ ​created​ ​their own​ ​band,​ ​The​ ​Volunteers.  

“Matt​​ ​​Luttner​​ ​​and​​ ​​I ​had​​ ​​been​​ ​​jamming​​ ​​for​​ ​​a​​ ​​year​​ ​​and​​ ​​a​​ ​​half,​​ ​​and​​ ​we​ ​got​ ​tired​​ ​​of​ ​limited​​ ​​resources​​ ​​of​​ ​​just​​ ​​bass, guitar and​​ ​​drums​​ ​​and​​ ​​​we​ ​​started​​ ​​looking​​ ​​for​​ ​​more​ ​people,”​ ​senior​ ​Shane​ ​Nitschke​ ​said.  

The​ ​band​ ​started​ ​from​ ​humble​ ​beginnings​ ​and​ ​quickly​ ​grew​ ​to​ ​the​ ​five​-person​ ​group​ ​that they​ ​are​ ​today,​ ​consisting​ ​of​ ​seniors​ ​Zach​ ​Kempen,​ ​Jacob​ ​Taylor,​ ​Shane​ ​Nitschke,​ ​alumni​ ​Matt Luttner ​and​ ​Devon​ ​McNew.  

“Seventy-five ​​to​​ ​​80​ percent of​​ ​​our​​ ​​song​​ ​​making​​ ​​is​​ ​​done​​ ​​by​​ ​​Matt​​ ​​and​​ ​​Devon​​, ​​and​​ ​​then​​ ​​the​​ ​​rest​​ ​​of​​ ​​us​​ ​​glue​​ ​​it together,”​ ​​Nitschke​ ​said.

A​ ​lot​ ​goes​ ​into​ ​song​ ​making​, ​but​ ​they​ ​keep​ ​it​ ​a​ ​group​ ​effort​ ​and​ ​all​ ​agree​ ​on​ ​what​ ​songs stay​ ​and​ ​go.

“We​​ ​​worked​​ ​​on​​ ​​a​​ ​​song​​ ​​called​​ ​​’Redirect’​​ ​​for​​ ​​a​​ ​​little​​ ​​while​​, ​​but​​ ​​no​​ ​​one​​ ​​was​​ ​​feeling​​ ​​it,”​ ​Nitschke said.

Although​ ​songwriting​ ​can​ ​be​ ​a​ ​tedious​ ​process​, ​sometimes​ ​songs​ ​come​ ​to​ ​the​ ​band naturally.  

“We​​ ​​have​​ ​​written​​ ​​a​​ ​​song​​ ​​in​​ ​​one​​ ​​practice​​ ​​before,”​ ​Nitschke​ ​said.  

The​ ​band​ ​has​ ​performed​ ​at​ ​two​ ​concerts​ ​at​ ​Otis​ ​Campbell’s​ ​in​ ​Washington​ ​and​ ​at​ ​Pop’s in​ ​St.Louis​ ​and​ ​plan​ ​to​ ​release​ ​their​ ​original​ ​content​ ​performed.

“We​​ ​​will​​ ​​have​​ ​​a​​ ​​live​​ ​​EP​​ ​​for​​ ​​free​​ ​​that​​ ​​will​​ ​​be​​ ​​released​​ ​​March​​ ​​2​​ ​​with​​ ​​live​​ ​​recordings​​ ​​from our​​ ​​concert​​ ​​at​​ ​​Pop’s,”​ ​Nitschke​ ​said.

The​ ​Volunteers​ ​were​ ​competing​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Road​ ​to​ ​Pointfest​ ​competition​ ​at​ ​Pop’s,​ ​but​ ​they didn’t​ ​advance​ ​to​ ​the​ ​second​ ​round.​ ​Even​ ​with​ ​this​ ​downfall,​ ​the​ ​band​ ​remained​ ​positive​ ​and continue​ ​to​ ​strive​ ​toward ​their​ ​big​ ​goals.  

“I​​ ​​just​​ ​​want​​ ​​to​​ ​​know​​ ​​the​​ ​​feeling​​ ​​of​​ ​​walking​​ ​​around​​ ​​and​​ ​​someone​​ ​​just​​ ​​sees​​ ​​you​​ ​​and​​ ​​says, ‘Hey​,​ ​​you’re​​ ​​a​​ ​​part​​ ​​of​​ ​​this​​ ​​thing​​ ​​that​​ ​​I​​ ​​like.’ That​​ ​​would​​ ​​be​​ ​​the​​ ​​coolest​​ ​​feeling​​ ​​in​​ ​​the​​ ​​world,”​ ​senior Jacob​ ​Taylor​ ​said.

The​ ​band​ ​is​ ​aiming​ ​for​ ​local​ ​and​ ​even​ ​national​ ​attention.

“I’m​​ ​​looking​​ ​​for​​ ​​notoriety​​ ​​around​​ ​​our​​ ​​area​​ ​​and​​ ​​hopefully​​ ​​internationally,” Nitschke​ ​said.​ ​“My​ goal​​ ​​is​​ ​​to​​ ​​hear​​ ​​[The​ ​Volunteers]​ ​​on​​ ​​the​​ ​​radio​​ ​​someday.”