Legendary Wings

Not to be confused with the well-remembered video game, the Legendary Wings are a rough-and-ready Midwest punk rock band whose music evokes melodic garage rock, old-school punk, and vintage power pop, with a tuneful melodic sense and a touch of snark in the lyrics. The Legendary Wings story begins in 2005 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, when guitarist and vocalist Scott Tarrian and drummer Jeff "The Snake" Mahannah crossed paths at a cookout held in conjunction with UFO Dictator Fest, an annual punk rock showcase staged by local record label UFO Dictator. Tarrian had been playing in a band called the Throbbin' Urges, and Mahannah was a veteran of the Clams; the two found they had similar tastes in music and popular cultural and became fast friends. In 2008, Tarrian and Mahannah decided it was high time they put together a band, and after bringing in mutual friend Matt Maier to hold down the bass, they began playing out as the Legendary Wings. In 2009, they released their first record, a single on Tic Tac Totally Records, and later the same year they appeared on a UFO Dictator 7" EP with Black Orphan, the Menthols, and Los Steaks. In 2012, the Legendary Wings sent a demo CD to the Oregon-based punk rock label Dirtnap Records, and to their surprise, the label offered them a deal, making them one of the only bands to sign to Dirtnap through an unsolicited demo. The year 2012 brought the group's first full-length album, Making Paper Roses, and 2013 brought an appearance on a split EP with Buck Biloxi & the F***s. In late 2014, the Legendary Wings returned with their second album, Do You See. ~ Mark Deming