Westan James - Vocals
Westan is Wylde Nept’s lead singer and a heavy-hitting songwriter to boot. He began music lessons at an early age, and keeps all manors of musical performance and theatre in his life. He shares his family’s love of their Celtic heritage, and is proud to bring that to the stage. Westan’s deep and abiding love of folklore - both ancient and modern - keeps him reading constantly, and has been a strong influence in his songwriting. He also loves listening to and learning from all genres of music, but Celtic music has always just felt right. His favorite pastime is taking his guitar out to an isolated spot in nature and writing songs. His motto: “If it isn’t fun, let’s not do it.”
Steven began playing piano at age 5, and shortly thereafter the accordion. It wasn’t long before Steven was competing and winning a trunk full of trophies. By age 8, he was one of the top accordion players in the country in his age group. Growing tired of the usual polkas and waltzes, he almost abandoned the accordion in high school. But his brother’s interest in Celtic music gave him fresh inspiration, and now Steven shows off his natural talent with mischievousness and grit. Nothing pleases him more than surprising new audiences with their first taste of the band’s bold, raucous sound.
Jon has a deep background in music, including degrees in Musical Performance - specializing in voice and classical guitar - as well as a Masters degree in Music Composition. He’s even performed on stage with Kenny Rogers and auditioned for Limp Bizkit. His broad list of musical influences range anywhere from Igor Stravinsky to Steve Vai, and his long-held fascination with Celtic music, particularly the instrumental dance music of Scotland and Ireland, is what brought him to Wylde Nept. Jon’s skills with the guitar and the mandolin have not only contributed extra depth to the band’s arrangements, but he never fails to get the crowd on its feet with a few over-the-top 80’s throwback shreds.
Wayne grew up surrounded by music; raised in a household full of jazz, and harboring a deep love of heavy metal. In no time he was teaching himself the guitar and using his myriad influences to craft a sound of his own. Now Wayne uses that driving energy to create the trademark racing guitar riffs that are the heart of Wylde Nept's sound, as well as co-write some of the band’s more memorable ballads. More than anything, he enjoys the intense camaraderie of the group, the band’s amazing fans, and the incredible support they give. For Wayne, there’s nothing like the fun and excitement of a live performance!
Brian’s bass guitar and bass vocals are the solid foundation of the band’s rhythm. But his repertoire is much larger than that. In his early years, he played tuba, bass trombone, baritone, and assorted percussion instruments; all in a variety of concert bands, wind ensembles, jazz bands, pep bands, marching bands, orchestras, and even the home town community band. Brian’s first gig as a bass player was for the made-for-cable-television band called “The Throw-Togethers.” Drawn to Celtic music by the stories and lyrics of the traditional songs, Brian and his bass found a home in Wylde Nept. He loves the excitement of playing on stage, the satisfaction of creating original music, and the opportunity to play traditional Celtic tunes with new, eclectic arrangements.
George had spent most of his life working in and around recording studios, stage productions, and live concert venues - always in a technical capacity. In college, he minored in Music, training to be a recording engineer or a producer. But he never imagined he’d be on the business end of the microphone. Now George channels his love of ancient Celtic music as the band’s percussionist, adding a wicked primal quality to the arrangements. The bodhran - dubbed “the Heartbeat of Ireland” - is George’s favorite drum, infusing the show with a strong, authentic Celtic pulse. But the tribal rhythm of the dumbek - a traditional middle-eastern drum - is what’s guaranteed to bring dancers to the dance floor.
