The Know Nothings, made up of Guitarist David Coffield, singer bassist Mark Chesnes and drummer Eric Hartzell have their LP release show tomorrow night at the Robin Hood Inn in Kent. Daniel R. Doherty | Daily Kent Stater

Credit: DKS Editors

A mandolin, banjo and mystery bag of percussion instruments are just some of the crazy instruments that appear on stage during live performances of the Know Nothings.

“My biggest challenge is the tambourine because it’s really hard to look cool with a tambourine,” said lead singer Kyle Buckley.

The band’s first LP “For Supper” is set to release tomorrow at the Robin Hood Inn.

The Know Nothings have nothing to do with the 1840s political party or anything political at all for that matter. The band got the idea for the name just joking around, and it just stuck.

The band is made up of Buckley, guitarist David Coffield, bassist Mark Chesnes and drummer Eric Hartzell, who instantly bonded to create an eclectic sound with instruments, lyrics and song styles.

All four members went to Stow-Munroe Falls High School, but they were not friends at the time.

“I used to think Mark and Dave were big dorks,” Hartzell said, laughing.

Coffield and Chesnes jammed together in bands here and there, just as Hartzell and Buckley did in other bands.

One day Buckley walked into Bellacino’s restaurant where Coffield works. Coffield and Chesnes were trying to start a band and told Buckley they were thinking he could be the singer.

A couple weeks later, Buckley did an “audition.” They played “I Want You” by the Beatles while Buckley sang.

“Within probably 15 seconds into the song, Dave looks at me and grins and says, ‘You’re it,'” Buckley said.

After a couple of drummers did not work out, Hartzell joined the group, and the Know Nothings were born.

The members said the connection the guys have made with one another plays a huge factor in their music. This bond is evident in the band stories, like the time Buckley slipped in fake blood and fell on stage during a show in Athens and breaking the mic at a Halloween show at the Kent Stage.

“I think one of the best parts about our band is the camaraderie we manage to keep,” Buckley said.

Long drives and hours spent in recording studios helped the guys connect, even though they have only been friends for a year.

With soft melodic acoustic songs like “California” on “For Supper” leading into the harder electric blues influenced “Boom Shocka Locka,” each member of the band brought a different taste of music to the LP.

“It’s definitely a collaboration,” Chesnes said. “It’s not just one person writing the song.”

Parts of “For Supper” were written while the recording process was going on because the men only had a week to finish before their producer had to go back to school, making the LP that much more of a collaborative project.

While the band does have a predominate folk side, they said the new LP shows more diversity with rock, psychedelics and blues influences.

The Know Nothings are hoping its LP brings more people out to enjoy the local music scene in Kent.

“We just want to get music out there,” Hartzell said. “Hopefully, it’s different. Hopefully, it’s quality, good to the ear, makes people happy and makes us happy.”

Contact all correspondent Pamela Crimbchin at [email protected].