Drive! has performed in the Bay Area for almost a decade. There have been many changes during the band's near decade run, the largest being the retirement of original lead vocalist Ray Lallana in 2008. After over a year of platooning at the position of lead vocalist, Drive! was pleased to finally announce in August of 2010 the arrival of Mr. Lallana's permanent replacement, Mr. Jake Morgan. Jake hails from New Orleans, LA, and while he is white, he learned his vocal craft in the black southern baptist churches of the bayou. Jake's southern charm and soulful vocal style immediately changed the character of the band. The band has always been powerful with its rock steady groove, soaring bluesy guitar solos and the former lead singer's eighties rock vocal style. Now, with the addition of Jake Morgan, the band is instantly more modern... and more southern.
The core of Drive! includes the veteran rhythm section of bassist Robert Rojas and drummer Randy Hayes. Rojas has played in almost every south bay funk/top 40 band of significance, including “Rojas Brothers,” “Getting Even,” “Mike Leatherman” and “Entourage.” Hayes, a veteran of the national blues scene, has played with Chris Cain, Tommy Castro and most recently Coco Montoya. Ray Buyco is the band's guitarist and bandleader and has played with a variety of cover bands in the bay area over the last twenty years including the Ultraviolets, the Mike Leatherman Band, the Switch, the Element and of course, Drive!.
Drive! offers the option of adding a female vocalist to the line up. This cost effective option effectively doubles the bands repertoire, allowing the band to make soulful musical statements on classic female vocal hits from Patti LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade” to modern hits like Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance.”
While Drive!’s sound is quite full in its basic form, the addition of the optional keyboardist will add texture and depth beyond what the guitar can do alone. A third option is to add a saxophone. In short, the basic four piece Drive! band can be enhanced by any combination of an additional female vocalist, a keyboardist and a saxophonist.
One of the most valuable skills the band has developed over the years is how to gauge an audience in order to quickly select the most appropriate song to play next. Drive!’s marching orders are to get the party started and to keep it going until the end of the event. They are able to accomplish this mission by having a variety of musical material available to help the band appeal to the varied demographics most often found at weddings and corporate parties. That being said, Drive! has a distinctly modern flair with their youthful stage appearance and a growing selection of the most current popular hits.
Besides being an excellent choice for most events, Drive! is certainly the right selection where performance space may be limited and disciplined volume control is required, or where budgets are tight yet live music is still the preferred entertainment over recorded music.
Drive! is looking forward to making great music for another decade... or more!
Song List
(subject to change without notice)
Modern
3am- Matchbox Twenty
Badfish- Sublime
Beverly Hills- Weezer
Billionaire- Travis McCoy
Blister in the Sun- The Violent Femmes
Brown Eyed Girl- John Mayer
California Love- Dr. Dre & Snoop Doggy Dog
Crazy- Gnarls Barkly
DJ Got Us Falling in Love- Usher
Down- Jay Sean
Dynamite- Taio Cruz
Forget You- Cee Lo Green
Give me Everything- Pitbull
Green Light- John Legend
Good Life- Kayne West
I Don't Wanna Be- Gavin DeGraw
I Got a Feeling- Black Eyed Peas
I Melt with You- Modern English
Just Friends- Musiq Soulchild
LoveStoned - Justin Timberlake
Magic- Robin Thicke -
Mary Jane- Rick James
Moves like Jagger- Maroon 5
Never Gonna Leave this Bed- Maroon 5
No Diggity- Blackstreet
No Such Thing- Foster the People
Nothing on You- B.O.B
Party Rock Anthem- LMFAO
Pumped up Kicks- Foster the People
Rehab - Amy Winehouse
Santeria- Sublime
Save Tonight- Eagle Eye Cherry
Sexy Back- Justin Timberlake
Smooth- Santana
The Middle,- Jimmy Eat World
This Love- Maroon 5
Waiting on the World to Change- John Mayer
When I Come Around- Green Day
Classic
Addicted to Love- Robert Palmer
After Midnight- Eric Clapton
All Along the Watchtower- Jimmy Hendrix/Bob Dylan
Bang a Gong- Power Station
Billy Jean- Michael Jackson
Blister in the Sun- Violent
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
Can't Always Get What you Want- Rolling Stones
Cocaine- Eric Clapton
Come Together- Beetles
Dock of the Bay- Otis Redding
Forget You- Cee Lo Green
Free Fallin'- Tom Petty
Friend of the Devil- Grateful Dead
Get Down Tonight - KC And The Boys
Get it On (Bang a Gong)- T. Rex
Hands to Yourself- Georgia Satellites
Hard to Handle - The Black Crowes
Honky Tonk Woman- Rolling Stones
It's Only Rock and Roll- Rolling Stones
I Wanna Be Your Lover- Prince
Johnny Be Good- Chuck Berry
Joker- Steve Miller
Jumpin' Jack Flash- Rolling Stones
Just Like Heaven - The Cure
Kiss- Prince
Last Dance with Mary Jane- Tom Petty
Let's Stay Together- Al Green
Little Sister- Elvis Presley
Margaritaville- Jimmy Buffett
Nadine- Chuck Berry
Not Fade Away- Buddy Holly
Peaceful Easy Feeling- Eagles
Play that Funky Music- Wild Cherry
Rock My World (Little Country Girl)- Brooks n Dunn
Rock and Roll All Night- KISS
Satisfaction- Rolling Stones
September- Earth Wind & Fire
Shook Me All Night- AC DC
Start Me Up- Rolling Stones
Superstitious- Stevie Wonder
Sweet Home Alabama- Lynard Skynard
When You Say Nothing At All- Keith Whitley
Wonderful Tonight- Eric Clapton
Optional Female Vocalist Song List
Modern
American Boy- Estelle
Before He Cheats- Carrie Underwood
California Gurls- Katy Perry
Cool- Gwen Stephani
Crazy- Gnarls Barkly
Don't Ya- Pussycat Dolls
Forget You- Cee Lo Green
Get the Party Started - P!nk
Give Me One Reason-Tracy Chapman
Hella Good- No Doubt
Holla Back Girl - Gwen Stephani
Hot and Cold- Katy Perry
I Kissed a Girl- Katy Perry
I'm just a Girl - No Doubt
In the Dark- DEV
It's My Life- No Doubt
Just Dance- Lady Gaga
Kiss- Prince
Lady Marmalade- Christina Aguilera
Last Friday Night- Katy Perry
Mercy- Duffy
Moves like Jagger- Maroon 5
My Milkshake- Kelis
Paris (Ooh La La) - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Pokerface- Lady Gaga
Rehab- Amy Winehouse
S&M - Rihanna
Since You've Been Gone- Kelly Clarckson
So What- P!nk
Soak Up the Sun- Sheryl Crow
Suddenly I See- KT Turnstall
Sunday Morning - Maroon 5
Sweet Dreams/Get the Party Started - P!nk
Teenage Dream- Katy Perry
The Edge of Glory- Lady Gaga
Tik Tok- Ke$ha
Underneath it All- No Doubt
Valerie- Amy Winehouse
Waking up in Vegas- Katy Perry
Walk Away- Kelly Clarkson
We Found Love- Rihanna
When I Come Around- Green Day
You and your Hand- P!nk
You Ought to Know- Alanis Morrisette
Classic
Bad Girls- Donna Summer
Black Velvet - Alannah Myles
Boogie Oogie Oogie- A Taste Of Honey
Chain of Fools- Aretha Franklin
Don't Stop Believing- Journey
Girl Just Want to Have Fun- Cindy Lauper
Groove is in the Heart- Deelite
Hit Me With Your Best - Pat Benatar
Holiday - Madonna
Hot Stuff - Donna Summer
I Love Rock and Roll- Joan Jett
Into the Groove- Madonna
La Freak- Chic
Material Girl- Madonna
Play that Funky Music- Wild Cherry
Proud Mary- Tina Turner
Respect- Aretha Franklin
Walking On Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves
