What do Soul Asylum, Los Lobos, Digital Underground and Cracker have in common? The answer is that they are all bands that have performed at the Cubby Bear in Chicago. And at 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, Brookfield resident Mike Connellan will be joining those ranks with the band Boho Paisley.

The funk/rock band features Connellan on the drums, Justin Hoot of Chicago as lead singer and on rhythm guitar, Ryan Karey of Chicago on lead guitar and Ed Doerge of Berwyn on bass guitar. The band got its name when Karey was shopping with his girlfriend, saw “Boho Paisley” as a descriptor on a bathing suit, and thought it would make a great band name.

Connellan said that the name wasn’t his favorite at first, but it has grown on him in the two years that the band has been together. He adds, “As a band, it can be difficult to come up with a name that isn’t the name of another band.”

And that’s not the only time a strange twist of fate has stepped into Connellan’s musical career. The first time was as early as fourth grade, when a professional drummer came in and played during a school career day.

“I thought, ‘That’s awesome, I’ve got to do that,'” Connellan says.

That led him to take private lessons, which then led to playing with his previous bands Boda and Moon River and then to where he is today.

The next twist occurred when he heard that Karey was looking for a drummer. Connellan had quit playing for a while to focus on his career with Marriott International (he is currently assistant general manager at the Residence Inn by Marriott in Rosemont).

“I wasn’t interested in being the drummer,” he said. “I hadn’t played for five years.”

Then, driving through LaGrange, he saw a going-out-of-business sale at a music store. He decided to stop in, and ended up with a Yamaha drum kit. He said he called Karey and said, “I’m in the band.”

Although he was told he would have to try out like anyone else, and he was “a little rusty” in his tryout, that became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

And Connellan-who lists his musical inspirations as The Killers, Pearl Jam and Led Zeppelin-says he is happy with how things turned out. The band is currently recording a CD of their original material, which they hope to have out in February 2008. According to their website, www.bohopaisley.com, the band’s main motivation is “honest expression and the live experience.” And they seem to be living up to providing a memorable live experience.

“The best is when people sing your songs back to you, and they’re into it,” Connellan says.

The group also has a good dynamic together, according to Connellan.

“A lot of bands fight all the time, but we’re good buddies,” he said, adding that the dynamic is one that would be good for touring together.

“I understand it wears and tears on you to see the same people every day,” Connellan says. “With this band, we get along and would keep ourselves together if someone got out of hand.”

He adds, “The four of us get along extremely well, but can have our separate lives.”

That is a good thing, because in addition to the band and his work at the Residence Inn, he makes time for his newborn son and his future aspirations of owning a bar.

But Connellan adds that when he’s performing, he is giving that his all.

“When you’re up on stage, you don’t think about anything else,” he says. “You’re focused on the music.”

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