Musicians' Corner: The Page Project

Asked about what makes his group stand apart from other acts, The Page Project's vocalist and rhythm guitarist Lanny Zeigel said the answer is stage presence.

“Even if you don’t like the music, it’s interesting to watch,” said the New Tampa resident. “We try to be really passionate about it. We try to move and not stand like a statue.”

Zeigel said The Page Project has been around for about seven months and has performed at venues such as Pegasus Lounge and the Brass Tap at Wiregrass. The group formed from the ashes of a former band called Slider, which disbanded more than a year and a half ago.

During that break, life was far from easy for Zeigel, a self-described “open book.” Some obstacles included two divorces, a DUI charge that was later reduced and a domestic violence arrest that eventually ended in the state dropping charges, Zeigel said.

On the upside, those experiences “made for some good (songwriting) material,” Zeigel said. “I wrote one song called ‘Neck Scars.’ That dealt with me going to jail and having scars on my neck — one of my ex-wives had gotten me pretty good.”

The Page Project has a raw rock sound influenced by the likes of Guns N’ Roses —“My dog’s name is Axl (as in lead singer Axl Rose),” Zeigel said — Black Crowes, Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam, STP and the Doors.

While most of the group’s performances are comprised of original songs, The Page Project does perform a number of covers. An interesting mix of them, actually: Everything from Otis Redding’s “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” to Nirvana’s “Polly.”

“We pull from some good songs that have stood the test of time … but we put our stamp on it,” Zeigel said.

The members of The Page Project — which also includes lead guitarist Sam Irmis, bassist Scott Peters and drummer Jaime Viera — are currently concentrating on writing additional material for an eventual CD release.

“We will push (the CD) ourselves,” said Zeigel, whose day job is in sales and marketing. “We’re not necessarily looking to get signed, though that would be nice.”

To hear song clips and to find out about upcoming shows, including one April 21 at the Brass Tap in Trinity, visit The Page Project’s Facebook page.