Reisterstown Band The Go Home Clones Makes Network TV Debut

If there’s one thing guitarist Ryan Raines aims for in his music, it’s authenticity.

The Go Home Clones, his Reisterstown-based band, plays all over the map, fusing together elements of hip-hop, reggae, R&B, rock, punk and even metal. Raines’ objective with this eclectic sound is to present these genres in the context of pop music, keeping the music accessible.

“Our goal is to bring some sort of authenticity to pop music,” he said. “It’s made for the mainstream listener, but we’re trying to not lose any of the traditional aspects of the genre we’re playing.”

The band makes its network television debut on Fox 45's station, This TV, on Sunday Feb. 20, at 9 a.m. on “That’s the Reality of It.” One song will be aired on Feb. 20, and another on Sunday, Feb. 27. The shows are part of a talent competition and The Go Home Clones are one of the featured bands.

“Kissing Love,” one the band’s songs on the show, showcases the band’s diverse sound, starting with a hip-hop beat, backing up rapping from lead vocalist Kanika Feaster, and going into a reggae part that showcases Feaster’s soulful, hypnotizing singing voice.

“Our music is weird, but it’s weird in a good way,” said Feaster, who co-hosts the show. “I think it’s an interesting blend, somehow it just works for us.”

The other song that will be featured, “Days,” showcases the band's rock sound.

Raines started The Go Home Clones with Joey Joy, a drummer he’s been playing with since high school, about a year and a half ago. Both graduated from in 2004. Rounding out the line-up is bassist Numan Mian, who graduated from Franklin in ’03, guitarist/vocalist Carrie Wood, who graduated from Frankin in ’07, and Feaster.

The band made its debut live performance about a year ago, opening for one of my bands, The Rez, at Joe Squared in Baltimore. Since then, they’ve also opened for my current band, Joe Keyes “The Late Bloomer” and The Late Bloomer Band, twice.

I called Joe Keyes to see what he had to say about why we tapped The Go Home Clones to open for us.

“They’re captivating; they catch the eye,” he said. “The Go Home Clones are a very good group of young musicians.”

The band found Feaster, a Baltimore resident, while she was searching for a house band for a public access show she hosts called "The Talk Lounge."

Feaster becoming the band’s singer was a very natural process, Raines said. For Feaster, who has an R&B-based solo project, the group gives her the ability to flex her vocal talents in a different setting.

“You’re able to tap into a whole ’nother vibe as an artist,” she said. “It’s nice to be able to, as a writer, write something to that style rather than writing to the same old thing.”

The band will be recording this weekend in Raines’ newly built home studio. He said the band plans to record eight to 10 songs. Although they don’t have any shows coming up right now, several are in the works.