Ed Ghost Tucker

Ed Ghost Tucker is the kind of act that immediately pulls you in — with a genre-bending approach to music that is mostly folky-surf tunes with a hint of jazz appeal. Smart and alluring, their music is the perfect backdrop to nearly any venue. When performing live, Ed Ghost Tucker knows how to control their volume and dynamic, adding perspective to music that is already beaming with depth. If you enjoy beachy vibes and the jazzy version of Vampire Weekend, Ed Ghost Tucker will not disappoint you. - The Indie SD

(La Mesa Courier, La Mesa, CA) – Many kids grow up with the lofty goal of being a rock star, but very few meet their future bandmates in second grade. Most of the members of Ed Ghost Tucker have known each other since grade school and have been playing together in and out of bands since attending Lemon Avenue Elementary.
The band is led by brother-and-sister duo percussionist Michaela Wilson and bassist Cameron Wilson, who share vocal and songwriting duties with guitarist Rutger Rosenborg. Ed Ghost Tucker’s indie-folk style gets its driving tempo from drummer Ryan Miller and multi-instrumentalist Brian Disney infuses each song with a unique variety of sounds, including keyboard, flugelhorn and saxophone.
Michaela Wilson’s sweet voice is balanced by the deep, strong tones of Cameron Wilson and Rosenberg. From striking soft ballads, such as “Anyone,” to upbeat toe-tappers like “On Your Own,” the band combines classic elements of jazz, folk and rock with contemporary nuances to create a full, rich sound.
In less than a year the band has amassed a loyal following, played wide-ranging venues, and most recently embarked on a brief tour of California. Demonstrating the dedication and heart needed to sustain the exhaustive hours required of an up-and-coming band, these young musicians are ready to keep their momentum going.
La Mesa Courier caught up with Ed Ghost Tucker members Rutger Rosenborg, Ryan Miller, and Michaela Wilson to discuss where they’ve been and what lies ahead.
La Mesa Courier: How did your band get started and how long have you been playing together?
Michaela Wilson: We have been playing in this formation for the last nine months. As individuals, we have played in and out of bands together since elementary school, but it wasn’t until we all came back from school and living abroad that we decided to put this project together. In other words, we couldn’t do very much else with our liberal arts degrees.
LMC: Any formal training in music?
Rutger Rosenborg: Most of us have had some sort of formal training, whether it has been just lessons here and there, participating in choirs and school bands, or taking college courses in music. Regardless of our differing levels of formal training, we’re always looking to expand our musical horizons both personally and scholastically.
LMC: Where did you get the name?
MW: The name came about out of desperation. Ed, Ghost, and Tucker are apparently the strange names of the three pets of the Rosenberger family. ‘Rosenberger’ is similar to the last name of our guitarist, Rutger Rosenborg. It was a complete mistake that Rutger received the Rosenberger’s veterinarian receipt instead of his own. ‘Ed,’ ‘Ghost,’ and ‘Tucker’ were the names of the pets on the receipt, and the rest is history.
LMC: What’s it like for Michaela and Cameron to play as siblings? What do your families think about you pursuing music?
RR: Michaela has always wanted to make music with Cameron. They grew up playing music around each other, but this is the first time they have ever collaborated. They fight a lot, but we all do from time to time. Most of us have grown up in musical homes, and we are all very lucky to have our families be so supportive of our pursuits.
LMC: What are your favorite non-music spots in La Mesa? Restaurants? Hidden gems?
MW: Johnny B’s, Sun Tacos, Mario’s, Hoffer’s Cigar Bar, Shizuoka, and The Brigantine are a few of the places we frequent for meals. Sun Tacos, which we still call Chili Bandido, fuels us late at night.
LMC: What have been some of the highlights of your musical pursuits so far?
Ryan Miller: We have gotten a great response at our Soda Bar shows. ... We sold out the Tin Can before we left town in early May, and the California tour that we recently returned from was a really [informative] experience for all of us. We’ve had a blast playing local street fairs and SoundDiego’s LIVE event at Bar Pink in April. The Athenaeum Music and Arts Library show was a highlight as well. As far as future goals and aspirations are concerned, we would like to continue to build our fan base, record our first full-length album, and challenge ourselves as much as possible.
LMC: What’s next for the band?
RM: On Saturday, June 15, we’ll be playing a big show with The Burning of Rome, The Howls, and Water Liars at Soda Bar, for which we are already preparing. Recordings are definitely on the list as well. We are looking to get professional support for engineering, production and distribution. Management, licensing, and a reliable tour van are also priorities. Aside from all of that, though, we want to play for people who appreciate our music while we do our best to remain accessible, interesting, and surprising.
Keep up with upcoming shows and news from the lovely local La Mesan band Ed Ghost Tucker on Facebook: www.facebook.com/EdGhostTucker.
Jen Van Tieghem can be contacted at jen@scoopsandiego.com.
Jen Van Tieghem is a staff writer who also covers the San Diego m - Jen Van Tiegham

Ed Ghost Tucker is a five-piece indie folk/pop band from San Diego. Think Of Monsters and Men and Mumford & Sons. They have been gaining recognition around their area after being selected as the April winners of the SoundDiego Blog’s ‘Garage 2 Glory’ contest. They just came off a tour on the CA coast, performing shows with The Lonely Wild, The Americans, and Mojo Stone. They kicked off the tour with a Sold Out show in May. - Kings of A&R

Seriously, 'Anyone' is about as good as indie folk pop songs get, with a winning combo of wistfully rustic male vocals and ooh, the girl in this band. - Seattle Junkie Queen

It’s like your favorite indie rock band had a folky baby with Explosions in the Sky. They are just starting out, but give them a listen; I truly enjoyed seeing them for the first time. Not only was it refreshing to listen to some new, interesting music, it was nice to remember that there are venues and bands and nights like that out there. - John Wilkinson

With its homespun melodies, boy-girl vocal harmonies and lush arrangements, this five-song demo is as welcoming as a well-worn La-Z-Boy. If only more bands were as versatile and surprising as Ed Ghost Tucker. - San Diego CityBeat

San Diego folk-jazz band, Ed Ghost Tucker, is known for producing original, self-recorded tracks. Along with writing, recording, and producing their own music, the band also creates their own video art, graphic design, and does their own marketing. During Ed’s local shows, they use their video art and graphic design to augment their sound.
Band member Rutger Rosenborg explained that Ed Ghost Tucker is more than just music, “Our band is both an aural and visual experience for our audience.” Ed combines a spacey post-rock ambiance with a bluegrass vibe to create a sound all their own – and when they aren’t playing music, they’re shooting and narrating videos.
Band members Brian Disney, Ryan Miller, Rutger Rosenborg, and siblings Cameron and Michaela Wilson are all San Diego locals who came together to create their original sound and look. Miller, Cameron, Wilson, and Rosenborg have been playing music together since the fifth grade. After a brief hiatus, they have decided to rejoin with new musicians under a new aesthetic, a new arrangement, and an entirely new sound.
Ed Ghost Tucker’s arrangement has Disney on the horn, keys, percussion, and, occasionally, on the acoustic guitar. Miller is on the drums, whipping around his golden locks and setting the beat for the band. Rosenborg, Cameron , and Michaela all handle the vocals, using a variety of harmonic combinations to produce their folk-jazz vibe. Along with singing, Rosenborg plays lead guitar, Cameron bass, and Michaela can be found jamming on the omnichord.
The band has had notable success on the local San Diego music scene, playing a couple shows a week at hot spots like Hillcrest’s Ruby Room. For a full list of concert dates in San Diego and up the coast visit their facebook page.
To get a feel for their sound listen to Anyone by Ed Ghost Tucker and find them on the main stage of La Mesa’s Oktoberfest this Saturday, Oct. 6 in the beer garden at 7pm!
- Independent Voter Network