As the story often happens, One More Time began as a group of friends playing in Naperville garages, basements and small bars. In the chaotic world or rock and roll in which the lifespan of most bands can be measured in months, OMT has defied the odds. The reason for such resilience could be that the founding members, Tom Schlueter, Rob Steininger and Bob Carroll, have not lost sight of the goal that they aspired to from their first show: to deliver heartfelt music and to ensure that that the audience has a good time.
One More Time is a rock band with a big sound, but one which wont hurt your ears. Currently, songs by the Beatles, John Hiatt, Carlos Santana, Foo Fighters, Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Red Hot Chili Peppers turn up regularly in the repertoire. The Band prides itself on adding their own flavor to the accepted “rock anthems” and usually play them a little different each time. OMT performs a nice array of covers, but also includes original tunes written by band members. “Miami Beach,” a song about the desire to head south for good, was written by Schlueter and inspired by our brutal midwest winters. It’s become fan favorite and is played at every performance.
Over the years, OMT has gone through a number of reconfigurations. In the summer of 2008, the band introduced another home grown Napervillian, Dick Kuhn to lend a hand on guitar and vocals. The addition of Kuhn has had a positive effect on the chemistry of OMT in relieving Steininger of the double duty role of lead and rhythm guitar in a three piece show. With the addition of Kuhn, the band has expanded its repertoire to include a few newer songs from the classic rock, if not contemporary rock, genre. In 2011 the core of OMT was rattled when two founding members, Tom Schlueter and Rob Steininger decided it was time for them to pursue their own artistic pursuits. OMT will obviously never be the same, but the band still forges ahead.
The band thrives on having a personal connection with its fans. A “nation” state in which the band and audience exist in a state of reciprocal appreciation. “We want our fans to know that their appreciation is the driving force that keeps us evolving.”
The band now appears at local venues like Frankies’s Blue Room in Naperville and in some of the areas most pupular music festivals such as Naperville’s “Rib Fest” and “Last Fling” events.
