Bodragaz

Michael Layer (April 23, 1968) played in bands in his original home state of Iowa. In 1996, after moving to Colorado, he formed Bodragaz with Kevin Shaw. Michael fulfilled the position of singer, guitarist, and percussion, which Shaw was lead guitarist. James Wescott (April 1, 1968) joined the band as bass guitarist and vocalist in 1996. He was also a Midwesterner, having been born in Illinois. The three of them recorded and released their self-titled disc in 1996. Jason Barnes (March 20, 1973) started playing piano when he was five years old. The only Colorado native in the band, he joined the group before the release of Somewhere in Switzerland in 1997. Jonathan Castner (May 23, 1969) is a native of Michigan who moved to Denver in 1995. He replaced the departing Shaw. This grouping recorded the third Bodragaz disc, Epic in 1999. James Wayne (November 29, 1970) became the band's permanent drummer, taking the place of several different stick men in 2000, just a few days after moving to Colorado from his home state of Georgia.