The Well began jamming together about five or six years ago and took the time amongst themselves to hone in on the right sound. “We played for a good year before we played out in New York City,” says bass player Peter Stuart. Today, they can be found around Connecticut covering songs at Seaside Johnnies in Stamford, Rivercat Grill in Rowayton and The Beach Café in Greenwich.
“Our originals are big crowd pleasers,” he says; and it provides a good measure of motivation to keep up the creativity. With about 15 originals, the influence of The Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton and the like have them currently working on their second CD.
In creation, lead guitarist Trent Lewis will pen a few stanzas and put a vague guitar chord to it, leaving later practice sessions to evolve the piece into music.

“We’ll go over it, and then we’ll all work together, refining the changes and what not,” says Stuart.
Lewis also takes the lead on vocals, mostly making him the leader of the band, but his center-stage presence doesn’t leave the others feeling over shadowed. “Na, he’s a gentleman,” says Stuart with a little tongue and cheek.
The only detectable competition may only be coming from within. With Stuart’s father’s band, Barnstorm, also making the rounds in Connecticut, the generation gap seems to be measured in decibel levels. “You guys are too loud,” John Stuart always tells them in comparing The Well’s hard driving guitar sound to Barnstorm’s country, folksy spin.
That’s easily settled according to the younger Stuart, simply by checking out their respective crowds. “Younger, better looking girls,” says the twenty-something Rowayton resident.

That sentiment has probably subsided since he recently got married; but does the new bride do what she can to fight off all the female followers? “Yes, of course,” he says with just the right amount of self-deprecation.
Secure in that regard, the band runs on a similar type of synergy, which only works with each piece in place. “We’ve done a couple of gigs when one of us isn’t around and it just doesn’t work,” Stuart says.
But when going full tilt, they’re most partial to playing at River Cat, and the feeling from the owners is mutual. Always getting first pick of nights, “It’s our local place where we got our start,” he concludes.
For more information, visit http://thewellband.net.