Steve Walker
Lead Vocals
Steve is originally from Marlborough, MA, but has lived in many places including CO, VA, SC and overseas in Japan. He attended Western Carolina University in the mountains of NC and has settled in the beautiful Lake Norman area where he has been since the early 90’s. Steve has been married to his wife, Michele, for 30+ years and they have two boys, Brett and Andrew.
Steve has always loved music and dreamed of being a “rock-star”. It all came together one night at a barn in Troutman, NC as he and a few guys decided to start jamming and the POMOLAS band was formed. Getting most of his inspiration from the likes of Tom Petty and John Mellencamp, Steve also likes the more regional sounds of bands like Jupiter Coyote and Simplified.
The merging of the POMOLAS band with Midlife Crisis has formed a very special “experience” that can be seen and felt when these guys take the stage. The fun that they have playing music certainly translates into the crowd…a good time is had by all.
Mike Carlet
Drums and Percussion
Originally a disciple of Animal from The Muppets, Mike began his musical journey on the drums in the mid ’70s. He was fortunate enough to receive a few years of drum instruction from a great and very patient teacher named Ellis Berger in his hometown. Ellis exhibited lots of patience with Mike who never seemed to practice as much as he should! He played in his high school marching band where he both met his future wife and made many lifelong musical friendships.
After playing in a few high school and college rock bands, the real world intruded and his drumset mostly became a very nice piece of decorative furniture for the next 15 years.
Then around the year 2000 he happened to be talking to a few soccer dads from his son’s team and they discovered they all had a dormant musical passion. They started occasionally playing together (music, not soccer) and since then has been fortunate enough to be able to play with an ever evolving set of talented musicians.
Howard Clark
Lead and Rhythm Guitar
Howard has been playing in bands since his time in college when he played in several bands while attending college in New Orleans. He has recorded three albums of original music with his previous bands.
He has been playing with members of The Stormin’ Norman Experience for over 10 years!
He is happiest playing live with The Stormin’ Norman Experience.
Will Ellis
Vocals, Percussion, Drums, Bass Guitar, Trash Can
Will is originally from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (eh!) and moved to North Carolina in 2010. His musical journey started in the 80’s playing drums at school and onto local bands throughout college. This is also when he learned to play guitar. He got a haircut and a real job (as many do), and stepped away to start a career and a family, but music was always around, just like that trusty acoustic guitar.
Fast forward to 2013 and Will was behind the drum kit again as a founding member of local 90s tribute band Gump Fiction and Corporate Underground. Becoming friends with the boys in MidLife Crisis, and always with cowbell in-tow, you could find Will jumping on-stage with his friends. This led to sitting in with POMOLAS as well, on drums and bass.
When the bands merged, Will explored more sonic highways, and incorporated full percussion into the band. With encouragement, he also ventured to the front of the stage to assume lead vocal duties on (naturally) some Canadian classics and more!
Brett Fansler
Keyboards, Vocals, Bass
Brett’s journey in music began in middle school where he learned and excelled as a trumpet player. This exposure to a classical music ensemble at an early age opened up a huge world of hearing different tones from a vast array of instruments…. he was hooked and began to teach himself how to play multiple instruments.
For most of his life, Brett has been playing/performing in organized ensembles, rock bands, and praise/worship bands, which he considers a hobby and an opportunity to give thanks to God for musical talents.
Brett considers himself “competent” as a multi-instrumentalist and it would not be uncommon to see him during a band gig or a church service playing a different instrument. He views his role is a musical chameleon to blend in and support the brotherhood that is The Stormin' Norman Experience.
Craig Rubrecht
Rhythm and Lead Guitar (Acoustic and Electric)
Craig got his first real six string in the summer of 89. Beginning that same summer with guitar lessons, he learned to play Classic Rock hits with a love for Zeppelin, the Stones, and The Grateful Dead.
Playing on and off as a young adult, he joined his first band in 2009 as the Rhythm guitarist for the Mississippi Leg Hounds. MLH later changed its name to Mid Life Crisis, who would eventually merge with the boys from Pomolas --- to create The Stormin’ Norman Experience.
Playing both the electric and acoustic, Craig is happiest with his Taylor guitar strapped around his neck.
Steven Sellin
Bass Guitar and Background Vocals
Steven is originally from a small town in northern Wisconsin that was known for its music programs in the community. His parents started him on keyboard lessons at eight years old but he switched to guitar at 14. He formed his own band, Matthias, in high school and then he took a year off of college and played in the national touring band, Joy Inc.
He put the guitar down for the next 20 years or so until he moved to Florida and joined his church praise band and ended up leading that group for the next few years. Upon moving to the Charlotte area in 2010, he joined the precursor to The Stormin’ Norman Experience as a bass player and has been absolutely enjoying playing rock n roll since.
Bill Scott
Lead and Rhythm Guitars (Acoustic and Electric) and Vocals
Bill grew up in Richmond, VA and started playing rhythm guitar in a High School band called “The Impressionist”. They played a lot of REM, Rush, and 80’s classic rock. About 17 years after college, Bill started up a band with Clyde Tenberg which eventually included Brett Fansler, and Steve Walker. The name of the band was “POMOLAS” which stands for Peace of Mind on Land and Sea. Bill was the lead guitarist and they played mainly a combination of 80’s classic rock and modern country. POMOLAS was together about 10 years and then merged with another local band called MLC – Midlife Crisis – to form The Stormin’ Norman Experience, where Bill shares rhythm and lead guitar rolls.