Before it was on Billboard’s Top 100 or making the rounds on the media circuit, Saving Jane was busy paying its dues in Columbus.
“We played at B-Dubs (Buffalo Wild Wings) on Woodruff and High during open mic nights and they eventually offered us shows,” said Marti Dodson, lead singer and an Ohio State graduate with a master’s degree in social work. “Later we moved on to Ledo’s. We’d be in Ledo’s playing and, if it was a bad night, I would say to the band we’d come back one day when we’re famous.”
It might not be long before that vow is fulfilled these days, Saving Jane is finding itself pushed into the limelight with its hit single, “Girl Next Door,” climbing the charts, the release of a music video and an upcoming tour.
In the song, Dodson tells the tale of the perfect girl that every guy wants to date and that every girl wants to be.
“The idea came to me when I was doing a show and saw this girl sitting down front and she was wearing this perfect outfit and had every hair in place,” Dodson said. “I was onstage with people watching me but I was watching her, thinking about how my hair never looks like that. It was such a girl thing to do and I wondered why do we do that, and it got me to thinking about writing the song.”
The music video has a “mean girls” story line that is faithful to the lyrics of the song by using a split screen that follows the lives of “miss perfect” and “the girl next door,” said Deborah Brosseau, spokeswoman for Saving Jane’s label, Toucan Cove Entertainment
“We had different versions come in and out and (the video) was almost about a beauty pageant, but we wanted to stick closer to the song,” Dodson said.
The video was shot entirely in Los Angeles in one weekend despite torrential rain and gusty winds. Brosseau said they were able to use the rain really well in the video, lending itself to a bit of realism and by the time the important shoots came up, the rain had stopped.
“It was funny because with this band, every time we’ve had a show outside the weather has never failed to be bad,” Dodson said. “So it was fitting that it was raining and cold. Everyone was telling me, ‘this is so weird, it’s never like this,’ and I was like, ‘well, Saving Jane is here.'”
The video should bring further exposure to the band as it is played on popular countdown shows like MTV’s “Total Request Live.” Even with all the exposure, Dodson said that fame has yet to sink in and that the band has yet to have one of those “wow, we’re famous” moments.
“We’re still waiting for that moment. You have a lot of little victories that you fight so hard for so that you end up sighing in relief instead of jumping for joy,” Dodson said. “I don’t know what that moment will be; we’re just relishing what’s going on for us.”
Nevertheless, Dodson said she is still getting used to being recognized and has gone through a culture shock.
“Since we’ve started being more national, it’s been very different,” she said. “There’s a lot of pressure on the way you look versus your music and that’s hard for me because all I care about is making music.”
With a fan base of mostly teenage to college-age females, “Girl Next Door” has resonated with audiences, creating a new role for Dodson.
“The song has definitely made me into a role model of sorts and it’s a little scary for me. You always have to constantly think what you’re going to say, how you’re going to sound,” she said. “But it’s a double-sided coin, because at the same time you have this amazing amount of love. This is a hard business to pursue and to go online and check your e-mail and read great things – you can’t beat that. It makes it all worthwhile.”
Dodson credits her Columbus roots for the success of Saving Jane and has immense gratitude for everyone who has been supportive of the band.
“It’s cool to come back and hear them talking about you on the radio; it really gives you a sense of having a home,” she said. “You envision that one day the world will be singing your music back to you, and that was my vision for sure. It’s nice this is happening to us.”
From Ledo’s to Buckeye tailgates with WNCI to national recognition, Dodson has proved she is anything but the girl next door.
