At the peak of euphoria you stare at a screaming crowd, thrashing out a dizzying mixture of chords and rhythms. You’re performing your latest platinum album to a crowd of loyal and adoring fans, wondering if life gets any better than this.

Who hasn’t dreamed about being a famous rock star, constantly riding a wave of praise and fame? Indeed, thousands of high school bands are formed each year. Few have the talents or love of music to actually be successful. Prime Focus, a multi-genre power trio consisting of Monarch seniors Hudson Knott, Davis Conklin, and Taylor Friesth may be able to pull it off.

Knott, the bass player, started playing acoustic bass in fifth grade and when his girlfriend talked him into it. Conklin, the guitarist, started playing in fourth grade with his dad, who also plays guitar casually. Friesth started playing in third grade when he saw his friend’s 360 drum set. All three have never looked back since, making music a major part of their lives.

Conklin, Friesth, and Knott know each other well, and have a distinct but intense passion for music. As fellow musicians, they have worked together in groups like jazz bands, marching band, and Drumline. They also have a substantial background in several different genres of music, and incorporate that into their songs, “We play Progressive Rock, Blues, Jazz, some Alternative Rock, and Funk,”The band got together about a year ago. “We were in a band before, but we became Prime Focus when Hudson replaced our last bass player”, said Conklin. Since then the band has composed several songs and has even put out their first EP, Focal Point.

As a band Prime Focus has had some high points. Besides recording the first EP, the band has played in front of tens of thousands on the fourth of July at Folsom Field. “It was awesome getting to play in front of so many people,” said Knott. The band plans to continue performing whenever possible.

Where will they go from here? Though Prime Focus would like to stay together, that may just not be an option. “It really depends on where we all decide to go to college. If we’re all in opposite corners of the country it’ll be pretty hard”, said Conklin.

All three said that the band was a motivation factor for staying in state, but even if the band separates, all three will continue to play. Friesth and Knott plan to play professionally, though Conklin says that while he wants to major in engineering he says he’ll “definitely want to keep playing music on the side”. For now, the band will keep rockin’ and rollin’ along, composing, performing and playing their hearts out.