It all started on Christmas in 1994 with a pair of guitars, an Aerosmith record and a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tablature book.
Throw in years of absorbing The Beatles, The Flaming Lips and soul greats like Otis Redding and Curtis Mayfield, and the education of Morningbell's brother duo Travis and Eric Atria was complete.
The Gainesville-based group, known for its psychedelic power-pop anthems and charm, is a family affair for the Atria brothers. With Travis covering vocals and guitar and Eric on bass, they share the stage with drummer Chris Hillman and keyboardist Stacie Atria (Eric's wife).
The band is playing Common Grounds Friday to mark the digital release of "Sun Come Out," a new EP featuring songs from the sessions from their 2009 outing, "Sincerely, Severely," and for anyone who's ever been a face in the crowd at a Morningbell show, it's in the air: brotherly love.
And it's taken time for the brothers to refine their roles in the band. Travis is the artistic force. As the songwriter for the band, the younger Atria says his music has become more accessible, with lyrics that are less about outer space and more about life, love and sex.
"There's more body. There's more of a physicality to the music," he said. "I wanted to make something that was undeniable."
They agree their brotherly bond over music has only made chasing their artistic dreams easier.
"For us, it's like the thing that keeps us going," Eric said. "When we go on tour, we know how to live with each other."
It could be surviving an on-stage hiccup or guiding a two-car caravan through New York City traffic. Either way, the Atria brothers take advantage of their family ties.
"We have a language between us," Travis said.
The chemistry of the band as a whole is tangible on-stage. Eric recounted a time when drummer Hillman missed a beat during a show. The band was able to adjust, in lockstep, to the rhythm with just a split-second glance at one another.
And it's this chemistry that has guided the band through what Travis amusingly calls an "adolescent fantasy." The band saw "Sincerely, Severely" attract national attention and bigger gigs. Since its release in December, Morningbell has played large-scale music festivals like South by Southwest and Bonnaroo, and they've had more critical acclaim than ever before.
"It feels like we're just starting, in a way," Travis said.
After nearly 10 years of paying dues and putting together shows filled with low-budget light effects, they found that their enthusiasm has crowds erupting at festivals just as they do in small clubs.
"Here we are on a national stage, and we get the same response," Eric said.
As an independent band in a world where the traditional music industry is crumbling, Morningbell takes the in-house approach.
Eric, who acts as the band's manager, said he's learned how to handle the money side of things over the years by just doing it.
"We've learned how to be more of a business. We've learned how to get [the music] out there," he said.
Morningbell's Friday night show will close with a set from The Shitty Beatles, a side project for the Atria brothers to get back to the some of the music that they love.
Travis said after working on the EP, a new full-length could be on the horizon.
"The next album is starting to take shape," he said.
The group is also aiming to embark on a west-coast tour sometime next year - a new undertaking for the band.
For now, the band is content to be playing a show for their hometown fans.
"It's kinda like a big party," Eric said.
To listen to the new EP, visit www.morningbellonline.com.
