Luke and Riley Sechrest’s lives have always been intertwined with Gainesville and its music scene.
Raised in the city, they’ve played in bands throughout Gainesville since childhood.
“My dad was a musician in Gainesville … so me and my brother grew up with instruments all over the house,” said 24-year-old Luke Sechrest. “As kids, we actually played in a family band with my dad called Dad and the Accidents.”
Now, the duo is keeping it in the family with their alternative rock project Rustler, preparing to release their debut record Sept. 25.
Recorded entirely by the brothers, "Generational Wealth” features Luke singing and playing guitar and drums with Riley playing bass.
The album began as a solo project for Luke, the songwriter of the pair, but once Riley came on to help produce the album, it quickly became a team effort.
The pair have been recording and performing as Rustler for a little over a year. They began recording “Generational Wealth” at Pulp Arts July 2025.
The band takes inspiration from various places ranging from the ‘90s albums they heard in their dad’s car growing up to modern bands like Big Thief or This Is Lorelei.
The debut album is mostly about family ties and Luke’s personal stories and struggles.
One of the album's songs, “Gloss,” released as a single Aug. 14, was written after Luke was rejected from a job opportunity.
“I was really upset about it, and I was like, ‘Well, look at my life right now,’” he said. “My life is so much better [because of it].”
Over the past year, Rustler has played shows across Gainesville, raising excitement for the upcoming album. The brothers play live, with a rotating group of other local musicians filling in to make a full band.
Maus Kelava, the 23-year-old talent buyer for Loosey’s Downtown, first saw Rustler play at one of the restaurant’s Indie Demolition Nights and looks forward to what the band will do next.
“It's rare to find a band that has just the energy,” they said, “and the stage presence and the tightness and the music to back it up that Rustler has.”
Growing up alongside Luke means Rustler's other half, 27-year-old Riley Sechrest, has a special connection to the songs’ lyrics, which are filled with references to the brothers’ family and childhood.
The lyrics blend deeply personal details with overarching messages that make them relatable to anyone, which Riley believes is what makes the album feel so impactful.
“I think this record is what I'm most proud of,” he said. “I've played in a lot of bands at this point. I’ve been playing since I was 9 years old — I'm 27 now. Almost 20 years of playing music, and this is by far what I'm the most proud of.”
Though, for Rustler, Gainesville isn’t the final stop on their musical journey. The pair is planning to take its music to Nashville following the album’s release in September.
Despite their love for Gainesville and its community, Riley and Luke feel a move would benefit both the future of the band and their own desires to live somewhere new.
“We're both from Gainesville, so it's one of those things where it's like going to school here, graduating, playing bands and working and stuff, and it's kind of now or never,” Riley said.
The band plans to perform more in Gainesville leading up to their October move, including a Sept. 1 show at Signal and one Sept. 16 at Heartwood.
Platforming “Generational Wealth” is currently the band’s main focus, but plans are already in motion for future songs and releases down the line.
“I imagine we'll do this as long as we're physically capable,” Riley said.
Contact Brandy Sumner at bsumner@alligator.org.
Brandy Sumner is an anthropology and English junior and this summer's music and performance reporter. This is their first semester working at the Alligator. In their free time they enjoy playing guitar, reading and writing.
