Oasis, The Beach Boys, and two long-haired teens from Grayling. What do they have in common? Brothers who make musical masterpieces when they stop arguing long enough to write a song.
The Bridge Between is a band based out of Grayling, Michigan, self-described as a blend of folk, rock, and alternative genres featuring brothers Gabe and Graham Solis.
Gabe, 19, is one of the Collegiate’s own as a staff reporter. In addition to the Collegiate, Gabe is a full-time student at GRCC. Graham, 17, is a junior at Grayling High School.
The Solis brothers have moved all over the United States for their parents’ work. Both of the brothers were born in Battle Creek and began moving around the country in 2014. The family moved to Utah, Texas, Illinois, and ended up settling back in Michigan in the small town of Grayling.
“We’re kind of roadrunners, but my formative years and his (Graham’s) formative years, we spent in Grayling, where we were learning to play music and write songs together.”
The Bridge Between got its name in a brainstorming session between Gabe and his old friends and bandmates. One of them suggested that the band should be called “The Bridge Between Worlds,” which eventually got shortened. Gabe also explained how the name (which originally just sounded cool) stuck.
“When we were kids, before we lived up north, going up north was a huge thing. A big part of that was the Mackinac Bridge, and so that was a little bit a part of it, because it was transfixing, like you’re being taken off to another world, even though we know it’s just the UP. But it was a big thing as kids,” Gabe said. “I don’t think it would have stuck except my grandma told me she really liked it, and she thought it represented our cultural identity as a state. So I was like, ‘I can’t argue with Grandma!’”
The Bridge Between got its start in 2021 when Graham joined. Previously, the band was Gabe and his friends. Over the years, friends came and went, but there was one thing the band could rely on: Brotherhood.
Growing up, the Solis household was filled with noise. Their dad is a musician, inspiring the brothers to create sound, even if it wasn’t always Bridge Between quality. “Music has been part of us since we were kids. If I don’t have an instrument in my hands, it feels like someone cut my arm off,” Gabe said.
Graham recounts growing up as the younger brother to Gabe, “From when I was little, there was always someone musical around who was better than me, and I didn’t like that. I don’t want to say I looked up to him (Gabe) because he’ll hold it over my head forever—but I did. I learned piano because I’d see him doing it. He always claims he ‘taught’ me piano, but he kind of just pointed at the keys and was like ‘This is an A.’” Graham said.
The Solis dynamic is one of long hair, short quips, and synergetic performing. Upon looking at the brothers, one would never guess that behind their dynamic lies something anyone with siblings could relate to: rivalry. “People don’t know this, but we didn’t get along until I was like 12. We were angry at each other constantly,” Graham said.
“We’ve been fighting since he was born. But unlike normal bandmates, you don’t break up because of it,” Gabe said, “On Grand Valley’s campus, there’s that quote: ‘People who make music together cannot be enemies, at least while the music lasts.’ Every time I see it, it reminds me of him. We’re incredibly close, and like any close relationship, sometimes we click in a way nobody else understands, and sometimes we hate each other. But when we’re on stage, and I look at him, and he looks at me, you can’t hate each other in that moment. This thing unites us. He is the music.” Gabe said.
“When we play, I just know what he’s going to do. We grew up together—we can read each other instantly. He gives me a look, and I’m like, ‘Okay, he’s about to do that stupid thing I hate,’” Graham said.
The brothers write their own songs, and normally, the process is anything but linear. For the most part, Gabe takes the lead writing the songs, but collaboration is a crucial part of the band’s process.
“I do the words, the structure, and the instrumentation. I would say equally as important as that is the arrangement and the composition of it, which we collaborate very equally on,” Gabe started. “When we’re recording, it’s very nice to have someone that you can bounce ideas off of. There are things that would improve my compositions a thousandfold that I would never have thought of on my own. I do write all the songs, but it’s a very collaborative process.”
In the process of writing the band’s favorite song to play, “Avalene,” Gabe kept introducing new moving parts to make the song better and better. “He always was like, ‘That was great, that was great. Let’s just do one more take.’ Then he’d be like, ‘So I thought of something new. That’s what we’re going to do instead of what I just said,’” Graham shared.
“I was like, yeah, that sounded pretty good… maybe we could just tweak this little thing. I did that about 100 times for every little thing. It’s just such a complex thing. But I think we’re both really proud of the result. I always said it was more like watching a movie than listening to a song, and I liked that a lot,” Gabe added.
The brothers want Collegiate readers to know this: “We’re out there, and we’d love to connect with you. So you know where to look for us, we’re on Spotify, we’re on Apple Music, we’re out there playing,” Gabe said. “We’re also on Instagram @thebridgebetweenband. We’re out there if you want to head over and drop a follow. If we’re not your thing, stay tuned for more at the Paper Jam. They have a lot of cool stuff going on there.”
Editor’s Note: The Collegiate is looking to feature more GRCC student musicians on The Paper Jam. If you’re interested in being featured, or want to nominate a friend, send us links to great music at collegiate@grcc.edu or DM us @thecollegiate on Instagram.
