Saving Jane

What began as an impromptu tune shared around a campfire among strangers soon evolved into the Columbus, Ohio alternative pop/rock outfit known as Saving Jane. Vocalist Marti Dodson, then a junior at Ohio State University, encountered rhythm guitarist Pat Buzzard at the same bonfire, and the two quickly developed a friendship that led them to start composing material together. When they decided to commit those songs to tape, local drummer Dak Goodman was brought in to assist. The chemistry among the three prompted them to establish a proper band, and they chose the name Saving Jane—drawn from a cartoon doodle Dodson had sketched during a late-night session at the studio—for their first gig. As the group gradually built recognition throughout Columbus, lead guitarist Kris Misevski joined and a bassist borrowed from Goodman’s cover band completed the lineup. Roughly a year afterward, internal friction caused the borrowed bassist to exit, with Jeremy Martin stepping in to fill the role in 2002. By 2004 the band’s sound had moved away from its acoustic origins toward alternative rock, prompting their manager to push for greater emphasis on Dodson’s presence; these adjustments ultimately resulted in the departure of the lead guitarist. Mike Unger took over on guitar, and keyboardist Joe Cochran later rounded out the roster. Saving Jane released their first full-length album, Girl Next Door, in October 2005 through Toucan Cove, and the title track marked the band’s initial appearance on the Billboard charts. After signing with Universal, they cut several new songs for an April 2006 reissue of the album on Republic/Universal. Early that same year Unger left for personal reasons, and Brandon Hagan was recruited to replace him.