After years of playing in various bands, Eau Claire native Ryan Hines decided to make the move from his five-year home of Madison to New York City. Craving a change of scenery and tired of “hipster-y,” one-hit wonder bands, he and two friends formed Prospector, a “dark, pop-rock” band that has since experienced unexpected yet welcomed success. With a bit of practice and some industry connections, Prospector has scored gigs at popular Brooklyn venues and quickly gained recognition as a band to watch. “It’s weird because we don’t have management or anything,” says Hines. “We’re gaining recognition in terms of people coming to our shows.” Eventually, word of mouth spread to the editors at Sports Illustrated, who asked Prospector’s permission to use two tracks for the 2011 Swimsuit Issue online photo shoot videos, in addition to being featured in the print issue. “We were completely thrilled,” exclaims Hines. Before they knew it, Prospector was getting a call to film a live segment on FX show, Louis, hosted by notorious comedian Louis CK. On Valentine’s Day, the trio will release a full-length record, Between 0 & 1, and plans to tour the country, playing Minneapolis May 6 and 7. If the future is in any way indicative of the past, these boys have plenty to look forward to. Visit ProspectorMusic.com.