Archive for the ‘Local Music’ Category
2012: A Year in the Life
Quite a year. Started it with my friends from the Press/Kntrlr/Bicycle Boys: Dave, Alex, Mike and Chuck. We hung out at Chuck’s, where I met their various wives and sweethearts… I got to be the center of attention amongst a group of couples all the while, I never felt like the 9th wheel. I know I can come off a bit boorish at times, certainly a loudmouth, thankfully I lack no amount of story telling. I think Alex, Alex’s girlfriend got the entire history of Rocker Tycoon and the Press (A tale that spans some 4 years now, and 3 then) over the course of the night. At around 1. I went home, relatively dry… I had a few, but aired out quite well. And I woke on Jan 1st hangover free.
Shortly into the year, I convinced Adam Copeland (Black Water/Meltdowns) and Gerry Griffin (Black Water/Meltdowns) to join me in creating a band. For a time Mike Horaz (I Am The Heat) stood in as our drummer. Eventually, Lloyd Naideck (Black Water/Meltdowns) settled in as our fulltime drummer. All the while Black Water was recording its second album Friendly Fire.
I practiced, overcame whatever minutia of stage fear I had lingering from childhood and we played our first show to friends in Jersey City with fellow bands, Holy City Zoo, Cryptkeeper Five and Black Water. Looking back I have to think, what an awesome line-up for my first show with Warface (our working name at the time). New friends I’d found in Holy City Zoo, old friends in Johnny and Jimmy of CK5 and my friends in Black Water 3/4 of which were in my band.
The show wasn’t exactly a packed house, but we had a blast. Played well and plenty of friends I hadn’t seen in a while came out. It was ideal to me.
Around March a new pal of mine and a Barback at my roomate’s bar, Dylan Hiester, convinced me it was time I start untapping again. I took his advice and did my first Tuesday Night Magic Draft of Innistrad Dark Ascension. I was made to feel welcome as I relearned a game I loved so well as a young adult. I remember playing Monique in round 1 or 2. She marveled at how quick I was progressing since my hiatus. “You’ve gotten better since last turn.” When I finally started doing things on her end step.
It was only a few months later I had built a deck, and began to play constructed… Two tournaments in I won the whole thing, to a very land screwed Rob Kofsky. The bug was full on! I was once again a Planeswalker.
Springtime. Warface played a show at Lucky 7 with I Am The Heat, Black Water, and Kntrlr. The Show was a rocket. Everyone had a great time and most of all we surprised some folks. “I had no idea you could sing!” was the exclamation most of my friends had. Hell to be honest neither did I!
Our next show was at the Pianoland Morgan Junction. We killed with They Live and Marvin Berry and the New Sound. I had a time so good I lost my voice the next day… Note to self: you might know the lyrics to the other bands’ songs don’t feel like you have to prove it.
Jersey City Bike Tour: Rained Out. But it’s here that we agreed a name change was in order. Adam and I agonized over a few weeks about whether we should or not then we just decided better now then later. Zac Clark and the Something… Adam argued under a small amount of protest by me that we should use what local celebrity I have in Jersey City and use my name in the band. I conceded that it’s easier to get folks out (especially after a year of promoting other bands) if they know the show is with my band. Zac Clark and the Griswolds was born.
A few weeks later we played a fundraiser for Steven Fulop for Mayor. Few rock bands have played the Zeppelin Hall beer garden in Jersey City. A 9 year old opened for Billy Alpha who opened for us. We ate chicken fingers and drank beer. We helped kick off a political campaign that I believe (no matter it’s result) will change this city for the better.
Right at the end of the summer. We released our first EP. This was momentous for several reasons. It was the first thing I’ve ever had to show for myself as a musician. Following in the footsteps of my forefathers. It was also a mark of success as a band. Now we wern’t just dicking around in the studio playing songs and then one shoting shows. Now we were recording music.
Summer fades. I begin writing Hipsters of the Coast. A blog that at the time detailed my return to Magic: the Gathering an has since become a sort of community forum. Like Rocker Tycoon, I’m now able to reach out to people in my hobby and I’ve since become good friends with my associates that help me on the blog by weighing in with their writings. Matt Jones, Li Xu, Rich Stein, Jess Lina and Giaco Furino have Renewed my thrill for writing and helped me feel like I’m making an impact locally. Even if it’s just a gaming blog.
Gerry Griffin leaves the band for the farmer’s life. We spend a few months looking for a new bassist. Someone who is into our sound, someone who digs Devo. Sam Fit the bill. He more than fit the bill in fact. I had serious concerns about the future of the band post Gerry, Lloyd and Adam assured me they were in this for the long haul. Or however novelty punk rock bands last. We officially welcome Sam in! Griswolds are once more a party of 4!
Fall comes. ZC&theGs played a show at the Lamp Post in Late Sept that really knocked it out of the park! Packed house a ton of friends and strong performances by our friends I Am The Heat, Tijuana Bibles and Secret Country. We’re all very excited and we booked a show with the Everymen for Halloween.
On the Magic front. Grand Prix Philadelphia comes up. I meet up with my buddy Stephano and new friends Brandon and Qu. We and my 20ss friends travel down to The City of Brotherly War (Magic Joke). I go 6-3 on day one narrowly missing day two. But doing super well for my first pro level tourney back. Hurricane Sandy cuts my Sunday short.
I spend the next few days playing cards with my childhood friend Harry. We play a lot of sealed (format of Grand Prix Philly) and then we decide to go to Lisbon at the end of November to play Magic!
Sandy ruins ZCGs for a month. Our studio gets robbed. And the Path makes getting to JC and Home a nightmare.
I finally get to BK. Something like Wednesday. The storm was Sunday/Monday.
November rushed through like bad Chinese food. I was busy with work and sparse Magic happened. Mid month I went on a date, and had a pretty excellent time. Her name is Victoria. We went on a few dates and corresponded during my trip to Lisbon.
Speaking of Lisbon… What a great time. Harry and I flew straight in and took a tour of the city with Taylor (our host and guide at the Oasis Hostel). This being Harry’s first time in another country, we wanted to get in as much of the travel experience as possible. Tours and drinking with locals, meeting new people! Great times, it’s been so long since I’ve been able to hang out with Harry like we did when we were growing up. There’s always some job or I’m traveling or working every weekend while he works the week. We end the trip with a huge Magic Tournament. GRAND PRIX LISBON. There’s a blog post about Lisbon that highlights my addiction to cardboard and energy drinks. So I won’t recant that here. Harry goes 4-5 (pretty good for a guy who plays a couple times a year!) and I go 5-4 not as good as Philly. Still not terrible.
I return from Lisbon, feeling pretty good about life. These trips remind me how good my life is. I’m in a rock band, I get to play games when I’m not working, and my jobs are pretty great! I’m bartending one of the coolest spots in Brooklyn. And I write for a Tattoo magazine as their travel writer. Man, if I could go back and tell that to my 14 year old self he’d … Well let’s be honest he’d probably ask me if I made the pro tour yet. Next Year little buddy, next year.
So I’m back and I’m feeling good. And then I ask Victoria to be my girlfriend. She says yes! Which is a relief, for a few reasons. It’s hard asking someone to be your girlfriend when you’re 32. It seems like something teenagers do. Strange right? Also she’s pretty awesome, and buys me cookies/ laughs at my terrible jokes.
That brings us to the present… Good Job, sweet lady that is content with her nerdy boyfriend and I’m playing some of the best magic I’ve played since 2000. Zac Clark and the Griswolds has a show coming up this New Years Eve with the Everymen at Lamp Post.
Things are looking mighty good, and nix all that crap about the Mayan apocalypse, I think it was most about a paradigm shift. Things are gonna start turning around for the human race perhaps. I hope things do at least. But not all at once, we need strife for the good music. There’s not much good music in the peace and harmony market.
That’s the year for me. Pretty wild when I look back to Jan 1, listening to Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, to going on stage to sign off the New year. Good luck in the next one. Be safe, rock out, and always tap your land correctly.
Zac Clark, Rocker Tycoon
Recapping 2011: A Year of Singles
Every year I do some kinda recap about how I spent my year musically. This year I entrenched myself quite deeply into the local music scene. I think its funny now when people ask me what I do the first thing that comes out of my mouth is that I’m a music blogger. Saying that used to inspire a great deal of poserism in me. I was a pretender, just trying to figure out if I could hold a readers attention. Almost three years later and hear I am watching Flash Gordon, and figuring out which tracks were the best I’d heard this year. People actually value my opinion and as laughable as that still seems to me, I’m humbled by your unwavering fealthy to local music and to you tolerance for my coverage. So here they are 10 songs I rocked out to this year, in no particular order.
Sun Tea in the House of Atreus by Hushmoney
Hailing from Detroit, Hushmoney isn’t exactly local. No matter they rock out(and it’s my blog so nah)! Sort of a mix of Epic Metal and Dance Rock. Think Everytime I Die meets Cobra Starship.. Catchy though, The Breakdown is fucking rad as shit! Listen to that lead guitar! And its free so how about you get on that!
Yea yea I know this Track has been out for a while. But 2011 was the year I really, started listening to Black Water. After a meeting with Adam Copeland that went sorta strange (My Bad) at the end of 2010. I booked BW with Ben Franklin at Lucky 7. Although I had apparently seen them in 2009 at Automata Chino. Anyhow, I really got into these guys in 2011 and this song “Arizona” is one of my favs. Back in April, I asked Copeland about the inspiration for the song… about what incident it referred to. “A fictional one. Its a reverse terrorism fantasy tale of an American whose homeland (AZ) is invaded and fights back” He told me. It’s an intense concept and the song is just as wild.
I saw these guys at a show in the middle of the year. And I can’t get this song out of my head. That guitar riff is stuck in there. Seeing them live I gotta say their mid song banter rivals that of The Press’s Mike Henry.
In 2009 this song was my first impression of Billy Gray as well as Ben Franklin. In early 2011 it was released through Killing Horse Records as a B-side on the Urgency EP. What a timely song, though it’s loosely rooted in a true story, the Newburgh Four, I think the chorus really should be the new recruiting jingle for the US military. “Serve your country. Do us some good, it’ll get you off the street. Keep the fear alive keep the threat alive keep the population undercontrol.” Just listen to the thing, otherwise I’ll have to write out the whole damn thing out.
What Would Lou Reed Do – I Am The Heat
2011 was the year I moved to Brooklyn. I moved for several reasons some good (To embed myself into the Brooklyn Indie Scene a bit more) some not so good (I’d worked at every bar in Jersey City). One of the Bands that really took me under their wing was I Am The Heat. No song embodies these guys better than What Would Lou Reed Do. This song reminds me of the end of Wayne’s World when Crucial Taunt is playing to get Mr. Big to give them a record contract. It’s chaotic raucous and fun. That’s how I think of I Am The Heat.
Truthfully I can’t pick one song off Porter In The Making that I like better than the others. It’s a faceblast furnace of rock! The whole album should be listened to over and over again while sharpening knifes. One thing I can say with impunity about this band in that their recordings hold up just as well as their live shows. Be sure to catch them at the Killing Horse Records 2nd Anniversary show at Maxwells this Friday Jan 6th at Maxwells. It’ll be the last time to catch them before they go on hiatus from Live shows (hopefully for just a bit).
Retrograding the Masses – Holy City Zoo
What the fuck can I say about Holy City Zoo that I haven’t already. I’ll keep it simple, they belt it out and they wail! I know this is a curveball for the band (they think that Mark your Path is my favorite). Part of the Tiny Giant Artist Collective HCZ is crazy supportive of the local scene as well. Traveling far and wide to help spread the good word of underground music. I haven’t seen this much positivity in a scene since I started doing this blog.
This song has heart. It’s a little dark and little depressing but damn I just can’t get enough of it. It’s like a catharsis to the rest of the Imposter EP. Perfectly placed. I hear tell KIlling Horse is looking to release this on Vinyl!
Talk about a wall of noise! First off the video is great! EV and Paul are animals! This song is like combining Motorhead and the Rocketeer! And Live? Fuck, I’ve seen these guys play their hearts out for like 3 hours. Thats fortitude! The whole Shoot the Freak EP is like a night in county jail, that is to say you should experience it with your eyes and ears at the ready. You’ll be surprised, but at least you’ll be ready.
I have slept of these guys for WAAAAY too long. The album has been on my ipod since just a little before Brick City Sound Riot and this song jumped out at me the other day. The intro is great the melodic backing vocals contrast the main vocals perfectly. Importantly you can dance to this! The chorus just makes me feel like this song should be used in a commercial or as the intro to a sitcom.
BONUS ROUND
The First Time I Killed Someone – Wyldlife
My favorite song off the much celebrated LP. These cats are in store for big things mark my words. The story behind this song is kind of great as well. Back in 2009 Dave Feldman, was looking for a lil extra money. He tried his hand working as a cook at Lucky 7 with me… it didn’t take. (Dave Feldman doesn’t cook burgers he sings rock n roll.) Well, the guy that got his job also got his room in his apartment. I’m not sure of the exact details, but this song is a lil murder fantasy about his old roommate. You’re a dark dude Dave, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
I had a terrible time narrowing this list down, but I firmly believe that ten is a good cut off and I couldn’t even stick to that. That said, here are some other excellent songs I loves this year. I listened to them on the train or while I was writing, friends passed them around, and they are all on my playlist at home.
Big Boss Little Boss – The Press
Brick City Bios: No Pasaran!
Jersey’s post hardcore heroes Eric Mason, Thomas Barret and Romel Espinel are No Pasaran. Veterans of the local scene, they specialize in no nonsense clenched fisted political rock. In a recent interview with Jersey Beat’s Jim Testa Romel was quoted, “We’ve always felt like we speak for the downtrodden, for the disenfranchised.” There’s no better way to express it, aside from when they’re playing. They just put out an EP “Porter in the Making” through Killing Horse Records give it a look!
Road Trip: Ben Franklin, Nico Blues, Meet/Pause and
Remember that song Holiday Road from the National Lampoon’s Vacation movies? Well everytime I get into a car to go to a show that song plays in my head. It makes for an interesting car ride. Sadly, I don’t even have that song on my ipod and most folks still don’t have hookups for iPods in their cars.
That’s all sort of besides the point though. I noticed that Ben Franklin was playing a show in my old home of New Brunswick at McCormick’s Pub. I had never actually been to McCormick’s and I’d heard it was shutting down so I thought to myself this is a perfect time to hitch a ride and check it out. (I normally move to a town just after the local scene spot closes down, New Brunswick was the Melody Bar, Uncle Joe’s in Jersey City and even Head Biter’s closed on rt 45 just before I turned 18. There’s nothing worse than that look of disappointment you get when people find out you never went to a scene spot, so I figure I’d circumvent that hideous mouth agape look forever and head down to NB.) After a quick inquiry on Facebook Eric Moeller of SpillPeak Media offered a ride. I met him in Hoboken and we hit the Bruns for rock, college pay priced drinks and grease truck sandwiches.
We entered McCormick’s Pub, which looks like any house I threw shows in town during the earlier part of the decade. Upon entrance, it pretty much looked like it. Basically, McCormicks is what would have happened to you house had your dad and mom never met. Bar in the front 15ft or so, then juke box and pool in the back. (The pool table moved to the side for the bands). Random paraphernalia of times past scattered about the place. Including but not upto a picture of Elvis left handed that Adam of Ben Franklin pointed out. After internet inquiry we surmised that it had to have been printed backwards. The only instance of Left and Elvis on the internet was that “Elvis LEFT the building.” We ordered our drinks and folks began to shuffle in as Civil Suits started up.
Tip Canary and The Micks at Lucky 7 Tavern
Some things just go well together. Peanut butter and Jelly, bacon and eggs, SPAM AND SPAM. 3/8/11 Tip Canary and The Micks played a set at Lucky 7 Tavern. It was a total power combo! Wesley Kirk & Robbie Hartnett of Tip Canary teamed up with Matt & Sam McMickle and Henry Prol of The Micks for a couple of songs. I have the Video and Pics to back up that statement.
Stephie Coplan & Deivito at Lucky 7 Tavern
Again, for the first time ever, Stephie Coplan and Deivito came together for a Marvel Team-Up of epic proportions at Lucky 7 Tavern. They were slated to play another show I booked recently but got snowed out. As fate would have it, they rallied and played at Lucky 7 on Tuesday the 22nd. 
There’s a lot to be said for old friends. Deivis Garcia, alias Deivito is about the oldest friend Rocker Tycoon has. A huge local music supporter both on and off the stage, no one hustles like Deivito. He played his Black Spaniard set. His brand of Indie-spanglish Country rock is singular. Imagine the Dead Milkmen’s sense of humor combined with the storytelling of the Decemberists but in Spanish and Willis Nelson sings lead. And he’s just one dude!
Jersey City newbie Stephie Coplan jumped in for Deivis’ final song. This was sort of a great moment for me. They both only corresponded online. Deivis or Stephie (I can’t recall which one) mentioned they should play a song together. this whole thing was orchestrated via FaceBook messages. I can’t say I was nervous… hell it wasn’t my ass on the line, and lord knows I’ve smiled through plenty of my own crashing and burning with the comedy stuff I did. I was excited to see it go down though… ok Fuck it, I was nervous. i don’t know why, because it sounded pretty great. You could actually see and hear them get more comfortable playing as the song progressed. That was pretty special.
Stephie then took over. She started with Right All Along which I scoped out on Youtube months prior. When she announced the title of the song another person in the bar recognized it too! She commented that she was thrilled people actually knew her stuff. That’s kind of great, word is getting around, hell that is why I do this. Stephie rocks the piano, not sure I mentioned that. Her sarcasm and wit come through every song and even inbetween songs as well. Charlie Sheen would say she’s an F-18, even during breaks. Sadly he was not available for comment. Anyhow, I could spend a minute comparing her to piano rockers of various genres but I think I’ll hold my tongue (fingers) on that. Why? Well let’s just say her final song (which I have a version of below that was not shot at Lucky 7) has a not so hidden message about all the comparisons she gotten in the past. It fully explains everything.
So it was a pretty excellent night. Old friends meeting new friends, drinks and laughs were shared. Deivis fixed a keyboard stand, I drowned myslf in cheap bourbon and Stephie made it home to go to work in the morning. All said I think it was a pretty solid night.
Vodpod videos no longer available.Lucky 7 Valentine’s Prom w/ I am the Heat and Wyldlife
DJ Leonard Smalls and I have the exact same problem. It’s the same reason we listen to the radio when the TV is on. Well, we like to party. And that means we party a lot, so if we are gonna throw a party then it better be a humdinger! He called me up and said, “Rocker Tycoon, I need another band for my Valentine’s day party, got any ideas?”
I said, “Well who the hell is the headliner? I’m not a damned psychic, you know!”
Smalls came back at me, “Wyldlife!”
I said, “Fucking Dave Feldman’s group of rioter’s? Do you plan on razing the whole block or what? I guess if you’re dead set on those knuckleheads I’ll step up to the plate and figure something out. It’s gonna be a Lucky 7 shitshow kinda night, I suppose.”
Smalls commented, “So what your saying is: what we (Lucky7Tavern) lack in substance, we make up for in intensity?”
I agreed.
After conferring with Ghost Train PR’s Jen Schwartz, we decided I am the HEAT would be a perfect match. Oh how utterly right we were!
Saturday Night 7:30 or so. I rolled out to Lucky 7. There were something like 6 people in the bar. It’s a Saturday afternoon in Jersey City, that’s sort of normal. I find a spot, check my equipment and saddle up to the bar. I am The Heat rolls in a starts to set up. Jen looks nervous. “There’s no one here.”
I chuckle. I’m not worried in the least. Lucky’s is like the Jersey City Field of Dreams. If you rock it, they will come. When their set began I am the Heat started to play for maybe ten people. But like roaches from the woodwork, everyone began to shuffle in once they heard music.
(There’s a want, I dare say NEED, for local music in this town. No official venues and dozens of great bands. I was talking a few days ago with someone about the Jersey City rock scene, she goes, “Oh, the rock scene here sucks.”
I freaked out! “You shut your blaspheming mouth right now!” I explained that the scene is burgeoning, it’s ready to bust, there are a few places to play but no real venues. Local government stifles local music with red tape, but much like the Spice, the rock must flow. Many bars have become a haven for this scene, in the wake of Automata Chino, Lucky 7’s, Lampost and even O’Hara’s and Beer Garden have made a spot in their spaces for Live Music. I’m not sure I got that point across to the girl, I was on a rant afterall and can’t be bothered to slowdown once I start pontificating, but hey, YOU get me at least.)
Soooo…. Ah People started packing in for I am The Heat. Jameson Edwards (Guitar/Vox), Julius Myren (Guitar/Keys/Vox), Kevin Fey(Bass/Vox), Mike Horaz (Drums) are not strangers to the blog. I caught them on Halloween two years ago, the first thing I noticed was how incredibly catchy their brand of Indie Powerpop was. Insanely danceable and totally lighthearted…just fun rock music! It’s been about a year and a half knowing these fellas in passing. In the last month I’ve spent a good amount of time hanging out with these guys. They’ve made a mistake… THE MISTAKE. You ever see Almost Famous? NEVER make friends with the rock journalist! I’ve committed the same reverse sin (Made friends with a rock band), so fuck it! They plowed through their set list and ended to a very high energy packed house. I actually had trouble getting through the crowd to get pictures of the band.
Wyldlife took over after. And what I thought was a pretty packed dive bar doubled in capacity. It was like when the Grinch’s heart grew! Except there was a dude with crazy hair screaming and the whole bar was a tempest of sweat and limbs! Dave Feldman (Vocals) Sam Allen (Guitar) Spencer Alexander (Bass) Rusty Russ Barrnett (Drums) are Jersey City’s very own GlamPunk quartet! Enthusiastic is an understatement… watching these guys perform is like Christmas when you’re five. You think you’re gonna get that Fakor or maybe TrapJaw figure, then you see a CASTLE GREYSKULL sized box and it’s little-kid-bug-out-panic-happy-time! That comes close. There was moshing, dancing and even a little crowd surfing. I’ve been to a lot of shows at Lucky 7 Tavern, but this was over 9000! I Am The Heat was in the crowd mixing it up, Hell, most of Jersey City was there. You were likely there, thats how good this show was… YOU ACTUALLY SHOWED UP!
After we cleaned Wyldlife up off the floor, DJ LEONARDSMALLS and Dangerous Dave (Feldman) kept it rocking all night. The memories start to shift from vivid to vague at this point in the night. Needless to say, the commotion continued til 3am. I didn’t even have a date to the prom or a valentine… But after that show I couldn’t be bothered to care.
Vodpod videos no longer available.Nikki Sue & The Bad News w/ Black Out Stereo @ Lucky 7s
February 8th Lucky 7 Tavern (@Lucky7Tavern on twitter) welcomed two previously unseen bands into her doors. Nikki Sue & the Bad News played Tuesday nights Local Rock Show with Black Out Stereo. Rock did ensue, forthwith!
Nikki Sue & the Bad News is Nikki Ilchert (Guitar, Vox) , Ben Hutcheon (Bass), Mark Pugliese (Drums), Mike Petzinger (Guitar). Think a punkier Patsy Cline. There’s a ton of potential for these newcomers… Alt Country rock is on a huge resurgence and my question is could Nikki Sue step up to filling the crater that was left in the wake of losing Anyday Parade? Only time will tell, but be on the look out they are currently recording and are due to debut material soon!
Jesse Wolf (vocals/guitar) Chris Manning (guitar) Matt Brewster (bass) Mark Pugliese (drums) are Black Out Stereo. Combine elements of Springsteen with Rancid and Social Distortion and you have a very East Coast Rock-a-Billy band. Songs you hear once and can’t help but sing along to, Lead guitar that begs you to follow along with your personal air system and a Rhythm section that keeps you stumping! All the pieces fit together seamlessly. Where the hell have these guys been hiding out at? Why is this the first time I’ve seen them live? Well, either way, it won’t be the last.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Zac Clark, Rocker Tycoon 
