Archive for the ‘WyldLife’ Category
Video Release: Wyldlife “City of Inbreds”
I’ll be honest this post is gonna be easy to write and likely even easier to read. A few Sunday’s back (for those of you that follow me on twitter) you might remember that I was heading to Balance Hair Salon in Jersey City to take part in a music video for Wyldlife’s “City of Inbreds” single. Director and DP Randy Slavin did a really great job with the vid and i think it really captures the bands style well. Also note all the times I cameo. I’m all the fuck over this thing. I think there’s even a shot of me trying out for ZZ Topless. Gotta love these cats they shelled out for the whole deal got booze for everyone and pretty much just filmed a party. After the shoot they even did a free show for their fans that came to support. Bands, take note, this is how it’s done. Bravo Wyldlife and Bravo Randy Slavin!
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.
Zac Clark, Rocker Tycoon 