Why did you form the band in the first place, and how have the band changed
over the years?
Steve: I met up with a bunch of friends when I was about 15 or 16. It
started out just as a bunch of kids playing so they could get away from
their folks and drink. As the dream of playing in a band full-time became
more of a reality, the issue of commitment arose. So, what started out
as a teenage getaway, has now stepped up to a different level. The current
members came much later and the sound obviously progressed as new members
were added and different influences came to the table.
Marc: It seams
like we’ve been through a lot of members. In the beginning our
sounds was pretty strait forward. It basically stemmed from bands like
cocksparrer, last resort, and the anti - heroes. Now we’ve developed
it into a more strait ahead punk - rock & roll sound, hailing from
the streets where it all started.
You new album 'Eastside of Nowhere' comes out in October.
What can people expect on the release? And what is your favorite track on
the release and what is it about?
Steve: We’re really happy with “East Side
of Nowhere”, which is now scheduled to be released in December. We
hope people can relate to the songs, and at the same time we hope it gives
them a good kick in the teeth.
Marc: Recording at the Outpost Studio (Stoughton,
MA) under the direction of Jim Siegel was an awesome experience and as Steve
said we couldn’t be happier with the final product.
Steve: My favorite
song is “Those Never Forgotten”, because it’s about two
good friends of ours who saw the scene for what it was - believed in us and
encouraged us to do what we’re doing today.
Marc: My favorite song is “9
Lives”, it’s something that really hits home with me. It’s
about a buddy of mine that unfortunately is no longer with us.
Rob: My favorite
song is Dusty Shelves, because it rocks!
Paul: My favorite song is “ Those
Never Forgotten” also, just because it sends a real positive message
of unity within the scene.
What label have you gone with and how easy was it to find
a label?
Steve: Well, we shopped around for a while, talking with labels of all
different sizes and credibility, and ended up with GMM Records. We originally
got in touch with Mark Noah just so we could take the trip to Atlanta
and play the three-day Punk fest known as the Beer Olympics. After hearing
the demo he offered us both the show and a record deal.
So how did the move from New York to Boston come about?
And how does the scene differ in the two regions?
Marc: We picked up and moved to Boston for a lot of
reasons. Most predominantly is the difference in scenes. New York has spawned
some of the best and most influential Punk bands of all time, but unfortunately
the scene is so large that it’s become divided. We had no intentions
of moving until we came through Boston, while on tour, and saw how welcoming
everyone was. We were brought in with open arms, and we really believe that
there’s no other place like it on Earth.
What bands have you most enjoyed sharing a stage with and
which bands would you like to in future?
Steve: This question’s really hard to answer,
just because we’ve had a great time playing with so many bands. We’re
just happy that we get the chance to play as often as we do, and most of
all grateful to all the bands that included us.
Do you do any covers? If so what and why?
Marc: We’ve been known to pump out many Cocksparrer
tunes as well as classics like “Bad Moon Rising” and the traditional
arrangement of “Danny Boy”. Hopefully the future will bring some
more creative covers like anything off of “Purple Rain”… I’d
really love to hear Steve sing Prince.
What is the first gig each member of the band ever went to?
Steve: Lee Greenwood at a NASCAR rally
Marc: New Kids On the Block – no
comment
Rob: Wayne Newton
Paul: SSD Control back in ’83
Do you think street music will rise again?
Steve and Marc: “I never knew it fell…”
Plans, gigs and releases planned for 2004.
“East Side of Nowhere will be released in December,
which will be followed up by a series of release shows through out the country.
After that it looks like we will be headed to Europe and then back to the
States.
Any final comments?
We would like to thank you for this opportunity, and say
thank you to all the people and bands that have supported us. I’d like
to thank all the past members that put their heart into this music. And last
but not least, we would like to thank our fans for their undying support.
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members does not necessarily reflect the views of this website. Punk & Oi
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