John Lydon’s Public Image Ltd. has been celebrating its 40th anniversary throughout 2018. Dates throughout Europe and Japan have dotted the band’s itinerary the early part of the year and now, beginning in October, the tour comes to North America.
The Public Image is Rotten tour kicks off in New Orleans on Oct. 9 and makes its way to Asbury Park and Brooklyn on Oct. 13 and 15. Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday, July 13 at 10:00 a.m. local time. PiL is also touring in support of a documentary with the same title as the tour, which will see its theatrical premiere at the Metrograph in New York on Sept. 14.
The band is also set to release a career-spanning box set on July 20, titled The Public Image is Rotten (Songs From the Heart). The expansive box set will be available as five-CD/two-DVD, six-LP and in digital formats. It will include radio sessions, B-sides, remixes as well as the PiL Singles Collection (1978-2015). Also included is a complete live performance from New York’s Ritz from July 16, 1989.
The DVDs include PiL performances on the BBC shows Old Grey Whistle Test and Top of the Pops, two complete live shows from Estonia in 1988 and Sydney, Australia in 2013 and various promo and music videos.
For more 40th anniversary PiL info, visit the band’s official website here.
Public Image Ltd. 2018 Tour Dates:
Oct. 9 – The Civic Theatre – New Orleans, LA
Oct. 10 – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
Oct. 12 – Black Cat – Washington, DC
Oct. 13 – Asbury Lanes – Asbury Park, NJ Oct. 15 – Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, NY
Oct. 16 – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA
Oct. 18 – Club Soda – Montreal, QC
Oct. 19 – Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON
Oct. 21 – The Majestic – Detroit, MI
Oct. 22 – Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL
Oct. 24 – Granada Theatre – Dallas, TX
Oct. 25 – The Mohawk – Austin, TX
Oct. 28 – Wonder Ballroom – Portland, OR
Oct. 29 – Showbox – Seattle, WA
Oct. 31 – The Chapel – San Francisco, CA
Nov. 1 – The Chapel – San Francisco, CA
Nov. 3 – El Rey – Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 6 – Pepsi Centre – Mexico City, MX
Brooklyn Comes Alive recently announced its return on September 29 to Brooklyn’s beloved Williamsburg neighborhood for its fourth annual music marathon takeover at Brooklyn Bowl, Music Hall of Williamsburg, and the latest addition, Rough Trade. But now the lineup has also been released and contains many notable acts such as George Porter Jr. and Cory Henry.
Courtesy of Brooklyn Comes Alive press release.
An all-star cast of musicians including GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award recipient George Porter Jr. (The Meters) will be performing and giving tributes to the greats we’ve lost, including Brandon “Taz” Niederauer who will honor his former mentors during the set, Adam Smirnoff (Lettuce), Jeff Sipe who founded Aquarium Rescue Unit with Col. Bruce Hampton, Peter Levin (Gregg Allman Band) and Elise Testone (American Idol, Brandon “Taz” Niederauer Band).
Cory Henry (formerly of Snarky Puppy, Funk Apostles) will be joined for his debut performance at the festival by Nikki Glaspie (The Nth Power), Scott Metzger (Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, WOLF!), MonoNeon (Prince, Ghost Note) and Skerik who are all Brooklyn Comes Alive veterans which will make for one unforgettable quintet.
And it’s not just musicians performing at Brooklyn Comes Alive, it’s also made up of comedians from Wokes With Jokes: Stand-Up Comedy About The Jamband Scene, which emerged in 2017 during Phish’s New Years run. The full lineup is listed below.
Courtesy of Brooklyn Comes Alive press release
FULL LIST OF ARTISTS AT BCA 2018:
George Porter Jr. (The Meters)
Cory Henry (Snarky Puppy)
Marc Brownstein (The Disco Biscuits)
Adam Deitch (Lettuce)
Scott Metzger (Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, WOLF!)
Robert Walter (Greyboy All-Stars, Robert Walter’s 20th Congress, Mike Gordon)
Nikki Glaspie (The Nth Power)
Skerik (Garage A Trois)
Jeff Sipe (Aquarium Rescue Unit)
Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff (Lettuce)
Borahm Lee (Break Science)
Eric “Benny” Bloom (Lettuce)
Robert “Sput” Searight (Snarky Puppy, Ghost Note)
Ryan Zoidis (Lettuce)
Michelangelo Carubba (Turkuaz)
Nigel Hall (Lettuce)
Shira Elias (Turkuaz)
Nate Werth (Snarky Puppy)
Nick Cassarino (The Nth Power)
Erick “Jesus” Coomes (Lettuce)
Wil Blades
Joey Porter (The Motet)
Todd Stoops (RAQ, Electric Beethoven)
Brandon “Taz” Niederauer
Johnny Vidacovich
Lyle Divinsky (The Motet)
Karina Rykman (Marco Benevento Band)
Rob Compa (Dopapod)
James Casey (Trey Anastasio Band)
Dave Watts (The Motet)
Alvin Ford Jr. (Pretty Lights Live Band, Dumpstaphunk)
Eli Winderman (Dopapod)
Tim Palmieri (Kung Fu)
Peter Levin (Gregg Allman Band)
Nate Edgar (The Nth Power)
Khris Royal (Rebelution)
Steve Swatkins (Allen Stone)
Ryan Jalbert (The Motet)
Dave Harrington (Darkside, Dave Harrington’s Merry Pranksters)
Sammi Garett (Turkuaz)
Chuck Jones (Dopapod)
Mike “Maz” Maher (Snarky Puppy)
Hayley Jane (Hayley Jane & The Primates)
Chris Bullock (Snarky Puppy)
Casey Russell (The Magic Beans)
Tyler Coomes
Adam November (Karina Rykman Experiment)
Megan Letts (Mama Magnolia)
Chris Corsico (Karina Rykman Experiment)
Joel Gonzaléz
Aron Magner (The Disco Biscuits)
COMEDIANS AT BCA 2018:
Brett Siddell (SiriusXM, Wokes With Jokes)
Walker Berry (Wokes With Jokes)
Ariella Wallen (Wokes With Jokes)
Pamela Mahler (Wokes With Jokes)
Richie Alfson (Wokes With Jokes)
For more information please visit Brooklyn Comes Alive’s website.
The fourth annual Brooklyn Comes Alive was just announced and will include it’s fan favorite venues, Brooklyn Bowl, Music Hall of Williamsburg and the latest addition, Rough Trade. With this new addition it make all the venues with in a 6-block walking radius from one to the next. Brooklyn Comes Alive is set to take place Sept. 29.
Poster courtesy of Brooklyn Comes Alive press release.
The one day festival has 50+ artists including some of the best all-star tribute sets and one-time-only super-groups. Brooklyn Comes Alive allows the 50+ artists to carry out passion projects, play with their musical heroes and collaborate in never-before-seen formations. Past performing tributes have included Herbie Hancock, Earth Wind & Fire, the Allman Brothers, Jamiroquai, and Green Day over the last three years. Brooklyn Comes Alive is known for giving bands like [Br]eaking [Bi]scuits(members of the Disco Biscuits and Break Science), their debut and are now known for having nationally touring projects.
New this year is the Jam Room Presented by Jam Cruise. The Jam Room is a staple of the Jam Cruises and allows artists to collaborate in an open, relaxed atmosphere, put together by three hand-picked curators.
Each attendee will receive a wristband that grants access to every venue and makes hopping from set to set easy to go from one venue to another. Blind faith on-sale for general admission and VIP tickets for the event will begin on on June 20. The 2018 lineup will be announced soon.
Despite how overwhelming it can be to outsiders, when it comes down to it, New York City is truly just a big small town. It’s comprised of hundreds of different neighborhoods which each have their own quirks and personalities, but they all blend together to form a magnificent sum of diversity and prosperity. You will never get to know everyone in the city, or even your neighborhood, but once you live in an area long enough you get to know a hodgepodge of people, which makes the city begin to feel small.
You walk down the block and see the Chinese delivery guy that comes to your apartment twice a week, the butcher who you make friendly banter on the street with, and that same annoying bus driver who you know is out to get you (but you still can’t prove a thing.) Tom Waits’ 1985 track ‘Downtime Train’ paints a murky picture of the obscure way New York can box you in a world knowing everyone around, while at the same time leaving you feeling lonesome and alienated.
‘Downtown Train’ provides an intimate look at the torment a person goes through when they are continuously hoping to run into someone they are madly in love with, but end up seeing everyone they know besides that person. On his local train to Brooklyn, the narrator constantly sees the same faces; all people he knows, but doesn’t care to see. He knows exactly how the Brooklyn girls act, who they are, and what their goal for the night is, but wants nothing to do with them. He notices that they all seem to want to break out of their little circles, but are all afraid to. Although they have the entire city at their disposal, giving them chances to meet new people and experience new things, they choose not to, and for that the narrator wants nothing to do with them.
The narrator is searching for someone different; someone he doesn’t see every night because they are out savoring new experiences and living life to the fullest. He hopes he will see them on the train each night, rather than all the regulars, but knows that the chances are slim because the person he is looking for doesn’t have a routine. Despite knowing everyone on the train, he feels incredibly isolated. He is stuck living the same night over and over again, hoping for something new, but nothing new ever happens. In many ways he is just like all the other people on the train, but by acknowledging his situation he is saddened by it, while those who are ignorant to it tend to live happier lives.
Although Waits never made ‘Downtown Train’ a commercial success himself, the song drew interest from other artists who saw the creative value in the song. Patty Smyth’s 1987 version reached #95 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Rod Steward brought the song into the spotlight with his 1989 cover of the song which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 list. It just goes to show, that even if you know everyone around you, it’s not uncommon to feel completely alone.
‘Downtown Train’ Lyrics:
Outside another yellow moon
Has punched a hole in the nighttime, yes
I climb through the window and down the street
I’m shining like a new dime
The downtown trains are full
With all those Brooklyn girls
They try so hard to break out of their little worlds
Well, you wave your hand and they scatter like crows
They have nothing that will ever capture your heart
They’re just thorns without the rose
Be careful of them in the dark
Oh if I was the one
You chose to be your only one
Oh baby can’t you hear me now, can’t you hear me now?
Will I see you tonight
On a downtown train?
Every night it’s just the same
You leave me lonely, now
I know your window and I know it’s late
I know your stairs and your doorway
I walk down your street and past your gate
I stand by the light at the four-way
You watch them as the fall
Oh baby, they all have heart attacks
They stay at the carnival
But they’ll never win you back
Will I see you tonight
On a downtown train?
Every night it’s just the same
Oh, baby
Will I see you tonight
On a downtown train?
All of my dreams just fall like rain
Oh, baby, on a downtown train
Will I see you tonight
On a downtown train?
Every night, every night it’s just the same
Oh, baby
Will I see you tonight
On a downtown train?
All of my dreams just fall like rain
Well, on a downtown train
Well, on a downtown train
Well, on a downtown train
Well, on a downtown train
On a downtown train
Teddy Midnight, the Brooklyn-based live electronic band, dropped their newest EP, titled French Press, at its release party at Pianos NYC on April 26. The EP has a jazzy feel to it. It’s sample heavy, but it doesn’t feel like it is when listening to it. It doesn’t sound like something you’ve already heard; it’s got its own originality to it. One of the ways it’s able to do this is with it’s blend of new and vintage synths, keeping the music unpredictable. It uses combinations of Disco, Soul, 90s House, New Wave, Techno and a little Hip Hop, into non-stop, dance party vibes to keep itself intriguing to the listener.
The EP starts off with the song “Say it Loud!” which is an all instrumental track except for the very end when the title of the song is said. It has a very, almost “New Order” feel to it which mostly comes from the repetitive drum machine acting as a backbone to the song. It then moves into the song “Eclipse (Go There)” which is also an instrumental track but more upbeat and best illustrates the intended Hip Hop feel. This sounds like a song that you might hear in a dance club soon. Both songs are good, but slightly repetitive and long. Each song lands close to the six and half minute mark, and for someone not particularly knowledgeable or invested in electronica, it was hard to sit through without having some repetitive pieces of the song to anchor onto, like a chorus.
Then French Press takes a turn with its next song, “Come Over (feat. Tara Lawton & David Schnurman).” You finally get to hear some vocals and the fact the song is six minutes long is barely noticeable, unlike like the previous songs. The album then goes into “Mind the Gap,” which is another instrumental piece. It is very upbeat and has a lot of change-ups that make it one of a kind and continually interesting; this is important since it’s almost nine minutes long. The next song is “Not Enough” which starts off saying, “It’s not enough baby. It’s just not enough,” building up with the tempo in the song. The techno dance party feel increases with those lines appearing often in the change ups of the song. This song, much like “Come Over,” was easier on a listener like myself who might not have as much experience listening to instrumental electronic music. Even though it only really landed on those simple phrases throughout the song, it acted as a point of destination for the song to loop itself back in. The EP concludes on an instrumental version of “Come Over,” which was good, but knowing what it sounded like with the lyrics it felt like it was missing something slightly important to its overall feel. It was able to convey the emotion through the music but, without the words, the listener is left without a direction in which to run those emotions.
The six song EP has a run time of 41 minutes, which is long but, if you’re into mellow synthesized electronica, this definitely could be an album for you. Even the dance party songs have very mellow undertones to them to make the EP something the listener can just close their eyes and disappear into. Not being someone who previously listened to much electronica music, this album wouldn’t necessarily be something I would pick up to listen to regularly, but it was a satisfying mix of those mellow, almost entrancing, undertones, and upbeat, “can’t sit still while listening to” overtones. First time listeners might want to start by dipping their toes in and starting with “Come Over” or “Not Enough.”
Teddy Midnight will perform next on June 1 at Olives in Nyack, NY. And be sure to check out the entire EP available on SoundCloud and Spotify
Brooklyn grunge, post-punk rockers Castle Black have released a music video for their song “Broken Bright Star,” which comes off the band’s 2017 EP, Trapped Under All You Know.
Filmed in Brooklyn, the band once again turned to director Jeff Allyn Szwast for this project after directing the band’s video for “Dark Light.” The video shows their fondness for spells, dark magic and pagan-inspired rituals.
Szwast talked about once again teaming up with Castle Black: “I love working with Castle Black, because I feel like we get to make these fun, narrative mini-films. Leigh and I have similar tastes in aesthetics and themes, and all of us enjoy infusing the work with a certain amount of ’90s head-nods, as we all draw a lot of our early influence from that era.”
After recently hanging out in the studio, Castle Black is set to release their fourth EP this summer, titled The Gods That Adored You. The band tapped one of the industry’s best engineers/producers for the EP in Mark Plati, who has worked with artists like David Bowie, Prince, Spooky Ruben, The Cure and Duncan Sheik. The EP was recorded by Michael Abiuso, at Behind the Curtains Media studio, and mastered by Jamal Ruhe of West West Side Music.
The female-fronted Castle Black will play two hometown shows in Brooklyn during their current tour on June 8 at TJO Presents Showcase (Northside Festival) and June 28, at The Well.
Castle Black’s Remaining Tour Dates:
June 8 – TJO Presents Showcase (Northside Festival), Brooklyn, NY June 28 – The Well, Brooklyn, NY
July 6 – The Comet, Cincinnati, OH
July 7 – TBA, Rock Island, IL
July 8 – Bremen Cafe, Milwaukee, WI
July 10 – FireHouse, Lancaster, OH
July 11 – Melody Inn, Indianapolis, IN
July 12 – The Cure Lounge, Louisville, KY
July 14 – Camp Champe, West Branch, MI
July 15 – Kelly’s Bar, Hamtramck, MI
July 16 – Strum Around Productions, Sandusky, OH
July 21 – The Uke, Manchester, NJ
Aug. 3 – 9th Annual Elephant Talk Indie Music Fest, Mays Landing, NJ
Aug. 4 – Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA
Few bands put the “f.u.” in fun and funk like Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, and May 3-5 at Brooklyn Bowl demonstrated why. Pigeons is one of the hottest up-and-coming acts in the jam scene, and their ravenous fans and followers are known as “The Flock.” This weekend, the Flock flew into Brooklyn and filled out the Bowl 3 nights in a row.
Not many bands are capable of packing it out for one night, especially when considering that they were up against Jazz Fest, which annually brings many New Yorkers down to NOLA. But PPPP sold out the Bowl 3 nights in a row, a feat commemorated with special gold, silver, and bronze coins being sold at the merch table all weekend. Their meteoric rise through the scene has been a joy to watch, and it is clear why: musically, they provide what their crowd is there for—funky, fun bass lines, high energy drumming, and soaring peaks. Performance-wise, they are top-notch, with a lighting design that matches the enthusiasm of the band onstage. Not to mention, it doesn’t seem as if any band could possibly have as much fun as they do!
This weekend showcased all of those reasons that Pigeons are experiencing this meteoric ascent, from their choreographed playing and superb lighting design to their high energy stage presence to the dancey funky fun they bring. Beginning Thursday night, it was apparent that the crowd was ready to get down. And the Pigeons didn’t disappoint! They opened the first night with “Whoopie,” with rhythm guitarist “Scrambled” Greg Ormont, lead guitarist Jeremy Schon, and bassist Ben Carrey engaged in a choreographed head-nod dance move. And the fun continued straight from there until the encore on Saturday night.
The band played 6 sets without repeats and many fun covers, including “Hava Nagila” (a fun Pigeons staple), “Hyrule Castle” (the theme song from classic Nintendo video game “Zelda”), “I Just Can’t Wait to be King” (from The Lion King), the Star Wars “Cantina Song” and “Imperial March,” the Beatles’ “Get Back,” The Velvet Underground’s “Rock & Roll,” “Tequila,” Michael Jackson’s “Pretty Young Thing,” and The Who’s “Pinball Wizard.” And they of course broke out some of their most popular hits, like “F U,” “Fun In Funk,” “Julia,” “Poseidon,” “Horizon,” and “Melting Lights.” Each set was fun, funky, spacey, raging, and different. The energy inside Brooklyn Bowl was off the charts, and the crowd was dancing and having as much fun as the band!
Before the encore on Thursday night, Greg announced to the enthusiastic crowd: “This is our home now, yall!” During Friday’s performance towards the beginning of the first set, he maintained “We love the Brooklyn Bowl! One of our favorite places to play…and the food is do dank!” Saturday night, just before launching into the encore, Greg proclaimed: “This is our happy place! We wish we could stay here forever!” Clearly, the Bowl and the New York crowd made an impact on the boys from Baltimore; and PPPP certainly made an impact on the flock who made it out Brooklyn this weekend, as no one wanted to go home at the end of the weekend. Pigeons can be seen next at Domefest, their curated festival in Bedford, PA, from 5/17-5/19, as well as at Summer Camp Music Festival (Chillicothe, IL 5/25-5/27), Great South Bay Music Festival (Patchogue, NY 6/14), Peach Music Festival (Scranton, PA 7/19), LOCKN’ (Arrington, VA 8/25), and many other great events throughout the summer.
Despite how tiring and overwhelming New York can be sometimes, one of the glaring strengths of character which nearly every New Yorker possesses is their resilience. New Yorkers are generally filled with integrity and pride, and if something knocks them back they rarely stay down for long. Whatever problems New Yorkers may have with each other are quickly tossed aside when something drastic happens which forces them to bond together and defend their communal way of life. In ‘An Open Letter to NYC,’ the Beastie Boys draw inspiration from the unlikely alliance of New Yorkers after a time of crisis to demonstrate just how strong the city is.
‘An Open Letter to NYC’ was written as a tribute to the city following the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks and is written as a love letter of sorts to the melting pot of cultures that came together to defend the city the Beastie Boys call home. Unlike other songs which may only focus on a single borough, ‘An Open Letter to NYC’ makes it a point to reference each of the five boroughs, as they are all unique. The clash of cultures throughout different neighborhoods is what brings strength to the city, and makes it so different from every other place in the world.
The song describes the different heritages of people which make up the city, from Asian and Middle-Eastern to Latin and Black, and explains how no matter where you may be from, everyone is still the same. The overall message of the song is about how the cities’ fortitude comes from diversity, and that no matter what happens we are unified as a whole. Regardless of where you live or your occupation, if you live in New York you are part of something bigger.
The lyrics to “An Open Letter to NYC” are overwhelmingly positive, and come from a group of artists who know the city better than anyone. They know that no matter what happens New York will bounce back, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help by giving people a little nudge in the right direction. The song channels the feelings of togetherness which many New Yorkers felt following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and told the world that not matter what happens, we are strong.
“An Open Letter to NYC” should follow “Fight for Your Right,” “So What’cha Want” and “Sabotage” into the Beastie Boys’ hall of slang as anthems defining a moment in hip-hop history. Running on the rails of a bubbling keyboard, [this track] is a stylized shout-out to New York City, from Battery Park to Brooklyn. It may be the next phase in the post-9/11 healing process. Where Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising” was about recovering from wounds, the Beastie Boys’ lyrics are about rising from the flames. There is little dark imagery, just a call for unity and Big Apple pride” – Michael D. Clark, Houston Chronicle, 2004
‘An Open Letter to NYC’ Lyrics:
Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York you make it happen
Brownstones, water towers, trees, skyscrapers
Writers, prize fighters and Wall Street traders
We come together on the subway cars
Diversity unified, whoever you are
We’re doing fine on the One and Nine line
On the L we’re doin’ swell
On the number Ten bus we fight and fuss
You know we’re thorough in the boroughs ’cause that’s a must
I remember when the Duece was all porno flicks
Running home after school to play PIX
At lunch I’d go to Blimpies down on Montague Street
And hit the Fulton Street Mall for the sneakers on my feet
Dear New York I hope you’re doing well
I know a lot’s happened and you’ve been through hell
So, we give thanks for providing a home
Through your gates at Ellis Island we passed in droves
Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York you make it happen
The L.I.E. the B.Q.E
Hippies at the band shell with the L.S.D.
Get my BVDs from VIM
You know I’m reppin’ Manhattan the best I can
Stopped off at Bleeker Bob’s, got thrown out
Sneakin’ in at four am after going out
You didn’t rob me in the park at Dianna Ross
But everybody started looting when the light went off
From the South South Bronx on out to Queens Bridge
From Hollis Queens right down to Bay Ridge
From Castle Hill to the Lower East Side
From ten-ten WINS to Live At Five
Dear New York, this is a love letter
To you and how you brought us together
We can’t say enough about all you do
‘Cause in the city we’re ourselves and electric too
Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York you make it happen
Shout out the South Bronx where my mom hails from
Right next to High Bridge across from Harlem
To the Grand Concourse where my mom and dad met
Before they moved on down to the Upper West
I see you’re still strong after all that’s gone on
Lifelong, we dedicate this song
Just a little something to show some respect
To the city that blends and mends and tests
Since 9-11 we’re still livin’
And lovin’ life we’ve been given
Ain’t nothing gonna take that away from us
We lookin’ pretty and gritty ’cause in the city we trust
Dear New York I know a lot has changed
Two towers down but you’re still in the game
Home to the many, rejecting no-one
Accepting peoples of all places, wherever they’re from
Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York you make it happen
Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten
From the Battery to the top of Manhattan
Asian, Middle-Eastern and Latin
Black, White, New York, we make it happen
After the release of their debut album No B! in 2016, the five piece punk-blues powerhouse caught much deserved attention among NYC’s club scene. Since then, Jane Lee Hooker has spread like a wildfire: one that certainly won’t be extinguished anytime soon.
Spiritus, the band’s second album, was released in November of 2017. Primarily comprised of original music, Spiritus further explores JLH’s unorthodox take on the blues. The ten-track release is riddled with undeniably catchy hooks, superb guitar licks, and just the right amount of grit.
The album goes from 0 to 60 in a matter of seconds with the first track, titled “How Ya Doin’?” From there, Spiritus takes a step back with some slow/moderately paced jams (including the most popular track “Later On,” which currently has over 21,000 spins on Spotify).
But don’t be fooled; halfway through, Spiritus lifts off once again with “Black Rat.” Shortly afterward, to the listener’s unexpected surprise, the album takes a moody turn with a downtempo track titled “How Bright the Moon.” And to wrap things up, Spiritus comes full circle with the longest track on the album, “The Breeze.”
To say the least, Spiritus is bold, nostalgic, and groundbreaking. If you’re in search of a sound that steps far beyond the boundaries of modern rock music, Jane Lee Hooker’s gotcha covered. Keep up with JLH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Will Hanza, guitarist of Escaper has been enjoying the success of the group’s sophomore release Edge Detection and still buzzing about meeting Jon Fishman. Hanza spoke to NYS Music about the songwriting style that encompasses their new album, Escaper’s summer plans and jazz influences that create a monolithic jam fusion sound.
Pete Mason: What was it like opening for The Mallett Brothers Band and Jon Fishman?
Will Hanza: Well, we’ve sort of become regulars at Brooklyn Bowl, it’s our home venue really, and recently opened for Electric Beethoven. Working with the folks at Brooklyn Bowl is great, the sound and Vic Cornette on lights is a musician himself and he really works with you. This was our most jammiest show yet, opening the songs up in the moment in a way that keyed us into the improv we should be doing, avoiding meandering and allowing the moment to take over and launch from there. The reaction to the set was great on Thursday (April 12th). The Mallett Brothers are a really great band, and watching Fishman drum from side-stage was a treat. He was nice enough to say that he liked Escaper and that we had that Pink Floyd kind of vibe, which pretty much made my year.
PM: What musical influences came through in the production of the Edge Detection?
WH: The band comes from some diverse backgrounds, including myself who has a father who is a jazz musician, plus Zeppelin and Hendrix are in me. Lettuce and TAUK and more instrumentally oriented bands in the scene – we don’t want to sound like them, but they’re paving the way for what things fans are into, particularly instrumental music. Johnny Butler comes from Coltrane and jazz. Adam Ahuja comes from a pretty heavy jazz background, and is really into Mahavishnu Orchestra. For lack of a better word, this allows for a fusion of sounds, and that comes from combining jazz, classic psychedelic rock, funk rock, and I think it comes together cohesively in the process of what we take with these songs.
Some of the songs on Edge Detection were written out of live jams. We hear them and cultivate them from loose jams that we’ve been digging. We ran out of songs at one of our first shows in January 2016 at B.R.Y.A.C., so we played and improvised, which led to some of these songs being born, including the first two tracks on the album, “Secret Weapon” and “Rare Form.”
PM: What was Escaper’s songwriting process for Edge Detection?
WH: The well rounded sound comes out of that process where we start with a groove, like Jay will start with a bass line, then the keys will add in, then the drums … it’s a little loose at the start, and soon a whole beast is starting to get formed as we go back and listen and see what parts work best. We don’t write songs and then ask everyone to learn it – Escaper builds on the idea that this is everybody’s band, and everyone gets equal credit on the songwriting. I want everyone to feel that this is their band and their music. I am honored to play with the cats I get to play with, not the least because they are invested in the music as much as I am. It’s a challenge and exciting to have a bunch of collaborators create music that you could never do on your own. We all recorded simultaneously in the studio, which gives that sense of synergy and react to each other in the moment, rather than layering things over and over.
PM: How was the reception to Edge Detection and what did you learn from the recording process and release of the album?
WH: The response has been very nice, very strong. We’ve only had a handful of reviews but they’ve all been positive and hey reflect our growth since the first album. The recording process was similar to the last album Skeleton Key and we have found recording in the Bunker Studio in Brooklyn with engineer John Davis (Lettuce, Black Keys) to be our spot and we’ve found a great relationship working with him. He’s brilliant, has a good bedside manner and while we were in there recording, we felt very at home. He’s taken time to get to know us as players to squeeze a better performance out of us while keeping the recording efficient and everything flowing. I don’t know we’d do much different on the next album, but we might add some vocals on the next one.
PM: Where are fans going to be able to see you over the next few months?
WH: We sort of kicked off the festival season playing Rock n Roll Resort, and we’ll do a couple club dates mixed in, but we’re doing a decent amount of festivals – Grateful for Spring in Mountain Sky, PA, then Elements Lakewood, Lakewood, PA on Memorial Day weekend. Disc Jam is definitely one of the highlights on our schedule coming up in early June. We’re doing Bear’s Picnic and Mazzstock in August. Being invited to play any festival is an honor and opportunity that is a great way to pollinate our music in these various places and that can only help us into a touring schedule in the fall in New York and Pennsylvania. It’s all about getting the music out there like Johnny Appleseed – the more that can enjoy, the happier we are.
Jane Lee Hooker is back, and better than ever.
Pete Mason