NYS Music 202​2

Category: Interviews

  • Karina Rykman talks Seth Myers, Marco Benevento, Upstate NY and December Tour

    Karina Rykman is a name that is often brought up in conversations discussing everything from “who is next ” to “who is doing it best” with good reason. Growing up in New York City and never adhering to a single band or bending the knee to one musical subculture, Karina breaks down genre barriers naturally. Charismatic and upbeat, Karina’s live music experience provides a sense of togetherness during a time of intense isolation and separation. Karina Rykman’s music defies perceptions by providing a big sound with few bodies on the stage.

    Photo: Jesse Faatz

    Karina is currently hitting the road with her power trio featuring Adam November (Guitar/Looper/Effects) and Chris Corsico (Drums). Destinations will be throughout the Northeast and begin in Upstate New York. She’ll be performing at The Upstairs in Ithaca on November 30th and at Albany’s Lark Hall on December 1st. Karina’s live show provides nourishment for the brain with technical hypnotism while simultaneously allowing stress relief with an attitude heavily weighing on the side of fun.

    Photo By Em Walis

    Opening the night in Albany for Karina Rykman is Burlington, VT-based Quiltro, who bring a psychedelic sound reminiscent of Circles Around the Sun. Their 2020 debut record has been described as the soundtrack for a dystopian sci-fi film that has yet to be released. Featuring Mark Taylor (guitar/keys), JD Hoffmann (drums) and Mike McKinley (bass), their Lark Hall performance marks the first hometown show for the Albany-native McKinley. Get a taste of what’s in store with their performance of “Antilla,” filmed at Autochrome, a community studio space in the south end of Burlington. 

    Karina took time to chat with Em Walis about her upcoming tour, creative process, oysters and the metaverse. This conversation took place the week after filling in on Seth Meyers for the second time and before playing a few shows with Marco Benevento. Karina gave insight on how growing up in New York with parents in academia led to a mindset framework for discovery and integration.

    Em Walis: Where are you right now?

    Karina Rykman: I’m home actually. Unbelievably, I’m home. I will play with Marco tomorrow. It’s nice – a little hometown vibe then off to Connecticut followed by Massachusetts and then home on Sunday. Then Thanksgiving week, and then on to the next. We’re going to enjoy this time. It’s pretty crazy. Last week specifically I thought “oh my god, I have a weekend at home to dial everything in”. I’m really trying to prepare in a big way. 

    EW: And some recovering I’m sure.

    KR: Oh, definitely and in a super big way because my October was so slammed and just, just crazy. I spent two weeks on the road with Marco on the West Coast. And the first weekend of the month my band did a festival in Virginia, and a festival in Pennsylvania. It felt as though I was just on the road the entire time; flying, driving, planes, trains, automobiles. November was going to be chill, rehearsing with my band, and just one weekend with Marco, and then I get a call from my buddy Eric, who’s the producer on Late Night with Seth Meyers asking “Hey, are you around this week?” “Oh snap. Yes, I AM around!”

    EW: Stars aligning is awesome.

    Photo: Jesse Faatz

    KR: Crazy, crazy. And then I did last week and it was amazing. It was on guitar. The last time I publicly played guitar was last December at the Capitol Theater. I played two tunes on guitar for this Headcount benefit. It was with Larry Campbell and so many incredible players. In the past I played guitar on the Today Show, backing up Julia Michaels in 2017. So anyway, all I’m trying to say is there have been very few and far between guitar gigs. I got that call late Monday night, and they asked for me to come in on Wednesday and Thursday. That Tuesday was Election Day, so I was voting and then practicing, just trying to become a confident guitar player again. I just want to do such a good job and I don’t want to let anyone down, almost to a fault. I over prepare and over prepare.

    Photo By Em Walis

    EW: This can be good. Even if it’s just a visualization or something. I would be curious how you manage all of the hats that you wear? In switching head spaces from Marco mode to solo mode to, you know, selling guitars on the side. Haha

    KR: Great question. It definitely requires patience with yourself, as well as actively recognizing that you’re switching gears and shifting hats. When I work with Marco it’s really fun for me because I am a hired gun who’s not in charge of anything. 

    EW: And he’s really fun. 

    KR: Oh, he’s the most incredibly fun loving, hysterical, wonderful band leader and mad scientist. He’s just incredible. So all of that combined, results in not a lot of stress for me in the same way that my solo band is. The solo stuff is more pressure on me because it’s my band, it’s my name, I book the hotel rooms and rent the van and figure out all the logistics, and everything. It’s my music. So you’re kind of putting yourself out there in a big way

    Photo by Em Walis

    EW: On all sides of music, from every angle, it seems we all have this similar internal story going on or a question of how safe is this space for me? Just emotionally and with that, you know, there are different levels.  Sometimes it’s totally chill and at other times, as you said, which I think is great. Just a little more active noticing where am I?  What’s the actual thing that’s at stake here? Why is everybody here? Sometimes you’re in situations where you feel a little more pressure or more scrutinized. Depending on the venue or if it’s a festival with strangers.

    KR: Especially this TV gig, you know? Those nerves never quite go away. Working on a new thing, or taking a new gig, or launching into some sort of uncharted territory, I’m often thinking “I’m so nervous, why do I keep putting myself in these situations?” But honestly, those are the moments where you know you’re doing something cool as shit, because you feel that way. There’s something worth suffering over. And then you overcome it. You’re like, wow, learn from that. 

    Photo: Michael DiDonna

    EW: Absolutely. I’ve been curious about what brain scans of musicians might look as compared to extreme sports dudes. We are acclimated to these huge buckets of epinephrine and dopamine being poured all over us. It seems as though in those down moments, when we can remember that one time that you were home. We look at our laundry. It’s not all the excitement, tea cups are worth of satisfaction from that. I don’t know if that’s worth it.

    KR: It’s so funny. I find that especially in the last few years, having adjusted to no gigs for a minute there. Now, with them coming back, you’re in a constant state of readjustment – you’re either adjusting to tour life or adjusting to home life. And honestly, if you do it as much as I do it, you don’t have the time to be fully adjusted to either, but as soon as you do, you have to go home and then you are a total circus freak at home for a minute with this misplaced adrenaline that hits you at midnight when you’re supposed to go to sleep and you’re thinking, ‘Wait, where’s my show? Where’s the show? Where are the people? Where are my friends?’ 

    Photo By Em Walis

    EW: I was curious about your creative process and how you manage or if you have any recommendations for those that are newer in this back and forth.  Do you have anything that helps you get into it?

    KR: That’s a great question. I’m very lucky to have such a great producer and writing partner whose name is Gabe Monro, whom I’ve written almost all my tunes with. I can’t speak too much on this, but I have a whole record that’s going to see the light of day next year. I’m so much more of a social creator, if that makes sense. I don’t go into my bedroom and come out 12 hours later with the greatest song – I find that when I work with Gabe or I work with my band, we make the creative process sort of a communal thing and that elicits better results. For lyrics though, I do need to be alone. Gabe and I have this process where we basically write what we refer to as ‘seedlings’, which can be just an A section and a B section or whatever it might be, but it’s just a vibe. I bring that home with me and if I always know that, if we work in the studio all day and then I come home with a seedling that I’m so geeked on, it’s two in the morning and I HAVE to listen to it, you know that it’s worth developing and worth sticking to. But sometimes you have seedlings and then you listen back the next day, and you’re not inspired at all. So it goes.

    EW: We’re not seeing roots. We’re not seeing a little leaf pop out on that paper towel.

    KR: Totally. It’s amazing to have folders and folders of seedlings that maybe in a year or two I can go back through them and be like, ‘Oh my god, there was something here! This is an inspiring moment.” 

    Photo: Steph Port

    EW: What’s your view on the balance between a purist straight plugged in sound versus effects driven sound?

    KR: I am a big fan of both things in moderation. With my band specifically, I really love the fact that with Adam November on guitar, he’s so much more than just a classically ripping guitar player. He is a complete mad scientist over there with multiple loopers and effects and crazy stuff going on. I don’t even know what to call it or what it is, but I think that’s very specific to us. That is a big part of the sound.It’s obviously a trio, but we are larger than the sum of our parts. I don’t want you to come to my show and think that you’re seeing a measly three piece – you’re seeing a power trio. You’re coming to see a full, lush sonic experience.

    EW: I was wondering if you ever, in perhaps middle school years, had any particular musical identity commitments? 

    KR: You know, from the jump I had very diverse tastes, I had my metal friends, my jam friends, and beyond. I was a sponge. I never pledged allegiance to one style or genre. I would see Slayer on Saturday and Phish on Sunday.

    EW: I think sometimes it gets forgotten is that you can you can belong in multiple spaces and be welcomed into multiple spaces and your status or validity does not come from your commitment to one particular scene or your amount of shows on your spreadsheet or you know, which you know which special event with that special seat and you happen to be present for that. There’s so much more. 

    KR: I never pledged allegiance to one style or genre. I would be at Slayer on Saturday and Phish on Sunday.

    Photo By Em Walis

    EW: What was music the relationship with music in your house growing up? 

    KR: Well, my parents are both academics.They both teach at Columbia University. They are so supportive. They’re so thrilled, and can recite to you every lyric of every song I’ve ever written. They’re at every show that they possibly can be at, but there was very little music exposure in my house growing up. My dad would listen to Goldberg Variations (Bach) on CD while he was writing, but they didn’t show me the Beatles, The Stones or Led Zeppelin, or any normal stuff, and I’m super grateful honestly. I was able to form these absolutely insane bonds with the music I enjoy, and it was such a desire of my own and not a desire of somebody else’s. Those were all my own discoveries. I really appreciate them for that.

    EW: Beautiful. Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems your parents provided a framework to pursue a curiosity and manifest a passion. Maybe there wasn’t literally music in the house, but there were many curiosities being pursued.

    Photo by Em Walis

    KR: In a big way. My dad writes books and gives lectures, he’s a philosopher, and for me growing up, I saw this guy wake up every day, sit on his yellow chair and write and write. And then he goes for a walk, and then he comes back from a walk and, you know, in his super jovial, hilarious manner, has all these thoughts that came to him on his walk, and he runs back to his yellow chair and writes them all down before he forgets them. And seeing his complete dedication and commitment and joy for what it is that he’s interested in, gave me the utmost permission to do the same, and it allowed me to explore the stuff that did it for me in that exact same way. 

    EW: Thank you again for taking the time. My last question is from Dogs In A Pile. They would like to know what your favorite gas station snack is while on tour?

    KR: Chex Mix Bold Party Blend. Thank you!

    Karina Rykman Late Fall 2022 Tour Dates

    NOV 30 The Upstairs Ithaca, NY TICKETS

    DEC 1 Lark Hall Albany, NY TICKETS

    DEC 2 Soundcheck Studios Pembroke, MA TICKETS

    DEC 3 Nectars Burlington, VT TICKETS

    DEC 7 The Press Room Portsmouth, NH TICKETS

    DEC 8 Sun Tiki Studios Portland, ME TICKETS

    DEC 9 Park City Music Hall Bridgeport, CT TICKETS

    DEC 10 Pearl Street Warehouse Washington, DC TICKETS

  • Blake Sandberg of ALIENS: a Post-Punk and a 9-11 Story of Survival

    Never considering myself attracted to post-punk, I was engrossed by the story of both a visual and audio post-punk artist, Blake Sandberg of ALIENS. His story opened me up to a genre I would have not considered to be in my wheelhouse. It is one of a thousand 9/11 attack survival stories and how an artist can dig into his craft to cope with suffering on the way to survival.  You can hear the rest of the story in the interview I conducted with Blake on The Long Island Sound Podcast. 

    EP Release Party in Brooklyn

    Blake Sandberg’s New York City post-punk band ALIENS announced the  last show of the year and EP release party at Littlefield in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Friday December 2. I was able to sample their songs a few weeks ago.

    The AGORAPHONIC EP compiles singles from 2007 to the present.  ALIENS new songs were captured in Brooklyn at B.C. Studios, by Martin Bisi. The singles are “Leave Luck to Heaven” and a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Tower of Song.”  The songs feature Blake Sandberg on guitar and vocals with ALIENS new bassist Kevin Jones and George Fiala on drums. 

    AGORAPHONIC is getting steady radio airplay across the country landing it in the NACC Top 200 and in the Top 20 Alternative Chart – currently at #13.  Check out the Brooklyn Release Party at Littlefield’s here.

    Blake Sandberg is an accomplished American artist. He creates iconic images and uses words in his paintings to explore meaning and associations with objects in our environments. 

    The Best Laid Plans

    Blake Sandberg battles a rare inner-ear disorder and illnesses from exposure to Ground Zero after 9/11.  Blake died in a hospital in 2005 and was resuscitated.  He is an artist and has been described as an “idea machine.”  His first guitar was given to him by a friend, it became a mission.  Words he wrote quickly became songs.  Chords bashed out on the guitar to carry them. And his 9/11 story begins with the planned opening of his art exhibit.

    BLAKE BY ANDREA BUCCI

    … and then 911 happened. And I had an art opening a couple of days before that. And my parents and my brother were in town for it. You know, there were fires a few blocks below me. It was a strange world to be in. So I think it naturally went to painting and writing and things.”

    Blake Sandberg

    The New EP

    ALIENS frontman, Blake Sandberg says “Tower of Song” became important to him during the Covid shutdown. 

    I thought I might learn the song. I was home playing guitar and looking out the window

    Blake Sandberg

    Leonard Cohen’s lyrics have similar imagery.  One day while walking to get something to eat he found a vinyl copy of Hank Williams Greatest Hits album someone had put out on their steps.  He took it as a sign.  In the song Cohen says “I said to Hank Williams how lonely does it get?”  

    Leonard Cohen

    
Sandberg sped up the song up to a runaway train pace, while managing to cram all the words into the song without ruining it and making something of his own out of it. He also related the current times with political upheaval and division to the lyrics of this song. “I see you standing there on the other side. I don’t know how this river got so wide.”  Sandberg takes on the weight of this cover song and his vocal performance is noteworthy.  Martin Bisi’s production work keeps the train on the tracks.

    “Enjoy Killing Time” was released in the first Covid shutdown in NYC.  This track was recorded with guest drummer Hunt Sales, the legendary drummer for Iggy Pop “Lust For Life” and David Bowie’s Tin Machine.

    ALIENS are Blake Sandberg, Miguel Vela, and Kevin Jones. Vela has taken over the drums over the last 12 months.  As a trio they form a powerful post-punk band capable of scream-along anthems, searing sci-fi guitar riffs, with a heavy dose of Jones’s bass and Vela’s pounding drums.  

    It’s refreshing to come across an artist who takes his suffering and joys and bangs out raw emotion into his music. Post-punk is a discover, I need to explore, it’s an appropriate megaphone to express what we need to hear. ALIENS deliver!  

  • Meet the Next Generation of Western New York Bands who Rocked Out Fredonia’s Rocktoberfest and Nietzsche’s

    SUNY Fredonia’s student body is an active partaker in the local music scene, as demonstrated from the Rocktoberfest event which rocked the crowd on the night before Halloween from 6-9pm in the Multi-Purpose Room of the Williams Center.

    At the October event, which was held through the collaborative coordination between SUNY Fredonia’s Sound Services program and Music Industry Club, students dressed in festive-themed costumes to rock out to the high-energy performances delivered by the Fredonia-based band Relentless Moisture and Buffalo-based musicians Cooler and SAINT BLIND.

    Fredonia Rocktoberfest
    Rocktoberfest Poster

    Taking a look at the Rocktoberfest lineup, Cooler is a three-piece band from Buffalo comprised of Alley Sessanna, Nick Sessanna, and Jake Sessanna, who performed at the special occasion. The group creates pop and rock songs that are heavily accented by guitar chords.

    Fredonia Rocktoberfest
    Cooler Band

    Aileen (Alley), Cooler’s vocalist and bassist, opened up on details around the music, performances and influences of the band:

    Heather Occhino: When did Cooler form and who else is in the band?

    Alley Sessanna: We started in 2014. Our current lineup is me on vocals and bass, Nick on guitar and vocals, and Jake on the drums.

    HO: How would you describe the music of Cooler?

    AS: Dream-o. We really love heavy guitars and emotional lyrics people can relate to with a catchy melody of course.

    HO: How was your performance at Rocktoberfest? Have you played SUNY Fredonia before?

    AS: We’ve played at Fredonia before, but not for this specific event. We play at Fredonia any time we can. There’s just something special about the music scene.

    Fredonia Rocktoberfest
    Cooler at Rocktoberfest

    HO: It seems like your most recent work is your single “Cringe.” Is this what you performed at Rocktoberfest?

    AS: We did! If you’ve ever laid in bed at night and had intrusive thoughts about something embarrassing you did 10 years ago, this one’s for you.

    HO: Are there any artists who’ve inspired you or influenced your sound?

    AS: All three of us have very different music tastes, but some common ground bands are Smashing Pumpkins, Tigers Jaw, Pity Sex, Now Now, Mansions, and Pinback.

    HO: When and where Cooler’s next performance?

    AS: December 2nd at Mohawk Place with Quit Yourself, Amateur Hockey Club, and BP & the Oil Spills.

    Single by Cooler, “Cringe (Reprise)”

    Fredonia’s own Relentless Moisture, a post-psychedelic musical ensemble also played at Rocktoberfest, bringing with them an experimental sound as their foundation. The group described the concept behind ‘moistcore’ and much more in their chat with NYS Music.

    Fredonia Rocktoberfest
    Relentless Moisture at Rocktoberfest

    Heather Occhino: In your bio for your Instagram and Twitter account, I saw that you included that your band is a moistcore band. Can you define ‘moistcore’ and how does that correlate with your group’s name?

    Relentless Moisture: Moisture is something you can’t exactly describe, but you know it when you hear it. Sounds can absolutely be wet. Moisture is a mind set. 

    HO: How would you define the music you make?

    RM: …Moisture.

    HO: Are there any artists, whether rising or prominent, who’ve influenced your sound or who’ve inspired you creatively?

    RM: There’s a lot of Ween mentality to the music, and there’s hints of Deftones, Nirvana, Michael, Nickelback, and the Big Bopper. Alongside Rihanna, those are our major inspirations. It’s actually mostly Rihanna and Shakira.

    HO: How was your performance at Rocktoberfest? Was this your first time performing at the event/SUNY Fredonia?

    RM: This was our first non acoustic show on campus and certainly our first time playing at Rocktoberfest, and we loved it. The crowd was awesome, and we didn’t expect people to mosh but they certainly did. Also, Saint Blind and Cooler were amazing.  We love playing music, and we love performing.

    HO: When is your next show?

    RM: We are pulling up to Stamps in Tonawanda on January 13, it’s like 40 minutes off campus, absolutely come down if you can and get stamped.

    thirteen creatures by relentless moisture

    SAINT BLIND, a Buffalo-born alternative/indie rock and synth-pop musician (real name Aaron) is a musician familiar with the Fredonia music scene and played Rocktoberfest. He has previously performed at the Main Street Studios and interacted with music lovers there, as was the case on Saturday, October 15th, when he shared the stage with other alternative bands Karrot Kake and Personal Style.

    Five days after the Fredonia concert, on the evening of November 3, notable Buffalo venue Nietzsche’s hosted live performances by a trio of up-and-coming bands, Power Creep, Breakfast Beers, and RAM! The three bands also sat down with NYS Music to discuss their backgrounds, creative outputs and shows delivered in Buffalo.

    Liam Slater and Jon Andrews are part of the Buffalo-based rock band Power Creep, fronted by singer Tyler Will. Power Creep has two debut singles that were published this year, the most recent, “Defy Belief” from July and “Hideous,” which was released in February.

    Fredonia Rocktoberfest
    Power Creep Band

    In a taped interview, the band’s frontman Tyler Will went into further depth about the history of the foundation of the group, the band’s released works, and their show at Nietzsche’s.

    https://youtu.be/e8vM6iU1s9c
    Interview with Lead Singer of Power Creep Band, Tyler Will

    Justin McKernan, Alex Couturier, and Jacob McKernan of the three-piece band RAM!, are also from Buffalo, and are all blood-relatives. Following RAM!’s formation in 2020-the year the pandemic broke out–the group’s debut album, Mr. Russo’s Class on Teaching a Generation, was released in August 2021.

    RAM! Band

    In a recorded conversation, RAM! discussed the band’s music, the challenges being a budding band from Buffalo and the group’s formation.

    https://youtu.be/k_ACYKToGf0
    Interview with Members of RAM! band

    The eight-piece rock group Breakfast Beers are based in Buffalo and call Nietzsche’s home, as well as Philadelphia.

    Breakfast Beers members Andrew Ajaka, Darren Valdera, and Paul Guardiola, talked about how their band came to be, their musical influences, and their live performances.

    Heather Occhino: I read on your website that your band is based in Buffalo, NY and Philadelphia, PA. Can you elaborate on how this is?

    Darren Valdera: Well, when Breakfast Beers first started we were 9 people and due to school and life we’re a little separated right now. Two of our members (Sofia Fasullo and Matt Guardiola) are currently going to school in Philly, and have the capacity/permission to play as Breakfast Beers if they wanted to. So we’ve got two “branches” of Beers HQ so to speak.

    Andrew Ajaka: Also Darren and I are originally from NYC!!

    HO: What led you guys to form your band?

    DV: (I feel like someone else can answer this better than me but…) PORCHFEST!! An event in the community we lived in – in Binghamton where anyone with a porch can sign up their porch for festivities or enter to play at a specific time slot on a porch. I was originally planning to just come and watch it but the week of, Andrew asked me if I wanted to play a song or two with them and I joined Breakfast Beers!

    AA: Yea Porchfest was for sure a big part of it, but it really started during the pandemic! Paul and I were living together in Binghamton and were playing a bunch of music with our roommate Jacob Parker, and started very loosely writing stuff together with our roommate Hannah Nathanson. Moving in with Sofia Fasullo and deciding to do Porchfest were really the deadline; we all needed to really focus on our instruments and come together as a band that was actually prepared to perform live for an audience.

    Fredonia Rocktoberfest
    Breakfast Beers Members [from left to right], Sofia Fasullo, Andrew Ajaka, Paul Guardiola (on drums), Darren Valdera (wearing hat) and Jacob Parker (Photo Credit: Sullivan Harris)

    HO: Are there any artists/bands who inspired you to make music and/or influence your style of sound in your music?

    DV: A band I’d say that inspired us to make music is the Droogz (shoutouts to them for FINALLY putting out their first EP). Their music and stage presence is just insane. They’re all little rockstars. And just everyone in the local Binghamton scene is so inspiring, and our music really is an amalgamation of everything we listen to. My current rotation of artists are Pinkshift, Hello Sleepwalkers, and Good Game.

    AA: I feel like we’re constantly talking about all the ways the music we’re listening to at the time sort of bleeds its way into our writing in different ways. Sweet Pill and Carly Cosgrove have been heavy on my rotation lately and their new records have been super inspirational for me.

    Paul Guardiola: I definitely draw a bunch of inspiration from other local bands we see and play with. There are so many cool people in the northeast making really inspiring music, and being able to digest it while we’ve been growing as artists has been a big part of how I write. Shoutout to Bunk, Happy To Be Here, Stay Off The Fence, Dirty Band-Aid, Feeble Little Horse, Bug, and Waxgirl. We also have a whole 8 hour playlist of all our different favorite songs and inspirations on our Spotify page.

    HO: You had a show as part of Foxhead Fright Night on Saturday, Oct. 29. How was your experience performing at Main Street Studios? Do you think events like Fright Night allow for your listening/fan base to grow?

    BB: It was super sick! The venue was super cute, and everyone’s costumes were adorable. It was also a blast to meet all the heads running Foxhead and to see Ozymandias rip some Black Sabbath that night! 

    AA: For sure! Events like Fright Night give us the opportunity to play our music for people and show them who we are and what we care about. Hopefully that begins to invite people into the community we are trying to create between us and our audiences. It was a super fun time playing for Foxhead Fright Night! Shoutouts to everyone at Foxhead for having us join them, everyone’s costumes were awesome and the venue was so cool!

    DV: Events like Fright Night are definitely one of the main ways we grow as a band! It puts us in touch with cool artists who we can play with/plan events with again and lets us share our art and sound with new people who might vibe with us.

    HO: Do you have any upcoming work to be released soon?

    DV: Hopefully! We have a lot of songs in our rotation that are done that we just haven’t recorded yet. Some of them you heard at Foxhead Fright Night like Crabapple and Post Modern Baseball Reunion Tour Pt. 2. (Taylor’s Version). We’re taking a short writing/recording period break for December through January so hopefully we’ll have some new things to release by then.

    PG: Yeah nothing official to announce yet but we’re always writing new material to play out, and finding time to record when we can.

    The Western New York music scene has been home to bands like Goo Goo Dolls, Ani Difranco, Rick James, Aqueous, and dozens more. Artists including Breakfast Beers, Relentless Moisture, Cooler, SAINT BLIND, Power Creep and RAM! are among the next generation of bands from the greater Buffalo/Fredonia music scene. Catch them at clubs while you can!

  • Billy Bragg talks the Passing of Queen Elizabeth II and Playing in Troy for the First Time

    Billy Bragg, the English singer, songwriter and left-wing activist, blends folk, punk and protest music with lyrics that address political and romantic themese. Forming the punk rock band Riff Raff in 1977 and touring London pubs and venues, the band did not receive wide exposure from singles that were released, leading Bragg to become disillusioned with his music career. In 1981 he joined the British Army but after three months, bought his way out of the army for £175 and returned home, having never served in a regiment as a soldier. From there, Bragg made music his career.

    billy bragg

    For more than three decades since, Billy Bragg has had milestones including topping the singles chart, having a street named after him, delivering a seminar on accountability at the Bank of England and meeting the Queen. RadioRadioX interviewed Billy Bragg ahead of his performance at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on October 12.

    RadioRadioX: It’s very nice to be talking with you. How have you been?

    Billy Bragg: Not too bad and you? 

    RRX: Things have been weird but okay.

    BB: Things have been weird here as well.

    RRX: So, you’re in the UK right now?

    BB: I am indeed and you’re in Troy?

    RRX: Close to Troy, I’m actually right across the bridge.

    BB: That’ll do for me. 

    RRX: So, you’re coming to the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on October 11th with Alice Phoebe Lou as the supporting act. We’re excited to have you. And this is a US/Canada tour that you’re kicking off. Are you excited about that?

    BB: I am, I’ve never been to Troy before. It’ll be a first time for me. I’m looking forward to having a stroll around between sound check and the gig to see the place. 

    RRX: It’s an interesting historical theater, going back in time. This is a place where Ella Fitzgerald would’ve been standing on that stage. 

    BB: I love those kinds of gigs. We have some in London where Charlie Chaplin and the Marx Brothers performed, you know, old theaters. I always love playing in those places.

    RRX: Traveling wasn’t so easy back then.

    BB: That’s true. I think they probably relied on the railroad a lot more than we do.

    RRX: Absolutely. You’ve been described as a singer/songwriter and activist. I’ve got to address it and it’s big news. How does the queen’s passing affect someone like you?

    BB: It’s very strange. On an emotional level I’ve found it has affected me quite a bit because my parents, like the queen, were both born in the 1920’s. They both passed away now but with the queen dying it’s kind of the end of their presence in our lives, that generation. They’re not just any generation, they are the generation that lived through the second world war. It’s a generation that rebuilt our country, quite an important generation. She was like the final representative, who was still in our national life and whose role in the war still resonated. So, on one level, I feel it, I really feel it and on the other side there’s the legacy of the British Empire and the role the monarchy plays in our society, that really we should be able to question. You know? King Charles will be crowned next year with a crown that most of the jewels on it have been stolen from someone. 

    RRX: Right.

    BB: But I can tell you right now that we won’t be able to have a discussion about that. It’s unfortunate because there’s probably not a better time before they’re putting the damn thing on his head. So, it’s not just a single feeling. I posted something about this on Facebook and a lot of people are having similar feelings. Feelings of sense of loss but also a need for reform, to talk about the way the modern monarchy is in our lives and to deal with the legacy of the British Empire. That discussion is like the legacy of slavery in the United States of America. 

    RRX: Sure.

    BB: There are people that refuse to recognize what effect it’s had on our society. Increasingly there are people who want to discuss that legacy and I’m hoping that the change, the death of the queen will allow us to begin that discussion. It’s going to be a painful discussion but equally it’s one that we really need to have if we want to be able to live in the diverse society that we are. There are so many people in our country, particularly people of color because their parents were part of the British Empire, they came that way. The other weird thing is that the death of the queen has ramifications beyond our borders. These are very interesting historical times but at the moment we’re all a bit amazed it’s come to this because we’re so used to her being there. It would be like if Dwight Eisenhower was still president of the United States or still around and turned up on your TV every Christmas and said a few words about the world. It would be very weird if suddenly he wasn’t there. So, a mixture of feelings really, Rob.

    RRX: Couldn’t have said it better. So obviously you’ve got this tour coming up, anything else on the horizon for you?

    BB: Yeah, next year will be the 40th anniversary of my first album. So, I’m currently knee-deep in my archives pulling together tracks for that. 2024 will be the 40th anniversary of my first visit to the United States of America. The changes I’ve seen in that time are just incredible. When I first came over I opened for Echo and the Bunnymen.

    RRX: That’s cool.

    BB: It was cool. It was amazing. I just sat on the back of their bus, and we drove around East Coast lakes, New Orleans, Texas, it was incredible. There were places we went on that tour that I’ve never been able to find again. That’s why it’s going to be interesting coming to Troy because I don’t know anything about Troy. When I came for the first time to North America it was all new. A couple of years ago I did a tour with a new pedal steel player (CJ Hillman), all of his life he’s been obsessed with America, but he’s never been there. It was so great touring with him because everything was new to him. We ended up somewhere in Arizona, I can’t remember exactly where it was now, but we had a day off. He and I went walking off to find a record store, of course.

    RRX: Of course.

    BB: We stood at this traffic light and a guy pulled up on a big motor bike, it might have been a Harley and he had flip flops and shorts on and that was about it. CJ said to me, “Bill, the thing about America is it’s just so American, isn’t it?” I’m now working on avoiding the part of America that I hate the most… that of course is the airports.

    RRX: (Laughs) Yeah, no kidding, they’re terrible. 

    BB: Buffalo I haven’t been there since 1985 with R.E.M., so I’m looking forward to that. I’m just trying to keep it interesting. It’s a job like anything else. I don’t want your readers to imagine I’m living some kind of fabulous rockstar lifestyle. It is a schlep, even in England it’s a schlep. Someone once said they pay me for the travel, I do the gigs for free. So, cutting that (airports) out, not just for my benefit but for the environment as well, means that there will be more visits to places like Troy. Places I’ve never been or haven’t been for a long time, keeps it interesting for me.

    This interview with Billy Bragg originally appeared in The Xperience Monthly

  • Homeward Bound: The Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame to hold Grand Opening on November 25

    long island hall of fame
    Ernie Canadeo

    Thanksgiving is a time for homecomings, reminiscing, laughter and song. After 18 years, The Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame will have their homecoming on November 25th in Stony Brook.

    I had the opportunity to interview Chairman Ernie Canadeo on the latest episode of The Long Island Sound Podcast. You can join the conversation right here. 

    The organization was formed in 2004, by educators and musicians who really, really have a passion for music. And they created it to preserve and celebrate Long Island’s musical heritage

    Ernie Canadeo

    Grand Opening

    Joan Jett

    The Hall of Fame will feature world-class displays and unique memorabilia that showcases Long Island’s rich and diverse musical and entertainment history. This past week Joan Jett’s classic Jaguar will be on display along with other donated memorabilia from Billy Joel, Twisted Sister, The Good Rats, Debbie Gibson, Blue Oyster Cult, and from the families and estates of Harry Chapin, Guy Lombardo, John Coltrand and so many more. 

    The Hall of Fame and Museum is open Wednesdays-Sundays from noon to 5pm. The first exhibit, created by world-renowned designer Kevin O’Callaghan, is titled “Long Island’s Legendary Club Scene – 1960’s-1980’s and is designed to be “a club crawl” through  Long Island’s legendary 60’s, 70’s and 80’s club scene. 

    The Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) is dedicated to preserve Long Island’s musical heritage for future generations. To date the organization has inducted more than 100 musicians and music industry executives and also offers educational programs, scholarships, and awards to Long Island Students and educators. 

    Besides supporting future musicians, Chairman Canadeo spoke to the healing power of music and how LIMEHOF will be partnering with one of their sponsors, Catholic Health Services:

    We will be partnering on a program called Health and harmony next year, where we will be sending musicians and comedians and bold types of entertainers into senior centers into hospitals.  

    Ernie Canadeo

    During the interview on The Long Island Sound podcast Erne and I both recognized the pent up need to reconnect with the community after the quarantine and Covid. There is great pride in being a Long Islander, and recognizing the wellspring of talent in the region. I invite you to review the List of over one hundred LIMEHOF Inductees over the past years, it’s quite remarkable. 

    Grand Opening in Stony Brook

    Simon and Garfunkel (inducted 2008) and their song Homeward bound is so appropriate for the emotions surrounding this Grand Opening:

    Home, where my thought’s escaping. Home, where my music’s playing. Home, where my love’s lie waiting, silently for me, silently for me.

    Simon & Garfunkel

    Everyone needs a place to call home. Now the musician and entertainment community with roots on Long Island have a place to call home in Stony Brook. With the rotation of new exhibits, the Hall of Fame is sure to attract musicians, students, educators and those headed homeward bound. 

    During this holiday season, let’s be generous with our joy, and let the music take us on a journey.

  • An Interview with Stigmata and Murderer’s Row Singer Bob Riley

    Bob Riley is a singer extraordinaire, in more than one groundbreaking hardcore band, blazing a smoke strewn trail from Troycore to New York Hardcore. He’s fury and force, and a guy who sits down with his morning coffee and enjoys the peace of Motown with the waking dawn.

    One of the enduring mysteries of music, all art really, is that the performer exists and the person exists, and if you didn’t know both of them, you might not guess one would inhabit the same flesh and bone of the other. Art gives people a chance to step out of the confines of who they are, who an orderly society needs them to be, and become who they need themselves to be, and in that transformation, a little magic escapes to the crowd.

    bob riley

    RadioRadioX: Murderer’s Row is the name of your band. It’s a historical term, coming from a bad section of the tombs in New York City, and also a fearsome section of the 1927 Yankees lineup with Ruth and Gehrig. Was there a tie or a nod back to the history of the phrase, or is the idea of a Murderer’s Row just universal?

    Bob Riley: No, Murderers Row is definitely a nod at the Ruth, Gehrig Yankees lineup of 1927. The original lineup of Murderers Row would get together every Sunday to rehearse and watch the Yankees game. We would play during commercials. I suggested the name knowing it had been used here and there in the past but seeing as how we are Yankee fan New Yorkers and live three hours from the stadium that we would use it. Bring it home back to NY!

    RRX: Murderer’s Row, by all accounts, would be considered Troycore. There’s a lot of sentiment surrounding all things Troy, and Troycore has a deep vein. But what does it mean? Is it a situation of everybody living in Troy, so a geography, or is it a unique sound, like Muscle Shoals or Chicago blues?

    BR: There has always , long before me, an us vs them attitude with Troy people. South Troy against the World is an old saying long before my dad and his friends were using it. It most certainly stems from Troy having so many factories back in the day. The “Collar City”, as we are nicknamed, was and still is very working class. Also, the “Home of Uncle Sam” Working people are tough and proud and that’s Troy in a nutshell. It’s only natural that angry proud music is made by Troy people. We labeled ourselves “Troycore” to say, “Hey, we are the outcasts of the outcasts, and we are proud of it!” There’s some old school people who believe that the original five Troy bands Cranial Abuse, Dead End, Final Terror, Direct Attack and Rude Awakening was Troycore and that’s it period it’s over. I don’t agree at all. I love that these newer kids in bands are flying the Troycore banner keeping it alive!

    RRX: You been down the long road with hardcore and punk. Cranial Abuse, Stigmata, Murderer’s Row and more that I don’t know, more that maybe no one except the people in the room knew about. You’re in a good band then you’re in a good band; you’re in three, then maybe it’s you who got something. What’s the secret to having something?

    BR: I’ve been involved in music my whole life at this point. I love what I do and it shows. People can sense that, especially a live audience. You can’t fake it. I’m so happy and very lucky I have people who want to make music with me. I’m so happy I have people buying our music and coming to see us play. Music has given me so much it has gotten me around the world many times. And I’ve met so many great people. I love what I do so maybe it’s just as simple as that!

    RRX: Hardcore gets a bum rap among the pleasant folks in the PTAs and the Homeowners’ Associations. Because those people listen to hardcore too. Violence and aggression, but people in the scene, people deep in the scene, including, have a pretty laid-back mindset. Is hardcore cathartic? If so, why do you think that is?

    BR: It’s easy to see outsiders see hardcore metal or punk as negative because sometimes, well, it is. It’s many different things to many different people. Hardcore gives you that platform to complain about your bad day that jerk who cut you off or that crappy 9 to 5 job or worse. For me it was to get my anger and negativity out. Yell it, scream it, pound it out as loud and as angry as possible into people’s faces. So yes, aggressive music can be very cathartic.

    RRX: You bring a ton of energy to the stage when you’re on it. And that; I can’t imagine its always easy. Do you have to prepare yourself, punch yourself in the face in front of the mirror backstage? Punch someone else in the face backstage? (kidding.) How do you go beyond just bringing a melody to the stage to bring a strong feeling?

    BR: Thank you for the compliment but nowadays I do a lot of pointing. I was more energetic was I was younger. Jumping off the stage into the crowd. Fell off the Saratoga Winners stage so many times. And bashing my head off the beam above the drum riser so hard I saw stars. As I’ve gotten older, I put together Murderers Row because I wasn’t so angry anymore and I could use my humor in my lyrics. I also wrote a song for my daughter called “My Little Molly”. If there’s violence in an Murderer Row’s song, and there is, I compare it to Three Stooges violence. Nowadays, I’d rather laugh than fight.

    RRX: Everybody thinks of match-ups. But let’s go a little weird. Instead of wishing you had such and such a person on drums, let’s say you could have a nameless drummer that is a master of one kind of fill. Can you give us that? Not people, but specific talents. What specific instrument talents would you want in a dream team?

    BR: That’s a good question because I’ve made music with a lot of amazing musicians over the years people who played in big named bands. Machinehead, Possessed, Danzig, Biohazard, Cromags and even Glen Campbell. I’m going to mention some names and only those living. If I was to put together a heavy rock kinda band dream team for myself Phil Rudd: drums, Harley Flanagan: bass, Tom Warrior: rhythm guitar, Michael Schenker: lead guitar.

    RRX: Here’s where you answer the question I didn’t ask. Comments or remarks? Hype and promo? Educate, enlighten, emote – the floor is yours.

    BR: Keep making music, live hard, love hard, work smart, make mistakes but learn from them! Have fun always all ways! Thank you, Liam, and Xperience!

    This interview was originally published in The Xperience Monthly.

  • Como Brothers Emote Passion and Persistance, Delivering Sweet Harmonies

    The recipe for success in the music business starts with honing your craft. Add the right ingredients rooted in passion and persistence, rightaway top it off with a consistent social media presence and you’ve got a winning combination. To put it mildly, the Como Brothers Band is cook’n. 

    It’s Kismet

    It was Kismet that I discovered the Como Brothers when they performed in Bay Shore. While at Fire Island Vines, a relatively new wine and craft beer bar that profiles original music, I was approached by the owner.  This particular evening I came to hear Gene Casey, another one of the fantastic guests on The Long Island Sound podcast. I was greeted by Antonio, who said if you like Gene Casey, you’re gonna love the Como Brothers!

    Harken the Harmonies

    What caught my ear were brothers Andrew and Matt’s vocal harmonies. The music had a familiar rock/pop sound. When they were four to five songs into the set, I realized these guys were pumping out some great original music.  As fate would have it, I “checked in” on Facebook, and soon, my daughter Fatih recognized the brothers as the sons of her math teacher, Mr. Como in High School. Como the senior would play his son’s music on occasion in class a decade earlier.

    Curiosity Clinches

    Curious about the artists behind the music and this kismet connection with my daughter, this had to be some sort of sign to investigate.  A quick Google search of the Como Brothers, increased my curiosity as a plethora of songs and collaborative music videos appeared.

    After a short conversation the Brothers Como agreed to be on The Long Island Sound podcast. The famous broadcaster Paul Harvey would opine, “And now the rest of the story” can be found in the latest episode of the podcast.

    como brothers

    Content is King Backed up by a Queen

    Fascinated by the wellspring of music that comes from Long Island, I am intrigued by the exposure artists receive or lack in the marketplace. The Como Brothers seem to have the success recipe nailed down. Maybe it is the Social Media generational divide that is the disadvantage for many artists. For the Como Brothers Band, Social Media is their superpower. 

    If you take a look at their website, you’d be amazed at the exposure they’ve gained in the marketplace surprisingly in a relatively short period of time. Whether it was being featured in a Canon trade show commercial, or having their music featured on Keeping up with the Kardashian’s, and MTV”s Real World, these guys seem unstoppable.  

    Secret Ingredient

    When I asked about their social media presence, both Matt and Andrew heaped praise on Matt’s fiance Tatiana. 

    Tatiana is super, she’s actually super involved in what we do not from a songwriting perspective, but she films all of our music videos,  helped  set up on our website, our online shop. So she has type A, and she’s a band member’s dream. She’s like the Anti Yoko Ono!

    Andrew Como

    In promoting any artist or creative on the web, I’m intrigued at what seems to be successful. Whether it is deciphering the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) or understanding what a particular platform’s algorithm likes to see, I’m happy to integrate and learn something new. 

    como brothers

    Collaboration is Key

    The common denominator with the video on the band’s site seems to be like-minded collaboration.  Sam Woolf, one of the contestants on American Idol, joins the Como Brothers in several videos. Sam’s pop sound blends well with the band, accentuated by Andrew’s creative guitar licks.  The humility of the brothers is by their willingness to explore and share their talent with other artists.  The collaborators behind the scenes read as a Who’s Who of industry professionals backing up the production of the band’s endeavors. Industry legends grace various tracks. There’s drummer Steve Jordan (John Mayer, Saturday Night Live band, Late Night with David Letterman), keyboardist Andy Burton (Little Stephen & the Disciples of Soul), Aaron Sterling (Taylor Swift), and many others.

    Sam Woolf como brothers

    How can two young brothers make the industry connections that lead to collaborative projects?  I asked them how do you do it? How were you able to connect with Sam Woolf or Kayla Stokert or the many other notables on your tracks? The simple answer I surmise, is that they’ve worked hard traveling and gigging around and they just seem to be nice guys. Artists willing to take the collaborative leap and say, “let’s give it a go”. 

    The two words that came to my mind when I encountered the Como’s was passion and persistence. As full time musicians with a creative need, they pump out content with Tatiana’s helping hand.  Together they  package it up into video and social media posts, ever increasing their growing list of fans.  I can see their consistent creative content calling me back to discover what they’ve been up to each week. 

    You can find more on their YouTube Channel, Instagram site and Spotify playlist. Call it Kismet,  by looking into my crystal ball, I can see the day when I’ll recount, “you know I knew them way back when.”

  • An Interview with NYC Artist Craig Greenberg

    Native to New York City, Craig Greenberg has been heavily involved in the region’s music scene for over a decade and a half. Greenberg has channeled the spirit of classic alternative and soul musicians, such as Billy Joel, Ben Folds and Randy Newman, while blending their influences with new narratives concomitant to his experiences, in his music.

    Craig Greenberg

    While his performances on stage in New York City-based venues have harnessed crowds of music fans in the Metro area, the timeline of his works begins in 2007, after the release of his rock debut EP The World and Back. Three years later, his second debut EP Spinning in Time receiving national airplay helps to conjure momentum to his career, following his third release (as well as his first full length album) The Grand Loss & Legacy being covered by Huffington Post and ranking the top of RELIX’s Top 30 Radio albums chart.

    2015 “The Grand Loss & Legacy” Album Cover

    His 2020 album Phantom Life carries tracks conveying a blend of sounds derived from pop and rock, and lyrical sentiments wielding an axis on life obstacles and opportunities. The Between the Sea and the Sky EP is set to be released on December 16, 2022.

    Greenberg’s most recent piece is his single “Quarantine Queen” from September, 2022, which emerged from the period of the COVID-19 pandemic and touches on the frustrations he experienced in his dating life, living in NYC. Craig sat down with NYS Music to discuss his discography and upcoming release of Between the Sea and the Sky.

    Heather Occhino: I came across your website and I was reading your bio just to find out more about your background as an artist, so I wanted to ask you, what made you initially pursue a career in music?

    Craig Greenberg: Well I actually feel the path chose me..  When I graduated from college and I was mainly just a guitar player I didn’t think I was up for the lifestyle of being a musician.  I tried out other creative areas (including comedy writing) and also considered studying creativity for a graduate degree in psychology.  It wasn’t until I finished my first few full songs that it started to click in my head that I could actually do it.  And then a couple years later when I got my first gig singing in bars (while living abroad in South America), that was my no turning back point.

    HO: I read in your bio that your independent work of pop/Americana music started with your ‘The World and Back’ EP back in 2007. What drove you to make music within that genre (were you involved in that music scene growing up?)

    CG: I didn’t set out to make music in that genre.. I just got labeled that way.  I actually think “Americana” is used as a default when there isn’t a more apt description or if the reviewer is lazy (lol).  As far as the “pop” description, I think I’ve always had a good sense of writing hooky melodies, so maybe that’s where that came from.  

    HO: Going more into your biography on your website, I also saw that your debut album, “The Grand Loss & Legacy” was included in a publication by the Huffington Post and received national airplay and was ranked in another publication as being in the Top 30 Radio albums. (Congratulations) How did that momentum impact you and what did it mean for your career, moving forward from that point? 

    CG: Well it certainly put me on the map in terms ofindustry recognition.. especially from the singles “That Girl is Wrong for You”, and “Death on the Liberty Line” that got praise from the HuffPost and Relix magazine and received airplay around the country.   And that album also gave me confidence to move closer to what my band sounds like live, a more raw and rocking sound. That was rewarding and liberating!

    HO: Your latest single that came out last month on the 30th is called “Quarantine Queen”. Is it intended to be about anyone in particular, perhaps someone dear to you in your life? 

    CG: Well, sometimes my songs are true stories, sometimes they’re based on a true story, and sometimes they’re complete fiction. Quarantine Queen would fall in the last category.  It came out of a lonely period during the early days of the pandemic in NYC.  I was frustrated with the reality of dating during those weird times and wrote a song about my dream companion to spend lockdown with.

    HO: Is this song set to be part of your upcoming EP to be released in December?

    CG: Yes

    HO: I read that your music reflects the experiences you are going through. That leads me into my next question, which is, do you find that the emotional tones you inject in your music are part of a more spontaneous creative process or do you usually plan prior on what type of energy a project is going to deliver?

    CG: I find that the emotional feeling in my songs can come out of my experience, but also could be just a mood I’m in, but for sure it’s never planned in advance–I never sit down and say I want to write a song about this or that topic.  Generally I sit at the piano (or guitar) and just see where the feeling in the moment takes me.  Though when making an album, the songs I choose to record may be based on wanting to have a variety of mood and energy to give it range.

    HO: When and where do you plan on performing next?

    CG: Rockwood Music Hall, Dec 21st – it will be the EP release show!

    HO: In the last part of your bio, I read that you performed with prominent musicians such as Mike Gordon of Phish, Jackson Browne and Victor DeLorenzo from Violent Femmes. Do you plan on working with musicians like the ones just mentioned again and what has the experience of performing with big names given you?  

    CG: Well, I would jump at the chance to perform with any of them again.  Aside from Jackson Browne, who I’ve had the extreme privilege of getting to know a bit and performing with a few times over the years, the others were more random occurrences.  Victor DeLorenzo was at a songwriting event I attended for many years in the mid-west, and we have many musical friends in common, so there’s a decent chance our paths will cross again.

  • Gene Casey’s Alt-Country Music Captivates

    The simple definition of a troubadour is that of a poet bringing lyrics to song. Gene Casey’s music has been captivating the East-end of Long Island for decades. During the first week in November, I had the honor to interview Gene Casey on The Long Island Sound podcast. A self-defined Roots-Rock, Alt-Country musician, Casey and the Lone Sharks deliver a show to behold. Gene’s deep baritone voice smoothly moves between covers of Cash and Presley to his vast catalog of original songs. 

    Gene Casey

    The Lone Sharks – The Bar Band of the Hamptons

    Most of my interviews are done virtually, which provides a speed-dating type of vibe, which allows a deep dive into the artist behind the music. As luck would have it, Gene Casey and the Lone Sharks were playing in my backyard, at a venue in Bay Shore, called Fire Island Vines. The crowd thoroghly enjoyed the show and could not wipe the smiles off their faces.

    Well-known as the “Bar band of the Hamptons” Gene and his troupe ventured West. The Lone Shark’s lineup includes Chris Ripley (drums), Tom Hopkins (Upright Bass), Paul Scher (Tenor Sax)  and Gene Casey (Lead Guitar). Gene’s performance harkened my mind back to a time when a 1950’s  four-piece could provide the big sound and the simplicity of arrangement that draws you into another time and place, allowing you to forget the troubles of the day. 

    Stellar Performance

    I was captivated by Friday night’s performance. Gene is a master entertainer, connecting and cajoling the audience as several danced to his Rockabilly rhythms. His song, “I love what I do”, is a memorable diddy well worth the download. 

    The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame

    During Gene’s podcast episode, we were able to gaze into his songwriting process, his sojourns to Nashville, and adventurous career.

    In 2014, Gene and the Long Sharks received the Long Island sound Award by the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, “for contributions to the Island’s musical landscape.”  Over the years, Gene’s music has been on the soundtracks of television shows and featured films. Gene Casey has shared the bill backing legends of Rock & Roll acts such as The Band, Wanda Jackson and Bo Diddley

    Songwriting Style

    I queried Gene about his Alt-Country and Roots-Rock writing style:

    Writing a country song. And I liked that, because, you know, just get to the point, back up the point and move along. Lyrically, yep. And it’s not easy to do. Because there’s no filler, no waste, you got to be every syllable, every syllable in a Hank Williams song is there for a good reason. There’s nothing, no waste.

    Gene Casey

    Gene and the Lone Shark’s dance card is full these days. Besides the various gigs and shows Gene hosts “Down Home Country” on WUSB 90.1FM, as the alternate host for this long running radio program covering a century of Country Music every other Sunday. 

    If you want to Rock the Town during the holiday season, there’s one Rock & Roll Christmas show not to be missed at the Suffolk Theater in Riverhead, NY. This annual holiday event dubbed “A Rockabilly Christmas” features the great Jason D. William, his pumpin’ piano along with Gene and the Lone Sharks.

    You can find Gene Casey’s music right here on Spotify. Be sure to visit Gene’s website to find out where he’s playing next, and enjoy his episode on The Long Island Sound podcast. 

  • Gregory Dwane: A Music Industry Veteran Worth Emulation

    After interviewing dozens of music industry up-and-comers to bonafide professionals, there is certainly much to learn from Gregory Dwane who is a music industry veteran worth emulating. I was captivated by his song, “When You Say California”, which has a Tom Petty feel to it and was a great introductory track exposing me to want to dive deeper into his catalog. You can find Gregory Dwane on Spotify. 

    Gregory Dwane Smiles

    I had the pleasure to interview Mr. Dwane on The Long Island Sound podcast. This minstrel hails from a small town in North Carolina and ultimately settled into the New York City music scene in the 90’s.

    He’s a sort of a utility man in the music industry where the road to success is littered with its own detours and off ramps, Gregory Dwane is a survivor whose skill was to not only be good at his craft, but through an honest demeanor, made the best of the opportunities set before him.

     A Road Well Chosen

    Touring the world with Alanis Morrisette, Gregory Dwane worked with David Navarro, Macy Gray, Jane’s Addiction and Joan Osborne. The serendipitous twists and turns, set him on a trajectory from alcohol abuse to sobriety.

          “I went from thinking my world was over to touring the world”

    Gregory Dwane

    Dwane’s resume would detail skills in record engineering, producing, fine art,  singer/songwriting, jingle writing, and Country music entertainment. Sojourning from New York to Nashville, and from L.A. to Connecticut, provided this multi-talented music industry professional with a multi-dimensional group of experiences. HIs keen ear manages to guide an artist through the wormhole of production frustration to a fully produced album ready to launch on the market. 

    Alternative Country, a place worth the visit

    With a firm footing in the Alt-Country genre, Gregory Dwayne’s songwriting presents an artist weathered by life’s experiences moving from rebellion to redemption. After a short hiatus from the music business, it was his reinvention as a fine-art painter that would eventually lead him back to songwriting. 

    I want my MTV

    When I read Gregory Dwane’s EPK, I thought I spied a misprint. How could this rural North Carolinian be inspired by a combination of MTV, and the movie Beat Street and then move to New York City in the 90’s, finally settling in as an Americana and Alt-Country Singer/Songwriter?

    I believe what separates the creatives in our world from the rest of us, is that an artist acts on the muse and opportunities they find within reach. Gregory Dwane’s humility and good-nature seemed to open doors, as his cohorts recognized his honed craft, ultimately opening doors to further expose his art. 

    Gregory Dwane is unstoppable. While continuing to produce his own music, he has also applied his expertise as a producer for Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls as well as other artists. 

    During the interview, I found a skilled artist whose creativity could not be contained. Dwane mirrors the desire we have to find understanding and equilibrium in our lives. Enrich your playlists with his music, and you will not be disappointed.

Built in Breakdance