Heavy Hitters:
The Ithaca Heavy Music scene
by Klug
Seattle. Portland. Austin. These one-time Meccas of heavy music reached a point of critical mass before vanishing beneath the waves of hype and commercialism. Meanwhile the heavy scene around Ithaca has had a steady, vibrant presence for years and is still going strong. In this section we will explore many of the best hard rock bands Ithaca has to offer. The articles herein are all unique and provide insights as to what you can expect from our rich music scene. But reading about a band is like looking at a menu, there is no substitute for tearing into a steak. Any given weekend will convince you that the Ithaca heavy scene is the envy of the free world. See you in the front row!
Fairway
by Sean Kobuk
If you're not a die-hard member of the central New York indie punk scene, you may not have heard of Trumansburg's Fairway, that is unless you are one of the more than 20,000 friends the band currently has on myspace.com. Original members Zach Schoedel (bass, vocals) and Greg McClure (drums) started the band under the name The Degenerates with guitarist Noah Vella in 2001 while the two were students at T-Burg high. Five years, countless gigs, two guitarists and a name change later they have a strong lineup and even stronger material and are poised to break hearts and previous CD sales with their unique and extremely musical take on the indie/pop punk genre.
After releasing 2 EPs and a full-length CD as The Degenerates, the band parted ways with both Vella and second guitarist Justyn Brodsky. When Aaron Spinks joined the band at the end of 2005 he brought with him a previous connection to AUX Records, a Syracuse-based label run by SU Ph.D. candidate Ulf Auesterle. Ulf was impressed by the bandÕs material and the large fan base they had accumulated across the country through their myspace page, so he decided to release a six-song EP that the band had originally intended to be a demo.
The self-titled EP, recorded at Scott Nelson's Eocene Studio, is a bit of a departure from the pop punk sound the band had been known for. The new material sports complex song structures and rythms that bring them closer to indie rock and away from the simple pop punk formula. There are plenty of well-crafted vocal hooks and guitar counter melodies to be found and nice touches like the syncopated drum intro to Diablo en Musica,
and the strings in Open Minded Surgery
only hint at the depth of the musicianship and songwriting skills these guys possess. The band now has two videos for songs from the EP, It's the Law
produced by the East Coast Indie Film Crew/Taco Knight Records and Diablo en Musica
produced by Aux records and shot at local venue The Haunt.
As I write this, Fairway are writing material and getting ready to record a full-length CD as a quartet with newest member Travis Matheny on guitar (street date -- fall 2006). Check out the band online at www.myspace.com/fairwaymusic for tour dates, mp3s, videos, blogs and other assorted goodies.
Another Day Late
Ithaca Band Showing Major Prospects
by Vic Tif
In a period when the diction of cutting edge rock bands seems to have been lost or sacrificed to the effects of screaming, Another Day Late is a welcome reprieve. A listener could be pleasantly surprised to hear intelligent and strategically constructed melodies, rather than monotone screaming coming from the vocalist for the entirety of their live show.
The band's newest CD titled, Ambers and Embers, (recorded at Pyramid Studios in Ithaca by engineers Mike Parker and Alex Perialas) aptly conveys the originality of their innovative sound. Amber is the compound formed from the sticky resin, which oozed from trees millions of years ago, and it preserves what -organic and inorganic -- it originally encased. Embers, obviously are the remains of a destructive fire. This duality is a hallmark of their sound: immediately accessible and simultaneously impossible to pin down within any one category of still hot rock.
Vocalist Kohl Hegmann has a unique voice that grows on many listeners. It's reminiscent of a softer Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon or the currently popular band Placebo's Brian Molko. Scott Kircher plays guitar energetically and unpretentiously. He effectively executes a driving and pounding rock guitar sound while refraining at all of the appropriate times to deliver the original and heavy sound that is Another Day Late.
Drummer Josh Hubberman and bassist Marc Calderaro effortlessly provide the foundation for a sound that alternately pounds, shifts, transforms, thumps, segues and hums along all in just one song. As complex as that seems, their songs are readily approachable and could even be described as "radio friendly."
They're worthy of any fan of solid, tight mainstream to hard rock with lyrics you can easily understand on record. Live diction is always more challenging for rock, and ADL is as likely to be lyrically understandable as any on the rock stage.
A skeptic might ask just how accessible is ADL's version of rock? They won this year's huge online popularity contest on myspace.com, for member bands to play in the Taste of Chaos tour. They opened the show on March 9th as their prize.
If you enjoy rock of any influence and you want to maximize your listening experience, you would be remiss to not acquire Ambers and Embers-just released this June-and catch their performance at the festival, a local stop on their summer tour with Transition, spanning across the country this summer.
To heighten the live performance whenever it happens, readers can find tracks off of their latest CD, available at: www.myspace.com/anotherdaylate. Download and listen to contest winner This May
while you're there.
Because of the simultaneous creativity and freshness of their sound and its immediate accessibility, ADL has the feel of a band on the verge of exploding onto the national scene. Their stage presence and professionalism make them worthy of seeing anywhere, any time. Musefest attendees are fortunate to have them performing for them again this year.
King Snyder
Road to Recovery
by Pete Lussier
Last year I saw King Snyder at Musefest, Nickstock, and the Benevolectic Benefit -- and I was blown away each time. The band's musical talent, combined with Brad's frenetic energy, made me an instant fan. When Papa Muse asked me if I'd be interested in writing a feature article on King Snyder for Muse Magazine, he didn't have to wait long for my answer.
Despite having seen King Snyder three times last year, I had no idea that at that time Brad Baker, lead singer, and Chris Couse, lead guitarist, were in recovery and on the road to sobriety. Not having any firsthand knowledge of what compelled Brad into rehab, or what King Snyder was like prior to two of their members getting clean, I decided to give Brad a call. I hoped he would be willing to share a little of the deeply personal experience he had just gone through with our readers.
I learned from Brad that there came a point in his life, a crossroads perhaps, where he realized that he had to make a choice. He realized that if he continued to use drugs and alcohol, he might lose the dearest and closest things to his heart: his son, and his music. Here is Brad's story in his own words:
I knew I had a problem. For about six months before deciding to get help I was drinking a liter of JD (Jack Daniels) almost everyday. And even as I tried to stay away from the drugs, I always ended up going back for more. I was a mess. We had shows where I was so wasted I couldn't remember being on stage. I even passed out on stage a few times. I started relying on drugs to give me the energy to perform live and in the studio. I was drinking and drugging to the point that I could feel it taking a toll on my health (mentally and physically). Everyday I'd wake up and head straight for the bottle just to deal with my anxiety and the shakes. I couldn't function without booze. My muscles were constantly tight and in pain and my emotions were spinning out of control. I was in agony. I could tell that the strong foundation our band once had was beginning to crumble. Drugs and alcohol became more of a priority to me than our music. I was afraid that one of these times I would pass out and never wake up. Leaving my son without a father and my band without a singer. That's when I knew it was time to get help.
I voluntarily entered detox on August 15th of last year and spent four days in the hospital being treated for withdrawals. Shortly after I entered an outpatient rehab program where I spent five hours a night, three days a week for the next three months. It was a difficult process. I had to face who I really was deep down inside and deal with the reality I hadn't been a part of in a long time. I learned a lot about myself and the root of my addiction. Rehab gave me the tools to cope with my disease and deal with it one day at a time. It's a daily struggle but to this day I have maintained complete sobriety and I have no intention of returning to that hell in which I came from. I truly believe I was given a second chance and IÕm not about to scew it up!
So how have all these changes affected King Snyder? Is King Snyder going to be different somehow now that its frontman and guitarist are in recovery? Recovery is a slow process that takes commitment and time: attributes that this band has always relied upon in pursuit of their music. Most importantly, Brad wants their loyal fans to know that they have nothing to fear. King Snyder is here to stay and will continue to rock hard and evolve. Brad was very specific about using this term evolution
to describe the way he sees himself and King Snyder. Everything around us is in constant flux. You either adapt and survive, or you face extinction. There comes a time when you have to live life on life's terms. King Snyder will adapt to the changes we have made, and continue to move forward. We believe in our fans, our music, and ourselves. That will never change. Sobriety has given us a new found confidence to work harder at what we believe in and the clarity to keep us moving in the right direction.
Musefest is one of the rare dates that King Snyder will be playing this summer as the band works with a new perspective and continues writing new material for their first full length album. Check out www.kingsnyder.com for songs, videos, photos, and updates.
12 oz Muzzle
by Anitra Douglas
Kicking and screaming their way into the heavy rock scene is Ithaca-based band known as 12 oz Muzzle. In the year since their formation, 12 oz Muzzle has accomplished great things. Not only have they quickly developed a broad local fan base, in February 2006 they released a demo CD featuring tracks like Inner Child,
Gravity,
and Trust.
Then in the spring of 2006, the band collaborated with a New York City-based film crew to shoot video footage for a promotional video and DVD. The band is anticipating a late-fall 2006 release date.
a collage of melody supported by a base of gritty guitar rock.The only way to know is to hear it. Come experience 12 oz Muzzle at Musefest and expect the unexpected. The Members of 12 oz Muzzle are; Jimbo (Vocals/Bass), Luke (6-String Guitar), Neil (Drums), and Paul (Guitar). Their website www.12ozmuzzle.com is up and running, complete with track and mp3 downloads, band bios, photos, up-to-date information and much more.
AyurvedA
by Steve Rokitka
AyurvedA refers to a form of holistic medicine rooted in early Hinduism. It deals with care of the body, mind and spirit through consciousness of environment, intake and activity. Everything is paid attention to, everything is accounted for, and nothing is ignored.
AyurvedA doesn't look like other bands. They stand on stage without leather pants, tattoos, shaved heads or makeup, and without pretense or put-on charisma. Each of them has a disarming kindness in their eyes, which is what makes it so surprising when they stir crowds into frenzies like religious zealots in the throes of revival.
Drawing on traditions from Seattle grunge to Nepali folk to Swedish death metal, Ayurveda is changing the rules about what it means to play heavy music. Their onstage energy is electric, subliminal, sweet and vicious all at the same time. Their audience makes a connection in a way that's difficult with groups who distance themselves with a put-on image, and feels energized by the sincere and genuine charisma that comes with doing music for all the right reasons. Fans in Ithaca, Boston, New York and every place in between are seeing a new kind of rock: passionate, intense, soulful, and coming from people who mean it.
Since 2004, Ayurveda has gone from being virtually unknown to being a premiere band in Ithaca's thriving music scene. They have been featured in the Ithaca Journal, The Ithacan, The Buzz, and on 92 WICB (91.7 FM, Ithaca). Fresh off the release of their self-titled debut EP, Ayurveda is eager to rock this year's Musefest. To learn more about them, go to www.ayurvedamusic.com
Grooveyard
by Brad Baker
Hearing the name Grooveyard, the first word that comes to my mind is legendary
Grooveyard encompasses everything that hard rock is meant to be: loud, aggressive, and dangerously contagious. Living up to the name, this band offers truckloads of GROOVE!!! They have a sound that hits you hard, gets under your skin and takes up residence in your soul. The gritty vocals, tight drum rhythms, poppy bass and crunchy guitar work have a dramatic impact. This three-piece band featuring Kevin Cornish on guitar and vocals, Hodie
on bass, and Shane Holleran on drums, will knock you back with a wall of sonic energy moving at lightning speed.
Grooveyard was formed in the winter of 1993 when Shane and Hodie were in search of a frontman while jamming in a run-down hospital, renovated as rehearsal studios. During a break, they overheard some great riffs coming from the floor below. Heading down to check it out, they found Kevin blazing away on his guitar. Soon after, the three got together for an informal audition. Immediately they found a natural chemistry, giving birth to a sound unlike any of their previous endeavors.
With roots in Elmira, New York, Grooveyard has been an influence for countless regional bands for over a decade. One of my first performances as a singer in a rock band was opening for Grooveyard. From the moment I saw their show, I knew that writing and performing original music was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Grooveyard redefined my ideas of a local rock show, and they continue to inspire my musical achievements to this day. The way they captivate the crowd, igniting them into a frenzy, leaving them soaked with sweat and wanting more. There is no denying that Grooveyard is the real deal.
The heavy beat, fierce riffs and super catchy rhythm section infiltrate and hypnotize any size crowd. This is a band with the power and charisma to make a small town gig feel like a stadium experience.
This year will mark GrooveyardÕs first time performing at Musefest, and it will be the perfect forum to display their eclectic blend of hard rock, funk, soul, and groove. The band's schedule includes only a few select gigs in the area, so it will be a rare treat to experience what has kept this band in such high demand. For a taste of what you can expect from this one-of-a-kind powerhouse, check out www.myspace.com/grooveyardny
Bone Jar
by Maco Rodriguez
At the last Bone Jar show I went to, I actually sat there with pen and paper to take notes for this article. As the band, soundman and light person set up, the crowd is anxious. Some people are howling, and some seem to be doing mosh-pit warm-ups. Suddenly, singer Ozzy barks, Check
on his mic, in his full-throttle, heavy metal growl. Even the Bone Jar soundcheck is intense and heavy. The show has begun!
The stage explodes with a furious sound and emotional discharge as Bone Jar's music thrashes at our bodies with prickly textures and chakra-awakening grooves. I get a huge rush with the first beat on the very first song as well as goosebumps from head to toe. Their sound is dense and lacerative-you can almost feel it cutting your skin! Drummer DC Waite and bass player Darrell Harrington erect a thick wall of resilient groove, with thrusting drumbeats and propulsive bass lines. Rob McCarthy adds a jarring guitar layer made of corrosive sound textures while Ozzy gushes out wrathful, spiritual raps with a monster growl, like the scariest horror movie you ever saw. It is no surprise that Bone Jar fans go into mosh-pit mode from soundcheck until the very last encore. I think I speak for a lot of people in this town when I say, We love Bone Jar.
They put on what is rapidly becoming one of the best heavy rock shows in upstate New York, not only as solid musicians, but also as intensely passionate performers!
Bone Jar is currently planning a CD-release party for their first album, scheduled for Summer, 2006. Thanks to all the revenue they pull from shows you (we) attend, the band has been able to help finance the recording and mastering of the album at Ithaca's legendary recording complex, Pyramid Sound. The CD release party should be one of the most memorable events this year in our local scene. This party, if you will, can mark the day when Bone Jar at last has a concrete work of art to pitch to labels. Now they can do all those things that take bands to the level where they can support themselves by playing their music and sharing it. In this exciting time, what these guys want to express is complete gratitude to their families and friends for putting their 100% into becoming such a dedicated and rowdy fan-base-willing partners in what is quickly becoming the Bone Jar phenomenon.
Don't miss Bone Jar's set at Musefest 2006!
www.myspace.com/bonejar
www.bone-jar.com
