We love variety here at the RadioradioX family. We have some pretty damned weird cousins we hear from as they make their slow journey around the radio dial. Variety is the spice of life, and at least for me right now, the gumbo of life is The Purple Stuff.
With Matthew Pryce (guitar/vocals), Joshua Gruft (aka DJ MERCY!!! drums/production/style coordination), S. Mike Guagliardo (keyboard/lasers/dancing), and Mark “The Man” Musial (bass doom), The Purple Stuff opens sweet rifts through time and space in the stages of local venues, and they strive to satisfy every time they go out.
I sit with Matthew Pryce and we talk about the pizza in the fifth dimension.
The Purple Stuff.
RRX: Your music is very ephemeral, with everybody telling a story on their instruments, like characters that create a sci-fi scene. It feels “jam band,” but way more put together. When you all are laying down songs in the practice room, do you compose off of jams, or jam off compositions?
MVP: So far, I’ve been the primary song-writer, but we’re thankfully shifting further into group composition. I wrote all the tunes on the upcoming Funkify Your Mind EP (streaming everywhere on 4/19!), but our most progressive and adventurous song to date (Precaerious) is a tune that started from a sweet bass line contributed by Mark. We’ve worked together to arrange and rearrange stuff, and we usually let Josh make the final call on whether something works.
RRX: Purple Stuff plays the kind of music that a casual listener could just zone out to, and a die hard musician might want to pull the notes apart. You guys have a lot of experience and training, so how do you come up with a sound that makes everybody happy?
MVP: Thankfully, there are no ego issues in this band. We all take and give criticism when we feel it’s for the betterment of the song or the band as a whole. We have a great deal of experience playing a lot of different genres, and everybody in the band plays more than one instrument, so everybody comes from a place of knowledge with their comments. We certainly bust each other’s balls, but no one is a dick about it and we know it’s all in good fun. We’ve become a purple family pretty quickly and have good camaraderie. We all hang out with one another outside of band activities, so I guess we all like each other.
RRX: There are a lot of different sounds in there, and I don’t want to guess off the mark by telling you who I hear. We all channel our heroes, though, so who are each of you channeling when the lights are low and the volume’s just right?
MVP: I’d like to think we’re channeling the greater purple sound of the aforementioned fifth dimension. We all could point to dozens of musicians and bands that we love, and between us four – it’s an amazing mixed bag of influences. Mark never shuts up about Clay Parnell (Brothers Past), while Josh and I draw from some of the latest pop music. Mike loves jazzy jam bands like Lotus, Lettuce, and Galactic. All of this mishmash of stuff helps to color the sound in hues of mulberry.
RRX: So, Purple Stuff. It’s the well-known toss aside when a kid wants Sunny D. Also, a band in Family Guy when Wilford Brimley gunned down an out-of-control Teen Choice Awards. So, let’s hear it straight from you; where did Purple Stuff come from?
MVP: I had to look up that Family Guy reference because I had no idea about it. Suffice to say, it’s none of these things. It’s not a Chappelle reference, nor anything beyond loving the color. The long story is that I booked a string of shows a few years back. Without much naming inspiration, I was very against billing the band as “The Matthew Pryce Band” – a friend of mine suggested “Matthew Pryce and The Purple Stuff” which suited me a lot better. Now, we’re together as a four-piece unit so need to introduce myself in the title and that’s WHERE WE AT now.
RRX: I’ve seen video of Purple Stuff playing in Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Troy, and I’m getting the treat of listening to some songs that might not even be out yet. On the journey to greatness and notoriety, where are you guys right now?
MVP: Funkify Your Mind drops on 4/19, Six tracks of varied funk power and disco rock. That’s our first official release. We’re booking out into the fall now and have some fun gig stuff on the horizon. Pennsylvania, New Haven, Rochester – these are all in our sights beyond the Capital District. Another thing we’ve been doing is throwing these “Stream Parties” where we patch a soundboard mix into Facebook Live, have some friends over and broadcast the party live to our adoring fans on the interwebs.
Matthew V. Pryce
RRX: We’re catching a groove right now at RadioradioX, and that’s trying to help the next generation of musicians get a taste of what sun gets through our magnifying glass. What advice would you give someone who just made their first trip to the music store?
MVP: Damn, this question is kind of tough. I mean, I have a degree in music so suggesting they start at the beginning with Gregorian chant and work their way to Cardi B seems like a pretty pretentious answer. So, yeah, let’s go with that. Listen to it all. There is great music in all genres even inbred modern country has some sweet licks.
RRX: This is where you answer the question I never asked. Who do you love in the local music world right now? What do you have coming up for the rest of this year? The floor is yours.
MVP: Locally, we’re into a variety of stuff. We just played a great show with Teddy Midnight, electronic trance jam stuff – that’s really Mark & Mike’s domain. I’m heading up early to a show on Saturday to catch my buddy Lucas Garrett play his set at the same benefit. He’s got a new record coming out. Wavy Cunningham is a longtime collaborator of Josh’s – together they have a bunch of great hip hop records. Wavy will be a guest on an upcoming stream party too, so we can’t wait for that. As for us, we’re releasing this record, rehearsing new tunes, fanning out across the globe, drinking Saison, sharing Gritty memes on the internet, and trying to fill clubs with our infectious dance grooves. Get on the purple bus, it’s the purple party. You are invited.
It was funk night at the Rustic Barn Pub. Northampton, MA based group, Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan, featuring Albany NY’s Justin Henricks, brought out the funk as they welcomed in spring at their return to the venue.
Beau Sasser on Piano. Photo by Amy Modesti.
I wasn’t familiar with Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan before attending their show on Saturday night. I was encouraged by my friend Jody, to check them out. From what I learned about this group is that originally, the band members, coming from different groups, have joined together as one big super group. Since most of the members are from Western MA, Eastern MA, and Upstate NY, it is rare for them to come together to perform in the Capital Region. Since I never heard this group perform and knowing they were traveling from afar, I decided to go to the Rustic Barn Pub to watch their performance.
Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan featured musicians, Beau Sasser (vocals/ Hammond Organ), Dan Thomas (slide guitar), Jimmy “The Italian Stallion” Robitaille (drums), Ali McGuirk (vocals), and Justin Henricks (lead guitar/vocals) and together, this MA-NY band got their fans to dance and enjoy an evening of funk, blues, and soul on a snow-covered spring night.
“We’re keeping Aretha Franklin in our hearts,” called out McGuirk after covering her own unique spin on Bad Company’s ‘Rock Steady’. McGuirk and company throughout their two sets, paid homage to the late soul singer in their beautiful renditions of ‘Baby I Love You’, ‘(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman’, and ‘Save Me’!! Franklin’s music, especially in the genres of funk, blues, and soul, had made an impact on Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan. Through Sasser’s tasty piano solos and McGuirk’s sassy vocals, they were able to breathe new life into these iconic songs.
Since being in their current lineup for six months, the group decided to stick with playing cover songs for the show. Hearing the musical tightness of each cover song being performed, you wouldn’t realize that they’ve been an ensemble for only a short period of time. Their sets were tight and entertaining, and each song performed was covered with its own musical twist that was unique and captivating to their audience.
From their up-tempo disco- like version of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Signed Sealed Delivered’, playing a Frank Zappa tune that was inspired by both “Sticky Feet” and Sasser’s ‘Feeling Alright’ (Joe Cocker) piano rhythm, to a shortened, jazzy version of The Allman Brothers Band’s ‘Whipping Post’, it was interesting for me to watch and hear these iconic tunes being covered well by this band! Their cover of James’ Brown’s ‘Cold Sweat’, allowed me to observe the band’s chemistry and hear the outstanding soloing among Sasser, Thomas, Henricks, and Robitaille who played the drums with the additional assistance of a tambourine to make additional noise to the jam-based song.
Allie McGuirk on Vocals. Photo by Amy Modesti.
McGuirk returned to the stage for their final set to sing, ‘Can’t Hide Love’, ‘Taxman’ (The Beatles), ‘Love the One You’re With’ (Crosby, Sills, and Nash), ‘Save Me’ (Aretha Franklin) which included Thomas using his lighter as a slide to perform his solo since leaving his slide upstairs, among other 60’s-70’s inspired songs that were enticing! McGuirk, apart from her work in Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan, will be performing in Woodstock, NY on April 11, although little details are known about the time and venue of where her solo gig will take place. She announced her upcoming show towards the later part of the gig after performing a great rendition of ‘Taxman’.
It took me until their second set to warm up to the band once I had become acquainted with their song selection and their musical style of performing. Their musicality and the talent that each member expressed through their guitar riffs, piano soloing, and vocals left me feeling impressed. I even danced to their songs. Their audience and venue, moved by their music, wanted to hear the band perform two encore songs that they had never performed live; ‘Uncle Remus’ (Frank Zappa) sung by Sesser, and another song that I was unfamiliar with, featuring McGuirk on lead vocals, to close out the evening.
Spring fever sprung at the Rustic Barn Pub as Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan came into town to shake those winter blues away and to welcome spring with some good funk, blues, and soul.
We tried to exceed our expectations with the June 2019 Issue, and we are content that this one’s it. We have drummers Gary Burke and the Fleshtones’ Bill Milhizer, along with performer and friend-of-the-scene Chandler Travis. We’ve gone after established bands, new bands and features that we think you’ll be happy with. So check the places below over the next few days, since it takes a little while for an epidemic to spread, and we just unloaded the pick-up truck, our trusty “patient zero.” And as always, tip your waitstaff.
Lark Tavern Shogun Albany El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant Ben and Jerry’s Albany Savoy Taproom 1 Commerce Plaza Pauly’s Hotel The Low Beat Last Vestige The Lionheart Pub Oh Bar Shocker Tattoo Company Xscape Lark Street Tattoo Cafe Hollywood Bombers Burrito Bar LAX Restaurant & lounge Pint Sized (Albany, NY) Capital Wine & Spirits Albany
Lost and Found McGeary’s The Hollow Pearl St. Pub Excelsior Pub
Emack and Bolio’s Noho Pizza Daily Grind Coffee Pokey Bar
Druther’s Pint-Sized Brew Stacks Coffee House El Loco Mexican Madison Grille Hill street Cafe Patsy Barber Shop Modern Body Art Tattoo Stage Coach Coffee Smoker’s Choice State Street Public Parish House The Hollow Pearl Street Diner Dawn’s Victory Cafe Hampton Inn Suites Palace Theater Box Office
Troy
The Alehouse / Hangar Collar City Tattoo Brown’s Brewing Company Ryan’s Wake Dinosaur BBQ Whistling Kettle Bootleggers on Broadway Illium Cafe & Bistro Slidin’ Dirty Troy Footsy Magoos River Street Beat Shop Lucas Confectionery Artcentric – Pottery & Glass Studio in Benicia Market Block Books Platinum Tattoo Nighthawks Mcaddy’s Pub Daily Grind Muddaddy Flats The Ruck Rare Form Troy Kitchen Defazio’s Pizza Prism Glass Miss Dixie Tattoo
Carmen’s Cafe
Carmine’s Troy BID Office Troy Grooming Company Chatham Winery Beer Universe Beverage Mart Rensselaer County DMV
Konis Cafe
Placid Bakery
Footsie Magoo’s 518 Prints Spirits of Troy Wine & Liquor The Shop
I Love NY Pizza Manory’s Restaurant Wolff’s Biergarten Collar City Tattoo The Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Troy City Hall Love of fuzz music store Platinum Tattoo
Lansingburgh
The Scoreboard Forty One
Jimmy’s Pizza
Big Bellies Deli
Around Troy
Rustic Barn Emerald Club Villa Valenti Wynantskill Liquor American Legion Full Effect Tattoo Deli n Brew Tipsy Moose Restaurant & Bar Rocky’s Music Studio Avita Tattoo Zenbu Chinese Restaurant
Rensselaer
Skyline Diner
East Greenbush
Alexis Diner Jack’s Drive-In
Schenectady
Wolff’s Biergarten
Isopo’s Pizza
Boulevard Bowl
Katie O’Byrne’s
Centre St. Pub
Happy Cappucino
Ambition Cafe
Lorenzo’s Cafe
Drome Sound
Nico’s Pizza
Bomber’s Burrito Bar
Scotia
Legacy Tattoo
Mohawk Taproom
Music Trader
Saratoga
Ben and Jerry’s
Caffe Lena
Putnam Place
Parting Glass
D’Andrea’s Pizza
Saratoga Hookah Bar
Esperantos
The Bourbon Room
Saratoga Coffee Traders
Uncommon Grounds
Delmar
O’Slattery’s
Perfect Blend
Colonie
Professor Java’s
Eden Cafe
Warehouse BBQ
Wired
Latham
Galleria 7
Ring Around The Spectrum
76 Diner
Dinertime
Rafferty’s
Golden Crust
Menands
Kris’ Mid City Tavern
Il Faro
Watervliet
Bob’s Diner
Arsenal City Tavern
Patrick’s Pub
Muddy’s
Cohoes
Bill’s Restaurant
Tugboat Tavern
Spindles
Donny Magoo’s
LePage’s Market
Waterford
McGrievey’s Don and Paul’s Port of Call Consignments Corcoran’s Towpath Tavern Beer Belly Bob’s / Waterford Beverage Chrome Waterford Town Library
Girth Control wasn’t necessarily supposed to happen but then again neither was penicillin; I guess you could call it a happy accident.
The guys that make up Girth Control are actually three fourths of the still very active punk-Americana group, The Slaughterhouse Chorus. When lead vocalist and guitarist Chris had to take a break, Jay (Guitar), Bob (Bass) and Mark (Drums) still wanted to jam.
Jay: “So Chris got busy a few years ago, he bought a business and… ya know life kind of got in the way of the band a little bit. We slowed down, didn’t call it quits but we had to compromise and say alright we’re not going to play five shows a month, we’re not going to practice every week. So what are we gonna do? We’re going to start a dumb-ass, pop-punk, ska band, whatever it is. That’s where Girth Control came from.”
Mark: “We decided when we started the band that none of us could sing, so we all have to sing.”
Jay: “Chris Jordan, is the guy who can sing.”
Bob: “I think we all just got lucky that all three of us yelling at the same time sounds decent.”
Mark: “Yeah, somehow people don’t run, they don’t block or cover their ears. You only have to remember a third of the words. It’s less intimidating for us and people enjoy it. You never know where it (vocals) will come from next; did that come from heaven?”
RRX: “Hitting rewind to your teenage years, Jay, Bob and Chris were also members of the late ska band Public Access. The reason I bring this up, besides being a neat little factoid is because of the Public Access song “God Save the Scene.” This is lyric that has stuck with me.”
Jay: “I think I was probably eighteen when I wrote the words for that song; scene politics mean a lot more to you when you’re eighteen years old. It’s easier to find yourself in weird little clicks of bands that don’t get along with other little clicks of bands.”
RRX: “How do you feel about the local scene today?”
Jay: “What I think is really cool about Albany now is that everybody does seem to get along. We’ve done shows with bands that are very different from ours, bands that have what you would call scene-cred, that are hipper than what we are doing as a ska/punk band in 2019; it all seems to go over pretty well.”
Mark: “I feel like no one has any serious delusions because being in Albany you’re not gonna really “make it,” instead of trying to be something you’re not, everyone stays true to what they are. That’s the thing I like. It binds everybody together, i.e., you’re in this sick metal band because you want to be or an Indie rock band because that’s what you’re into. It’s not like going to Nashville and you’ve got to play country now, you don’t have to play anything because it doesn’t really matter.”
RRX: “That makes a lot of sense.”
Mark: “So everyone’s doing their own thing. I feel like there’s a mutual respect among everybody, we’re all in this together. We’re all a little too old to still be playing music. This is like holding on to that thing you still love. So we’re all doing it for the love of music.”
RRX: “So you’re not doing it for the money?”
Mark: “Well, I mean we did make enough money to buy that Margaritaville blender. You know, we’re still riding pretty high off of that.”
RRX: (As I sip my drink) “Are there any special ingredients in here?”
Jay: “You got to follow Jimmy Buffett’s recipe exactly.”
Bob: “We’ve experimented with other things, it didn’t go well.”
RRX: “Well obviously you all enjoy Margaritas which I guess makes sense given the fact that you are referred to as a party band.”
Mark: “I think like half of our shows are people’s birthday parties, it just kind of happened over the years. We call them girth-days. That’s the whole point of Girth Control is to be the party band. To be funny, try to make people laugh and joke around, play some dumb ska/punk.
Jay: “I think the beauty of Girth Control is if you have a dumb idea for a song, it is immediately a song. There’s a number of times we’re sitting around, oh wouldn’t it be funny if we had a song called “Wrecked on Triple Sec”? And then it’s a song the next day. Whatever stupid idea it is, you don’t have to think too much about it. People seem to laugh at it, which is nice.”
RRX: “When you released “Shorter, Faster, Dumber,” I was listening and I thought the short songs were samples and not the full length versions. It took me more than a minute to realize that was the entire concept behind the album.”
Group: (Laughter)
RRX: “It was like a light-bulb went off. Oh, I get it now! Are you going to keep writing short songs from here on out?”
Group: “No, No, No!”
Jay: “It was a specific challenge to ourselves.”
Mark: “We thought it would be funny to make our own “Short Music for Short People” (Fat Wreck Chords compilation) and we wanted to make a full-length that fit on a 45 RPM 7 Inch. We also though it would be funny if the first album was a live album because a live album is almost always the greatest hits of a band. We thought it would be funny to not have any album and put out a greatest hits.”
RRX: “On the first album you did a live version of the Water Slide World theme song, I almost died.”
Jay: “That was a spontaneous moment.”
RRX: “I always wondered if it was planned or not. Okay so that was legit.”
Jay: “Water Slide World is now permanently out of business.”
RRX” “You’ll have to cover the Great Escape song next.”
Mark: “We’re working on another album right now, we want to put out a double LP; we’re kind of going the opposite direction now.”
RRX: “Speaking of new music, you recently wrote a song about my colleague Ralph Renna.”
Jay: “I mean that was inspired.”
RRX: “Well deserved, Ralph in my opinion has supported the local music scene almost more than anyone over the years. I am curious about what someone has to do to have Girth Control write at least a 20 second song about them or perhaps even myself?
Bob: “Compliment us.”
Mark: “Ralph Renna did stroke our egos a little because he put us on his year-end list of best albums, next to like…”
Jay: “The Felice Brothers and Clutch, really good bands.”
Mark: “Bands that are actual bands, then he was like, oh and also Girth Control. We were like that’s ridiculous and then he wrote us this e-mail and the phrasing on it was so funny. He said “balls-out, full-blast internet radio.” He pretty much wrote the song without knowing it.”
RRX: “I believed he loved it, he didn’t tell me personally but why wouldn’t he?”
Mark: “I assume it’s his alarm clock in the morning. He wakes up, looks in the mirror and says I’m going to kill it today, Ralph.”
While shoppers were spending time dining and checking out the massive LEGO sculptures that were featured in Crossgates Mall on a Saturday evening, music patrons spent their time listening to original music from five local bands inside Lucky Strike’s Jupiter Hall. This was all in part of a CD release party that Turbine Sunrise was having in support of their sophomore album, ‘Roll It Out’.
Local acts, Safety Meeting, Ferriday, Son of a Gun, Iudica, and headlining act, Turbine Sunrise, each entertained their crowd and brought out their original songs to Jupiter Hall. Each group, ranging in musical genres as indie, alternative, rock, & blues-rock, were unique in the way how they were able to entertain the crowd in their short half-hour sets.
Safety Meeting opening up the Turbine Sunrise CD Release Party
Saratoga Springs band, Safety Meeting, kicked off their set with a series of original songs, including “Low Key”, “Luke’s New One” (named after the band’s guitarist, Luke), “Call You Up” (the band had recently made a music video for this single), “Coffee Social”, “The Morning Glow” (their first song ever written), and “Other Day”. The band encouraged the fans to dance to their songs, pick up a free band pin at the merchandise table, and check out their music on their band camp web page. Their sound and vibe, hearing it for the first time, reminded me of a mix between Weezer and being inside a Hollister shop, but with a beachy twist due to the laid-back guitar playing one would hear in each song.
Ferriday, a rock group based in Albany, followed suit and played their originals. Performing songs as “Strangers”, “Everywhere She Goes” (based on a friend of a band member whose girlfriend had decided to break up with him due to a modeling career), “Camels Stay Drunk”, among others, Ferriday rocked out their tunes to their audience.
Upon taking a break to check out the merchandise while conversing with members of Turbine Sunrise, I briefly missed listening to the first few songs of Son of a Gun’s set. Returning to my area to listen to the band, I was impressed at what I was hearing from this group. From hearing “Where do we go From Here”, an original song which focused on a breakup and the future of the broken couple, to hearing the quick musical transitions in between songs that were nice and quick, the band’s musicality and their compositions were tight and developed. They were songs that you could certainly rock out to. What was interesting was that their sound didn’t specifically fit into any musical genre. Sometimes it would sound more like Pearl Jam (heard through the vocals of “Winds of Change”), or you could hear the country-rock vibe of “Hope & Heartache”. Listening to both “Down the Highway” and “Call of Days Past”, you can tell that it centered around blues-rock, even including little hints of “Call Me the Breeze” in the guitar & bass riffs and hearing the vocals one could listen from Sly Fox and The Hustlers.
From watching the short mix of alternative-rock originals from Lake George group, Iudica, to watching headlining act, Turbine Sunrise, each group drew their fans onto the dance floor to rock out. Closing out their set with their sophomore album cover blazing behind the band in full color, Turbine Sunrise concluded the evening with a thirteen-song set, featuring mostly songs from “Roll It Out”.
Turbine Sunrise (from left-right): Josh Cole (guitar/main vocals), Steven Vinciguerra (drums), and Zach King (bass)
Turbine Sunrise, featuring Zach King (bass), Steven Vinciguerra (drums), and Josh Cole (lead guitar/ main vocals) thanked all their fans, bands, venue, and both WEQX and RadioRadioX for taking the time to come and support them and open for them in support of their new album. From songs as “Roll It Out” (main single off the title album), “Valley Blvd.”, “Laundry Day in Babylon”, “Give Us Love”, and even an encore performance of “Faron’s Driveway & Remote Starter Darlie” to conclude the evening, Cole, singing with a bit of grittiness, delivered on his vocals on each song, with equal assistance from both King and Vinciguerra. Vinciguerra’s drum soloing throughout the evening was impressive to watch and hear, he would throw his drum sticks into the air to catch on the spot before tapping on his snare drum or cymbal to continue with the measure. With the encouragement of Cole after singing “Laundry Day in Babylon”, their fans gathered to watch and dance in awe as they played their tunes.
Congratulations to Turbine Sunrise on releasing “Roll it Out” at Jupiter Hall and well done to the band and all the groups who opened for Turbine Sunrise in support of their album. Jupiter Hall was certainly to be the place to be Saturday, February 23 in the local music scene as these four local bands united to open for their friends at their CD release party. “Roll It Out” is currently out now.
Ferriday opening up for Turbine SunriseSon of A Gun Band opening up for Turbine Sunrise at Jupiter HallIudica opening up for Turbine Sunrise at Jupiter Hall 2/23/19
I love a sound that just opens the throttle. I want music that makes me want to speed, or at least justify the speeding that I may do unawares. Good, strong rhythm, melodies that can nudge a Ouija board, that kind of thing.
MÖRDWÖLF is like that. Don’t let the umlauts (the two dots) fool you. They’re American, they’re local, and they dot their vowels because it’s a free country, and why the hell not? Guitarist and vocalist Karl Von Heilman III, bassist Vinny Padula, and drummer Rocky Semeraro bring the shit in a ten-pound bag.
I sit with Karl Von Heilman as we unpack that bag.
MÖRDWÖLF Group Photo
RRX: You guys have had a long musical history and have bled for the 518 quite a bit in that time. Were you running in the same circles when you found each other, or was there random chance at play?
Karl: Well it’s kind of a funny story, and it really goes to show you just how small of a world it is… Quite a few years ago now, one of the bands I used to play in, either The Erotics or Blase Debris, had a show with The Clay People and Bishop. That’s the first time I ever saw Rocky and Vinny play. Bishop was the band they had with their other brother Tommy. They had this super full sound as just a three piece and made quite an impression! Very groovy… and these huge guitar riffs. Good stuff!
It’s kinda funny about that night, because I also ended joining up with The Clay People a couple of years ago and recording on their latest album “Demon Hero” as well. Albany is definitely a cool scene where you run in the same circles with bands and musicians. But check this out… It gets even crazier how small of a world it is!
So this guy John Delehanty who had recorded The Erotics, as well as my other band Blase Debris (who also had members from The Erotics, Trauma School Dropouts) was playing in The Clay People at the time when I did that show with Bishop. A few years later, I ended up joining a band with Vegas (who is also now in The Clay People) called Selfish Needy Creatures, and both John and Rocky were playing in the band. So that was the first time that I actually got to jam with Rocky… Hell of a drummer!
After I left most of the bands I was in, I went through about a year of recording demos and songwriting, and the stuff was coming out good enough that I decided I needed to form a band. Rocky and Vinny were at the top of the list of musicians to ask. I’m just happy they wanted to jam!
Rocky: All bands in 518 know each other in some way or another….I knew of Karl before jamming with him in Selfish Needy Creatures (SNC). After my short stint as the drummer for SNC, I mentioned to my brother Vinny that I really enjoyed jamming with Karl and just sort of ‘knew’ we’d meet up in some way to play music.
Vinny: I actually first briefly met Karl (then Rachel Toxic) over 10 years ago while working as a photo assistant during a shoot while he was in The Erotics at a local club, not knowing we would connect a few years later and form a band together.
RRX: You’ve got a hard-driven sound, a very direct sound. Definitely worth cranking in the car on a drive where fifty-five’s just a suggestion. How do you keep that direct sound and still explore musically?
Karl: Haha! I have had a few people tell me that they drive faster listening to MÖRDWÖLF! You can thank the drums for that. The riffs are the catalyst, but the drums drive everything! As far as exploring musically… We’re certainly not reinventing the wheel when it comes to hard or fast music, we’re just adding our own twist and keeping it fun! We haven’t really explored too many genres either… We sorta do what we do and that’s that. Whenever I’m asked to describe our sound, I’ve always said that we’re “Too Punk to be Metal, and too Rock to be Punk”. Take what you want from that.
Rocky: All the years of playing music, my ears and heart gravitate back to music/bands that have the hard driving sound MÖRDWÖLF puts out. …you could say it’s my ‘happy place’. And my motto is that I need to play music that makes ME happy first..otherwise don’t even bother.
Vinny: Well said Rocco. We were drawn to Karl’s riffs and songwriting because a lot of it is on the same wavelength of what we grew up on. Rocky and I cut our teeth on Helmet, Quicksand, Biohazard type stuff. And then there was the speed metal of Anthrax, and the almighty Pantera. Motorhead, of course. I think the thing that really brings the sound together is what I call our “classic rock background.” Rocky and I spent quite a few years doing classic rock cover band stuff with (Jeff) Mrozek, (the Dirty Girls.) Karl of course does the Toys In The Attic thing also. I’m rambling…but you can see how all of this inseminated one another to form a giant wad of pounding sound!
RRX: You guys, at different points and in different times, have toured with some big acts, like Godsmack, Anthrax, Deftones, Disturbed, others. Is the crowd size the only difference than opening for say, a big local “buddy-band?”
Karl: Having played some bigger shows, I can tell you that there are definitely quite a few differences. There’s obviously a lot of pressure when you’re performing in front of thousands of people, but at least for me that all goes away as soon as you start playing. It can get kinda surreal up there, and it’s always over too soon. It’s also a bit harder to connect with the audience when there’s so many people and you’re not right there at eye level with them like in a club, but when you do, and you get that feedback from the audience, it’s amazing!
I remember playing the state fair out in Du Quoin Illinois with this band I was in called The Dogs Divine, and at the end of our set we launched into “Ace of Spades”, and the crowd went wild! I don’t care if it’s your own song or not, the energy you get from having 5000 people singing a chorus with you is pretty damn cool!!! I really do love playing small clubs though, and as long as the stage isn’t like playing in a closet and there’s some room to move around, there’s nothing like being up close and personal with the audience… You’re all in it together and it’s a great feeling. Some of my favorite shows that I’ve ever played took place at downstairs Valentine’s!
Rocky: I agree with Karl…sure when you play in front of a huge audience, you’re getting the opportunity to present what your band has to offer to a lot of sets of eyes at once. BUT, (especially for the drummer)…that entails playing on a way larger stage, and I’m so far away from the audience that it’s difficult to get that face to face read on whether people are digging what you’re doing. The only thing you get is the audience’s applause. Whereas when you’re in a small club, you get immediate feedback …even someone’s sweat in your eye from a raucous slam dance pit!!
Vinny: I don’t care where we play, as long as there are people that are enjoying it and rocking out to that. That is the most important thing for me. I love the energy that people give off when they are truly enjoying what we are doing. That in itself makes it all worth it.
MÖRDWÖLF
RRX: Now MÖRDWÖLF is a three-piece. But you’d never know it if you just heard the music; a very full sound. Do you think that you have to be tighter with each other as a three-piece to compensate for fewer players?
Karl: Thanks! The full sound really comes from Vinny… He’s a hell of a bass player and has this huge sound that fills up the spaces where you might want a second guitar. Vinny and Rocky have been playing together for over 20 years as a three piece band with Bishop, so they really “lock in” with each other and groove.
Most of the bands that I’ve been in have had two guitars, and I have always enjoyed the ability to be able play off each other, but when it came to forming MÖRDWÖLF, I just wanted to keep it simple. I would consider adding another guitar in the future if we ever felt like we needed it, but it doesn’t seem like we do, and I really enjoy it just being the three of us.
Rocky: Uhmm…as Vinny’s older brother, I should take credit for his sound seeing that I’ve honed his sound after so many years playing with him…LOL!
Vinny: Thanks man! Well I have worshiped at the altars of Peter Steele, Dug Pinnick, and Henry Bogdan since I was 9 years old. My first true inspiration – someone you never heard of, Tom Doyle, the bass player of Dead Bishop, which was Bishop pre – me. Tom was the best – and what inspired me to pick up the bass in the first place. And Rock, I will take credit where my credit is due thank you!!!! But really I’m not that good – just have learned a lot about holding down a groove from playing with my brother for so many years. Its about the drums, the bass, the guitar – everything as a whole. Its a team sport for sure.
RRX: Rocky and Vince, you guys played at the Woodstock Festival, the “infamous” one, so I take it the one in ’99. So, a survivor’s perspective; why did it end up so “infamous,” do you think?
Rocky: It was “infamous” because when you mix hot temperatures with obscenely overpriced water people get nutty (plus, booze, drugs, etc)… Hence you get the whole “screw this crap—burn it down” mob mentality. Little bit of trivia—at the festival, they had a ‘staging’ area for some of the bands in a small bar/ tavern outside the base….the Erotics were there, and I’d like to say that Mike Trash suggested we get a tray full of shots prior to getting driven into the base.
Vinny: I was 14 years old – I got hammered at the bar with Trash and others. I remember the cute bartender – thinking I wish I was older!!! The performance is on tape somewhere. No one believed me at school that I was there.
Karl: I was also there in ’99, what a fun and crazy weekend! Would have been really funny if we’d all have met back then, but I wasn’t living in the Capital area at the time and had no idea who Bishop or The Erotics were. Small world though, LOL! At the end of the whole weekend the Red Hot Chili Peppers took the stage to close it out, and at the end of their show they played the Jimi Hendrix tune “Fire”… I remember people were taking lighters and setting fire to the piles of cardboard that were laying all around on the concert grounds. One pile went up in flames right behind me, and I said “That ain’t good!” My sister and I got the hell out of there as quickly as possible. It was a few hours of a drive to get home, and we had no idea about what happened there afterwards, til we got home and heard the news about the riots and everything… Craziness!!!
RRX: Mördwölf is playing at the Strand Theater in Hudson Falls on April 6th. What can you tell us about it? Do you have any surprises in store for fans? Who else is playing? Have you guys ever played at the Strand before?
Karl: The Strand Theater… Now there’s a place with some history! Opened in 1923. I love that they are using it as a music venue! They are really bringing some great musical acts to the area, and it’s an honor to be a part of this benefit! Any surprises for the show? If I told you, then it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it? Haha! We always try to change up our shows and bring something new. A new original song, a new cover tune, sometimes we’ll bring up an old band-mate as a guest singer… We try to keep every show different and entertaining.
Rocky: Never played there before…I’m definitely looking forward to it!
Vinny: It’s gonna be a blast! Come see us and lets hang after!!
Karl Von Heilman III
RRX: Here’s where you get to answer the question I didn’t ask. Who would you like to show some love? What projects are simmering on your back burner? What’s the rest of 2019 look like?
Karl: Oh man, so many bands and people I’d love to mention… especially the fans of the local scene who will come out to support bands, even on weeknights! But I definitely want to give a shout-out to Greg Nash. He was the original drummer for my project way before it came to be called MÖRDWÖLF. He’s a great guy, a hell of a drummer, and I have played with him in an Aerosmith tribute band called Toys In The Attic for many years now. He stepped up and filled in for Blase Debris when we did 8 dates for The Warped Tour back in 2008. Check out any band that he’s in, he got quite a few! As far as projects and what 2019 looks like, we will be working on recording a new album which is very exciting! I love the studio atmosphere, being able to create and then share it with people. We’ve got some great tunes that I’m stoked to let you all hear!!!
Rocky: I’d like to show some love to ALL the 518 bands out there…keep on playing out – it can be a bit frustrating at times – but know that you are keeping the scene alive!!
Vinny: Shout out to my dudes in the Bypass – catch them at Swifty’s in Delmar sometime, great classic rock originals and covers – Matt, what’s up!!!
Editor’s Note: Caroline “MotherJudge” Isachsen passed on Saturday, March 9th, 2019. This article was written about her benefit event, while she was still alive. We feel that this should not be changed, and is presented “as is.”
Coming together… It is just the thing that one must do when one of their own is overcoming a powerful obstacle that they are having difficulty overcoming in their life. In times of turmoil, it is up to us to step up, come together, and assist those who need help during their darkest moments.
McGeary’s Irish Pub was the place to be this past Sunday afternoon as regional musicians, artists, and patrons alike united to assist a musician who has made a huge impact on the greater Capital Region music and arts scene for many years; Caroline Isachsen (Caroline MotherJudge).
Members of the North and South Dakota’s band.
Host of McGeary’s Best Damn Open Mike, a volunteer coordinator of the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, and a businesswoman of the local performance studio, North Albany Rehearsal Studios with husband, Stan, Caroline MotherJudge remains a staple of the Capital Region music and arts scene. She previously performed at events including Still: DQ 2 (a benefit event for Dick Quinn- October 2015), HVCC Bulmer Telecommunications Center as part of an afternoon concert with Mitch Elrod, Bob Buckley, and others (March 2016), Down Every Road Celebrates Merle Haggard (April 2016), among others.
I was introduced to Mother Judge in October 2015 at the benefit event, Still: DQ2, held for super music fan, Dick Quinn, at The Hangar on The Hudson. It was only at both her HVCC show with Mitch Elrod and by chance, re-meeting her through a mutual friend at Buckstock a year later, that I was able to get a glimpse into the artist and person that MotherJudge truly is in the Capital Region. I wasn’t aware that she ran the North Albany Rehearsal Studios until I was asked to participate in a video project this year for a client.
I found out through mutual friends at the “Dick Quinn Memorial Concert & Art Show” that MotherJudge was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer and currently wasn’t doing well. It was sad to hear the news of her cancer diagnoses, especially with all the achievements that she has contributed to the community, including releasing her current album, Cold Warrior, this past year. Once I had received an invite to attend this benefit event, I knew that this was something that I had to attend and support, especially for somebody that has done so much to make an impact on other musician’s lives in our community.
An outpouring of love & support from hundreds of family, friends, musicians, and artists alike came to McGeary’s to eat lunch and celebrate the life and legacy of Mother Judge. It was surreal to see so many musicians and patrons filling up the bar, raffle station, and the dining and performance area to its full capacity, if not, over capacity! The musical acts, The North and South Dakota’s, Jim Gaudet and The Railyard Boys (featuring special guest openers), The Ramblin’ Jug Stompers (featuring Val Haynes and Josh Greenberg), and These Are the Hits (ft. Greg Nash) was excellent and entertaining in every way within its varied genres of country, bluegrass, and classic rock.
Ramblin’ Jug Stompers featuring Steven Clyde (acoustic guitar/vocals), Paul Jossman (mandolin/vocals), Val Haynes (vocals), and Greg Haymes (washboard/vocals)
What was interesting to learn that afternoon, was that each group had their own connection to MotherJudge. The North and South Dakotas and Jim Gaudet and The Railyard Boys were formed as groups by the songstress (The Railyard Boys were formed in 2006 at the Grey Fox festival at an open mike jam), Michael Eck from Ramblin’ Jug Stompers was in a group with MotherJudge called Wood and the remaining Jug Stompers have joined her in the scene, and These Are The Hits had originated as a group from the open jam.
From selling Cold Warrior albums, auctioning off jewelry, art work, music albums in the raffle booth, to watching the acts perform their music as the musicians and patrons chat among each other and take in the music, it was clear to see how tight and how connected people were to Mother Judge and how this event had brought our musician and art community together during a time of need and a time of community bonding. During the mid-point of the afternoon, Tess Collins of McGeary’s thanked everybody that had come to her venue to perform, help with the raffling, and to everybody for being there in support of Mother Judge. She brought up a good point in her speech that lately, our music community is in dis-connect with each other. It is important for musicians and artists to support each other and be able to connect with each other again in our community all year round, through good moments and the dark moments. Being connected through the power of the arts and music is what makes the bonds of creativity and community stronger among the musicians, artists, and venues. This event certainly brought patrons together under one thing, their love of Mother Judge.
Positive thoughts, prayers, & wishes are sent to Caroline and Stan Isachsen, their family, their band members, and the community during this difficult stage of their personal life. May the power of love and music bring together healing and strength during this time.
We all have a place where we cut our teeth in this local music scene, but only one was special in this case. There was the QE2 or Bogies, but when there was bigger acts coming through town, those venues were just too small. I will speak from a personal experience on this one and just drop a few names on what I witnessed 1988-2006 . Winger, Sepultura, The Black Crowes, Clutch, Blind Melon, Korn, Ramones, Pantera, Live, Gwar, Danzig, Bullet Boys, Deftones, Overkill, Lynch Mob, Jewel, Rasputina, Circle Jerks, Type O Negative, and 100”s more. Some times 4-5 shows a week. It was also the place to play, to many local acts who called it there second home. To some it was a big shack in the middle of nowhere. But to us and a generation before, it was the best live music venue in upstate New York. Although it was sold in 2006, it truly wasn’t gone until it burned to the ground in 2009! Thousands of people we’re devastated by the fact that Saratoga Winners was gone forever. All we had were memories and stories that were backed up by pictures, old show flyers, video and audio recordings, but still all was gone.
“I decided to give it a go after a successful breast cancer benefit for friend and former bartender Cindy Bode in May of 2008. The original place was too small and realized that we need a larger venue.” Says event organizer Holly Stah and adds, “Saratoga Winner’s former manager Milissa Picard was my original 2nd in command & is still with us 100%. Our staff for SWR events consists of previous bartenders, manager, security, staff & patrons from Saratoga Winners.” There is a lot going on April 6 and we caught up with some of the musicians performing and reuniting, some for the fist time in over twenty years. First is Vegas Nacy who these days sings with, Embrace the Curse and The Clay People, now reuniting with Bone Box. They were part of my generation, and a huge part of my early radio career. I made some great friends. we were young, had too much fun and got extremely wasted together!
RRX: Let’s start with the big show April 6 /Winners Reunion at Chrome How? who? What? Thoughts? . did you ever think you’d reunite as bonebox?
BONEBOX:April 6th, the 3rd and final reunion show for a club I hold very near and dear to my heart, Saratoga Winners. I was a bartender here, a bouncer, my bands played many many shows here, it was our rehearsal spot, and so much more. When Holly called and asked if it was possible (Plaid has to cancel) I said “geez I haven’t talked to Brian in like 20 years, but let’s see what happens!) sure enough all 4 of us were very excited to make this happen! After all these year I would still get posts and texts asking for a Bone Box reunion, and now it’s finally happening, which I absolutely thought would never happen.
RRX: Rehearsals, How does it feel jamming together after all these years
BONEBOX: So Brian lives in Fla and is a solo musician, Jim lives in LA and has a band called Blood Staind Stars, Matt owns 2 businesses here in NY, I’m in The Clay People and Embrace the Curse so we are all extremely busy and live all over the map, so with that being said, we are doing a lot of homework on our own and will have a very small window to rehearse before the show but I truly feel with Bone Box that it’s going to feel like flying a plane (or is it riding a bike?) hahaha.
RRX: Everyone is excited for this show, what is the vibe of the band playing this monumental event?
UNTAYMED: We are very excited and honored to be a part of this event. Our first shows as a band,and as individuals, started there. Saratoga Winners had the perfect vibe to go to a show and perform as well. It will be awesome to be sharing the stage with the staple bands of that era who regularly performed at Winners. Brings back great memories.
RRX: Thoughts on other bands playing?? killer lineup this year?
UNTAYMED: All classic Winners bands. When you hear the names you can recall certain memories. I (Chris), remember Kevin Brandow of Divine Right, one night, pretending to be a football punter. He may have been kicking a balloon? Then he said, “If this doesn’t work out, I may become a punter”! Great band,great songs. Bone Box were definitely killer in the early to mid 90’s. I can remember the night when Vegas introduced his then new tattoo to the audience. I believed it was musical notes with an inscription, Making Music. Enertia were, and and still are, a machine. Was always impressed with how they played such intricate pieces, but made it look easy. We worked with Enertia bass player, Joe Paciolla for many years as the bass player for Untaymed. Maxx Thrust was without a doubt,one of the best from the era. Thomas Skiff was very much an influence on me early on. Great band, great songs. Was very excited to see them in 2013, and psyched tonight, yet again to see them! Decades since the last performance for a few bands here, but everyone seems to be still musically active, we’re all very fortunate to be able relive the music that was created during this very creative and talented time period on this special night. Thank you to everyone involved in this as well as Chrome for being such a supportive venue.
RRX: Plans After The Big Show 2019? Can we get an exclusive announcement? Fill us in either way?
UNTAYMED: Big plans after the show? Hopefully hanging with family and friends. Also that everyone stays happy and healthy and that we’ll be able to continue making music. We will also be performing here at Chrome with, a favorite band of ours, Vicious Rumors on May 25th. Continued work on CD is very high priority. At the same time we look to still perform a handful of shows each year.
RRX: What are your earliest memories of Saratoga winners?
ENERTIA: As a music fan, my first time going there was to see WRATHCHILD (AMERICA) in May of 1987 – They became my favorite band after that evening with their endless energy, catchy songs and a vibe that made you pay total attention to them!
I lived 50 miles away from the club and back in the very early 90s, there were so many great national acts passing through, I’d make the drive several times a week. My first time playing there was in my first real band in 1990 on a Wednesday evening, opening for our friends SEVERE. We sold 80 tickets for that night and it was at a time when it was truly exciting to be playing there. The show went well and since we sold so many tickets, we were asked back right away.
RRX: Does Enertia have anything special planned for the Show?
ENERTIA: This is the perfect show for us to play what will be our final gig ever, as our debut show was at WInners in June of 1996 and it will be nice to end by playing the reunion. Our setlist will include songs from all 5 of our releases, a couple deep tracks as well as some of our more popular songs. We’ll be selling brand new full color shirts featuring artwork from both of our Divebomb Recrds release, ” VIctim Of Thought” and Piece Of The Factory”, as well as a logo shirt, CDs and baseball caps as well.
RRX: What Does the Future hold for The Band? links to online websites fb etc?
ENERTIA: We’ve all been playing together in Enertia and more recently with our friend RJ Pipino in Within The Fire for just about 25 years, and while this will be the last time playing as Enertia, I’m sure we will all continue to collaborate in future projects together and all have other projects/bands we play in as well. We’ll always have an internet presence, as we had a web site in 1996! We’re on FB at: http://www.facebook.com/RealEnertia
RRX: What were your earliest memories of Saratoga Winners.
DIVINE RIGHT: I remember walking in Saratoga Winners and watching all of the awesome bands (and girls) in area! Our area had a lot of musical talent. Amazing guitar players, drummers, singers, you name it! I was addicted and really wanted to play there. It was by far the best venue around. I asked Salam if I could have my band play there. He said yes, That make my day!
RRX: Is there anything special planned for the show?
DIVINE RIGHT: I plan on giving a special shout-out (possibly a short video clip) to two wonderful people that are no longer with us. Dave Hall was a great friend of mine that I met at Saratoga Winners and remained close friends with him until he passed a few years ago. Also, a former high school friend and our Divine Right bass player Mark Goyette. He was a very special guy and I know a lot of people love and miss him.
RRX: What does the future hold for the band? DIVINE RIGHT: As far as Divine Right future plans. I have re-recorded two of our songs. They are available with videos on my YouTube channel. I’m not sore we’re going to hit the road for a tour anytime soon, but that sure would be fun. The 80s brought some great music to us that most/all cover bands still play.
MAXX THRUST: Our fondest memory from back in the day, probably opening up for national acts like Wrathchild America and Crimson Glory besides just the great company of people that would come to see us. The future is unwritten we always find it to be a great treat if we can get together and jam so who knows about that.
April 6 is also in Support of: Noah’s Kingdom Humane Society: Raffles & 50/50 Local, non-profit, volunteer based cat rescue group (location: PetSmart in Crossgates Commons)
Black Mountain Symphony is a 6 piece, genre-bending band that has been a staple in the Capital Region music culture for at least 16 years. The original idea for the band came about nearly 20 years ago and eventually transformed into the group we know today. However, this is a fresh lineup. After taking a break for the last 4 years Bill Palinski has decided to return to his post behind the drums. “A lot of things have changed for the better and a lot of things are exactly the same, just how I imagined it.” says Palinski.
The newest addition to the band is electric and stand-up bassist Nick Graziade, who had this to say about joining the band: “I never realized how big it was, I was used to playing local stuff, where if I didn’t get into a fight or have something stolen, it wasn’t really a show I was at. Now I’m looking at these gigs we’re playing and I’m thinking to myself, geez there’s gonna be an actual audience here that is going to participate and care about what we’re doing.”
Long time guitarist Chris Peppe aka Rollz is still a crucial part of this dream team alongside original founding members, the Campo siblings Bear (Piano/Keys) and Annie (Violin). Last but certainly not least Annie’s husband Charlie Burgess (Guitar/Cedar Flute) completes this eclectic collection of talented musicians.
Bear: “Everybody’s jiving now, throughout the years there’s been like this negative energy that we had to deal with and overcome.” Annie: “It’s a nice happy, chill line-up.”
RRX: “Black Mountain Symphony is literally a family band.”
Bear: “The family is getting bigger!”
RRX: “Oh that’s right! How’s parenthood?” (Directed at new parents Annie and Charlie)
Annie: “Awesome, it’s been 5 months already.”
RRX: “This is your first child, are you finding yourself being overprotective?”
Annie: “I don’t think so. We used to have him upstairs while we practiced; he’d be screaming. I said let’s bring him downstairs so he can listen to us play music in the headset. As soon as he comes down, he passes out. He just wants to be with music all the time.”
Charlie: “It’s really cool to be raising him around music. I wasn’t really raised that way, around lively jam sessions. It’s pretty awesome to be able to give him that upbringing.”
RRX: So speaking of family life, Bear I understand that you are getting married later this year. Is it sinking in?
Bear: “It’s different, I am the last one out of most of my friends that isn’t married.”
Charlie: “Bear, how does your future wife feel about you being up there on stage like a piece of meat before all of these ravenous ladies?
Bear: “She doesn’t mind it. I’ve had problems with all these other girls in the past.”
Bill: “All one-hundred of them.”
Bear: “You know what I mean. (Bad female voice impression) Oh, you’re in a band? Cool, oh my God you guys are real good. Then I tell them I travel playing music a lot, at first they’re cool with it but after a month they’re like I can’t do this, you’re never around. She (fiancé) has never once said that to me. We’ve left for a while, she calls me up once a day and we talked once a day, that’s it.
RRX: “So she must be very understanding. I’ll be expecting an invitation to your wedding by the way.
RRX: “Something that intrigues me about your group is that you do not have a front-person, you share lead vocals, even with your drummer; whom I feel compelled to call Phil Collins.”
Bill: “It’s been like that since as long as I can remember.”
Bear: “Everybody is a songwriter.”
Bill: “We all write songs, for each other too.”
Charlie: “I don’t think any of us would stick with it, if we weren’t able to each have our own creative input.”
RRX: (Directed to Annie) “Do you ever find that you are assumed to be the front-person?” Annie: (Laughs) “Nobody really recognizes me anyway, unless I am with Bear.”
Charlie: “Everybody recognizes her brother Bear out in public.”
Bear: “I used to always get this in the mall (another impersonation voice) “You’re that guy from that violin band.”
RRX: “Yes, violin is a big part of your sound. Do you ever play the fiddle?”
Annie: “I touch upon fiddle.”
RRX: “Yes, me too.” (Laughter)
RRX: “So let’s discuss the music scene.”
Bill: “The scene has changed a lot since I have been out of it, the music scene all together in Albany. I feel like coming back into it, it’s different but comfortable now.” Charlie: “One of the things we have found is that the brewery circuit has been kind to us. It seems like people who like good beer are into original music as well.
Bear: “We’ve played a lot in Woodstock for the past 5 or 6 years, so we have a nice fan-base down there too. “
Charlie: “We love the scene in Woodstock. Every time they dance for everything, the slow ones, the fast ones, the weird ones, they dance to the normal ones.”
Bear: “They dance to songs, I don’t even know how you can dance to.”
Annie: “Interpretive.”
RRX: “Anything to add about the scene?”
Bill: “Shout out to Mother Judge who helped us out a lot.”
Charlie: “She was definitely how I got introduced to the whole Albany music scene. She set the tone for what Albany music is all about.”
Bill: “She made it a community.”
Bear: “I met a lot of people through her…”
Charlie: “Her and her open-mic. I hope somebody steps into that leadership role that she played, whoever does has big shoes to fill.”
RRX: “Absolutely.”
Charlie: “Here’s to Mother Judge.”
RRX: “So I realize you are all just coming back from taking some time off, anything in the works?”
Charlie: “Well we finished our EP just before our hiatus and the plan is to turn that into a full length album as soon as we can.”
Bear: “We still have some new stuff that hasn’t been recorded yet and I’m sure there’s going to be newer stuff, so we’re just going to be writing.”
Charlie: “And we’ve got some great shows that we’re looking forward to.”
To learn more about Black Mountain Symphony and their music you can visit their page online at www.blackmountainsymphony.com Upcoming Events: March 16 6pm Helderberg Brewery Rensselaerville NY & April 13th at 8pm Station Bar & Curio –Woodstock, NY May 18th at 12pm Gardiner Cupcake Festival –Gardiner, NY
By Rob Smittix -See Rob and his band SMITTIX March 16 -2pm Pauly’s Hotel Albany
So as we are preparing for Radio Radio Irish On March 17, we are ready to announce our next specialty show, but should state this first. On Sunday April 21st some will color eggs , eat jelly beans & chocolate. They will eat so much, it will ooze out their ears. We here at Radio Radio X regret to inform you that Easter Sunday we will be running our regularly scheduled programming, aka -24 hours of amazing music!
We did find a need to musically celebrate the day before though! Over 60 percent or more of the world celebrate this once a year or 1-2 times a day, at specific times. April 20 (420) or 4:20 am , 4:20 pm. Saturday April 20 Radio radio x takes musical trip for its first time.
Marijuana, also know as, the devil’s lettuce, weed, pot, herb, nug’s, dank, ganja, bloodshot, reefer, the gate way to great music? 4/20/19 is about to go up in smoke! Stay tuned for details
The guys that make up Girth Control are actually three fourths of the still very active punk-Americana group, 
RRX: “So you’re not doing it for the money?”
