For the most part, band names never seem to fit the music the band is playing. This might be the first time where I might have to say that my face was ripped off from listening to this week’s feature band’s music! Ripface Invasion out of Fairview, NJ, left my face hurting because their music was raw, brutal, and almost invasive. These hardcore honeys laid down an old punk hardcore sound that I haven’t heard in years. It almost made me feel young again to hear singer Anthony “Red” Paladino scream through songs like “The Dominator,” “Ripface Attack,” and “Armchair Politician.” This was New Jersey hardcore at its finest!
I didn’t know this before, but Ripface Invasion was actually formed back in Dec. 2010 by Paladino, who is the founder and still an active member of the band I.D.K. I lost a battle of the bands in Maywood to those guys! They were awesome back in the day! The band’s lineup consists of the original E-Town Concrete guitarist, Ken Pescatore. He’s also the founding member of the metal band Arson. On bass is Paladino’s I.D.K. cohort, Tom Conti, who’s played with Red since 1995. Behind the kit is a veteran hardcore drummer in Dan Lockhart. Dan’s past projects include bands like One 4 One and A Moment’s Peace. Finalizing the lineup on the other guitar is Ant Lefty.
This past July, Ripface Invasion released their second EP, To Not Give In, via Scorpion Records. A few days before the EP’s release, the band debuted Pescatore as a member of the band with a live performance during Darkness Fest at Dingbatz. Some big things are in store for Ripface Invasion, so keep those ears and eyes open to find out where and how you can have your face ripped by logging onto ripfaceinvasion.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
So, the extremely sexy rocker Natasha Komis has teamed up with a Brooklyn DJ named Monikkr to remake their version of Duran Duran’s “Wild Boys.” Natasha and Monikkr are calling their version “Wild Girls” and I have to admit, though I hate remakes, this one is not half bad. Give “Wild Girls” a listen now on YouTube or to find out more about Natasha, log onto natashakomis.com.
Local guitar hero Steve Bello, who has become an official member of the T.M. Stevens Shocka Zooloo Band, has become the latest artist to become endorsed by Morley Pedals. For most of you trying to land endorsement deals, you know how hard it is to do just that. Congrats to Steve Bello for landing that deal. Check out his pic on the Morley website, morleypedals.com, or find out where he’s performing next on reverbnation.com/stevebello.
And finally, my bro John Kosco is putting his band Saint Caine back on the map with their long-awaited CD release. John told me that he plans on celebrating the CD’s release with a party at Dingbatz on Oct. 13. This should be an amazing night with some great music from the Saint Caine clan. Tickets for the release party are available on Dingbatz website, dingbatznj.com. For more info on the upcoming Saint Caine release, log onto reverbnation.com/saintcaine.
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember….We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
8/15—Xero Gravity/Dispute To Flames/Ashes Of Your Enemy/Fear Factory—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
8/15—Firehaze/Metalfier/Demon Boy—Fontana’s, NYC
8/16—Scarlet Carson—The Delancey, NYC
8/16—Steel Panther/The Bad News—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
8/16—Dead Fish Handshake—The Whiskey Bar, Hoboken, NJ
8/16—Shadowplay—Café Wha?, NYC
8/16—Steve Brown and Dennis Zimmer—Sands Casino, Bethlehem, PA
8/16—Thank You Scientist/Tórild/Chemtrail—Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ
8/17—InDisguise—Le Grande Fromage, Atlantic City, NJ
8/17—Kucklebone/Burning Red Sun/Dispute To Flames—The Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
8/18—John Rango and Friends—The Canal Day Festival, Wharton, NJ
8/18—Steve Brown and Dennis Zimmer—Sand Bar, Brielle, NJ
8/18—Scarlet Carson/Sundown Conspiracy/August Infinty/Mother/Fate Strikes Twice/Beyond Visible—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/18—Borgo Pass/Dormitory Effect—Even Flow, Bayshore, NY
8/24—Audio Machine/Hyngd—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
8/24—Set It Free/Skid Row/L.A. Guns—Bergen PAC, Englewood, NJ
8/24—Steve Brown and the Fallout—The Beachcomber Bar, Seaside Heights, NJ
8/25—Long Gone Day—Speakeasy Bar, Belleville, NJ
8/26–Kill Devil Hill/Generation Kill/the JJ Lang Band/Fever Vein/Doomsday Prophecy/Give Them Rope/Pyramada—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/31—Blue Food—Sullivan Hall, NYC
8/31—Kosmic Daydream—Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, NJ
9/1—Borgo Pass/Kill Devil Hill—Ollie’s Point, Amityville, NY
9/8—Killcode/Star Killer/Brothers/Reserved For Rhondee/Breakage Rising—Irving Plaza, NYC
