I’ve been hearing a lot about this band from Long Island called J.Rad. They’ve been getting on some pretty good bills and by doing that it generated an interest, for me anyway. I logged onto the band’s website, jradrocks.com, where I got a chance to listen to their 2012 release, Falling Apart, and I actually liked it. The songs “I Won’t Break,” “Bastard,” “Only One I Want” and “Falling Apart” were well-crafted and well-arranged according to my ears. Singer Gino Rudolph’s voice is perfect for these songs and is harmonized nicely by the brother duo of Jared and Jordan Cannata.
Since forming J.Rad back in 2006, brothers Jared (guitars) and Jordan (drums) Cannata went on a worldwide hunt auditioning singers hoping to find the right one that fit their musical vision. In walked vocalist Gino Rudolph, who rehearsed with the band only once, but the three knew instantly that there was instant chemistry in the room. Eight years later, Gino still stands tall as the trademarked voice of the band J.Rad. The final piece of the puzzle was discovered in 2011 when both a local radio DJ and Mark “The Animal” Mendoza from Twisted Sister suggested bassist Russ Zutto. So, the boys invited Russ down for an audition, and he claimed his rightful place at the J.Rad table. After nearly a decade, the Cannata brothers along with Gino and Russ are finally making themselves noticed on this rabid music scene.
A couple of years ago, J.Rad released Falling Apart, which received some raving reviews and garnered the band some local attention. Here in 2014, the band is gearing up to release their next as-yet-untitled full-length with a slew of shows to follow in support of their new CD. J.Rad have also been posting some in-studio webisodes on YouTube to give fans an inside look at their recording process. You have to check these out when you get a chance and give J.Rad a listen now at jradrocks.com or catch them live tonight (4/30) at Santos Party House in NYC with Saliva, Halo To Havoc, Cracked Alice and Ghosts Of Eden.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
First of all, I cannot believe that I am still writing about this band after 13 years of writing this column since I’ve seen many bands come and go, but my bros Anthony “Main Vein” Coviello and Anthony Coppola and their band Long Gone Day are still at it. After a successful trip to SXSW in Austin, TX, the boys are back to rock NYC at The Bitter End this Saturday night (5/3). The first 20 paid Long Gone Day fans will receive a limited edition Long Gone Day t-shirt for their troubles. For more on Long Gone Day, log onto longgoneday.com.
Speaking of some old bands from the scene that are still doing it, my bros from Sixty Miles Down just released a new music video for their song “Talking To A Deadman” from their 2006 release, A New Skin. Singer John Mosco seems to have released the video to remind fans that Sixty Miles Down was still alive and well, and plan on finally releasing new music at some point this year. John also seems to want to put a live version of the band back on local stages for new Sixty Miles Down fans to experience the band live again. Stay tuned to Sixty Miles Down now at reverbnation.com/sixtymilesdown.
And finally, just a reminder, speaking of old bands from the local scene, this Saturday night (5/3) at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ, the return of NJ legends T.T. Quick and King’s X with The Atomic Bitchwax and Black Reign. The show is being presented by the legendary Jon Zazula and his Rock ‘N’ Roll Heaven in association with the Old Bridge Metal Militia and Militia T’s. If you remember, last year’s event in Freehold sold out, so you don’t want to miss this one. Plus, it features the return of T.T. Quick and King’s X! Whaaaaaat? For more info, log onto starlandballroom.com.
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:
4/30—Battlecross/Beyond Dishonor/Julius Seizure/Burial Mound—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
4/30—J.Rad/Halo To Havoc/Cracked Alice/Ghosts Of Eden/Saliva—Santos Party House, NYC
5/1—Prophets Of Addiction/The Erotics/Stillborn Babies—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
5/2—Lower The Veil/End Of An Era/Sekond Skyn/Fuel—The Headliner, Neptune, NJ
5/2—Kosmic Daydream—Hat City Kitchen, Orange, NJ
5/3—King’s X/T.T. Quick/The Atomic Bitchwax/Black Reign—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
5/3—Pralaya/Know Lyfe/Sun And Flesh/Answer Infinity—Dingbatz, Clifton NJ
5/3—Skunk Daze/Faux Johnny/Truth Be Told/Sardonica/Judah Priest AND Chosen Few 144,000/Supe Superlative/Rafael De LaGhetto K-Oz/Buried Before Death—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
5/3—Long Gone Day—The Bitter End, NYC
5/4—Dead Fish Handshake/Beyond Visible/Xombie/Saliva—The Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
5/4—Powerman 5000/Charetta—Revolution Bar and Music Hall, Amityville, NY
5/8—Kill Devil Hill/Kyng/Crobot/Sekond Skyn—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
5/9—Saving Abel/Raftree/Sundown Conspiracy/New Day Dawn/Statik Silence/Like A Storm—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
5/10—Julius Seizure—Championship Bar and Grill, Trenton, NJ
5/10—Rivera Bomma/Madysin Hatter/Fever Vein—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
5/10—Charetta/Saving Abel—Mulcahy’s, Wantagh, NY
5/10—The Latanza Heist/Craving Strange/Local Hero/Pocketful/We’re Ghosts Now—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
5/11—Fozzy—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
5/12—Stages & Stereos/Darling Parade/The Orphan, The Poet/In Our Glory/McCalister/Tried And True—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
5/14—Traitors/A Wake In Providence/Born A New/Dividing Decades—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
5/15—SYKA/Anvil—The Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
5/16—Sekond Skyn/Mesmeria/Division 1.1/Skurge/The 39—Roxy and Duke’s Roadhouse, Dunellen, NJ
5/17—Long Gone Day—EJ’s, Seaside Heights, NJ
5/18—Audio Empire/John Corabi—Crossroads, Garwood, NJ
5/23—IKILLYA/Ashes Within—The Studio at Webster Hall, NYC
