I recently got an email from Chris Broski, drummer from a band called Split Point. Chris wrote me after he read my piece on the band Blinded By Anger a couple of weeks back. Turns out, what caught his attention was the mention of Slide Bolt, which I said featured Blinded By Anger’s Lance, Babish, and Murph. As luck would have it, Chris was also in Slide Bolt, so I decided to give his new band, Split Point, a listen. To my surprise, my bud Stan from the band NERV is the singer. Wait, a minute! This is NERV minus their guitar player, Jay, and a new band name!
Upon Chris’ departure from Slide Bolt, he went on to play with a band called Loss Of Breath for a few years. Once Loss Of Breath imploded, Chris felt that it was time to get back behind the drum kit, so he teamed up with Stan, his old frontman from the band Frontline, to form NERV. In NERV, Chris and Stan broke down all of their songs and restructured everything. Their original bass player for the project left the band, and they brought in another former member of their old band Frontline, Kurt. After the departure of their guitarist, Jay, just last summer, the trio decided to remain a trio and changed the name to Split Point. Instead of trying to win their crowd over with complicated riffs and confusing time changes, they’ve decided to go back to basics with fast and heavy grooves.
Split Point has two songs up on their MySpace page. The tracks “Free Not My Own” and “Disarray” aren’t the best recordings that you’ll hear, but Chris did warn me that these tracks were recorded in his basement with a couple of room mics, but the songs get the point across. Split Point is currently writing new music to record and put out on CD. For now, they’re just playing as many gigs as possible to get this new name out there, though to me, it still looks like NERV. The new direction is much better! Check it out for yourself at myspace.com/splitpointmusic.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
The Compulsions and Killcode will be heading up a slew of local bands that will be performing at a CD release party for the New York Waste compilation CD down at The Trash Bar in Brooklyn, NY, on July 18. The Compulsion’s song “Rock ‘N’ Roll Johnny” will be featured on the disc. Also performing that night will be The Bullys, Honor Among Thieves, The Party Death, and The Statues Of Liberty. For more info on this event, log onto thecompulsionsnyc.com or thetrashbar.com.
I just got a text from Luke “DJ Cloak Dagger” Rizzo, letting me know about a couple of upcoming dates in NYC that will include his guitar wiz brother, Soulfly guitarist Marc Rizzo. Marc and Luke will be performing at Fat Baby in NYC on July 23 and July 30. So, “marc” (Get it? Marc?) your calendars because the Rizzo brothers are coming to New York City. For more info, log onto myspace.com/cloakdagger or myspace.com/marcrizzo.
And finally, Meat Loaf back-up singer and local musical artist, C.C. Coletti, has been given the lead role of “Janis” in Christine Martucci’s musical, Breakfast With Janis. The play also stars Anthony Krizan of the Spin Doctors and kicks off at The Paramount Theater in Asbury Park, NJ, on July 18. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door, and can be bought through christinemartucci.com or livenation.com.
That’s all for now! And remember, if your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your demos and press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140 Little Falls, NJ 07424 or if you want me to check out your band or a band that you think could use some exposure email me at chigger273@aol.com and let me know where your performing next. No cover bands, please!
Just remember….We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
NJN Concert Calendar:
7/10—Charetta—Ace of Clubs, NYC
7/10—Rahway—Crocodile Rock, Allentown, PA
7/10—A True Story—The Sea Shell, Long Beach Island, NJ
7/10—With Daggers Drawn/Will Killmore—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
7/10—Mercury Morning/DJ Cloak Dagger—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
7/11—Diablo Royale—Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, NJ
7/11—Will Killmore—The Old Fashion, Nyack, NY
7/11—Saint Caine—Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo, Manchester, NH
7/11—Mean Venus/Rainbow—The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
7/12—Jaymie Gerard—The Black Potato Music Festival, Clinton, NJ
7/12—Diablo Royale—Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, NJ
7/12—Charetta—South Haven County Park, Brookhaven, NY
7/13—Diablo Royale/Killcode—Blender Theater, NYC
7/17—Will Killmore—Olives, Nyack, NY
7/17—Long Gone Day—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
7/17—Atom Strange—Poisson Rouge 158, NYC
7/18—A True Story—Texas Arizona, Hoboken, NJ
7/18—Borgo Pass/Lo Pan—Mr. Beery’s, Bethpage, NY
7/18—Knollwood—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
7/18—Atom Strange—Up On The Rocks, Hartford, CT
7/18—Kindred Souls (CD Release Party)—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
7/18—Echofission—Tierney’s Tavern, Montclair, NJ
7/18—The Compulsions/Killcode/Honor Among Thieves—The Trash Bar, Brooklyn, NY
7/20—Diablo Royale—Arlene’s Grocery, NYC
7/23—DJ Cloak Dagger/Marc Rizzo—Fat Baby, NYC
