While I was searching through reverbnation.com for a band to feature this week, I came across a diamond in the rough. The name of the band was Brand Of Julez, and they’re from Bronx, NY. This hard-rocking trio might be one of NYC’s best kept secrets. I fell in love with the riff and the groove of a song called “My Life To Live,” but then I heard the melodic “Read My Face” and singer Julian Zamora just blew me away with his rockin’ vocals. I think that if he was produced correctly, he might be an amazing singer and a force to be reckoned with in the industry. My favorite track was a song called “Breakthrough” because I felt that it had such a retro feel to it, but it was just simple rock ‘n’ roll.
According to their bio, Brand Of Julez was formed in 2010 by a couple of South Bronx brothers in singer/guitarist Julian Zamora and bassist Brandon Zamora. The brothers spent most of their youth playing punk covers in their first band, but when they began writing original music, their own material took a drastic change from what they’ve been playing in covers. The duo would find drummer Marshall Cataneda in July 2011 to finalize the three-piece lineup known as Brand Of Julez. After winning a few local Battle Of The Bands competitions, the group decided it was time to record their debut EP. Recording wouldn’t stop their momentum on the music scene, though. They continued to perform at some of the most notable venues in NYC like the Gramercy Theatre, The Studio At Webster Hall and The Knitting Factory.
The South Bronx rockers released their self-titled debut EP this past September with a commanding performance at Highline Ballroom for their CD release party. The boys of Brand Of Julez say that they are focused on being a part of this powerful NYC rock scene, but their sights are really set on bigger stages around the world. Catch Brand Of Julez live at Sullivan Hall in NYC this Thursday night (11/15) or look them up online at reverbnation.com/brandofjulez.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My bro Rob Carlyle and his crew The Compulsions recently released a hard copy of their latest critically acclaimed CD, Beat The Devil, on amazon.com. This disc features a lineup including Guns N’ Roses guitarist Richard Fortus and drummer Frank Ferrer, New York Dolls bassist Sami Yaffa, and special guests including Howlin’ Wolf’s legendary guitarist, Hubert Sumlin, and Muddy Waters. Go to amazon.com now to get your hard copy of Beat The Devil from The Compulsions.
My boys from Sekond Skyn have regrouped and will be playing their first show back on Saturday, Dec. 1, at The Saint in Asbury Park. Yes, I said regrouped! The band has added guitarist Erik Boe and bassist Nick Prisco to their lineup since the departure of Eddie Heedles and George Pond. They’ve also reunited with original Sekond Skyn singer, Jon Follet. For more info on the band, log onto facebook.com/second.skyn.1.
And finally, my new buds from Lower The Veil will be performing a very special show this Saturday night (11/17) at The Brighton Bar in Long Branch. Their performance is being filmed as part of a pilot for Joe and Crystal Cattano’s reality show, Project: American Studio. Joe and Crystal are the owners of Aarius Studios in Old Bridge, and they have their own reality show. If you’d like to take part in the filming, get your asses to The Brighton Bar this Saturday night, where you’ll also get to see Acid, Grand K, and Swamp Crawlers. For more info on this show, log onto facebook.com/lowertheveil.
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:
11/15—Dark Empire/Dead Empires/Mindmaze/Make Them Remember—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/15—Brand Of Julez—Sullivan Hall, NYC
11/15—Dead Fish Handshake—The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
11/16—A Lesson In Violence/Empire Fallen/Jarr—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/17—Lower The Veil—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
11/17—Lieder—Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ
11/17—Darkness Descends/Stagger/One Brick Down/Shadows Of Dawn/Canopy Veil/Half-Witted Dogs/Scars Of Envy—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/18—My Bitter End/Sirens/Sever The King/Hold Your Grudge/Saeculus Novus/Cooking With Betty White—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/25—Whiplash/Sardonica/Pyramada/Fevervein/Arch Demon/Mindswitch—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/29—The Doomsday Prophecy/Ghost For Heroes—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/1—Ted Poley—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/1—40 Below Summer/Marc Rizzo/Judge The Fallen/Vext—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
12/1—Sekond Skyn—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
12/6—Warrior Soul/Dirty Stayouts—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/7—Spread Eagle/Warrior Soul—Saint Vitus Bar, Brooklyn, NY
12/8—Panzie*/Spread Eagle/Warrior Soul—Ollie’s Point, Amityville, NY
12/8—Generation Kill/DMZ/Audio Machine—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/10—Atom Strange—Arlene’s Grocery, NYC
12/14— Indisguise/Pyramada/Ixion Lux/Empire Fallen—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/14—Panzie*/Star Killer—Mercury Lounge, NYC
12/15—Lower The Veil/Monster Magnet—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
12/17—Atom Strange—Arlene’s Grocery, NYC
