One of my high school buds, Chris Hawkins, recently reached out to me because he wanted me to check out his latest project called Tarpit Boogie. Chris was always one of my favorite metal drummers on the New Jersey music scene. He used to play with a metal band called Mercenari back when we were in high school and I thought they were awesome! Chris also played in Child, which was led by Saint Caine’s John Kosco and John Eville. Anyway, I asked Chris to email me Tarpit Boogie’s four-song self-titled EP featuring the songs “The Wizzard,” “Pandemic Evil,” “Controlled Burn” and “Skitzo.” I have to admit the CD wasn’t what I expected. I thought I was going to hear yelling into a mic and fast riffs, but I actually heard singing and some pretty cool riffs. The song I enjoyed most was “Controlled Burn” because it was the only one under five minutes long (one of the four songs was 11 minutes long). These guys simply reminded me of the new Iron Butterfly of the metal world. They are a jam-doom band! That’s the best way to describe them. Singer Harry Taylor has something very Jim Morrison-sounding about him.
Tarpit Boogie are not claiming to be the next big thing, nor are they trying to create a buzz with their music. They just want to play music, or as they call it, “sludge-boogie.” They claim to not want to conform to the norms of the music scene. They’re a heavy rock band out of Bergen County that formed early this year. In their biography, they say that there is “no need for a list of influences. There’s no need for a back story. And there’s definitely no need for them to tell you what they sound like.” They would rather listeners make an assessment of their music once they get a chance to listen to it on the internet. Joining Chris in Tarpit Boogie is singer Harry Taylor, guitarist George Pierro and bassist John Eager, whom I believe is Chris’ brother-in-law.
Tarpit Boogie are starting to make some noise in the Clifton area, playing the Clash Bar a few times already. I’m actually kind of curious to see these guys live to just see them jam. If you’re looking for your average rock show, you’re not going to find it here. If you like bands like Phish or the Grateful Dead with a heavy twist, you will totally enjoy the Tarpit Boogie. Check them out at reverbnation.com/tarpitboogie.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My bros from Lower The Veil will be doing something pretty cool on Dec. 20 at the Brighton Bar in Long Branch, NJ. They are helping to raise money for The Helping Hands Of New Jersey, a foundation to help local families in need during the holiday season. Bands like Vextion and Ropetree will be performing and Lower The Veil will be unplugging and doing an all-acoustic set, which should be pretty interesting to hear some of the new songs without distortion. For more info on this amazing event, log onto facebook.com/lowertheveil.
I’m not sure if anyone will remember the band Full Out Freak, but I used to write about them a lot in this column. Well, my bass brother, Eric Berkowitz, who played in Full Out Freak, recently sent me a message about a new product that he and his partner created with the makers of Guitar Hero. Apparently, this could be the hot gift this holiday season. It’s called Singtrix and it is awesome! It’s a karaoke machine that transforms your voice into the voice of a rock star by adding harmonies to it among other things. No, it’s not Auto-Tune! It’s so much cooler. I’d rather you take a look at it than take my word for it, but trust me, you’re going to want one. It seems like so much fun! Check it out at vimeo.com/78879317.
And finally, my bros from Julius Seizure are apparently on the search for a new singer with open tryouts. It turns out vocalist Charles Corletta has decided to step away from the band. Bassist Brian Daniel was quoted as saying, “Charlie is a great friend, and it is never an easy thing when somebody you have worked so closely with for years has chosen to part ways. We wish Charlie only the best in his future endeavors.” That being said, what the boys from Julius Seizure are looking for is a “talented, humble, hard-working vocalist with a range encompassing melodic and aggressive styles.” They want prospective vocalists to know that they are stepping into a great situation, where they will be able to record and perform immediately. Drummer Kyle Wilson added, “We are not letting his departure slow us down. Julius Seizure will continue to fulfill our commitments to our current schedule while looking for a permanent vocalist. Our number one goal now is to continue to play shows and tour in support of our EP, Trials.” Trials was released back in August. If you think you have what it takes to sing for Julius Seizure, contact the band immediately at juliusseizureband@gmail.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:
12/11—Gemini Syndrome/Mindset Evolution/Starset—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/12—The Wizards Of Winter—Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway, NJ
12/12—Ghosts Of Eden—Bullshots Bar, Brooklyn, NY
12/13—SOiL/Black Water Rising/Mindswitch—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/13—Charetta/Statik Silence/New Day Dawn/The Latanza Heist/Sinsanity/Vextion—Tenth Street Live, Kenilworth, NJ
12/13—Panzie*/Streetlight Circus—Even Flow Bar and Grill, Bay Shore, NY
12/13—Ashes Of Your Enemy/Ixion Lux/Negative Sky/FireHaze/Mass Punishment—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
12/13—Fastride—Finnegan’s Wake, Philadelphia, PA
12/13—No More Pain/Argonauts/Stone The Martyr/Voodoo Terror Tribe/The Lucifer Experiment/Forbidden Territory—The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
12/14—Midnight Mob—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
12/14—Brand Of Julez/Ghosts Of Eden/someonElse/North America/Fear Report/Srotakin IV—The Studio at Webster Hall, NYC
12/14—“That Metal Show X-Mas Party”—Grind Axis/ Thanatonic Desire/Madame Mayhem/Jaded Past—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/14—Lords Of Mercy CD Release Party—The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
12/19—Cycle Of Pain/Black Water Rising/Lower The Veil/Gaggle Of Cocks—The Legendary Dobbs, Philadelphia, PA
12/20—Lower The Veil/Vextion/Ropetree—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
12/21—Audio Empire/BoundAlive/Lethal Affection/Jolly/Ascending From Ashes/Empire Fallen/Brand Of Julez—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/21—The Dirty Pearls—Irving Plaza, NYC
12/21—Sundown Conspiracy—Loop Lounge, Passaic Park, NJ
12/22—Statik Silence/Atomic Dog/Murder Smile—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/3—Cycle of Pain/Black Water Rising/BlackOcean/Sekond Skyn/New Theory—Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
