Yes, this column is dedicated to North Jersey bands, but when a pretty decent group comes across my desk, you have to call attention to it. Besides, if you’ve been paying attention the last 13 years, I’ve been writing about anyone who asked me for help in getting their name out there, whether it was a good review or a bad review. You know who you are, bad ones! Anyway, I received an email from pianist Jim Vacca from a band called SPiN, telling me he enjoyed a recent review that I wrote, and said that he thought I was dead-on with the review. Way to butter me up, buddy! So, I did go and check out SPiN from Philly, and they were pretty good. My one critique about the band would be NO group full of dudes should ever cover TLC’s “Waterfalls.” It really strips you of your “man” card. Other than that, the songs “Pushed Around” and “My Everything” were pretty good. They were a bit poppy for my tasted, but if that is what they were striving for, then they accomplished it. Singer Eric Rothenheber’s voice complemented the music perfectly in very poppy fashion.
SPiN formed back in 2007, and their debut EP, Home, and debut full-length, BELiEVE, garnered the band much praise within the industry. They’ve been compared to acts like Muse, Queen, and even The Cars. Songs off of BELiEVE have even appeared in hit TV shows on Spike TV, Bravo, MTV, VH1, and G4 Networks. SPiN’s music video for their song “Playing Dead” garnered the band even more exposure with rotation in the U.S. on FUSE TV, in Canada on AUX TV, and online as a NEW Yahoo! Music featured video. The buzz eventually made its way to a popular music magazine with the same name, who filed a cease and desist order against them for the use of the name, but the band refused to stop using it. That’s pretty ballsy on their part. Joining Jim Vacca in SPiN is lead singer and guitarist Eric Rothenheber, drummer Lou Chudnofsky, and guitarist Hank Cieplinski.
SPiN released their latest EP, Pushed Around, back in November, and have been on the road relentlessly to promote the EP and have been lucky enough to provide support for bands like Halestorm, Fuel, Hinder, SafetySuit, Puddle Of Mudd, Trapt, Red and Fat Joe. When they’re not touring, SPiN continue to write and record new music. Keep an eye on these guys. They might even go someplace. Check them out at spinrocks.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My bros from Statik Silence have landed a replacement on bass for the recently departed Andrew “Rockin’” Rohloff. His replacement’s name is Ed Willock (or is it Willrock?). Ed, who hails from Rockland County, made his bones playing guitar and bass for bands like Stand Out, World’s Demise, and Stick Figure Suicide. Today, you might find him playing guitar in NJ hardcore band Silence Equals Death, and now bass in Statik Silence. Ed made his debut a few weeks ago at Architekt Music in Butler, NJ when Statik Silence performed with Walking With Giants. You can catch Ed with Statik Silence when they open for Saliva at the Stanhope House on May 4, and keep an eye out for the band’s new music video for their single “Sing To The World” in April. Check Statik Silence out now at facebook.com/statiksilence.
In some more musical chairs news—and this is some pretty major news—my bros from NYC’s Killcode have parted ways with longtime axe-slinger Pat Harrington. In a Facebook post that actually shocked the hell out of me a few weeks ago, Pat wrote, “Yes, I have left Killcode. Killcode will always have my support and I am forever grateful for the time we spent together and all the great things we’ve done together. I did not make this decision lightly and I do so with a heavy heart, but I feel it is not only in my best interest, but in the best interest of the band so they can move full speed ahead towards rock ‘n’ roll glory!” Pat has chosen to move on with his own project, Geezer. We’ll learn more about them in the weeks to come. Filling the void left empty by Pat is another one of my brothers and none other than Panzie* guitarist, D.C. Gonzalez! D.C. is a perfect fit for this gig, but he did promise this wasn’t the end of Panzie* and that Panzie* will be back once they nail down a new singer. I’d like to wish Pat and D.C. so much luck on their new adventures, as the rock scene is starting to get a bit more interesting! Stay tuned to Killcode at facebook.com/killcodeofficial.
And finally, another one of my buds and former Scarlet Carson frontman, Santino Noir, has a new single out. The song is called “Mainstream Misfits,” and he released it online last week with a music video to follow shortly. The video was only filmed a couple of weeks ago at LairNYC. For more on Santino’s new song “Mainstream Misfits,” log onto facebook.com/officialsantinonoir.
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:
3/12—SYKA/The Genitorturers—Webster Hall, NYC
3/14—D.R.I./Apathy—The Studio at Webster Hall, NYC
3/14—Doghouse Swine—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
3/14—Mother/Tempest City/Midnight Mob/Race To Dawn/Kid Felix—Mercury Lounge, NYC
3/14—Borgo Pass/To The Pain/Terror Garden—Even Flow Bar and Grill, Bayshore, NY
3/14—Angel Vivaldi—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/15—Stagger/Darkness Descends/Cyperna/Gyre/Apostasy/Eye Of Anubis/Julius Seizure/Mass Punishment/Scars Of Envy—Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
3/15—Beyond Fallen—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
3/21—Sinsanity/Ghosts Of Eden/Crash The Bear/Jolly/One Hundred Thousand/Gathering After Ashes—Tenth Street Live, Kenilworth, NJ
3/21—Corners Of Sanctuary—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
3/22—JENNCiTY/Santino Noir/Bound By Substance/Eyes Like Cyanide/Srotakin IV/Eyes Of The Sun—Slake, NYC
3/26—Such Gold/Slingshot Dakota/When Thieves Are About/Archie Alone/Puddle Splash—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
3/27—Ed Kowalczyk/Pete Donnelly/NRBQ/Soul Asylum—Trinity UMC, Ewing, NJ
3/28—She Said Fire/Machine Elves/Awake At Last—Slake, NYC
3/28—Borgo Pass/Stainless Leather/John Wilkes Booth/SOMA—Revolution Bar and Music Hall, Amityville, NY
3/29—Xero Gravity/Midnight Hellion—Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
3/29—Steve Bello Band/Ripped—Buddies Tavern, Sayreville, NJ
4/2—Audio Empire/Red Dragon Cartel—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
4/4—Rahway/Madysin Hatter/Cashmier/Kix—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
4/5—Dead Fish Handshake/Scott Stapp—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
4/6—Hot Blood/End Of An Era/A Balance Between/Vextion/The Antics—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
