Talk about a blast from the past! I recently received an email from my old pal, Dylan Gadino, who I used to feature when he played in the bands Joanie Loves Trotsky and Words Away. I haven’t heard from Dylan in quite a while and last I heard, he was a comedy writer for his own website. Well, his recent email was about his new project Robots And Monsters, which I think might be his best project to date. After opening his zip file of the band’s debut CD, Down To Ash, I was blown away! The title-track, “Gravel Pusher” and then there was “Rebel,” which kicks off with a nice bass lick. I have to admit though, these songs almost reminded me of one of my favorite NYC bands, Panzie*. Dylan, who handles the vocals, exhibited the same grit in these tracks. I’m a fan!
Robots And Monsters formed back in the fall of last year, but its members are no strangers to each other, as the trio have performed together intermittently since they were in grade school. Not to mention, Dylan, who handled all of the vocals and drums, is related to the guitar player, Derek Gadino. Rounding out the band is my bro and bassist Bill Bergmann, who used to play with Mucky Pup. Bill, whom I bought my first bass rig from back in the ’90s, told me that he’s known the Gadino brothers since they were in kindergarten. He also told me that he thought he was done with music until we performed together at a benefit last August that our bud John Rango put together. The music pulled him back in. Anyway, Dylan, Derek and Bill used to perform as The Llama Project, a jokey metal band who wrote self-deprecating songs about life in the suburbs since the Gadino brothers and Bill grew up on the same street, which I’m sure made band rehearsals very easy.
Many, many years later, the trio now known as Robots And Monsters have reunited and recorded their debut disc, Down To Ash; however, the longtime friends have created a more serious sound using their influences from their past and taking notes from their metal heroes like Anthrax, Nuclear Assault, Overkill, Slayer, Testament, Metallica, Death Angel and Exodus. The boys easily say that these are the bands that helped them evolve into Robots And Monsters and heavily influenced Down To Ash. Robots And Monsters are currently looking for a drummer so that Dylan can focus more on being a frontman. Give this stuff a listen and if you think you have what it takes, contact the band at facebook.com/robotsandmonstersband or robotsandmonsters.net.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My new buds from Blameshift were added to a few dates on the very popular Warped Tour this summer. Last week, they played in Scranton, PA, Mansfield, MA, Camden, NJ and Wantagh, NY as part of the tour; so a big congrats to them on landing a hell of a gig. You can actually catch them live at Dingbatz tomorrow night (7/17) hot off of their stint on the Warped Tour. Also performing will be Dive, my buds in New Day Dawn, Brenda Starr and Coreplay. For more on Blameshift, log onto facebook.com/blameshift.
Steve Bello recently sent me an email to let me know that the amazing bass wiz TM Stevens recently booked a show at The Brighton Bar in Long Branch, NJ on August 9 and he and drummer TC Tolliver will be joining TM live on stage again. The last time they performed together at The Brighton, the place was almost sold out. So, don’t miss out on this show! For more info on this upcoming show, log onto facebook.com/tm.stevens.14 or facebook.com/stevehimself.
And finally, my old pal Kraig Marshall has a new project that he’s been working on. I’ve been writing about Kraig since his previous projects Bastard Brigade and State Of Revolution. This new project is a bit more industrial than the punk stuff that I am used to hearing from Kraig. The name of his new project is Engineering Destruction. You can check out a video of his new song “Blackout” by logging onto youtu.be/GKVoJ0F3N6c. For more info on Kraig’s new band, Engineering Destruction, log onto facebook.com/engineeringdestruction.
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:
7/16—Blacklite District/Another Lost Day/Lullwater—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
7/17—Blameshift/Dive/New Day Dawn/Brendan Starr/Coreplay—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
7/18—Another Distraction/Spider Rockets/Audio Empire/Modern Suits/Local Hero/VIV – Views Into Vastness—Tenth Street Live, Kenilworth, NJ
7/18—Blameshift/Dive—The Legendary Dobbs, Philadelphia, PA
7/18—Rave La Kill—The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY
7/18—Kosmic Daydream/Dahl Haus/Roderick/Owen Mack and the Immaculates—Mexicali Live, Teaneck, NJ
7/19—Dr. Chud X-Ward/Sinners/Sonic Creeps—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
7/19—Burnout Star—Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA
7/19—Murphy’s Law/Yuppicide/Jenncity—Pier 36, NYC
7/25—Deadfish Handshake/Scottish Widows/Knucklebone—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
7/25—Pedestrian Knock Down/Revel 9/Killcode/Craving Strange—Revolution Bar and Music Hall, Amityville, NY
7/28—Borgo Pass/The Winery Dogs—Revolution Bar and Music Hall, Amityville, NY
7/29—Counterparts/Young Graves/Years End/Illusionist/Provenance—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
7/31—Dying Eyes Of Sloth/Cannibal Corpse—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
8/2—Syrens Calling/Leeds/Driven Mad/Sinsanity/Beyond Visible/Four Nights Gone—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/2—John Corabi—The Legendary Dobbs, Philadelphia, PA
8/3—Landon Tewers/I Am King/It Lives, It Breathes—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/8—TNA/King’s X—Stage 48, NYC
8/9—TM Stevens—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
8/9—Thanatotic Desire/Seas Of Wake/This Is A Lifetime/Die A Hero/Framework—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/9—Ixion Lux/Stagger/Negative Sky/Scars of Envy/Ashes of Your Enemy/Ketosis/Xero Gravity—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
8/9—Knucklebone—Vasa Park, Budd Lake, NJ
8/9—The Bullet Boys/Flowers To Flames—Tenth Street Live, Kenilworth, NJ
8/10—Black Tongue/Villains/Lifeforms/Dealey Plaza/Beyond Treachery/Spawned/Depreciator—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/11—Forevermore/Restless Streets—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/14—Stickup Kid/Seaway/Candy Hearts/Driver Friendly/McCalister/Legends—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/14—Scars Of Envy—The Legendary Dobbs, Philadelphia, PA
8/20—Everyone Dies In Utah/The Paramedic/Sirena/Illuminate Me—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/21—The Dirty Pearls/Killcode/Mother/Ten Ton Mojo/The Threads/The Liza Colby Sound/J And The 9s/DJ Ian El Dorado—The Bowery Ballroom, NYC
