Okay, so not only did the name of this band stop me in my tracks and pique my interest, but I find out that my brother, Dan Gomez, is fronting the band. Dan used to be my studio neighbor at the old Pearl Studios in Union City, NJ, and I always loved his voice. He always sounded like the second coming of Chris Cornell (R.I.P.) if you asked me. Dan had a taste of success with his old band and legendary Jersey thrashers, Gothic Slam, who put out two killer CDs, Killer Instinct in 1988, and Just a Face in the Crowd in 1989. Today, it looks like Dan is giving it another go with his new band Thunderbeaver! Yes! I love this name! I said Thunderbeaver! Anyway, I had to give them a listen, and they’re a hard rock band with killer vocals supplied by Dan Gomez. The songs “Come Clean,” “Dancin’ in the Sun” and “Party Time” really rocked, but to me, Dan’s vocals were the stand out, which would be the same with any band he sang for. A buried treasure right here in Jersey City, man.
After several full-length releases, an HBO video, and opening for national acts like Fuel, the remaining members of the band Hoodless have created a new spin-off band they are calling Thunderbeaver. Former members of Hoodless, guitarist Kevin Finnen, bassist Brian Lee, and drummer F. Carter have taken this new direction with their music with the addition of singer Danny Gomez, who many will remember from Gothic Slam and the band Ghetto, by bringing fervent and gritty guitar-driven hard rock supported by strong, unvarnished vocals. Fans of bands like Rage Against The Machine, Foo Fighters, or Deftones will not be disappointed by Thunderbeaver.
Thunderbeaver will be hitting the Stanhope House in Stanhope, NJ this Friday night (7/28) as guests of the Bullet Boys. Also performing will be my buds in Mikell’s Plot and Rick Barth. If you like your rock hard with a little bit of grit and some ’80s flare, Thunderbeaver is the band for you! Visit them at Thunderbeaver.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My brother Chino Marin, from Ronin and Statik Silence, has been on the solo trek after releasing his solo CD, Letters for the Living, back in September. Well, on August 8, Chino will be releasing his brand new single, “Change,” wherever you can download music. He’ll also be releasing a music video to go along with the single release because that’s what Chino does. He makes videos. I’d love to see him on stage live with this stuff soon. For more on Chino Marin, visit IAmChinoMarin.com.
I just caught a glimpse of some live footage on YouTube of my girls (and dudes) from Baelfire performing their song “Seven Candles” at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ back in September. These kids are so talented! They need to be mentioned more. Check out their live video on YouTube at youtu.be/1hdCXNrx73U or visit them on Facebook at Facebook.com/BaelfireMusic, and make sure you check out their EP, Neverland, which might have been mastered by someone from my band.
And finally, my brother Tim McMurtrie, from M.O.D., Rhythm Trip, Full Scale Riot, Murder League All-Stars and The Blue Room in Secaucus, etc., has launched his very own record label, Tripsquad Records. Last week, Tim and his label released their first official compilation album called Just for Us Hardcore Kids featuring the debut of Truth and Rights with Eddie Sutton from Leeway, Huge with Russ Iglay from Underdog, Dead Blow Hammer with Rob Kabula from Agnostic Front, and of course, Full Scale Riot with Tim McMurtrie. For more on this hardcore-legend-studded compilation, visit Tim’s label’s new website, TripSquadRecords.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:
7/27—The Ned/Fracture/Flammable Animals/Joy Ride/Dumpweed—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
7/28—Bullet Boys/Mikell’s Plot/Thunderbeaver/Rick Barth—The Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ
7/28—Borgo Pass/Black Dawn/Ionize/Megahertz/Exist Among—89 North Music Venue, Patchogue, NY
7/28—Ross the Boss “A Night of Manowar”/Magus Beast/Metalfier/Steve Bello—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
7/29—GFY/Robots and Monsters/Solitary Confinement (Members of Mad Diesel)/Nothing Is Over/Drawn Out—Lucky 13 Saloon, Brooklyn, NY
7/29—Jersey Campfire Productions Presents: Dead Fish Handshake/Paulus Hook/Anthems for Autumn/Barren/The Clocktown Giants—Tenth Street Live, Kenilworth, NJ
7/29—Lower The Veil—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
7/29—Mikell’s Plot/Scars Like These/Old Fezziwig/Merit Maker/Bored As Hell—Finalscore Sportsbarandgrill, Bensalem, PA
7/30—Alden/Dead End/Drag County Speed Queens—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/2—Kingdom of Giants/Kriminals/Beyond the Void/Across the White Water/The Artisan/Less Than Ruined—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/4—Vagus Nerve featuring Doc Coyle/Pralaya/Lethal Affection/Sun and Flesh—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/5—RYDER/Symetria/Baby Face Finster/Dark After Dawn/Glass Divide/Obsidian—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/6—Frank Dimino “The Voice of Angel”/Triple Addiction/Bad Habit/Brianna Musco—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/11—Gotham—The Headliner Night Club, Neptune, NJ
8/12—Paralysis/Xenophile/Total Waste/Finix—Blackthorn 51, Elmhurst, NY
8/14—Prophets Of Addiction “Unplugged”—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
8/19—Inside Riptide at “Rock the Canal Music Festival”—High Force Canal Park, Wharton, NJ
8/19—FIXER—DROM, NYC
8/19—Ashley Mckinley/Sutton Thomas/Out of Bounds/Triple Addiction—Paul’s Tavern, Lake Como, NJ
8/19—Stabbing Westward/Panzie*–Gramercy Theatre, NYC
8/19—Rahway—Lovecraft, NYC
8/19—Holy Smoke/Shadowplay/Distorted Sun/Kid Felix—Harper’s Pub, Clementon, NJ
