LOCAL MUSIC NEWS
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The Finals Announce New Singer For Spring Tour
For the New Jersey based rock band The Finals, 2006 proved to be a pivotal
year. With the release of their first full-length album, “Plan Your
Getaway,” on Immortal Records, the band was in full swing.
The press raved:
“This is a band with a ton of promise to make an impact on a few different
scenes."-All Ages Zine
“There's an occasional twangy guitar or country-fried riff (particularly
on "Plague Escapade") that suggest The Finals have a few unexpected tricks
up their sleeves for albums to come.”-Spin Magazine
“Once ‘Plan Your Getaway’ makes its way onto your stereo, you’ll have a
very hard time wanting to switch it off. -Black Velvet (UK)”
"Difficult to put this CD down once you hit the play button... Reminds me
of The Living End and Alkaline Trio." -Euro Punk
But while the band extensively toured the U.S. in support of the album,
singer/bassist Matt Reilly faced a life changing decision. After a few
months on the road, Reilly decided to leave the band.
Left without a singer, the remaining members (Jason Sazer - Guitar/Vocals,
Lou Bottone - guitar, Joshua Sazer - drums, Christian Kisala - keyboards)
were unsure of their future. Bottone reveals, “I was relieved and worried
at the same time. I knew we would continue to be a band, but with a new
record out and no singer I wasn’t sure how we’d recover.” After meeting
with management, the band made the decision to move forward by posting
anonymous ads online in search of a replacement.
Andrew Seagle, a musician from North Carolina whose band had just broken
up, saw one of the posts. Coaxed by his girlfriend, Seagle responded to
the ad. With nothing holding him back, Seagle hopped on a plane and headed
to New Jersey. Well armed with the four tunes the band requested, he
immediately impressed the group, and was offered the position after just a
few hours. “He was more than we could have hoped for,” states Kisala.
“He's the total package, musician wise, and more importantly...
personality wise.”
“Upon the first song, first note, even first greeting, it's felt like I'm
finally doing the right thing,” says Seagle. “I'm dealing with
professionals with the same goals. I've received nothing but respect and
courtesy. It's a unit in which I’m proud to be a part. Even outside of
the music, I couldn't ask for more genuine guys to be around.”
The band is currently writing new material for their follow-up to the
Heath Saraceno (Midtown) produced and John Naclerio (Brand New, My
Chemical Romance, Senses Fail) engineered “Plan You Getaway.”
Collectively inspired by a diverse array of artists such as The Beatles
and The Cars, to Metallica and Alkaline Trio, The Finals draw from their
influences, while making solid and distinct records.
The formula has been successful thus far: The Finals have been featured
as Band of The Day on Spin.com and in November 2006, “Plan Your Getaway”
was released in Japan via Kick Rock Music. The band has fine tuned their
live show into a “powerful and explosive experience,” as Sazer likes to
put it, and has been chosen to play with The Ataris, Koufax, The Matches,
Midtown and more.
Continuing to tour in support of “Plan Your Getaway,” Seagle reveals, “I
know we're heading out to do something important, something meaningful,
and I honestly can't wait to see things through.” Sazer explains, “We're
all confident and comfortable with the fact that Andrew joining the band
is going to help take us to the ‘next level.’ We're all excited to write
new songs, and tour as a wiser, more unified band.”
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Hi Everyone,
Three pieces of news for you this week on BlowUpRadio.com.
First off, as I mentioned the other week, thanks to new royalty rates set up by the government,
BlowUpRadio.com, and all internet radio
stations, are in danger of being silenced forever. Please go to www.savenetradio.org, and sign
the petition to help overturn the new rates that will shut me, and most internet stations down.
I thank you for your help in keeping BlowUpRadio.com alive.
~~~~~~~~~~
Second, this Friday Buddie's Tavern will play host to another BlowUpRadio.com Free Concert Series show!
This one is a very special show, as it marks the CD release for Kate Hart's amazing CD,
"natural born wallflower".
Here's the info on all 3 acts performing Friday:
Particle Zoo
Particle Zoo's "Loneliness and Strangers" CD reviews:
"Particle Zoo continue their transformation from loud punky-punks to melodic pop songsmiths on
Loneliness and Strangers. Songwriter Jeff DeVito wraps himself in '60s garage rock and the
Beatles and churns out ear-grabbing riffs and hooks. "
-The Village Voice
"Pop rock at its finest... this record is simply infectious."
-The Aquarian Weekly
"A total four-star blast."
-Jersey Beat
"Loneliness & Strangers is one of the essential Jersey indie releases of 2005, from one of the
state's most thoughtful and perceptive pop bands."
-NJ.com
Kate Hart
"Natural born wallflower, the debut 8 song album from NJ singer/songwriter Kate Hart, is a Low-fi
indie-pop rock gem, showcasing catchy and fun lyrics (examples are songs "boys are dumb" and "I
kill bugs"), but also contains a very compelling ballad (complete with a surprisingly lush
sounding programmed string section), in "attic song". Closing the album is a nice cover of the
Cubs song, "New York City". This is a great debut.
Lisa M. Bello
Lisa M. Bello has always loved music. She discovered her love of rock music upon first hearing
Pearl Jam, Mazzy Star, and Smashing Pumpkins in 1994.Having written poetry and prose from a very
young age, she began to construct poetry in song form. She searched out other like minded souls
and began to get interested in forming a musical project.
During this time Lisa discovered the band Hole and a musician named Juliana Hatfield. These two
women inspired Lisa to pick up a guitar and start playing. Soon she was constructing her own
songs and started to persue a band of her own.
The first of her music projects was fronting a band called Table 57. This band was Lisa's brain
child for five years. Through its many lineup changes Table 57 remained a growing, well-liked,
and enriching experience before Lisa decided to disband it in 2001.
After the disbandment of Table 57, Lisa began to think about going solo and proceeded to record
an ill-fated album. Ill-fated because the computer it was recorded on was infiltrated and
corrupted by a virus and most songs were completely lost. Although that record went by the
wasteside, the songs did not.
Lisa kept most of these songs on the back burner while she co-founded a band called Mercury to
Hell. In this band, there were several songwriters and Lisa focused more on her guitar playing.
Sadly, Mercury to Hell ended because of irreconcilable differences.
A short lived band called the Black Clouds developed from the ashes of Mercury to Hell but that
also ended after about a year because of internal struggles.
Wasting little time, Lisa decided the time was right to go solo. She asked some of her friends,
including some ex-band members to help her record her first solo album. Happily, they obliged.
The album called Me and My Heart on My Sleeve was recorded January 2006 to June 2006 taking most
of May off. Lisa M. Bello played all guitars and sang on all songs, played the majority of the
bass, and the aforementioned friends shared the drumming duties.
Me and My Heart on My Sleeve wass independently released on September 26th, 2006
I hope you can make it out to celebrate the release of Kate Hart's CD!
~~~~~~~~~~
The new Jukebox poll is up!
Check out the Jukebox to listen to (and vote
for) the following songs:
Gary Paul Hermus - take me out and get me loaded
Alan Tepper - karma
Mike June & The Dirty Doves - fighting the war
Kosmic Daydream - right now
Matt Fisher & The Telephone Junkies - only getting older
Arlan Feiles - sign up
Thomas Martin & The Martinis - love her like crazy
Kerry - Cubana Americana
Six To Eight Mathematics - promise to be true
Head over to the Jukebox poll now and, "rock
the vote"!
Peace,
Lazlo
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