Tuesday, December 15, 2009
To Each Their Own
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Corey Prok
I am single and currently working for Harris RF Communications. Specifically I am a Test Engineer, but I went to school for electrical engineering, and played trumpet in high-school. It is this strong musical pedigree that I am drawing on for this newsletter. Trust me, it shines through. Plus, this whole thing was my idea...
Alex Hillis

Position: Firestarter
Alex is 22, 6 foot 2 inches, 185 pounds, and sports a “rugged-but-not-hippie” beard. Look out ladies!
Full-time he works for St. Pauly Textile, a Rochester-based operation that annually supplies millions of pounds of used clothing to nations world-wide. In his down time he sings lead vocals and plays guitar in an up-and-coming rock band, watches TV, and co-produces dropStatic News. He is currently trying to improve the way he treats himself and the way he treats others on a day-to-day basis.
Also Alex is the brains behind the entire dropStatic operation.
John Brandon Zubler
One of my clearest, earliest memories is unbuckling my seatbelt and breaking a three hour silence. It was a silence that had been filled with easy-listening programming from the mid-80’s. I forced my way into the front seat of our car and asked my parents why it was that EVERY SONG WE HEARD was about love.
I don’t remember what their exact answer was, but I do remember that it wasn’t substantial; to them, what they had heard over the past three hours was fine, desirable even, and they had no reservations about going another three hours on the same exact station.
Something inside me felt absolutely compelled to say that this homogenous situation felt fundamentally confusing. Wasn’t music supposed to address more than one topic? Didn’t it have the capacity to be something much more diverse?
Of course it did.
I knew it then as strongly as I know it now.
Also, I am the brains behind this entire operation.
Drew Prok
Drew Prok enjoys music. But a love of music is only the trait of a man, it is not his essence. A man’s experiences, desires and talents are what make him unique. Let us dive into the rich history of a man about to embark on a great journey.
Drew attended the University at Buffalo where he majored in Industrial Engineering and minored in Business Management. It was in this environment of learning and creativity that Drew realized his love of music. It had become more than just something to fill the silent void. He desired more than the nine to five day job that was destined to be his. He desired to fly.
He desired music.
Also, Drew is the brains behind the entire operation.
The Radium Girls

This week I interview Benjamin Brown, bass player for local three-piece reggae/rock group, The Radium Girls. Ben offers his thoughts on himself, his band, and the world at large...
Ben, how did you get involved with The Radium Girls?
"When Kevin and Jeff (drummer & guitarist) met, they were both wearing State Radio t-shirts and instantly fell in man-love. I, on the other hand, was conveniently dating Kevin's girlfriend's roommate, and they needed a bass player to join up. Jeff started ripping out awesome original songs, and soon enough we were a band!"
Where does the name come from?
"We fought over a band name for somewhere around a year and a half - during which we were conveniently named the KJB (Kevin, Jeff, and Ben). At some point, Jeff wrote a song in which the word "Radium" seemed to fit remarkably well. A trip to Wikipedia later, and he had stumbled across the story of the Radium Girls - a number of women employed by the US Radium Corporation to paint glow-in-the-dark watch dials with Radium paint. They weren't aware of the radioactivity, and would do crazy things like paint their nails and teeth to surprise their boyfriends back home. Later in life, many of them got very ill and the resulting lawsuit became the basis for many modern labor laws. In Jeff's hands, it then became a song ("Radium") and ended up as our band name (which continually confuses the majority of our website visitors looking for attractive girls)."
What makes the music of The Radium Girls special?
"First, all of Jeff's lyrics are meaningful - if you sit down with the lyrics and analyze them there's some really amazing stories behind them. Additionally, we bring together a wide variety of musical genres from riff-rock to reggae and punk in order to create a raw, high-energy, and danceable set."
Why are your bass riffs so fat?
"To make up for how skinny I am? Or maybe just because I don't know when to say no to awesome amplifiers and overdrive pedals? Either way, I can never get enough of a deep overdriven bass groove..."
If you were on your death-bed and had one last thing to say to the world, what would it be?
"Don't let me die!"
Do you think the music scene in Rochester (and Western NY) can be revolutionized?
"Absolutely I do, and I hope to be a part of the revolution!"
The Radium Girls are a fantastic live band. See them play at the Lovin' Cup on Friday at 9 pm w/ Argus Eye, and Big Eyed Phish. Listen to Robin Hood Hills for a great sample of their music.
Hunger Anthem
They are a raw 3 piece ensemble with original material and a sound reminiscent of Guided By Voices; bright guitars loaded with distortion, intelligent lyrics, and an energy that translates into a great time at the bar.
I had the unexpected pleasure of drinking with their bass player, Jeremy Hewett, at his apartment at an impromptu after party following their victory. Settled in around the open door of a cast iron wood-burning stove they'd smuggled into their living room, we smoked cigarettes and rifled through his ipod. After settling on a song he shared his surprise on the night's achievement (the winner is decided by votes from the audience). He acknowledged that they were up against serious competition, and that speaks to their talent, as well as their off-stage presence. Come out and see why they got the votes.
Hunger Anthem plays at the Bugjar Tuesday 12/1, doors open at 8:00pm.
Special Feature
This Thursday, The Beale Street Café (693 South Ave.) will be host to the very last show centered around the music of Rochester legend, Son House. I have it on authority from one of their regular performers, Mr. Tim Brinduse, that it will be a tightly coordinated event with many local blues masters coming out to pay tribute and share their craft for this special event. And it is FREE. 7-10 p.m.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Tumul

We recently had the strange pleasure of seeing Tumul, one of Rochester's more interesting bands, play a show at the Bug Jar. Tumul is a band that defies definition, except to say that their style of music is "Noise". Tumul's front-man blasted static and raw noise from his DJ equipment while screaming into an abused microphone. Meanwhile his partner-in-crime blasted away at a four piece drum set. Both men wore costumes reminiscent of the Rabbit from Donny Darko crossed with the chick that gets eaten by the Rancor in Jabba's palace.
After the show I asked the front-man, "What does it feel like when you're up there, head-banging and screaming and putting a beating on the ground?"
He said, "I'm in a time warp."
The funny thing was, Tumul only played one song. I asked the guys, "Only one song? Do you ever play more than one song?"
The answer: "Never! Well, except, one time halfway through our song the power went out, so that time we played two songs."
Tumul is either a band you will love or hate. Personally, I love them. Their music is clearly calculated to punish your ears, but they've thrown all the rules out the window. I am wholeheartedly behind any band that can both shock me and make me laugh. Next time you are at a show which Tumul plays, open your mind, close your eyes...and picture machine guns and people on fire. Prepare yourself for a violent, cathartic release, if you can handle the challenge. Then have a chat with the band. They are friendly, funny, and probably just as crazy off-stage as on.
Reader Comments!
"How ironic that one of the bands listed here are named Blacktusk. That's what I name my oh so magnificent private fellow down under."
Great to hear from our readers! That was invaluable input...
Tell us your thoughts by sending an email to thecrew@dropstatic.com!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
So Many Bands, So Little Time!
1. Hope you all have tickets to Umphrey's McGee on Wednesday because they put on an unbelievable show. For those of you who don't know, Umphrey's is one of the premier jam/rock bands in existence right now (and in my opinion, for what its worth, the best).
2. Break from the jumping up and down, and go to a more relaxed joint on Thursday (Layah Jane-Toronto) or Friday (Stephane Wrembel- Brooklyn).
3. Get your gauged earrings and grizzly beard growing, cuz on Sunday you can witness some southern death metal at Monty's Krown, with Black Tusk (Savannah Georgia). Should be loud...
Reader Comments!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Pietzche Neitzches
This week we would like to feature Pietzche Neitzches, a local band that pushes the limits of normal music. Pietzche Neitzches has clearly set out on an exploration through the realms of the weird. From bits of polka, to metal-infused bluegrass, to pink-floydesque trip sequences, this band has it all. No song is the same, and few are even similar. What amazes me is that while most bands of similar inclination blindly rampage weirdness (often without regard to what the average listener might be able to wrap their heads around) Pietzche Neitzches keeps a strong grip on melody, and beauty. The contrast of opposites creates the most startling art- and the melody-infused noise that this band makes is a great example.
Fringe City

Fringe City formed in 2008 to bless Rochester with some high energy, liquid rock. They remind me of one of those energy drinks that is laced with alcohol (Sparks is popular, but I prefer JOOSE, available at small convenience/deli combos in a city near you). Their fast-paced fretwork and percussion will get your blood pumping, but the epic and mysterious sex of the chording and vocal melodies may leave your head spinning. The best musical comparison is Kings of Leon on crack.
Writer's Note: Its funny, but after becoming fully immersed in local music, I am surprised to say that I even prefer the music of Rochester's Fringe City over that of international hit generator's The Kings of Leon. I like both bands, and strong comparisons can be drawn, but Fringe City turns me on more.
Check out Sycophant to hear an example of why you must meet us this Saturday night at the Lovin' Cup for a local lineup, with Fringe City headlining.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The Sisters of Murphy...Aftermath
No new featured artist this week. It's time to talk about last week. On Saturday night the dropStatic Crew went to check out the Sisters of Murphy at Monty's Crown. It was a wild ride. I think one of my favorite things about the band (other than stellar musicianship) is that they drank furiously throughout the night. Most local bands are afraid to taint their sound with alcohol...of course a Celtic rock band, as we expected, is totally suited for furious alcohol consumption. The songs were invigorating and had some serious folk-punch. A violin/guitar/percussion set in the middle added some extra flavor to the concoction. These guys are awesome! See them play at a local bar, if you get the chance.
"I'm really glad we went out to see them...so much fun" writes Thomas Peechatt, dropStatic enthusiast.
For another kickass show, join us all at the Bug Jar on Thursday for The Beaumonts w/ the Radium Girls. Reggae and ska tones this week for all you "upbeat" enthusiasts out there. Woo-hoo!
Where do The Sisters of Murphy fall on The Sound Plane? For those of you keeping score at home The Sound Plane remains unchanged from last week, because...well because we were right last week. It is gratifying to have your Sound Plane validated.