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SPRING HEELED JACK

“Any ordinary band would have given it up by now.” This has become the motto of Spring Heeled Jack. A band that amazingly is still together writing vibrant and compelling music from the heart( with soul) and putting on killer live shows like they just started yesterday.

SHJ from 1992-2000 released three albums “Connecticut Ska, “Static World View” (Moon Records) and “Songs From Suburbia”(Tommy Boy/ ignition ). In this time they played about 2500+ shows all over the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. As well as playing dates on such high profile festival tours such as Warped   and Lalapalooza.

SHJ was and continue to be a foundation of the CT scene, as well as a prominent fixture of the ska, punk, alternative underground throughout the world . Over the years SHJ has been featured on several music shows MTV’s 120 Minutes, HBO Reverb, Spin’s Access Channel and VH1 to name a few. 

After disbanding in 2000, SHJ has reunited in different combinations.( always with the the double attack of lead singers/ guitarist Ronnie Ragona and Mike Pellegrino )  Recently coming together with an updated lineup   of seasoned vets, SHJ has written and self released a new album “Sound Salvation”. The songwriting is strong with plenty of hooks and well crafted arrangements. The lyrics are fresh, the vocals and harmonies are both energetic and melodic. These new 11 songs may be the best we’ve ever heard from SHJ.

In the interim SHJ’s members have been busy playing with or started some other established bands. Ronnie Ragona- vox/guitar (Lost City Angels, The Murder Mile). Mike Pellegrino -vox/guitar (Cenzo, Lord Fowl). Tom Quartulli -sax (Barrence Whitfield, Dark Buster, Kings of nuthin ).  Vinny Nobile -trombone (Bim Skala Bim, Pilfers), Nick Bacon -keys(The Adversaries, Pilfers), Eric Brisman -trombone (Allstonians, Bim Skala Bim), Corky Evans-drums/vox (The Adversaries), Pete Glowacki-bass (Waltham).

Adopting the model: “stronger together than individually”, SHJ is better than ever impressing newcomers and the old school fans alike . Look for Spring Heeled Jack and their lively and dynamic brand of Ska-Rock-Soul at upcoming festivals and clubs near you.

Links: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

MEPHISKAPHELES

Mephiskapheles, the band that helped define third-wave ska, then defied critics by exploring even greater possibilities with its darkly original ska fusion, forges ahead with amazing shows and a new full-length record in the works.

Formed in the East Village of New York City in 1991 by a group of punk rockers/artists/ad guys/jazz musicians, Mephiskapheles played its first show on Long Island. From day one, the band began attracting a diverse, dedicated fan base. Sold-out NYC gigs led to tours with the Buzzcocks and GWAR, and hits on the Hawaiian Islands Chart with three singles from the band's first album, 1994's God Bless Satan, produced by Bill Laswell.

While touring relentlessly, Mephiskapheles followed-up in 1997 with Maximum Perversion, a jazz-influenced work that didn't take long to be hailed as a classic. A deal in 1999 with Koch Records resulted in the band's hard-hitting, exploratory third album, Might-Ay White-Ay. The band released the self-titled EP Mephiskapheles in 2015, featuring the single "Satan Stole My Weed," an instant classic. The Never Born Again EP, released in 2019, brings the band back full circle to its dark and melodic roots.

Fronted by lead singer Invidious aka the Nubian Nightmare, along with the hottest rhythm section in New York, and the Horns of Hell, Mephiskapheles spreads its evil seed with an ongoing reissue program, epic shows, and new music to be released this year.

Links: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

9TH WAVE

The ground swells of the 9th Wave were first witnessed in the mid 1990s when guitarist Mike Rosado began writing surf music in the Connecticut wilderness, miles from the nearest ocean. By the summer of 1997, the 9th Wave lineup included Mike Lewis on bass and Jim Nichols on drums. The trio recorded the band’s debut album, Cruising for Mako, in 1998 and soon began to attract critical acclaim as Connecticut’s premier surf instrumental combo, opening up for such musical luminaries as Dick Dale and the Amazing Crowns.

In 1999 Rosado and Nichols teamed up with bass player Denise Dixson to release 9th Wave’s second CD, Surf Denial, and enlarge the band’s touring radius throughout Southern New England and eventually down South. After a summer appearance in North Carolina at Sleazefest, Chapel Hill’s preeminent Mardi Gras of music, moonshine and mayhem, the band added Go-go dancers to an already elaborate stage presentation, which has been known to include palm trees, surf boards, flamingos, tiki torches and fog-shrouded Polynesian masks.

The new millennium saw 9th Wave featured on three CD compilations in addition to being highlighted in numerous publications throughout the world. In the midst of a busy performance schedule, including two appearances at Sleazefest 2000, the band produced a third CD, Hurricane, the much-anticipated follow up to Surf Denial. Pursuing the diverse musical trajectory begun on the last album, the CD ventured through several styles of instrumental music including surf, spy, lounge, hot rod, sci-fi, exotica and western twang.

Following the Hurricane release, 9th Wave’s line-up made a gradual shift from three-piece to four-piece. In the current line-up, Rosado’s signature surf guitar sound is supported by the experienced bass touch of Negative Ed, a pounding surf beat from drummer Phearsome Phred Rawles, and vocals, flute, Farfisa organ, and rhythm guitar played by Sandy “Oceana” Rosado.

With another two years of Sleazefest performances, inclusion on two additional European compilation CDs, and over 50 gigs in the past calendar year, 9th Wave returned to the studio for the May 2003 release of Time Tunnel, 9th Wave’s fourth full-length all-original CD, published by Beach House Records. This CD takes you on a journey to the days when hot rods ruled the streets and the surf instrumental movement provided the soundtrack. Time Tunnel ventures through several different styles of all-original instrumental surf, hot rod, spy, exotica, sci-fi, and western twang. All tunes were recorded live in the studio with one or two takes, to capture the excitement of a live performance. 9th Wave, the premier hot rod surf band, inflicted the fury of pounding surf on the east coast and beyond in support of this CD, including shows with Dick Dale and Laika & the Cosmonauts from Finland.

May 2006 saw the recording of the 5th CD, Creepsters from the Deep, released in 2007. The eclectic nature of Rosado’s music writing continues with sci-fi, spy, creepy, jazzy, and hot rod surf tunes like “Zombies Attack”, “Black Widow Spy-der”, “TIdal Wave”, and “Full Throttle”. Then in November 2010, Victory at Sunset, the band’s 6th CD, was born. Released in 2011, the CD confirms the band’s commitment to modern surf music with such tracks as “Tsunami Escape Route”, “Liquid Summer”, and the title track. Exotic and eclectic tunes are represented by “Conquistador de las Olas”, “Island of the Lost Tiki”, “Desert Caravan”, and the rousing “Clown Away”. Other diverse tunes represent the genres of hot rod surf, spaghetti western, sci fi, creep, and some re-visited favorites. 2012 found 9th Wave performing for the third consecutive year at the Instro Summit in Chapel Hill NC, as well as touring Las Vegas & southern California including a performance at the prestigious Surf Guitar 101 Convention.

Links: Official Website | Facebook