The idea of becoming part of a nationally recognized music ensemble is something many people dream of their entire lives. Then they remember that they live in the North Country and subsequently throw that dream out of the window and go apple picking.
This is a stereotype that many people have about the musically inclined in Upstate New York. The thought of being recognized by an audience beyond their small town is often unfathomable. However, many local bands have refused to let location be a hindrance in them following their dreams of musical recognition.
“It’s hard to get your name around a big city when everyone in the band is working one or two jobs and/or going to school. There isn’t a lot of time to tour or go on the road, which is pricey as it is time consuming,” said Corey Collins, a member of Yo, Adrian!, a Plattsburgh based posi post-punk/hardcore band.
Collins described Yo, Adrian! as a self sufficient band. “We recorded and mixed our album ourselves, created and printed the artwork, packaged the physical CDs and printed the labels.” He emphasized that bands need to do whatever is necessary if they want their name and music to spark the interest of the public.
“We have flyers around town and provide news and updates through our Myspace, Facebook and Twitter, as lame as that damn thing is, as well as through websites like absolutepunk.net and punknews.org. Lots of word of mouth too, we trade CDs and share advice with touring bands and use those connections to help one another with shows in our respective hometowns. When bands tour, they usually offer to help get our local bands shows in their town when they're coming through. Making friends in the punk rock community is the most important thing - something we can't stress enough. Tear down all of the walls that you think divide you from one another, make friends and be nice. People will help you when you're looking for it, and the people who come to shows are always appreciative.” said Collins.
Collins said that even with all the tactics that the band uses to publicize themselves they have still suffered many setbacks.
“There are a lot, most of which coming from living in Plattsburgh. We’ve had two tours planned that both fell through, one due to work schedules changing last minute and the other due to an injury. We just try as hard as we can to network, to play shows out and to be as sincere and honest as we can when promoting our music.” said Collins.
Other bands in Plattsburgh like Bass Gurl and Guitar Pete, a Blues/Rock and Roll band that have been together for two years, agrees with Collins. “Playing as many gigs as you can even if they are free is what you have to do. We have a gig in Warrensburg on Saturday, and I am paying $200 to rent a van to take all our equipment down there. Nobody can hear you if you don’t play your music,” said Pete of Bass Gurl and Guitar Pete.
Both these bands are fairly young and their members strive on doing whatever is possible to create a large enough fan base so that they can gain recognition outside of the North Country.
However some bands like the heavy rock group Cain and the Plattsburgh based Soul/Rock group The Angry Neighbors are content with their current accomplishments and are more interested in playing their music and hoping that the people they play for enjoy it.
Tim Logan of Cain says that they have a huge fan base, and they only play from the Syracuse area to Plattsburgh, which is the most recent addition to their list.
“We play twice a week and we are more of a concert band that people come to watch rather than a band that plays in a club so that people can dance,” said Logan. The notion that they were not a well established band was not even a factor as Logan stated that the band was very popular and that since the bands conception ten years ago they think they have thoroughly succeeded. However he continued by saying that as with all new endeavors you need to be patient and in those initial stages the best thing any band can do is, “Play, play, play, play, anywhere, everywhere.”
The Angry Neighbors are not as interested in gaining recognition as they are about simply playing the music for the enjoyment of their audience. Mike Leclair, the youngest member of this band which has been around for a couple years now, says that they just want to play music and hope that people will like it and that they will play anywhere where they are wanted from weddings to bars.
“Well we just go and see if different places need a gig and if certain places have seen us perform they recommend us to other places. It has a lot to do with word of mouth,” said Leclair.
While some bands in the North Country yearn for the possibility of one day joining the ranks of Coldplay and Van Halen others are humbled by their localized success. But what these bands all agree on is that none of them would have matured without the passion and drive behind their members.
Here is where you can find music from
Yo, Adrian!
For the latest Cain info
Cain
For the latest Bass Gurl and Guitar Pete info
Bass Gurl and Guitar Pete
Credit: MySpace Music
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