Summer Sounds

The Pulse talks to four local bands on the rise

By Taryn Plumb, Photos By Jeff Loughlin

June 2004 – Elvis Costello once said: “writing about music is like dancing about architecture —it’s a really stupid thing to want to do.” He might be right.

It’s impossible to capture lyrical melodies, body shaking beats and the overall essence of a band’s music with mere words. But this reporter attempted to do just that. These are the stories of four different bands, all with their own style of music. Each is working on an album. Each truly loves to play. Here are the local acts you can’t miss this summer.

Schekta

Posing for a photograph, the four men, members of the heavy metal group Schekta, display hard, angry, almost menacing faces. As the photographer takes a steady stream of pictures, Sullivan, the group’s lead singer, periodically turns around to his fellow members, warning them: “no smiling.”

But when the photo shoot is over, and the members of the group filter back into Worcester’s Lucky Dog Music Hall, their favorite hang out, those menacing, angry faces are gone. Instead, the band members, who also consider themselves best friends, do shots of Jagermeister, tell jokes and recount stories of the best and worst venues they’ve ever played.

“We’re in a metal band,” says Sullivan, justifying his ‘no smiling’ comment. “We can’t have pictures showing us with big grins on our faces.” But, he says, that’s where the menacing tone stays. Despite the group’s edge, highlighted by aggressive, in-your-face melodies and an abundant amount of screaming, they describe their tunes as “melodic” and stage show as “fun and light-hearted.”

The key, says Sullivan, is proving to the audience that they’re having a good time. “A lot of metal bands stay pissed off between songs,” he says, in a mocking, automaton voice. “When we get onstage, it’s like a big party. Oftentimes, the lead singer even engages the audience by telling jokes, pouring alcohol on them, and, on one memorable Halloween night, launching pumpkins in their direction.

Comprised of lead singer Sullivan, Ryan Joyce on guitar, Phil Doody on bass and Tommy Landry on drums, Schekta got its start as a basement band. Now, after taking a five month hiatus, they are cutting an album, slated for release in the fall.

Sitting at a corner table at the Lucky Dog, the members of the group laugh when asked the origin of their name. Schekta, they say, is the worst possible roll, a one, in the game of bong yahtzee. It’s also a bastardized version of the slang word schekter, a derogatory adjective for a person or thing that “f***s you over.”

And spelling is almost always an issue. “It’s the most misspelled seven letter word in the English language,” Sullivan jokes.

Smoking a cigarette, the lead singer explains that when all is said and done, what holds the group together is their collective love of music. “If fame comes of what we do, great,” he says. “But, if every club in Worcester told us we were never going to make money again, we’d still do it.”

The Bee’s Knees

As the musicians, members of theThe Bee’s Knees, situate themselves onstage, the raspy voice of the group’s drummer Joe Giotta filters out into the crowd. “Chicken-pot, chicken-pot, chicken-pot pie,” he says, testing the microphone. Standing beside him, John Donovan, bassist, chatters with his band-mates in a mock British accent.

Watching them from a small table at Southbridge’s Mill St. Brews, it’s impossible not to find their anecdotal stories and practical joking amusing. “Normally we feature harmonica in this song,” Donovan says to the crowd. “But we hid it on our lead singer.”

This fun atmosphere the band creates – which is also incredibly contagious – is clearly their secret to success. Well that, and their collection of rockin’ songs. “We’re the fun band that everybody wants to see,” Giotta explains.

Featuring Michael Thibodeau on lead vocals and guitar, Donovan on bass, Giotta on drums and Ed Barnett on lead guitar, The Bee’s Knees sport a unique brand of music. Infusing elements of folk, blues, country, and pop, their melodies appeal to a wide variety of discerning tastes. “So many people come up to me and say ‘you sound like…’ And it’s always a different band,” says Thibodeau.

Currently recording their debut album at Tremolo Lounge, The Bee’s Knees came together “basically by accident” says Thibodeau. When recording his solo CD, “Raise High the Roof Beam,” the lead singer needed a little help, so he recruited fellow musician Giotta. Shortly thereafter, they started rehearsing together, enlisting Barnett and Donovan along the way. Country Joe’ Giotta, who sports a white cowboy hat, explains. “We’re not new guys, but we’re a new band.”

Sitting in a corner of Southbridge’s Artist’s Development Complex before the show, the group talks music, occasionally digressing into discussions about cooking, which, next to music, is their prime passion. A recipe book is in the works, and their website, www.beeskneesmusic.com even features a recipe message board, where fans can share and swap their favorite dishes. “We actually don’t like playing music,” Giotta quips. “This is all about getting on the food network.”

Their success stems from the fact that they sincerely enjoy each other’s company. “It makes for a horrible rehearsal,” Thibodeau comments, chuckling. “Long and incredibly unproductive,” Giotta returns, “but fun.”

Seconds before they step onto the stage, they talk future goals. “We’ll take this to wherever it takes us,” Thibodeau explains. Giotta adds: “One area code at a time.”

Uncle Billy’s Smokehouse

Sitting in a snug Union Music rehearsal room, the musicians switch instruments for a tune. Sean Ryan, who normally plays guitar for Uncle Billy’s Smokehouse pounds on a keyboard, working out the kinks of a brand new song.

As his hands glide melodically over the keys, Matt Leboeuf, the band’s bassist, taps out a simple drum accompaniment. Standing in the doorway, lead singer and keyboardist Jody Ryan, influenced by the electricity in the air, begins to scat in a Reggae-like howl.

“That was just recess,” Sean Ryan jokes when they finish. After a little laughter, they clamor back to their original places, taking quick sips of beer. Before beginning another melody, Jody Ryan explains that a long-range goal is to create a band where all members play all instruments.

“We’re different from everybody else,” Sean Ryan, guitar in lap, explains. “We’re really trying hard to be unique, but at the same time bring back the funk.”

Uncle Billy’s Smokehouse, comprised of brothers Jody and Sean Ryan, Brad Simmons on drums and Leboeuf on bass, have played together for over ten years. They are a self-described rock and roll band, but, as this reporter discovered one spring night while enjoying a beer with the musicians, it’s impossible to pin their music down to one genre.

Started originally by the Ryan brothers in Colorado, Uncle Billy’s — whose name was inspired by a hot dog stand in the Rocky Mountain State — has been playing gigs in Worcester since December. “We want to make people enjoy music,” the drummer explains, “and have an impact musically in Worcester.” The group is currently cutting an album, slated for release in the fall.

Jody Ryan, whose flying fingers dash over the keyboard, explains that experimentation, adventure and stage presence, dying breeds in the local music scene, are the factors that separate Uncle Billy’s from other local rock bands. “A lot of artists don’t concentrate on entertainment,” he says. “They just expect their music to do the talking.”

The group works hard to entertain their growing fan base, even throwing themed parties every year at Worcester’s Tammany Hall, complete with costumes, eccentric hats, and, most importantly, free beer. “I think sometimes we have too much fun,” Leboeuf comments, on the group’s belief that if they have a good time onstage, the audience will follow suit. “When we’re trying to practice, half the time we’re joking around.”

Strumming the strings of his guitar, Sean Ryan, who’s played music with his brother Jody since they were children, talks about the group’s future goals. “I want to get out there,” he explains. “Right now we want to say goodbye to Worcester so we can come back and say hello again on a higher level.”

The Goon Squad

At a booth in their favorite hang-out spot, Coney Island Hot Dogs, the members of The Goon Squad talk music, future goals, and, most importantly, the quintessential ballpark treat. “We’re avid supporters of Worcester area hot-dog institutions,” explains Paul Nice, band member.

This comment causes fellow Goons Bazooka Joe Nice and Allie Bombz to launch into a debate over who could consume the most Coney Island franks.

Despite the small talk, wise-cracking and practical joking, the hip-hop group, consisting of Bazooka Joe Nice, his brother Paul Nice, Allie Bombz and DJ Shame, boasts quite an impressive résumé. With an album in the works, a steady succession of gigs in and out of Worcester county, and an upcoming film credit, they might possibly be the most up and coming band in Worcester.

The Goon Squad, formerly The Average White Boys, describe their music as “old-school-type hip hop,” in the vein of Run DMC and the Beastie Boys. “We’re kind of berserk and chaotic,” says Paul Nice, of the group’s style. “We are a goon squad,” Allie Bombz quips. “A squad of goons.”

Originally formed under the title of In Your Face Productions, the group was established over a decade ago, when members Allie Bombz and brothers Paul and Bazooka Joe Nice were classmates at Doherty High in Worcester. They distributed dubbed cassette tapes that classmates often played at parties. “Our essence is being fresh and rocking the party,” Bombz says of the group’s appeal. “There is no hidden message. The message is have fun.”

Currently, the group is working on its second album, a follow-up to their debut, “Knuckle Sandwich.” Due out this summer, “Orangutang Blitzkreig” features a title track telling the story of a monkey take-over at the zoo. The Goons also recently sound-tracked a film directed by Joe Gatto, entitled “Over-Served.” The soundtrack to the film, a Boston Comedy Film Festival award winner, features four songs by the group, including the title track, “House of Booze.” The Goons even have small cameos in the independent movie.

This summer, the group will be shooting a video for the song “Key Pahty,” directed by Gatto. Set to shoot at a Worcester-area location, the Goons encourage anyone interested in being filmed as an audience member at “a huge…all day free keg party,” to contact them through their website, www.goonsquad.us.

As a steady stream of contemporary pop music shamelessly blurts out of a nearby jukebox, Paul Nice reflects on the group’s appeal. “In Worcester, most of the bands are…rock bands,” he comments. “There’s hardly any dance music, break beats… [or] party music. We fill that hole. And we might be able to fill that hole across the country.”