And the Award Goes To…
Nominees Eagerly Await the Voting Results

By Brian Goslow

As the ballots are tabulated for the 2006 Worcester Music Awards ~ the results of which will announced on April 20 at The Irish Times ~ we at The Pulse are busy making preparations to ensure that this year’s first annual awards ceremony sets a very high standard for years to come. The Pulse is proud to be sponsoring the new WMAs, taking the tradition started by the Worcester Phoenix’s Best Music Poll in 1994 and passed on to the Wormtown Music Awards in 2001 and elevating it to new heights. The Awards will continue to celebrate the diverse Worcester County music scene, bringing attention to both well-established artists and brand new talent and ~ although this is a competition ~ fostering a sense of camaraderie amongst musicians from all different genres and even amongst their fans. We didn’t have any trouble convincing both seasoned veterans and new faces to give us their take on the Awards and what being involved (and maybe even taking home one of the trophies!) in the whole process might ultimately mean for their musical futures.

“Being the new kid on the block here in this area, getting nominated for the WMA was a huge surprise for
me,” says WMA Rap/Hip-Hop Nominee Q-Strange. “My local fan base is small but growing and the fans are very loyal that are into my type of music. It’s hip hop, but it’s dark and something a little different than
your average rap has to offer. Picture Marilyn Manson meets Eminem.” The California-based Mad Insanity records will release his third CD this summer. His previous discs – “Creation to ExeQtion” and “Strangeland” – are available from Long Range Distribution.
While no one’s claiming a WMA is a ticket to fortune and fame, it is another way for performers to build a name and a fan base for themselves. “This nomination will boost any potential gigs or look great for bragging rights,” says DJ One 3, AKA Angelo Romano, who’s up for the Best Club DJ award. “Just knowing people are interested in my music and supportive of me is cool thing. Getting the proper credit is always an issue no matter where you are, although it is a little harder in Worcester because the bigger cities tend to ignore Worcester. Another reason is I think Worcester lacks a certain nightbeat vibe. I am trying to make people aware of my style of music which is House Music though.”

The youngest nominee, 16-year-old St. Peter Marian student Envee, works his magic with DJ Syrenn. “To me rap isn’t really a genre or category, it’s much more then that, it’s a life style. I write what I live and livewhat I write,” says Envee, who worked the crowd at the WMA Nominees’ Party in March at SPQR. “I’ve gotten multiple phone calls giving me props for the CDs I passed out. I use myspace to work my fans and also my official website www.theenvee.com. I’ve been giving out free T-shirts and CDs to fans that nominated me and all sorts of other stuff.” Look for his new CD, “The Diamond Dog: The Lost Chapter,” soon.

Having something that separates you from the pack is key when it comes to making people stand up and take notice. “There is so much talent out there,” says rap/hip-hop nominees Quite Nyce and SEEK of RADix, whose new CD “The Staple” is due in stores on April 4. “What separates RADIx from everyone else is our passion, our grind, and humility. We look at music as something we live, something we are good at, and something we are constantly try to grow at. As long as we keep our morals and are true to ourselves, we feel the sky is the limit.”

The metal category is full of heavyweight competition. “We don’t know the Seemless guys too well but they deserve a ton of respect,” says Sacreligion guitarist Mike Lirange. “They’re the most well-known of all the bands and rightfully so, since they write good songs and can deliver live. Skulltoboggan are great guys, and I’d say they’re definitely the most unique band out of all that were nominated. We’ve been playing shows with them since we started in 2003 and it’s always been a blast. Zircon has been around for a while, and fortunately we had the pleasure of playing with them recently at Rox’s. We’re all huge fans of black metal and they do it right.”

Probable Cause, who’ve been together for 16 years and have taken home numerous “Best Cover Act” awards from various area publications, are glad to find out people are still excited about their performances. “It is incredible,” says guitarist Chris Coghlin. “It is so nice to be recognized when you put so much energy intopracticing and creating a memorable night for all those who come out to see us. We have almost 400 songs to pick from and we really try hard to mix it up with some old and new stuff every show. We learn new songs to keep it fresh and I think people notice and appreciate it. We play Limp Bizkit to Kenny Rogers and everything in between.”

WMA Punk nominee No Trigger, whom Alternative Press called “One of the 100 Bands You Need to Know in 2006,” have “quietly” been around for three and a half years, playing most of their local shows at the Quinsigamond Village Community Center and The Palladium. “We aren’t much of a bar band, you know?” says singer Tom Rhealt. “Our local fan base is actually getting pretty damn strong, and I’m pumped about how many kids come out and see us when we play locally. We have done a lot of East Coast/Mid West touring, but we will be headed to the West Coast for the first time in May.” They’ll be promoting their new Nitro Records CD “Conyoneer,” which came out last month. They end an East Coast tour on April 19 and will then rush back to Worcester. “We all plan on going to the Awards, we talked about it and all of us wanted to go for sure,” Rhealt says.

Already, the nomination process for the WMAs has brought a fresh generation of performers to the attention of the region’s music fans and has re-energized the enthusiasm for well-established groups as well. And what better to do with all this enthusiasm and talent than throw it a party, right?! The Awards, hosted by WAAF’s Carmelita, will be held at Irish Times on Main Street in Worcester. There will be a Grammy-style red-carpet entrance, performances by several of the nominees, food, trophies for the winners, and another chance for groups to hand out their CDs and talk to the fans. So whether your favorite band is nominated or not and whether your group is up for an award, we hope to see you at the 2006 Worcester Music Awards ~ this’ll be one Awards show where your vote actually did count!!