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CHECKING IN WITH THE ALCHEMYSTICS AND EPITOME OF DOG
Thursday, October 20 2005 @ 03:42 AM EDT
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Views: 857
DO YOU WANNA DANCE? CATCH THE CRAZY TRANCE-LIKE BEAT OF THE ALCHEMYSTICS
(October 18, 2005) Think of the Alchemystics as the musical equivalent of a spicy meal you find at a funky restaurant where you're not sure what's going to arrive on your plate but you know it promises to be memorable (in a good way). Blending backgrounds that include studying at Berklee and with percussion masters in Cuba, playing steaming hot flamenco sounds in San Francisco, and learning how to put diverse styles together by performing in orchestras, the Alchemystics have slowly been pulling the East Coast under their spell of hip hop and reggae. They play the Lucky Dog Music Hall on October 21. Percussionist Demse Zullo brings us up to date on the sound that makes the body go round in a sea of rhythms.
WORMTOWN.ORG: For the uninitiated, introduce the Alchemystics to the rest of the world:
DEMSE ZULLO: Jay Metcalf , Keyboards, soundzzzz , classic rock; Garrett Sawyer, Bass, random information and healthy treats; Demse Zullo , Drumset , percussion, attitude , soundzzzz; Phaze ( AKA Louis Perez) vocals, lyricist, junk food.
WORMTOWN.ORG: You've got a lot of great influences - who are the ones who truly push towards the level you're aiming for?
DEMSE ZULLO: I would say that all of us in the group have very similar and different influences. We really have a lot of respect for Kayne and Outkast in particular for the lack of fear in creating something new. We all look up to the artists and individuals who step up in life and music because they have to - it's not a choice for the greats and innovators.
WORMTOWN.ORG: Have you ever gotten a chance to jam or perform with any of them?
DEMSE ZULLO: Our rhythm section has backed up the Abyssinians - roots reggae champions , and both our drummer and bassist have individually played with some big artists in the Caribbean music scene. We have all in this band or another, had the opportunity to play on the same bill with groups that we have respect.
WORMTOWN.ORG: When's the new CD coming out? What are some of the top tracks and what plans do you have for promoting it?
DEMSE ZULLO: : [The] new CD [will be] out by the end of the year perhaps. We are going into our new studio at http://www.northfirerecording.com to record four or five new tracks to ensure that all the tracks are gonna turns heads ..... but "Crowd Pleasers," "Oh My Gosh" and "Wind" will be up on it. We'll have CD release parties in at least four states, radio play, etc. It should promote itself once word gets out and people hear it. We're all confident of that.
WORMTOWN.ORG: You've been out to Worcester a number of times now. How have local audiences and clubs treated you?
DEMSE ZULLO: In both cases it's been great. The clubs out here have been cool and supportive - both are too rare from any club. The crowds as well are into the music. Worcester crowds love to rock out and although we are a hip hop / reggae group and have no guitar - which surprises people - they can feel the vibes.
WORMTOWN.ORG: What have been your best show here so far?
DEMSE ZULLO: The last few shows at the Lucky Dog have been great, the crowd sticks around and shakes their asses, and screams a lot. We've had women onstage dancing. Good times! The Lucky Dog has a great staff as well, they're chill and down to earth.
WORMTOWN.ORG: Where can people go to sample your sound and get some information on the band?
DEMSE ZULLO: We have a website we just put up and is in its beginning stages at http://www.thealchemystics.com.. We also have an online press kit at http://www.sonicbids.com/alchemystics. Also check out the studio at http://www.northfirerecording.com.
The Alchemistics share the stage with the Fear Nuttin Band, Brad Byrd, and Noledge this Friday, October 21 at a 21 plus show at the Lucky Dog Music Hall, 89 Green Street, Worcester. For more information, call (508) 363-1888 or visit http://www.luckydogmusic.com. And don't forget to tell them you heard about the show on Wormtown.org!
MEET EPITOME OF DOG
(October 12, 2005) EPITOME OF DOG returned to the Lucky Dog on October 14 for a night of wild rocking along with Superpower, Whiskey Chapel, Samara, and Hold Your Own. Wormtown.org caught up with Eric Zeh for an update on what the Dog (the group) has been up to and why they're back on the club circuit. (They're back in action on Thursday, October 20 playing on a bill that also includes The Burning Excuse and No Less Than Everything at KC's Tap, 530 Broadway, Pawtucket, Rhode Island)
WORMTOWN.ORG: Epitome of Dog pretty much dropped out of action a few years ago. Why the return to action now?
ERIC ZEH: When we broke up back in 2002, I think we were just all a little burnt out. I don't think we were having as much fun with it as we once had. Fast forward to 2005. Jeff and Chicken had been jamming a little bit and looking around for a drummer. I'd just recently parted ways with Standard Deviation. We figured why not get together and see what happened. It felt good and we just fell back into EOD.
WORMTOWN.ORG: For the uninitiated, describe your sound and who's in the band?
ERIC ZEH: The band is "Chicken" on guitar and vocals, Jeff Abramo on bass and backup vocals and me (Eric Zeh) on drums and the occasional scream. I'd say our sound is kind of a blend of "old school" hardcore, speed metal and a little punk for flavor. Chicken once described it as "Harmonically excited dive-bomb metal crunch!!!." I'm not sure that helps, but it sounds good.
WORMTOWN.ORG: Who's your major influences?
ERIC ZEH: It seems like every time we play someone mentions D.R.I. And they're certainly a band we all grew up on. We're all huge fans of Slayer as well, but I'm not sure how much that comes through in our sound. I think one of the best things about this band is our influences vary so widely. From Anal Cunt to Jane's Addiction. But as you know, just because we're influenced by a band doesn't mean we sound anything like them.
WORMTOWN.ORG: Where can people go to sample your music?
ERIC ZEH: You can visit us on MySpace at http://myspace.com/eod/ and at http://epitomeofdog.com/. Our website is kind of a wasteland right now which is funny because two of the three of us are web developers. Go figure.
(October 18, 2005) Think of the Alchemystics as the musical equivalent of a spicy meal you find at a funky restaurant where you're not sure what's going to arrive on your plate but you know it promises to be memorable (in a good way). Blending backgrounds that include studying at Berklee and with percussion masters in Cuba, playing steaming hot flamenco sounds in San Francisco, and learning how to put diverse styles together by performing in orchestras, the Alchemystics have slowly been pulling the East Coast under their spell of hip hop and reggae. They play the Lucky Dog Music Hall on October 21. Percussionist Demse Zullo brings us up to date on the sound that makes the body go round in a sea of rhythms.
WORMTOWN.ORG: For the uninitiated, introduce the Alchemystics to the rest of the world:
DEMSE ZULLO: Jay Metcalf , Keyboards, soundzzzz , classic rock; Garrett Sawyer, Bass, random information and healthy treats; Demse Zullo , Drumset , percussion, attitude , soundzzzz; Phaze ( AKA Louis Perez) vocals, lyricist, junk food.
WORMTOWN.ORG: You've got a lot of great influences - who are the ones who truly push towards the level you're aiming for?
DEMSE ZULLO: I would say that all of us in the group have very similar and different influences. We really have a lot of respect for Kayne and Outkast in particular for the lack of fear in creating something new. We all look up to the artists and individuals who step up in life and music because they have to - it's not a choice for the greats and innovators.
WORMTOWN.ORG: Have you ever gotten a chance to jam or perform with any of them?
DEMSE ZULLO: Our rhythm section has backed up the Abyssinians - roots reggae champions , and both our drummer and bassist have individually played with some big artists in the Caribbean music scene. We have all in this band or another, had the opportunity to play on the same bill with groups that we have respect.
WORMTOWN.ORG: When's the new CD coming out? What are some of the top tracks and what plans do you have for promoting it?
DEMSE ZULLO: : [The] new CD [will be] out by the end of the year perhaps. We are going into our new studio at http://www.northfirerecording.com to record four or five new tracks to ensure that all the tracks are gonna turns heads ..... but "Crowd Pleasers," "Oh My Gosh" and "Wind" will be up on it. We'll have CD release parties in at least four states, radio play, etc. It should promote itself once word gets out and people hear it. We're all confident of that.
WORMTOWN.ORG: You've been out to Worcester a number of times now. How have local audiences and clubs treated you?
DEMSE ZULLO: In both cases it's been great. The clubs out here have been cool and supportive - both are too rare from any club. The crowds as well are into the music. Worcester crowds love to rock out and although we are a hip hop / reggae group and have no guitar - which surprises people - they can feel the vibes.
WORMTOWN.ORG: What have been your best show here so far?
DEMSE ZULLO: The last few shows at the Lucky Dog have been great, the crowd sticks around and shakes their asses, and screams a lot. We've had women onstage dancing. Good times! The Lucky Dog has a great staff as well, they're chill and down to earth.
WORMTOWN.ORG: Where can people go to sample your sound and get some information on the band?
DEMSE ZULLO: We have a website we just put up and is in its beginning stages at http://www.thealchemystics.com.. We also have an online press kit at http://www.sonicbids.com/alchemystics. Also check out the studio at http://www.northfirerecording.com.
The Alchemistics share the stage with the Fear Nuttin Band, Brad Byrd, and Noledge this Friday, October 21 at a 21 plus show at the Lucky Dog Music Hall, 89 Green Street, Worcester. For more information, call (508) 363-1888 or visit http://www.luckydogmusic.com. And don't forget to tell them you heard about the show on Wormtown.org!
MEET EPITOME OF DOG
(October 12, 2005) EPITOME OF DOG returned to the Lucky Dog on October 14 for a night of wild rocking along with Superpower, Whiskey Chapel, Samara, and Hold Your Own. Wormtown.org caught up with Eric Zeh for an update on what the Dog (the group) has been up to and why they're back on the club circuit. (They're back in action on Thursday, October 20 playing on a bill that also includes The Burning Excuse and No Less Than Everything at KC's Tap, 530 Broadway, Pawtucket, Rhode Island)
WORMTOWN.ORG: Epitome of Dog pretty much dropped out of action a few years ago. Why the return to action now?
ERIC ZEH: When we broke up back in 2002, I think we were just all a little burnt out. I don't think we were having as much fun with it as we once had. Fast forward to 2005. Jeff and Chicken had been jamming a little bit and looking around for a drummer. I'd just recently parted ways with Standard Deviation. We figured why not get together and see what happened. It felt good and we just fell back into EOD.
WORMTOWN.ORG: For the uninitiated, describe your sound and who's in the band?
ERIC ZEH: The band is "Chicken" on guitar and vocals, Jeff Abramo on bass and backup vocals and me (Eric Zeh) on drums and the occasional scream. I'd say our sound is kind of a blend of "old school" hardcore, speed metal and a little punk for flavor. Chicken once described it as "Harmonically excited dive-bomb metal crunch!!!." I'm not sure that helps, but it sounds good.
WORMTOWN.ORG: Who's your major influences?
ERIC ZEH: It seems like every time we play someone mentions D.R.I. And they're certainly a band we all grew up on. We're all huge fans of Slayer as well, but I'm not sure how much that comes through in our sound. I think one of the best things about this band is our influences vary so widely. From Anal Cunt to Jane's Addiction. But as you know, just because we're influenced by a band doesn't mean we sound anything like them.
WORMTOWN.ORG: Where can people go to sample your music?
ERIC ZEH: You can visit us on MySpace at http://myspace.com/eod/ and at http://epitomeofdog.com/. Our website is kind of a wasteland right now which is funny because two of the three of us are web developers. Go figure.