First/Last-1974

"Hailing from Newington, Connecticut, 1974 is a 5 piece original rock band that conjures up the memories and sounds of classic stadium rock bands from the 70’s such as Yes, Kansas, Rush, Deep Purple, and Pink Floyd. Since 2007, the band has been awing audiences with powerful guitar driven riffs, Beach Boy-style vocal harmonies, catchy melodies, and high energy stage shows."

The band was recently featured on the Paste 50 States Project and Connecticut on the strength of their debut album, "1974 & The Death of the Herald". I want to thank Gary Dionne (Bass/Vocals), Adam Clymer (Guitar), Mike 'Forgy' Forgette (Guitar/Vocals), Angela Rhea Piccoli (Keys/Vocals) and Tim Moore (Drums/Vocals) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
Gary Dionne: Nirvana “Nevermind”.
Adam Clymer: The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band”.
Mike Forgette: The Offspring “Ixnay on the Hombre”.
Angela Rhea Piccoli: The Soundtrack to 'The Lion King', the musical.
Tim Moore: Gloria Estefan “Greatest Hits”.

Your last album bought?
Gary: Fatgrip “Wake Up”.
Clymer: Ben Folds Five “Sound of the Life of the Mind”.
Forgy: Friend Roulette “I'm Sorry You Hit Your Head”.
Angela: The soundtrack from 'Frozen'.
Tim: Yes “Fly From Here”.

Favorite album of all time?
Gary: The Postal Service “Give Up”.
Clymer: (Tie) Ben Folds “Rockin' the Suburbs” & Pink Floyd “Dark Side of The Moon”.
Forgy: The New Pornographers “Twin Cinema”.
Angela: The Front Bottoms “Talon of The Hawk”.
Tim: Yes “Live at Montreaux”.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
Gary: Hootie and The Blowfish “Fairweatrher Johnson”.
Clymer: Ben Folds Five “Sound of the Life of the Mind”.
Forgy: Jethro Tull “Under Wraps”.
Angela: Spice Girls “Goodbye”.
Tim: Live “V”.

First concert attended?
Gary: ‘Weird’ Al Yankovic.
Clymer: Steve Miller Band.
Forgy: Jethro Tull.
Angela: Patent Pending.
Tim: Live.

Last concert?
Gary: Ian Anderson.
Clymer: Paul McCartney.
Forgy: Ian Anderson.
Angela: The Sound of Animals Fighting.
Tim: Yes.

Favorite concert ever?
Gary: Andrew WK.
Clymer: Roger Waters ‘Wall Tour’.
Forgy: Roger Waters ‘Wall Tour’.
Angela: Modest Mouse.
Tim: Yes.

Least favorite concert?
Gary: Seether and Ra.
Clymer: Dave Mathews Band.
Forgy: Everclear.
Angela: Arctic Monkeys.
Tim: Staind.

Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
Forgy is the only one that has been out there. However, we want to get out there to play as soon as we can. His fiancé went to grad school at Carnegie Mellon. They loved the fact that even though it is a city it has a college town feel to it. Clymer has passed through Pittsburgh
once or twice in his travels. Great city. The band is truly excited to get out there and play.

Thanks, guys. Would love to have you play here. Please let me know if this is a possibility.

1974 Website

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First/Last-Violent Mae

 

"VIOLENT MAE (Becky Kessler & Floyd Kellogg) was never intended to be a band. Becky asked Floyd to record and produce her first solo album, and as soon as they hit the studio, chemistry and dynamics between the two sparked the evolution of an artistic partnership, VIOLENT MAE. Their self-titled, full-length debut record was released in November 2013. Becky, singer and guitar player, calls the Outer Banks of North Carolina home, where she finally settled as a teenager after moving every year or so, mostly around the Southeast U.S., to 11 different places. It was in North Carolina where she honed her songwriting. A friend invited her to live and work on an organic farm in Connecticut, where she met Floyd, a multi-instrumentalist, engineer and producer. The two began recording at Casa de Warrenton Recording Studio in Hartford, expanding Becky’s songs with Floyd’s arrangements and parts. Together, they ultimately formed VIOLENT MAE after making a record, playing all the instruments on it and opening for Nels Cline and Julian Lage at one of their first live performances. VIOLENT MAE won Best New Band at the 2013 Connecticut Music Awards and has shared the stage with Bronze Radio Return, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Brad Corrigan of Dispatch and The London Souls."

The Connecticut 'alt-rock' duo was recently featured on the Paste 50 States Project. They have a self-tiled debut from 2013 and are working on new music as I write this. I want to thank Becky Kessler (Guitar/Vocals) and Floyd Kellogg (Drums.Vocals) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
Becky Kessler: Either the B-52’s “Cosmic Thing” or Milli Vanilli “Girl You Know It’s True”.
Floyd Kellogg: Guns N Roses, “Appetite for Destruction”.

Your last album bought?
Becky: Lucius “Wildewoman”, I love Lucius!
Floyd: Pissed Jeans, “Honey”.

Favorite album of all time?
Becky: Pixies “Doolittle”, never get sick of it. Also, Morphine “Cure for Pain”.
Floyd: “Dark Side of the Moon”, I can’t seem to think of another one that’s been with me longer.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
Becky: Milli Vanilli “Girl You Know It’s True”.

First concert attended?
Becky: I saw Nine Inch Nails in the 7th grade at the Hampton Coliseum in Norfolk, VA. It was the ‘Further Down the Spiral’ tour with Marilyn Manson and Jim Rose Circus opening.
Floyd: Not totally sure, my old bass teacher played guitar in Ace Frehley’s band and I was pretty frightened when the crowd started swirling around with me in it. That was Toads in New Haven, CT. Then I think my mom took me to see The Bangles.

Last concert?
Becky: The last big concert I went to was The Rolling Stones in Newark, NJ last year. Lady Gaga came out to sing ‘Gimme Shelter’ with them… people seemed to love or hate it; I was in the love it camp.
Floyd: “Concert”?... Pissed Jeans.

Favorite concert ever?
Becky: Moon Hooch at Fauxchella fest 2013 in the Spaceland Ballroom. They totally blew me away.
Floyd: Pissed Jeans.

Least favorite concert?
Floyd: Pissed Jeans.

Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
Becky: I heard an amazing jazz trio at the Holiday Inn about 10 years ago. They were unique and edgy in the same way Medeski Martin and Wood is. I wish I could remember the name.
Floyd: My girlfriend grew up in Cleveland and her mom used to travel to Pittsburgh a bunch to go see the Browns play, she didn’t care about getting beat up she’d just march herself right into Pittsburgh with all her Browns shit on.

Thanks, Becky and Floyd. I wanted to bypass the obvious, Floyd but DSotM? That is quite awesome!

Violent Mae Website




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First/Last-Tone

"Tone really digs fuzz, and fuzz really suits Tone. The sound fits right into the psychedelic garage scene that’s been taking off. Think Ty Segall meets Black Angels meets Fuzz. They’d be right at home in the Burger Records family. Their forthcoming LP will be released via cassette and be available later this year. They are talented and noisy, and we look forward to hearing more from them soon." - Chelsea Conte PASTE

Check out the band on Facebook and BandCamp. The 'fuzz-rock' band was featured on the Paste 50 States Project for Delaware. Having released the first single 'Sunn' of their forthcoming cassette release due in July, I want to thank songwriter Brandyn Mark (Guitar) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
“Nevermind” by Nirvana.

Your last album bought?
"Electric Warrior" by T-Rex.

Favorite album of all time?
“Passover” by The Black Angels.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
I don't have a least favorite (seriously I can love it all).

First concert attended?
Modest Mouse at the Mann Center in 2008. With The National and R.E.M.

Last concert?
The Cosmonauts at Kung Fu Necktie.

Favorite concert ever?
The Black Angels at the Church in 2010.

Least favorite concert?
I enjoyed all the concerts I went to!

Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
My family is from Pittsburgh. I wish I could get out there more. One of my favorite artists Lou Christie is from there, my grandmother went to high school with him.

Thanks, Brandyn. I am so digging this single! Can't wait to hear the rest of what's coming, man.

First/Last-Elephant Revival

"Elephant Revival is a soulful, seductive quiver of songwriters and multi-instrumentalists that reign from points all across America. Since Oct 06' Daniel Rodriguez, Bonnie Paine, Dango Rose, Sage Cook and Bridget Law have herded in a greatly applauded neo-acoustic gyptic revival at festivals, theaters, clubs and house concerts from the Pacific coast to the rolling hills of New England. The Revival plays entirely original music with a few carefully chosen traditionals and eclectic cover tunes but their precise genre is hard to pin down. As independent film director Mikey Eberle elaborates, "When I hear Elephant Revival I am struck by my inability to define it. I am forced to confront the music as it is, connecting to it with a virgin spirit of mind. Consequently it feels like I am experiencing music and all its joys for the very first time."

Check out the band at their official Website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, SoundCloud and MySpace. Featured on the Paste 50 States Project representing Colorado, the 'experimental/folk/americana' band's latest album is "These Changing Skies" from 2013. I want to thank the ladies of the group Bonnie Paine (Washboard/Djembe/Stomp-Box/Musical-Saw/Vocals) and Bridget Law (Fiddle/Octave-Violin/Vocals) for taking the time t participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
Bonnie Paine: The first album I remember owning was Tracy Chapman's "New Beginnings”.
Bridget Law: Bob Dylan “Desire”.

Your last album bought?
Bonnie: The last album I got was Leyla McCalla’s, she has been very inspiring.
Bridget: Gregory Alan Isakov “The Weatherman”.

Favorite album of all time?
Bridget: Bela Fleck “Drive”.

First concert attended?
Bonnie: The first concert I went to was Pink Floyd. I was 10 yrs. old and they were on their ‘Division Bell’ tour. My dad thought it would be a nice family and friends trip so we fixed up an old grey hound bus that had been broken down in our yard. We filled it with about 15 or 20 of us and drove down from Tahlequah, Oklahoma to the Dallas Texas stadium. I remember feeling a sensation like every single person in the stadium was pulsing at the same time and that I was a part of something that would never be the same.
Bridget: Foo Fighters.

Last concert?
Bridget: Railroad Earth.

Favorite concert ever?
Bridget: Quixotic at Arise Festival.

Least favorite concert?
Bridget: Snoop Dogg.

Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
Bonnie: I'm looking forward to seeing my cousin, Leslie Minnis, in Pittsburgh! She lives near there and is an amazing artist.
Bridget: Happy to visit!

Thanks, gals. You seem to be touring constantly, so please let me know if Pittsburgh is ever on the horizon!


FTC Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The links helps to support this site and will allow me to keep writing about local music.