FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE
1. THE PONY INTERVIEW WITH THE SLY CAPS
2. THIS SUNDAY: BENEFIT FOR STATION FIRE VICTIMS FUND
3. CALENDAR OF EVENTS
4. STONE PONY ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS
This Week at The Stone Pony: New Blood Revival (Friday), Pat McGee Band (Saturday), Benefit for Station Fire Victims Fund (Sunday)
New on The Stone Pony Calendar:
Sprout CD Release Party
(March 14), Bad Medicine
- The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute (March 22),
Vonda Shepard (March 26), Black 47
(March 29), Slightly Stoopid (April 11),
Local H (April 16), Lifehouse
(April 23), Hammerfall
(April 27), Skid Row (May 10), Joan Jett
(May 17)
The Stone Pony is proud to support our local music scene. While the legendary Pony stage has hosted the greatest names in music, it has also launched careers, and helped aspiring musicians achieve their dreams by looking down from in front of that classic black and white logo. On Friday, March 14, several of these bands will be showcased as Sprout, winners of the Stone Pony house band competition, celebrates the release of their new CD, headlining for The Sly Caps, Blue Tom and Annica. The Sly Caps, from Manahawkin, NJ, have had their own brush with fame recently, appearing on the MTV show "Made", and following that up with a stint on cultural icon "TRL". The measure of any band isn't the opportunities that they are given, but what they are able to do with them. The Pony caught up with the band to ask about the afterglow of their national exposure, and how they plan to use it to build a career that will last after the bright lights and camera have gone dark. Responses are given by Matt Fisher, 17, and Justin Bohr, 18, the band's primary songwriters and guitarists.
The Stone Pony: How it does feel when you see fan sites for the band on the web? It’s one thing to have someone buy a ticket to a show, but it must be something special to know that one has taken their time and money to build an electronic shine to your music. Do you start to feel “famous” when you see fans paying tribute to you in that way, and are the other “star trappings” that you’re beginning to notice as your career develops?
Sly Caps: It's a weird feelin', I guess. You just don't believe it is actually happening. It's not until you see the people at shows that you believe it is all real.
The Stone Pony: A lot of fans will recognize you from your appearance on MTV’s “Made”. For readers who might not be familiar with the show, can you briefly explain its premise, and how you were presented on the program?
SC: Basically, the show is about a band (the Sly Caps) trying to make it in the music business. They aimed the show at winning over local kids. They showed us booking gigs and promoting gigs and playing gigs. They put some band "drama" in there. The "plot" is us trying to win the Stockton battle of the bands, but we lost, so they end it with us playing a packed party at one of our friend's houses.
The Stone Pony: Describe a lit bit of the behind the scenes of working with MTV. How was the band treated, and how many staff people and producers from the network did you work with while taping was taking place? Were there any surprises working with MTV, or any parts of the experience that fans don’t realize when they are just watching at home?
SC: There were two camera people throughout the experience, Kristin and Andrew. They are both really fun people and we had a lot of fun working with them. I guess the thing that a lot of people might think about is the size of the cameras; they were only little Sony Handycams. When you think tv you think huge expensive cameras, but they were just little expensive cameras. We were treated as friends mostly, that is really the only way it would have worked because we saw so much of each other. We were sad to see them go.
The Stone Pony: You also had the opportunity to be interviewed and perform on MTV’s “TRL”, a show that for better or worse has defined musical culture over the past several years. Can you talk about what the day of your appearance was like, when you had to show up at the studio, how you prepared and rehearsed, and what were your feelings at appearing live in such a famous setting?
SC: We came in the night before and stayed at a hotel a few blocks from the studio. Once we were all settled in, we walked around New York and it was kinda fun because some people noticed us and asked for pictures and autographs. Being noticed by people on the streets of New York is a tough thing to do, so we felt pretty cool. It is a weird thing seeing how much the impact of the show was. We woke up kinda early on the day of the show, around 8 o'clock, I believe. We went to the studio around nine in the morning to set up our stuff, and then around 10 or 11 we went out to lunch. Then we had to be back, I think, at 12 for a sound check and rehearsal (they are very punctual at MTV studios). After that was all done we got to relax in the green room, and this room is one of the rooms that has the big window so, of course, we stood at the window and waved to people. It was fun to see the people that showed up to stand in the bitter cold to root us on. Oh, I almost forgot, during our lunch break we heard screams coming from behind us and there were a couple girls running towards us. We gave them cds and signed autographs for them, one of which was on this girls blanket that she had with her, I guess, to keep warm outside the studio.
In the studio itself everyone had good attitudes and treated us with respect, which is good because most of the time workers tend to be very into their job and they don't want to waste their time with being nice. So, all in all, it was a great experience.
The Stone Pony: In a recent interview, you mentioned that the band has eleven original songs ready, and plans to record a full album. Where do your recording plans stand now, and is there any schedule in the works for when an album might be released? Have you gotten any indication from MTV that they might allow you to return and promote the disc once it is released?
SC: Our roster of songs is a lot more now. I think we've added about four or five since the last interview. The first full-length, we have decided, will be 12 songs. We feel that is a good number. At the moment, we don't have any recording schedule because we don't have the money to go forward with anything at the moment. Hopefully, the full-length will be out sometime in the summer. We are hoping to spend about a week at a recording studio during the spring break portion of the year. No word from MTV yet, but hopefully someday we will make it back to TRL as a signed band.
The Stone Pony: Let’s backtrack and introduce the band. How did everyone meet and how was the band put together? Did the Sly Caps start out intending to play out and make a go of it, or have you just been taking advantage of some golden opportunities? Has your attitude about your chances of making it as a group changed with your recent notoriety, or altered your long-term plans as a band?
SC: A long time ago in a land far away ... ha, just kidding. Matt, me, Jon Voinski (Jonny V.), and Zach all were in a community theater group called the Our Gang Players. In this group, we all got to be friends and I started hangin' with Jonny V. and Matt. The three of us would jam all the time and then one day we had heard that Zach was a killer drummer, so we decided to go jam with him. After that jam it was decided that we were a band. We, of course, just started out as a band that got together for fun and love of music and eventually we had enough songs to play out, so we did just that, play out. And, then one day, Matt jammed with a different Jon (Jonny Mac). So, Matt came to a practice and brought Jonny Mac with him. At the time, Jonny played keys, so he joined the line-up of the Caps. This was about six months into the band's creation. Because of musical differences, Jonny V. quit the band. At this point, we were on the verge of falling apart because Matt is such good friends with Jonny V., so I called Matt up and told him it was stupid for us to stop being a band. Luckily, Jonny Mac was and is an incredible bass player. He made the switch from keys to bass, and this line-up is the line-up we have had for about four years.
Since the show we have gotten a big ole foot in the door, so to speak. It helped us climb a large hump. I mean, we would have never been heard of in California if it wasn't for MTV. So now we are trying to make it in the music industry. Some people are skeptical about whether or not we are a real band or if we are a band that was manufactured by MTV. You can ask anyone that has ever seen us whether or not we are a real band and the answer is unanimous.
The Stone Pony: Since you’re all between 15 and 18 years or age, how are you going to balance school, jobs and musical ambitions? Have you decided if members of the band are going to go to college or pursue other careers? Or, is there a game plan to develop the band into a career?
SC: Basically, the answer to this question is that we are all focused on the band right now. It is our life-long dream. We are now at the point where this is a career choice. We have the chance to be some of the few very lucky people who get paid doing what they love to do.
The Stone Pony: What has the reaction of friends and family been towards the band’s recent success? Have you found that your “being a band” is taken more seriously after appearing on nationwide television, or have people always been supportive? Are your families nervous that a taste of fame now might cause you to forget about other things in pursuit of additional success?
SC: All of our parents are luckily really supportive of the band and they see the opportunity we have. Most of their worries are just normal parent worries, but they know they have good kids that will make good decisions.
The Stone Pony: Has there been any backlash from your MTV appearance? Sometimes people can get jealous of musicians who seem to find easy success, and MTV tends to rub a lot of rock fans the wrong way. Do you have any worries about being labeled as just an “MTV Made” band and not have your music taken seriously enough otherwise?
SC: Well, yeah, there has been a lot of people, just on the website, that have felt the need to speak their minds based on an hour of a tv show. People think that we are not working for a goal and people say that we are taking the easy way out. But they fail to realize that we are working incredibly hard to get our band out there. And it's not like because I was on MTV that I am sitting on a plush leather couch in my mansion with no worries and a beautiful wife and a Lexus parked out front. My life is completely the same. In fact, I'm probably more in debt then I was before the show aired. MTV definitely did not "make" our band, they just put us out there to the world; and if all these people that criticize us had the chance, they would not have turned it down because it was too easy.
We still have a lot of work ahead of us. I mean, we're not even signed to a label yet. And, I mean, everyone is entitled to their own opinions. They just shouldn't judge us because of an hour of tv. It's TV, they make it so it will be entertaining, if you catch my drift.
The Stone Pony: Your upcoming gig at The Stone Pony will be a return appearance. What are your impressions of the club, the sound system and the atmosphere? Want to close with a few lines to encourage your fans to get out to the Pony on the 14th?
SC: The Pony is a cool place, first of all, because it is a legendary spot. I love the club itself and I'm hoping that more people are gonna come out to this show now that they know who we are. It is gonna be a great show. You will get to see just what makes TSC so unique. It is just gonna be a kick-ass show and everyone should come out to see for themselves. Plus, we will have cds for sale, and we will be around to answer any questions anyone may have.
The Sly Caps' web site can be found at www.theslycaps.com.
New at The Stone Pony Store
Now at The Stone Pony
Store, we're offering high-quality, signed and numbered prints of a
beautiful watercolor of the Pony by artist Ray Sternesky. We also have
winter caps, jackets, sweatshirts and more, so make sure to visit our
online store today!
The entire Stone Pony family is shocked and saddened by the loss of life at the tragic fire in West Warwick, R.I. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims. Our prayers and thoughts are with them.
On Sunday, March 9th, Contemporary Music Studios present Benefit for Station Fire Victims Fund featuring Plastic East, Final Element, Waters Edge, Gray Lines of Perfection, Subterfuge, Derailed, Blue Dai Golden, Amanda Phillips, Samantha Mancino and Standard Theory at The Stone Pony, Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park, doors at 1 pm, donation $10.00. Artists participating are students who study music and performers who record at Freehold Music Center's Contemporary Music Studios. For more info, call Troy Topinka at 732-462-4730.
Now at AsburyPark.net:
City summonses expected against
band in R.I. fire
City fire officials are expected to issue summonses to the band involved
in a Rhode Island nightclub fire which killed nearly 100 people. The band,
Great White, set off pyrotechnics when they appeared Feb. 14 at The Stone
Pony in Asbury Park. The band did not obtain a permit from the fire
department to set off pyrotechnics. Club employees say they did not know
that the band planned to use pyrotechnics.
Thursday Nights: Ladies Night
The best mix of house, trance,
progressive and vocal. 18 to enter, 21 to drink (ID mandatory). Drink
specials. Doors open at 9:30 pm. DJ Prime and B.G. are on the wheels of
steel ... Dress to impress - our promoters are tough on the door ... Come
see for yourself what all the hype is about. It's on every Thursday
only at The Stone Pony! Click here for
more information, details and $2 off admission!
