LITTLE JOE PINTO:
BIG SOUND, BIG SHOW
In a week of standout performances by standout bands at June’s Philadelphia Music Conference, at a June 16th showcase at the Balcony, hometown boys Little Joe Pinto stood out just a little further than most. Literally. Except for percussionist Rich Breazzano, the entire band are wireless, leaving them able to leave the stage at will—a freedom they take full advantage of.
“We like to be in the pit with the audience,” singer Ben Benes tells Unsung Hero, calling to tell about where they intend to direct their building momentum. “Whether it’s jumping off stage and walking up to people or moving around on stage... and we always do that. When people come to see our show, they know we’re coming off stage. It’s a given. Or they know that we’re going to do something that other bands didn’t do.”
That something has included a Christmastime theme show and Halloween show in which guitarist Marcel Sivco dressed up as Superman, and guitarist/vocalist Andy Benes dressed up as a headless horseman, wearing a pumpkin on his head for the entire gig— which, if you haven’t tried it, gets very uncomfortable very quick. But if that’s what it takes to get a reaction, they’ll do it. And it does get reactions.
“You get all kinds of faces,” explains Ben. “My favorite moments are when I go out in the crowd, and some people are talking, and they didn’t see me jump off stage, so they have no idea that I’m coming up behind them, and they turn around like”—Ben makes a loud gasp—”and all their friends just laugh.”
Under the influence of Incubus, Alice in Chains, and Sevendust, JPJ’s brand of self-described “progressive titanium rock” is finding airplay, fans and champions including WYSP’s Couzin Ed, who called the band’s material “epic-like complex masterpieces that simply fucking rock”—a bold statement from a man who should know.
In their two years together, LJP have gigged up and down the East Coast, headlining mid-Atlantic gigs and playing with bigger names including American Hi-Fi, the Liquid Gang, Jepetto and the post-King’s X Pophound. In addtion to winning the 2000 John Lennon Tour Bus Battle of the Bands, LJP have played showcases including the last two Philadelphia Music Conferences and the Trocadero’s 2000 New Rock Invitational. Following PMC, the band opened for Big Wreck, and played NYC’s world-famous CBGB’s.
LJP’s available recorded material is currently limited to a 2-song demo, featuring the breakneck, bass-pounding “Sucubus” and “2/5/81.” But what the sampler lacks in quantity, it makes up in quality. The band write through a collaborative process, bassist/vocalist Steve Mousseau and Ben combining efforts for lyrics, the players piecing together the music.
“‘Sucubus’ is purely what it sounds about, about someone who really screwed me over and the same old song and dance, but in a little bit more of an artistic way... Same with ‘2/5’: It’s about relationships, but more in depth... like a conversation going back and forth.”
According to Ben, the band’s immediate goals are to get as much exposure as possible: traveling, touring, securing some kind label support, indie or otherwise. The demo suggests they could go either way. “Marketing is not the heart of our band,” says Ben. “But it is what keeps you afloat if you want to have any success.” LJP turned down a deal with a European label, and some big names have expressed interest in working with the band.
But to this point, the music is the thing; if the songs don’t win over audiences, the man-overboard live show makes them come around. “You get your hardasses that will sit there and stone face you, like ‘Get out of my face, freak.’ And then after the show, they’ll come up to you, like ‘Yo, that was the shit, man. See ya.’”
>>relevant information:
web: www.littlejoepinto.com
booking: Chris Lewis, 20/20 Management
phone: 610.329.6691
e-mail: kingofcarlisle@hotmail.com
ROCKY DEVELOPMENT:
DEVELOPING ROCK
Not quite ready for PMC, Rocky Development could be on the invite list for 2002. Drummer Scott Miller, bassist Timothy Demartino, guitarist Brian Fitsimmons, and guitarist/singer Jonathan Leet met at Kutztown University two years ago, and the jam band have been gigging around the Philly area as of late, playing venues including the Rusty Nail, in addition to shows in the Reading and Allentown areas, supporting bands including Jones Crusher and Space Station Integration.
The band list influences from jazz to classic rock, singling out Phish, Tool, Sublime, Pearl Jam, and the Beatles. Add ‘em all up, and the development is pretty smooth: guitar-oriented, well-planned song structures with room for free-forming, a prog-rock sound that’s drawn comparisons from the Allman Brothers to Zappa. The band, however, are hesitant to label the sound. “People throw some pretty different labels at us. ‘Solid Ground’ probably best represents what we do. All of our songs bounce around. We have straight blues songs, and we have songs that have a straight jazz feel.”
Rocky Development’s recorded offerings include a demo and single, and the band have three songs posted online, including the slow-noodling, soul-jam single, “Solid Ground,” at www.jamwithpam, under “pop.”
>>relevant information:
web: www.rockydevelopment.com
music: http://go.to/ rockydevelopment
e-mail: smilleriv@aol.com
