| Subcommittee
is currently sub(co)mitting themselves to probing interviews, questions
and comments. The fruits of this labor, an intimate detailed biography
of each member, will soon follow.
A musical
combination of funk, punk, jazz, Latin, reggae and visceral rock
and roll, Subcommittee have been active players in the
Northern New Jersey underground for the last 10 years. Subcommittee
have set themselves apart by creating daring, yet danceable music,
incorporating sharp horn arrangements, sparring vocals and intricate
guitar driven melodic structures to create a sound that is distinctly
unique. Subcommittee emphasizes unity, progressive insight and collaboration
in the scene as a whole, regardless of current trends, switching
seamlessly from bossa nova to straight funk to dada-inspired tirades--
holding tight to notions of insight, intellectual risk, and visionary
idealism while trying to retain sincerity and accessibility.
Since their inception, Subcommittee have been a favorite in many
New York City, New Jersey and Pennsylvania clubs, including CBGB,
Webster Hall, The Lion’s Den, Maxwell’s, Loop Lounge,
The Whiskey, Havana, Abilene, and The Wobbly Barn in Killington,
Vermont. Recently they have found a home base in the legendary blues
club, The Stanhope House in Stanhope, New Jersey where they host
regular shows, networking with national acts and bringing out of
state talent to the New Jersey locale. They’ve been the featured
act at many outdoor music festivals in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
and Maine, including Rampage on the River, The Bongo Bash, The Big
Bandingo, The Hoboken Italian Festival, and the WDHA Clam ‘n’
Jam.
Playing in their current 5-piece lineup since 1995, Subcommittee
recorded two 4-song demos between 1995 and 1997, contributing tracks
to a handful of independent compilations (Black Pumpkin 4x4 series,
Showercap Records sampler). Subcommittee released their first LP,
‘Machito’s Wonder’ in 1998 on Hi-Test Records,
a cooperative record label co-founded with producer/engineer Mike
Ward of Big Blue Meenie Studios in Jersey City, NJ. Hi-Test was
distributed internationally by Black Pumpkin Records, and the album
was promoted independently, performing frequently between the Tri-State
area and New England between 1998-1999.
While remaining wholly dedicated to Subcommittee’s project,
the members have also taken time individually to collaborate and
play with other upcoming NYC metro bands over the years. Bo Bailey
(vocals, trombone, and keys) joined Roadrunner recording artists’
The Step Kings as guitarist from 2000-2001. Bo and Alex Zox (vocals,
alto saxophone) toured Europe with Dog Eat Dog co-founder Dan Nastasi
in 1996. John Scherer (drums) recorded and toured as singer of legendary
NYC/NJ metal-core bands Deathrash and Caligula from 1986-1990. Shannon
Woods (vocals, guitar) and Bo Bailey have both been active in side
projects Tang! and Sweat over the last two years. Doug Pearsall
(bass), while remaining solid in his support of his bandmates' projects
and his dedication to the music of Subcommittee has also supported
and performed at various local and community theaters..
While Bailey took leave to tour with The Step Kings in 2000, guitarist
Shannon Woods honed his singing and songwriting skills during this
period as Subcommittee continued to create vibrant new songs, making
multiple New York City club appearances at venues such as Arlene
Grocery and The Sidewalk Café. After Bailey’s reemergence,
in 2002, Subcommittee decided to reinvest energy in their original
lineup, continuing to write new material, booking a heavy schedule
through S.T.A.R.S. Productions, and joining forces with producer
Charles Johnson (Kool & The Gang, Lauren Hill) to record their
second LP, ‘What Goes Wrong’. Through their sponsorship
with Budweiser True Music, Subcommittee has had the opportunity
to expand their fan base on the East Coast, playing along the I-95
corridor in Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and
the Jersey Shore for the last year and a half. Subcommittee played
to a sold-out crowd at the grand opening of Lincoln Financial Stadium
in Philadelphia in July 2003, and has performed at Giants’
Stadium, opening for New York Jets home games. They have also been
a featured act at The Borgata Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City,
New Jersey.
‘What Goes Wrong’ will be available in record stores
throughout the region on May 1, 2004, with a CD release party at
The Stanhope House and Abilene in Philadelphia to follow, both sponsored
by Budweiser True Music. The band is planning an aggressive live
performance schedule to promote ‘What Goes Wrong’, and
to spread their music to new and old fans by networking with other
independent artists and promoters both nationally and internationally.
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