OT: The best NJ Band that never made it..

[24Babybull]

I would suggest the songs written by this Band are at least comparable if not surpass what Springsteen has produced in the last 10 years...why these guys never made it...not really sure but would say since 2006 the best band in NJ and don't even think they are together anymore.

They have millions of hits on Youtbue...but maybe they didn't buy into the Beast system that produces Beyonce, JZ, Rihanna or your boy Bruce?

Just saying...these guys never made it in the industry...they are all broke....my question is why?

I mean that second video is the best song you ever heard...imo

 

[24Babybull]

So a band from NJ that is no joke - a crap load of talent doesn't make it...why is that?

More talent then Bieber, Beyonce, Mariah Carey....Katy Perry - Jay Z combined. Would suggest they wanted no part of the Devil's Contract...imo

 

[redking]

They never made it because they have real social security numbers and they aren't pedophiles.

THEREFORE, mainstream radio never played their songs. You know how mainstream media is...

https://rutgers.forums.rivals.com/threads/obamas-social-security-number-is-bs.116737/
https://rutgers.forums.rivals.com/threads/pizzagate.114702/

[eyeroll]

 

[24Babybull]

 

[keav8447]

I like this band- they are really good. That being said, music is very personal and quirky. It is very difficult to determine what is going to 'blow up'.

In 1987 I remember buying and loving (NJ's own) Glen Burtnik's Heroes & Zeros cassette. I was confident he would be at the level of Journey as soon as people heard it.....Glen and I are still waiting.....

 

[Fishky]

They actually did make it but they broke up in the midst of their rise to popularity. They are still played on the radio in Philly's alternative rock station 104.5 I listen quite often. They were big with the mid teen crowd and were headed in the right direction and there is still a hope they will reunite and bring new music to the world. My daughter and I are big fans as well as some of my nephews and little cousins Hard to carry that popularity when you can't work out your issues.

 

[willisneverrana43]

Yeah, they were getting popular and broke up. My son, a teen, likes them and says they'd have big crowds if they reformed.

 

[greenknight]

I had a friend's band. The name of band was PETE they had record deal put out their first album pretty successful but 9/11 came and got dropped. They toured with Seven Dust and Stained. The were pretty big in Midwest. I got my nephew their album he was a big Seven Dust fan and told me Pete was a lot better. But such a small faction of people they played to....hard, heavy dark rock

 

[Rhuarc]

I saw My Chemical Romance on tour with Green Day in the mid 2000's. I listen to a ton of very diverse music and I truly didn't get them or they hype. Good for them on being able to become as big as they are. It's a huge accomplishment that millions of other bands would die for.

They're just too much of a niche band for the sheep to consume.

 

[RUaMoose_rivals]

Not sure how you define "made it". The Smithereens come to mind. They're well known and all but it seems given all their good songs they'd be playing larger venues than the Stone Pony.

 

[NewJerseyGuy]

The Selves

 

[RU848789]

I would suggest the songs written by this Band are at least comparable if not surpass what Springsteen has produced in the last 10 years...why these guys never made it...not really sure but would say since 2006 the best band in NJ and don't even think they are together anymore.

They have millions of hits on Youtbue...but maybe they didn't buy into the Beast system that produces Beyonce, JZ, Rihanna or your boy Bruce?

Just saying...these guys never made it in the industry...they are all broke....my question is why?

I mean that second video is the best song you ever heard...imo

How can you say they never made it in the industry? Their 3rd album, The Black Parade was #1 in the UK and #2 in the US, going double platinum in both countries and their 2nd and 4th albums were platinum and gold in the US, respectively. However, their 4th album wasn't received as well as earlier ones and the band obviously suffered a lot of internal dissension, leading to their breakup, which is a pretty common tale in the rock and roll world..

So, they clearly "made it," but couldn't sustain it. I liked a few of their songs, but found much of their music derivative, probably because I was never a huge fan of emo, i.e., third wave mall punk, as I once heard it called (even if the band rejected that label, that's certainly the crowd they attracted - I know, as my son was 12 when Black Parade came out).

And since 2006, I'll take Gaslight Anthem over them every day of the week for best NJ band, but that's a very subjective call as are most musical preferences - I don't think Springsteen's work since the 80s is anywhere near as good as his first several albums, but they've sold much better, so what do I know?

 

[KnightFan]

I like this band- they are really good. That being said, music is very personal and quirky. It is very difficult to determine what is going to 'blow up'.

In 1987 I remember buying and loving (NJ's own) Glen Burtnik's Heroes & Zeros cassette. I was confident he would be at the level of Journey as soon as people heard it.....Glen and I are still waiting.....

Love Glen, such an amazing talent.

Have been to Xmas Xtravaganza shows countless times and will go as long as he does them..

 

[newell138]

Not sure how you define "made it". The Smithereens come to mind. They're well known and all but it seems given all their good songs they'd be playing larger venues than the Stone Pony.

was thinking the same as soon as I saw the OP title

 

[RUBOB72]

My Chemical Romance had a huge following in Europe ...as in life all things eventually end....when your leader departs for what appears a solo career it is a crap shoot...the father of the boys was a great guy... he was so proud of the band and his sons...there is much more to why and how come they weren't the next SUPER group.

 

[50 yd line RR]

They didn't make it because: https://memes.getyarn.io/yarn-meme/15b77d71-1be7-4b3d-9b32-48f8930f1fdb

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

How can you say they never made it in the industry? Their 3rd album, The Black Parade was #1 in the UK and #2 in the US, going double platinum in both countries and their 2nd and 4th albums were platinum and gold in the US, respectively. However, their 4th album wasn't received as well as earlier ones and the band obviously suffered a lot of internal dissension, leading to their breakup, which is a pretty common tale in the rock and roll world..

So, they clearly "made it," but couldn't sustain it. I liked a few of their songs, but found much of their music derivative, probably because I was never a huge fan of emo, i.e., third wave mall punk, as I once heard it called (even if the band rejected that label, that's certainly the crowd they attracted - I know, as my son was 12 when Black Parade came out).

And since 2006, I'll take Gaslight Anthem over them every day of the week for best NJ band, but that's a very subjective call as are most musical preferences - I don't think Springsteen's work since the 80s is anywhere near as good as his first several albums, but they've sold much better, so what do I know?

When RU#s talks music.. listen. Everything else you can safely ignore :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

 

[rufan4ever]

I would suggest the songs written by this Band are at least comparable if not surpass what Springsteen has produced in the last 10 years...why these guys never made it...not really sure but would say since 2006 the best band in NJ and don't even think they are together anymore.

They have millions of hits on Youtbue...but maybe they didn't buy into the Beast system that produces Beyonce, JZ, Rihanna or your boy Bruce?

Just saying...these guys never made it in the industry...they are all broke....my question is why?

I mean that second video is the best song you ever heard...imo

How about "Looking Glass" a band formed from Rutgers students in 1969?
They were basically a one hit wonder with Brandy (You're a Fine Girl). That single made it to the top of the charts and most of us old farts remember it well.

 

[LotusAggressor_rivals]

You're old enough to know that talent and musical quality isn't always what's popular. There are a lot of hot garbage lip-synchers who move multiple millions of units. There are stellar artists with pride in their craft who toil in relative obscurity.

 

[RUScrew85]

Jigs and The Pigs!

 

[BHgig]

Kinderhook, Phantom's Opera, Glen Burtnick, Holme, Crossfire Choir

 

[zappaa]

Salvation

 

[LotusAggressor_rivals]

Stretch

 

[mychaljohn]

Evelyn Forever.

 

[Abro1975]

Heavy Truckin (RU house band in the early 70s, lol)
Television with Tom Verlaine
The Feelies
The Bongos
The dB's
Yo la Tengo
Blue Sparks from Hell
Fountains of Wayne

 

[Chuch Wilder]

Saves the Day had a chance to hit it big but 3rd album was a flop

 

[Chuch Wilder]

BTW mcr had 11 top 30 alternative singles

 

[SirPerceval]

MCR made it, they just made it in the wrong era.

 

[RuBird]

Heavy Truckin (RU house band in the early 70s, lol)
Television with Tom Verlaine
The Feelies
The Bongos
The dB's
Yo la Tengo
Blue Sparks from Hell
Fountains of Wayne

Fountains of Wayne "All Kindsa Time". Love it. The young quarterback.

 

[Armor and Sword]

I don't think Springsteen's work since the 80s is anywhere near as good as his first several albums, but they've sold much better, so what do I know?

At the Bruce concert I was at last year, people were up and moving for any song of his from the 70s and 80s. People were sitting down for the newer stuff, except maybe for "The Rising"

 

[Jabanero]

Saw the Feelies and YLT at Maxwells in 'Boken back in the day, good/great bar bands but that was about it..
On the NY side I loved Zebra (Randy Jackson) and always thought they would make it big, but....not.

 

[Abro1975]

Saw the Feelies and YLT at Maxwells in 'Boken back in the day, good/great bar bands but that was about it..
On the NY side I loved Zebra (Randy Jackson) and always thought they would make it big, but....not.

Both REM and Lou Reed of Velvet Underground credit The Feelies of being a big influence on them. YLT were very popular with the NYC music critics during that era and had a cult following.

I was part owner of The Dive on 29th st in NYC during the mid-late 80s and got to know a lot of these bands as our house band was The Smithereens and we used frontman Pat DiNizio as our de facto booking agent. Fun , fun times. Lost some money but gained a lot of good memories and heard a ton of great music up close and personal.

 

[CranfordKnight]

Cheater Jones

 

[ashokan]

MCR was hot as hell in UK. Alternative bands with the darkish look and emo gothic vibe are big there. MCR was hotter than all except Evanescence. They were even more popular than Lacuna Coil. I was actually shocked they were from NJ - having assumed they were from UK. I think in long run MCR was just a bit too blended in with Green day, Gaslight Anthem and a few others (kinda like how Madonna swallowed up Cyndi Lauper). Gerard Way and Billy Joe Armstrong even looked the same - or like brothers anyway.

Edit: Dresden Dolls (Boston) were hot at same time (UK)

 

[PiscatawayMike]

In 1987 I remember buying and loving (NJ's own) Glen Burtnik's Heroes & Zeros cassette. I was confident he would be at the level of Journey as soon as people heard it.....Glen and I are still waiting.....

Heroes & Zeroes is an AOR masterpiece. One of rock's most underrated albums ever.

Quite a coincidence that you mentioned Journey. Neal Schon plays guitar on H&Z, along with other outstanding musicians including Bruce Hornsby, Southside Johnny, and Chuck Burgi, who has been Billy Joel's drummer since he booted Liberty DeVitto out of his band more than a decade ago.

 

[KnightFan]

Heroes & Zeroes is an AOR masterpiece. One of rock's most underrated albums ever.

Quite a coincidence that you mentioned Journey. Neal Shoen plays guitar on H&Z, along with other outstanding musicians including Bruce Hornsby, Southside Johnny, and Chuck Burgi, who has been Billy Joel's drummer since he booted Liberty DeVitto out of his band more than a decade ago.

It's worth the watch..Burtnik at his best

 

[hunterm93]

The nerds

 

[Rutgers 2004]

Saves the Day had a chance to hit it big but 3rd album was a flop

4th, not 3rd. Can't Slow Down, Through Being Cool, Stay What You Are, In Reverie (the flop).

In Reverie was actually good, but different from what they did before. The issue there was a band that wanted to mature, and a fan base still in its teens/early 20s.

 

[Rhuarc]

The Bouncing Souls had a window of opportunity in the 90's but I think they were a little too raw for the masses. They had a lot of good stuff released since.
I'll never get why Fountains of Wayne didn't have multiple hit singles. Radiation Vibe was a great start, Stacy's Mom was the mainstream hit with a big time video. Lots of good songs to go around. Sky Full of Holes is a great record.

 

[Knight Shift]

/thread