I started working in radio just as
the medium started to change. I was the last of the DJ’s to cut their
teeth on the overnight shift before computers replaced young kids desperate to
play music to insomniacs and drunks at 4in the morning. I started as an intern
in 1996 but my passion for radio started years before that. My father was
once a disc jockey for country music stations and he would tell me amazing
stories of payola, personalities and unformatted glory. For years, I studiously
made my friends mixed tapes and would even rig a microphone into my double
cassette recorder to front sell my favorite songs. So by the time I
finally landed a gig at a real radio station, I was eager to move forward with
the career.
I worked during the glory days of
Alternative radio (late 90’s to early 2000’s). I watched some of the best
alternative rock radio music spring from the playlists: Alice in Chains, Foo
Fighters, Linkin Park, Soundgarden, Sublime…you get the feel. The format
was Seattle Grunge mixed with Midwest rock tinged with Southern California
pop/punk/ska and hints of Southern College Rock. It was a glorious format
where in an hour’s time you could hear Nirvana into Smashing Pumpkins into Rage
Against the Machine into No Doubt into R.E.M. Record labels were still
important to a bands survival and the most popular acts of the day opted for
large scale rock performances with huge marketing campaigns.
On the other side, some bands sprung
from the list of popular alternative rock radio that left many of us in
programming scratching our heads. We
knew that it was less than great, but the labels managed to throw enough
promotional value to a less than stellar single to get program directors and
promotion directors all over country to play the music. Once the major market
stations picked up the singles, the smaller markets were soon to follow based
on a whole host of numbers including chart position and active spins. Since
most stations have little in the ways of promotional budgets, upping a singles
spins a few times a week to get record label funded station giveaways is the
concession you make to help increase time spent listening and market shares. It’s
a business. It’s not just about the music.
I often felt like some labels had a “shite
to the wall” theory. Sign every band in sight,
overproduce their albums and see to which poorly constructed music we can get
the general American radio listening audience to latch. In an attempt to stay positive, I won’t wax
poetic about the slew of bands that had success during that time that probably shouldn’t
have. The majority of them are no longer making music. But what I walked away
from my radio experience with was this sense that if once someone else is
making money off a band’s music the commercial viability always seems to
overshadow musical talent and longevity.
I don’t blame anyone. It’s the way
the business works. Luckily, as the
internet and social media become more prominent to independent marketing and livelihood,
talented bands and musicians don’t have to give in to the pressure of having to
loss control of the creative process by allowing major labels to control their
destiny. More bands are doing it DYI
style using Facebook, Twitter and other social networks to keep fans informed
and involved. Merchandise sales for independent artist are huge to a bands
touring success. And more bands, including Aqueous, are asking their fans to
support them by launching fan funded campaigns to record albums. And the fans gladly oblige in an effort to
keep the music they love pure and out of the hands of industry insiders that
will more than likely strip the music of its edge to make it more appealing to
the masses.
As I sat in those stations and
helped to decide what songs would hit the airwaves, I never thought to question
the scope of influence the format would have on a generation of
musicians. The younger kids that listened to the station were just as
impressed and excited by the music they heard as I had been the decade before
them. Where I was living the music, they were studying it. While I was
making a living playing it to them, they were becoming musicians because of it.
I felt proud of the music that we played that I knew what important to the
genres foundation. But I left the
industry feeling disgusted by the cheesy one hit wonders and fad ridden music
of the time that we let slip onto these otherwise pristine playlists because of
ratings and business.
So as I watched Aqueous on stage at The Waiting Room
Saturday night, I felt like a proud mother hen.
In their music, I could hear the positive influence of my time on the
air. And I watched as the crowd welcomed
their hometown boys with divine warmth. The
room was packed and they weren’t just there to see Dopapod. Buffalo is proud of
Aqueous. They are OUR band. And I can’t
begin to express how confident I am that these four are destined to become
superstars within the jam/music festival scene.
On the surface, I hear obvious influences like 311,
Sublime and Rage Against the Machine.
But if you listen deeper, you realize that these just aren’t four kids
of the 90’s that want to play “Rock sSar”.
Their subtle influences run deep beyond their years; moments of Allman
Brothers influenced Southern Rock and 80’s stadium rock tinge their sound. A song like “Origami”, which on this night
they sadly did not play, showcases their vast knowledge and musical scope. As songwriters they are not afraid to play
reggae next to metal or mix deep gnarly bass line with sweeping guitars.
The band opened with “Gordon’s Mule” which I think
is a perfect example of how they handle their influences with care. “Gordon’s Mule” goes from edge to flow to
groove to bounce multiple times. Listening to an Aqueous song is like riding a
musical roller coaster blindfolded. You know the ascent and descent are coming,
but you just can’t anticipate exactly how the ride will unfold. There is
nothing predictable about their song writing in that respect. I could describe almost every song in the same
exact manner. You just know you’re going
to get something unexpected and mind-blowing at every turn.
Also on their set list Saturday was, “Complex” which
is a standout example of what I love about Lead Vocalist and Guitarist Mike.
When you hear him sing, you know it’s him.
There is such a warm rich tonal quality to his voice and an ease in
which he phrases lyrics that he could riff over death metal and it would just
melt your heart. Whereas I hear the Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine)
influence in the way he plays guitar, I hear more of a Nick Hexum (311)
influence in his vocals. He sings to
celebrate. His spirit and warmth exudes
from his vocal character. That kind of
quality is rare in a vocalist because it’s easier to sing from a place of
emotional filth than it is to sing from a place of joy
Similar to what I said about Jimkata a few weeks
ago, Mike and Dave (Guitar) find a beautiful harmony in the way they handle two
guitars in the band. I don’t feel like
I’m watching two guys try to prove who the better musician is. I feel like that happens a lot in bands with
two guitarists. The music feels like it’s
a real life version of Guitar Hero with two dudes trying to get the higher
score. But Aqueous doesn’t feel that
way. Mike and Dave have a remarkable
understanding of how to complement each other. They play together to create a
cohesive vibe. And that is the backbone
to their sound. In addition to guitar, Dave adds keys to the
Aqueous mix. It’s placement in their
songs is thoughtful and well timed.
If Dave and Mike are the backbone of Aqueous, then
Evan and Nick are the heart. This is
what is cool about the way Evan and Nick work together. Evan plays a heavy handed bass, which is good
thing because Nick plays drums with light handed touch. I can only describe it in this kind of
horribly bad poetic way. After a storm, there is this beautiful moment when the
sun starts to peak through the clouds.
And it feels like there is a break in the darkness by these welcome rays
of light. And you have to acknowledge
the necessity of the clouds and the darkness to fully appreciate the sun’s presence.
That is the Nick/Evan dynamic. Evan
brings a deep, raw grit to the Aqueous sound.
Nick could add to it and make it darker, but he doesn’t. His
contribution is this airy, upbeat drive of rhythm.
So when you package all this together, Aqueous is
this perfectly constructed musical yin-yang. Complimenting guitars undercut
with a deep, gloomy bass drive powered by spirited, enthusiastic drums and a
light-hearted vocal style. As students
of music that was flooded with brooding men wearing their hearts on their
sleeves, they do the legacy proud.
Aqueous writes music that is passionate, raw, and hard while balancing
it with a rhythm and vocal sound that is light, airy and graceful.
Most of my favorite bands are four piece groups:
R.E.M., The Cure, Phish, Twiddle, Jimkata, and Fall Out Boy (don’t judge me).
There is symmetry to the way a four piece band creates music that my ear just
finds soothing. When it is done
correctly, all four members of the band contribute to a quarter of music’s
creation where the final product becomes a perfectly crafted joint effort. I
hear that in Aqueous’ music. There’s a balance in their music that is dark and
light. Not all four piece set-ups
operate that way. Take the Smashing
Pumpkins for example. It’s not a
secret
that Billy Corgan had his hands almost entirely in the bands musical
direction
with little input from the other three members. So there was no one
really
involved in balancing out his sound which is from where their overly
ruminating
and anxiety ridden sound is born. Don’t misunderstand me, I adore the
Pumkpins. They are one of my favorite bands. But I also believe that
this balance is
crucial to a band’s longevity. When all
four members are equally invested in the creative process, you ensure commitment
and harmony. If you can’t work as a unit
to create your own music, ultimately you’ll never keep it together in the other
aspects of the business.
Kurt Cobain was the perfect dichotomy of the 90’s
musician in the alt rock scene. His gravelly
vocals, musical edge and personal angst mixed with a beautiful vulnerability
based on years of struggle and pain. He
and so many other musicians of that time were a product of heartache and
challenge. What these four guys have
done is twisted that to create a musical sound that pays tribute to the
alternative rock music of the 90’s while celebrating the beauty and merriment
that is this “scene”. They don’t get
lost in the sorrow or anger that is their main influence- the music of
Generation X- but rather they find the perfect way to make it healthier. To me, their music reads like this: it’s okay
to have inner turmoil, but use that energy to become a positive source of light
rather than sulk in its sadness.
I’ve had the opportunity to speak to Mike and what
strikes me the most about him is that he seems to genuinely like interacting with
people about his music. I talked his ear
off Saturday night, and he graciously listened. He seems to be sincerely moved
that fans connect to their music. I hope
that as the band moves up in the ranks of success, that they all stay that
grounded and connected to their roots.
Too many bands forget that their fan base is what keeps them going. All
the musical talent in the world means nothing without a network of support from
the fan base that is ultimately in charge of your destiny.
The band recently closed a fan funded Kickstarter
campaign to record their next album. The
fact that their fans helped them to crush and exceed their goal is a sign that
these guys are treasured and adored for what they do. I would describe the band
as I would the city of Buffalo; passionate, salt of the earth music performed
by four friendly guys that take their professions seriously and love
celebrating what they have with others.
That is the Aqueous in a nutshell.
Please see this band if you get the chance. If you are a fan of the 90’s alternative rock
scene, give them a listen. I am lucky
that I live in their hometown. I will
get to see them as they grow and find success in this sensational style of
music that they have gifted to this community.
I get to see them again at Summer Camp in May and I can’t wait to watch
how people outside of the Western New York area respond to their sound. I feel blessed that I have been able to
witness the musical beauty that was so influenced by a musical time that is so special
to me.
To see these four musicians take so many opposing musical
styles of that era and then watch them weave them so successfully into a new
and unique sound is selfishly satisfying. Even though I worked in a market over
1000 miles away, I know that in some respects, I still had a small part in
ensuring that these four heard the music that is their influence. And for all the regret I have for playing
music that weren’t truly worthy of major label support, Aqueous proves to me it
wasn’t as bad as I thought it was.
Amazing musicians will weed out the bad and take away the best from
it. As ridiculous as it sounds, Aqueous
gives me redemptive closure in that chapter of my life and makes me realize
that my radio career wasn’t as damaging as I thought it was. So to Aqueous, I
tip my pin filled hat and say “Thank You.”
The Set List (as fan posted online)
The Waiting Room, Buffalo NY April 26,
2014,
Gordon's
Mule >
Complex
The
Median >
Staring
Into the Sun >
Kitty
Chaser (Explosions),
Strange
Times >
Complex
II,
Highway
Star (Deep Purple Cover)
As I watched Marco do his thing behind the
keys, it feels like he is destined to become one of the legends that “once
played this room.” He can break down the most evil of songs and weave it into a
beautifully timed masterpiece. So what does that mean? Let me explain. As
the trio broke into their second song, Marco’s fingers hammered out a guilty
pleasure of mine. I was surrounded by a crowd of guys that jammed, danced and
raged as he teased this devilish little earworm. As Marco continued
forward, the guys around me questioned the song. “This is awesome,” one guy
yelled to me, “I swear I know this song, what is it?” I smiled as I shamefully
admitted the tune was “Toxic” by Britney Spears. The boys shrugged it
off. They didn’t care because what these three were doing to the song was
amazing. 
His choice of covers and teases for the
evening is like looking into an influential peephole: The Bangles, the White
Stripes, the Grateful Dead and Elton John. The trio even wooed me with an
amazing and thoughtful rendition of one of my favorite songs “Heartbeats” by
the Swedish duo The Knife (although the song has been more recently popularized
by Jose Gonzales and Royal Teeth). In addition to the covers, Marco and
band tackled several new tunes as well and older catalog options. It didn’t
matter really what they played, the dancing never stopped. 
