I have to admit that when I first took interest in local boys gone (nationally) wild The Parlor Mob , it was for the wrong reasons. A few years back the guys were still rehearsing over at The Hot Dog House in the room next to ours over on Asbury’s main drag, Cookman Avenue.
I am sincerely not trying to piss off any girlfriends, and I mean this in the most flattering, non-coveting way, but man, when it would get hot in the middle of the summer and we’d all be trying to keep cool while roasting away in our respective spaces, the dudes would sometimes take their shirts off to deal with the soaring sauna temperatures, giving the common areas in the building a sort of a locker room feel.
Which was, to say the least, fine by me. Of course I had an appreciation for The Mob’s musical talent as well. I remember back in about 2005ish, my band The Obvious, was sharing a wall with The Parlor Mob, and I’d hear them working out a lot of their material right next door. Their swaggering Southern Rock sensibilities would bleed through the brick and we’d get a tasty earful of both the tunes and the sound at large of the band as the boys hashed it out with steady dedication.
An Example Of What I Was Referring To: Drummer Sam Bey
Dedicated is probably the first adjective that comes to mind when I think of The Mob. They’ve been working hard for years now. I can remember stumbling into the now defunct Harry’s Roadhouse on Cookman Ave and hearing the unforgettable voice of Mark Melicia when the band was in their first incarnation, What About Frank.
Upon digesting the rock frenzy that was saturating the stage, I immediately began thinking about Robert Plant and Led Zeppelin—I hadn’t seen anything in that direction EVER in an up and coming live band, and the powerful presence of what was to become The Parlor Mob (after a few matter-of-course personnel changes) is still one of my most vivid “ Who The Hell Is That?!” band memories to date. And while the guys will forever draw Zeppelin comparisons ( not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination) they also cite early acts like the iconic MC5 and later trailblazers At The Drive In as major influences as well.
The Parlor Mob: Hard Times
Singer Mark still fronts the band with his signature and passionate delivery, and honest lyrics, in which he wanders back and forth between a spectrum of sometimes warring introverted and extroverted existence. Dave Rosen and Paul Ritchie rock their respective guitars so hard and with such precision that I wonder how their fretboards don’t ignite when the guys explode through the band’s stunning live performances.
Nick Villapiano appears on bass on the band’s first record, And You Were A Crow, with a stone solid performance, and has since parted ways amicably with the band for a new endeavor in a fine Alt-Rock act that’s one of my personal favorites in the area, Atlantic, Atlantic.
The immensely talented and experienced Anthony Chick can now be found holding down rhythm on bass along with stellar drummer Sam Bey. These musicians are some of my very favorite, and I always enjoy not only hearing them play, but their sheer musicianship. Every one of these fellas is a musician’s musician and I often find myself watching them play with my jaw slack in wonder, a soft series of Oh!’s and Wow!’s and What?!’s leaving my mouth as I take it all in.
L To R: Paul Ritchie, Mark Melicia, & Anthony Chick, At Wire Recording 2/2011
After capturing Asbury with force, the boys were originally picked up by Capitol Records, but since Corporate Rock Still Sux, they’ve since made, in my opinion, a much wiser decision to run with Roadrunner Records, who seem to be treating this due diligence act with much due respect. After years of long and extensive national touring including appearances at huge festivals like Lollapolooza, the boys have spent some time in the studio and are preparing to release a brand new album.
Your chance to hear some of that material, plus their existing body of work, loved by legions of adoring fans from all over the country, comes this Saturday, May 28th when The Parlor Mob returns with a homecoming show at The Stone Pony. There are really great opening acts too, including Psychedelic Rock act Ruby The Hatchet, slated to open the night. And I’m thrilled to see a set from Only Living Boy (who has been working closely with Mob guitarist-turned-producer-Ritchie on a highly anticipated album of their own), another hard working regionally successful act who, as predicted by my crystal ball, is in for some much deserved national attention.
Only Living Boy, Courtesy Mike McLaughlin Photography
If you’ve been noticing the serious lack of Southern/Psychedelic influenced real and true intense rock from bands that are not only proficient in the studio, but masters of the LIVE show to boot, then get ready for an honest-to-god rollicking good time that will shake you from the inside out, from head to toe, from top to bottom and back again. Suit it on up and strap it on in. The Parlor Mob is waiting for you to arrive.
XOXO
Ang
