With their own unique music and lyrics, midwest guitar heroes channel the great rockers, from the Beatles to Zeppelin.
Let me introduce you to the best new band you've never heard of. They're The Mercury Retrograde, and they've got what it takes to rock your world.
To begin with, "we don't sound like anybody else," says lead guitarist Kevin Brennan. Indeed, when these four musicians take to the stage, "They are," as one music business insider commented, "a breath of fresh air."
Creatively, these young players are breathing new life into the Columbus, Ohio rock scene, with their fresh take on a classic rock vibe. Kevin Brennan, Remy Brommer, Ethan Schiff and Daniel Zabludovsky are blending their unique interpretations of rock to produce one of the most compelling and memorable rock catalogs on the scene today.
Carrying on the great traditions of rock and roll
From the start, the band has been more focused on doing their own music than on playing covers. Remy and Daniel write the songs; Kevin and Ethan lay in the guitar and drum tracks. It's a group effort that has produced results as good as any band in the business.
Plus, they put on a great gig. As a group, and individually, they're cool, smart and funny, and they pull the audience in with their humor and genuine accessibilty. There's no doubt that they're having a great time when they lock into a groove on stage.
And so is the audience. An audience which is interestingly diverse. Not just in a multi-cultural sense, but also in a generational dynamic. Sure, they've attracted the expected following of kids their own age, but their fan base has a diverse range of rock lovers, from the college crowd to baby boomer geezers.
What unites the audience is an appreciation for a kind of musicality that reflects the sound of the band's influences: The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and others. Then they ratchet it up a notch or two, infusing the sound with their unique sense of timing, harmony and lyrics, killer riffs and amped up guitar licks. Like many great bands before them, they have built on the traditions of rock, but made their sound their own.
The result is a sound you can't get out of your head after a show, a song you find yourself singing in the car until it drives you nuts. They're that infectious. And they pull you in quickly; they grab you right away. You hear it once and you're hooked. To quote the classic rock anthem "White Rabbit", these songs "feed your head."
From grimy campus dive bars, to the legendary Newport Music Hall, their fans have grooved to the sound that consistantly delivers it's promise of driving, climatic rock.
The Mercury Retrograde
From left to right, the band:Ethan Schiff
Daniel Zabludovsky
Remy Brommer
Kevin Brennan
The latest from The Mercury Retrograde
The Mercury Retrograde - "Miles"
The Mercury Retrograde performs "Miles"
Runtime: 4:21
2170 views
5 Comments:
End Your Fourth of July with a Bang
Surely our forefathers would agree; there's no more fitting a way to end the country's birthday bash than with a blast of rebellious rock.
The Mercury Retrograde, along with opening act Drew Davis, wrapped up Bexley's Independence Day festivities, playing to a full house of recent Bexley grads and loyal fans.
What better way to end our big national birthday party than to rock into the night with one of the cities' brightest displays of the raw energy and independent spirit of rock and roll.
"I'm a joker, I'm a smoker, I'm a midnight toker"
The boys came ready to rumble, and with an evening of inspired guitar riffs and firey drum solos they kept the crowd on their feet. The new tunes, introduced at the Drexel, already sound like old favorites. The
band also delighted the their fans with a solid cover of Steve Miller's classic "Space Cowboy", which sounded better than the original.
And A Good Time Was Had By All
The fabled Newport Music Hall
Believe it or not, Columbus has a pretty cool music scene. The epicenter is the OSU campus, supporting venues ranging from the funky to the fine. We've got dinghy little basement joints on High Street, and a colossal arena we call The Schott. In the midst of it all sits the venerable Newport Music Hall.In the annals of the history of our contribution to the rock tradition, The Newport is a major player. A long list of rock legends have played the Newport during their ascendancy. It's a sublime music venue that's rock at it's most basic, real, unmade self.
After a show, as you leave the Newport, be sure to look up above the door in the lobby, and study the mural that lists the bands that have played the venue. Whether it's Pink Floyd or Neil Young, it's fun to pick out your favorites, and imagine them rocking the Newport in the early days of their careers.
A Blast at the Basement
The band saves the best for last, as they rock The Basement in one of their best shows ever
A Saturday night gig at The Basement is always a good time, but the sound was sweeter this particular night. Because everybody--the band, the fans, even the bartenders--realized it was a milepost. The end of chapter one, in which three high school buddies start jamming in their basements, hook up with a great drummer and become the real deal- a first rate rock band.After Saturday night, the guys will start writing chapter two--The College Years.
Daniel, Remy and Kevin relax before the Basement gig.
Scenes from The Basement-wish you where here.
Drummer Ethan Schiff sets the night on fire with a powerful solo. Highlights of the show
Lead guitarist Kevin Brennan ramps it up with a stunning riff. From Our Basement to Yours
Kevin and Daniel outside of the aptly named venue, The Basement.
Little did they know when they first plugged in to jam in Daniel's basement that a fast and furious five years later, the junior high school buddies would be rocking out at another Basement-their last show before heading off to separate lives and new worlds. At least until winter break. A rock lovers shopping spree on Cafe Press
Great Stuff on Amazon
Look no further for something special for the Guitar God in your life.
Guitar Hero sign
Amazon Price: (as of 07/25/2008)
Harley Davidson Sign, Gift, Harley Sign, Harley gift
Amazon Price: (as of 07/25/2008)
Pinball sign,Pinball Wizard, gift, arcade, bar, game room. pool room,metal sign
Amazon Price: (as of 07/25/2008)
The Office sign, gift, Dunder Mifflin sign, Dwight Schrute
Amazon Price: (as of 07/25/2008)
Great links to help you get your groove on
- Jimi Hendrix
- The official website for Jimi, the supreme riff master.
- Eric Clapton
- The original guitar god.
- The Rolling Stones
- You can't always get what you want, but the Stones have been satisfying us for decades.
- The Beatles
- We'll follow you Here, There and Everywhere.
- Monterey Pop Festival
- The Summer of Love's greatest gig. Wish we were there.
- The legendary Newport Music Hall
- A landmark Columbus venue that's witnessed acts by all the greats, from Aerosmith to Frank Zappa.
- The MySpace site
- More TMR on the web.
Further reading on the traditions of Rock in these recommended lenses.
A monumental event in the history of rock music, the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival defined an era. The tradition lives on in the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a band that has influenced the Mercury Retrograde
These lenses are a sampling of the compelling evolution of rock and roll. We see rock as it evolves from the artists and concept of Woodstock, through the newer generation of rockers like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and on to the technological develop...-
Maroon 5 ROCKS!
-
Adam Levine definitely gave me something to believe in the first moment I saw him performing "Makes Me Wonder" on American Idol. I mean, that man simply exudes the essence of animal magnetism! Together with Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden, J...
-
Woodstock Music Festival 1969
-
The 60's were a turbulent decade. The assassination of JFK kept us fixated on the TV for days and gave us an insecurity that other decades had not felt before. Those of us growing into our own during the 60's were also very much affected by the war in...
-
MySpace Music
-
After a number of my favorite bands started creating official MySpace pages, I decided it was time to finally break down and create my own. I was shocked by how many amazing artists were on MySpace Music and what a great opportunity this was to find...
Some insight into the history of rock music.
It may have been labeled a passing fad of the 60's, but rock music has endured. It now unites generations in a way early critics would never have dreamed. Read further about how it all began.
Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon--And the Journey of a Generation
Amazon Price: $18.45 (as of 07/25/2008)
The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 07/25/2008)
A Freewheelin' Time: A Memoir of Greenwich Village in the Sixties
Amazon Price: $15.61 (as of 07/25/2008)
Reader Feedback
Very cool. Love the songs. May be worth a trip to cowtown.
Posted March 15, 2008
|
LABELSTONE
Great 5-star lens. Saw you on the boards at ebay. Do visit: Posted January 24, 2008 |
|
kiwisoutback
Great music! Never heard it before, but they're great! Posted December 21, 2007 |
Love these guys. Great music & awesome lens.
Posted December 19, 2007
Saw the show Friday night. What a blast! When's the new CD coming out?
Posted December 15, 2007
The Best Rag on Rock
There's only one Rolling Stone magazine.
- Rolling Stone
- Rolling Stone has a great website. Your link to the now and then of the music industry and popular culture.
