The LawnDarts
538 Franklin Terrace, Wyckoff, NJ 07481
LawnDarts@Hotmail.com
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The Aquarian Weekly (NJ)-
One Hot Minute: with The
LawnDarts-
by Peter Kakouriotis
- Nov. 10-17, 2004:
Chuck Moran- Vocals, Jeff Brogowski-
Guitar/Backing Vocals, Sean Gallagher- Bass, George Collazzo- Guitar/Backing
Vocals, Mike Ricra- Drums/ Backing Vocals
How did your band’s sound evolve into what it is today?
JEFF- Our ever-changing line-up helps. The
nucleus of the band (Chuck, Sean, and myself) have a certain sound that we
make. The other members that have come and gone(and come back again) add
their own sonic touch and personality.
How did the band
form?
JEFF- Chuck (the only founding member left) put it together with a
bunch of local friends. Chuck asked me to join for some shows and to help
with the first demo. I dumped the other band I was in and joined up. Sean
replaced the original bassist (Ron Hayunga) while recording the first first
album. Mike Ricra joined in 1999 for the second album and left to form 6 to
8 Mathematics in 2001. He came back to the fold this past September 2004.
George Collazzo was formerly of Dead Go West, and was a friend of the band.
His personality and style just sort of fit, so (we) took him on in May of
2004.
What formula do you follow, if any, when writing new
material?
JEFF- There's no set formula, although George and I tend to
write and demo songs in an almost complete form, sometimes with words and
melodies, sometimes not. Chuck usually comes in and finalizes the song with
his ideas for lyrics and melody. The band as a whole will shape and change
the basic song structures as needed when practicing.
Why?
JEFF- It
just seems to work that way.
What or who has inspired you to write
and play music?
JEFF- Anyone from bands like Black Flag and The
Descendents, to power-pop icons like Cheap Trick and The Sweet, to metal
bands like Maiden, Sabbath, Kiss, and Judas Priest, to classic rock bands
like Led Zeppelin and The Beatles. Basically anything with a good melody and
heavy guitars.
Have you ever done anything different from the
standard flyers, website, message boards, and mailing lists to promote your
bands’ name or upcoming shows?
JEFF- It's pretty important to be out at
shows talking to people and meeting and making friends with other
like-minded bands. This way, you can help each other out and hopefully turn
your crowd onto other good bands. This kind of makes a scene sort of
'happen', or so we've found.
With such catchy pop/punk tunes like
"Tell Me Why", "When I'm Gone", and "December", just to name a few, it is
mind-blowing why these guys have not been signed to a major label yet! While
not getting too in-depth with their accomplishments, The LawnDarts have
shared the stage with My Chemical Romance, Funch, and High School
Sweethearts, and have appeared on several national compilations, one of
which was Victory Records' Fist Full of Rock and Roll. Despite all their
accomplishments, The LawnDarts still know what is important to them, the
music and the local scene. We should all take a lesson from these guys and
go out to shows and support the scene! That is the only way that great bands
like The LawnDarts can be heard! For music downloads, tour dates, and other
news, you can visit their website at www.LawnDarts.com.
| The Two
River Times (NJ)- NIGHT GROOVES- by
Uncle Mike- May 24, 2002:
Well, I
pulled double duty at The Saint in Asbury Park back on May 11th. First up
was the Saturday matinee which featured a stellar performance by The
LawnDarts and later that night I was back for Circlesquare’s CD Release
Party. In the six years since their inception and the three years since I
last saw them, the Wyckoff, N. J. based power pop/punk band, The LawnDarts,
has lost none of their original spirit, enthusiasm, attitude or sense of
humor. Which, believe me, is no small feat in this business. Quite the
contrary, if anything, The LawnDarts have only gotten better. Kickin’ things
off with a hot new tune entitled, “That Guy,” from their soon to be released
CD, Day Of The Darts, Chuck Nasty (lead vocals), Jeff Brogowski (lead
g./vocals), Sean Gallagher (bass) and Ross Kantor (drums), ripped through a
power packed 30 minute set that featured Dart ditties like “Amanda Lynn”
(big crowd fave), “Love Song” (classic power pop), “December” (killer lead
v./band rocks), “April 18th” (great tune), “Open In Case” (Ross rules), “I
Wanna Be A Spaceman” (vintage Darts), “Misery” (give me all your misery, oh
yeah), “Needle” (boys kickin’ butt & takin’ names), “Change The World”
(yes! yes! yes!) and “Going Nowhere” (perfect closer). Look. The LawnDarts
have gone from learning their lessons well to masters’ of their craft. Some
of our younger local bands could learn a lot about professionalism,
dedication and showmanship from Chuck, Jeff, Sean and Ross. After all these
years the Darts have still got that terrific pop/punk thang going on.
Performing gem after gem, The LawnDarts left no doubt in my mind that they
are one of the best little bands in the great State of New Jersey! And
perhaps most importantly, The LawnDarts are just plain FUN! With
The Aquarian Weekly- Jersey
Talk- by Al Muzer- Volume 2, #97 (8/1/01-8/8/01): LAWNDARTS NAME NEW
DRUMMER-
"We're proud to announce that
ROSS KANTOR is the new LAWNDARTS drummer," explained a recent band update.
"Come see him play at our Friday, Aug. 10, performance at Maxwell's (1039
Washington Street, Hoboken). Recording for our third CD, tentatively titled
'ROCK', has begun. It will feature a revved up version of 'Jersey Shore',
the acoustic bonus track on VOLUME II that was also featured in the recent
surf/skate video and CD compilation, WHAT EXIT?, put together by Time Bomb
Surfboards." Take it to: www.TimeBombSurf.com to find out more about the
CD/video. Write The LawnDarts at: 538 Franklin Terr., Wyckoff, NJ 07481;
call (201)445-2727; or visit: www.LawnDarts.com.
The Bergen Record- Northern NJ Daily Newspaper- by Ed Condran- Forget Their MTV- The LawnDarts
Just Wanna Have Fun- Friday, December 29, 2000:
Just one
glance at MTV's heavy rotation and it's obvious that the LawnDarts won't be
on the pervasive music channel anytime soon.
The group, which is
clearly a descendent of Los Angeles' seminal Descendents, crafts clever,
melodic punk-pop. However, the Washington Township band's terse tunes aren't
in vogue -- and the band couldn't care less. "MTV's not playing what I'm
into," guitarist Jeff Brogowski, 32, said in a call from his Wyckoff home.
"It's a weird time in pop music. I personally get sick of all these bands on
MTV. I don't want to mention names, but these macho rap metal bands are just
so mean-spirited. Something strange is going on. Maybe it has something to
do with all the economic prosperity. It's getting ugly like it was during
the Eighties, when so many people and bands were so cocky."
Not that
the Eighties were all that bad for Brogowski. Quite a few of the bands who
influenced the LawnDarts -- whose other members are vocalist Chuck Moran of
New York, guitarist Steve Ugly of Woodbridge, bassist Sean Gallagher of
Washington Township, and new drummer Matt Roman of Ridgewood -- wreaked
sonic havoc during the Reagan era, such as Black Flag, the Minutemen, and
the Ramones. "We loved those bands, and we also loved good Eighties metal,"
Brogowski said. "Bands like Iron Maiden and early Priest couldn't be beat.
We love the punk side of music -- fast, loud, and raw -- but we also like
the pop side, and that's all over our music. We love a good hook. Our songs
are based on reality, but that doesn't mean we're full of angst. There are
too many bands that are angry. We're just the opposite of that."
The
group's first album, 1998's "13 Songs About Nothing" on LawnDarts Records,
features a number of amusing tracks. Its latest offering, 1999's "Volume
Two," is a bit more offbeat, with such songs as "I Wanna Be a Spaceman,"
"Crank Calls," "Road Rage," and "Freakazoid." "We're just trying to have
some fun," Brogowski said. "But at the same time we're not trying to be the
pose of the moment like so many bands are these days."
The LawnDarts
recently completed demos for a forthcoming album, tracks of which the group
plans to preview tonight at Maxwell's in Hoboken. "The new songs are typical
LawnDarts," Brogowski said. "It's light at times and it's heavy at times.
This album is a more balanced album since the songwriting is spread around."
The LawnDarts are currently shopping the demo. If there are no bites, they
will again release their work on their own. "That's our worst-case scenario,
which isn't bad considering we have good distribution," Brogowski said.
"We're just focusing on that and playing out at places like
Maxwell's."
FoundryMusic.com- 10/31/00
The LawnDarts will
be doing a live broadcast on the web this coming Saturday, November 4th at
Acme Underground, 9 Great Jones St (between Broadway and Lafayette), in NYC.
For more information, call (212)677-6963. They'll have the 1 AM slot, and
the show will be webcast on www.onlinetv.com.
The Aquarian
Weekly- Jersey Talk- by Al
Muzer- Volume 2, #48 (8/23/00-8/30/00): THE LAWNDARTS PARTICIPATE IN
PREMIERE-
Not content to rest on the
laurels of their oven-warm 15-song sophomore CD, The LawnDarts are
"recording new stuff for an upcoming release" and have announced gigs:
Sunday, August 27, 8 PM, at Arlene Grocery; and Thursday, August 31, with 7
Minds and The Milwaukees during the Time Bomb Surfboards premiere for the
visually buzzed "What Exit?" video. Thursday's fun kicks off at 8 PM at
Hooligan's, 369 Broadway, Long Branch.
Featuring footage of Jersey
surfers and skaters soaring to tracks from Garden State bands like Stick
Figure Suicide, OS101, NJ Joystick, Liquid Image... The nationally
released surf video is on sale at most local surf shops and also will be
available at the show. Take it to www.TimeBombSurf.com to find out more
about the video.
Write The LawnDarts at: 538 Franklin Terr., Wyckoff,
NJ 07481; call (201)445-2727; e-mail : LawnDarts@Hotmail.com; or visit:
www.LawnDarts.com for T-shirts, stickers, CD's, and info.
The Aquarian Weekly- Jersey
Talk- by Al Muzer- Volume 2, #37 (6/7/00-6/14/00): THE LAWNDARTS VOW:
RULE THE WORLD BY 2001-
Just starting
to receive the attention they deserve for VOLUME II, their recently self-
released 15-song sophomore CD. The LawnDarts have reason to celebrate
and will probably need a little help climbing onstage to perform next
Friday, June 16, at Connections, 403 Van Houten Ave., Clifton. Also on the
bill are Flatus. Call (973)473-3127 for more
information.
Featuring "My Girlfriend's Got A Gun," "Love Song,"
"Change The World," "Misery," "Jersey Shore," "I Wanna Be A Spaceman," a
stab at the Go-Go's "Vacation," and "Freakazoid!" Volume II has been
described here as "a 1-2-3-4 blast of Fiendz-ish, All-intense power punk
with insanely catchy, Ramones-simple choruses" and has been lauded as "the
LawnDarts all grown up and ready to hit the charts."
Well, it seems
that a sudden flurry of 'Dart-mania has landed "Jersey Shore" on Time Bomb
Surfboards' new surf video, What Exit?, featuring footage of NJ
surfers skimming the waves to bands like Stick Figure Suicide, OS101, Hi
Pro Glo, the 'Darts, Knuckle Sandwich, The Milwaukees, and Blue Channel.
Take it to: www.timebombsurf.com to find out more, and remember (sez the
good folks at Time Bomb), "the new (floral and scenic) fabric patterns are
in!"
Further proof that the LawnDarts rule (or are at least working
on it) is the use of "Freakazoid" on The Underground CD comp that
comes free with the 'zine. Boasting track by the Milwaukees, Rosemary
Pure, the 'Darts, and Ben Trovato, a visit to:
www.nbunderground.com nets you a copy of both!
And finally, "I Wanna
Be A Spaceman" is the standout cut on a recent Triple X Records punk
compilation called Stranglehold that includes such bands as
Limecell, The Bullys, Kermit's Finger, White Trash Debutantes, Talking To
Lois, and The Resentments. Stranglehold is available for a
piddlin' $7.99 at: www.TowerRecords.com.
Write to: The LawnDarts:
538 Franklin Terr., Wyckoff, NJ 07481; call (201)445-2727; e-mail :
LawnDarts@Hotmail.com; or visit: www.LawnDarts.com for T-shirts, stickers,
CD's, and info. In addition to the above URLs, The LawnDarts' back catalog
is also available at: www.BlackPumpkin.com, www.Rotz.com, or:
www.VitalMusic.net.
The Underground Magazine-
Underground Profile- Volume 3,
issue 8 (Spring '00):
Crafting some of
the catchiest pop-punk around, this tight, tuneful quintet shines on its
second indie release, appropriately entitled Volume Two.
The
standout track "Freakazoid", available on this issue's compilation, is a
fine sample of the LawnDarts' infectious melodies and catchy arrangements.
Tight harmony vocals courtesy of guitarist/songwriter/producer/all-around
overachiever Jeff Brogowski compliment frontman Chuck Moran's throaty
delivery on the band's hummable verses and sing-along choruses. The
LawnDarts will have you singing along to goofy lyrics about road rage and
firearms before you realize what's coming out of your mouth. JA
www.e-crap.com - E-Crap.com-
Entertainment Website- by Rich Conroy- Jan/Feb
'00:
This column is about bands, and
the thing they make, music. So, let me tell you about a band you would love
if you ever heard them. They are called the LawnDarts.The LawnDarts are a
five-piece band hailing from NJ. The lineup consists of Chuck Moran (lead
vocals, smart mouth, and only founding member left) , Jeff Brogowski
(guitar, vocals, hair), Sean Gallagher (bass, boyish good looks), Steve Ugly
(bass, vocals, sheepish grin), and Mike Random (drums, vocals, drums, drums
and a little percussion). I'm not gonna get into too much history here, you
can get that on their website (www. lawndarts.com) but suffice it to say
they have been around long enough to have graduated from playing friends'
parties to headlining shows. They even get people to go see them at midnight
on a weekday in a tiny little shoebox and if you have ever been in a band
you know that the late night weekday show can be a pretty cold gig. Not so
for Chuck & co., their fans are nothing if not loyal.
Their first
release was on the compilation album "The Swinging Sounds Of Easter Island"
in 1997. Those five tunes (Heresy, Crayons, Going Nowhere, Innocent Victim,
and This Song's About You) were the basic staples of a LawnDarts set. They
were a four-piece at the time. The CD got them a little notoriety. Shortly
after that they added Jeff on second guitar. Just before recording their
debut full-length album bassist Sean Gallagher was brought into the fold.
These three along with original guitarist Joe Puchalik and drummer Matt
Roman recorded 13 Songs About Nothing. It contained 4 of the five songs from
the Easter Island comp as well as, well, 9 more songs. Some were even penned
by then new guy Jeff. You could see at any show you went to that they were
getting better and better. As a live unit they were becoming a juggernaut.
It was impossible to not smile when they were playing, and it was just as
impossible to not sing along. The band just has a knack for writing songs
that you seem to know halfway through the first time you hear
them.
Now, at some point the replaced the drummer with Mike Random
(who was in The Comrades, the Drag Triplets, Flatus (for one show anyhow),
Random, Kiss, and three and a half billion other bands. Ok, he was never in
Kiss, but if they played Connections and Peter Criss was stuck in traffic on
rt.17 let's just say the SHOW WOULD GO ON BABY!) and were playing as a
four-piece for a while until they were joined by Steve Ugly. (Here's a
little trivia you can use for when these guys get famous and you want to
impress people. Steve's band the Plug Uglies were on that Easter Island comp
way back when. Coincidence? Surely not) This is the lineup that remains
today, and it is their best yet.
Their recently released second album
entitled Volume II is a tour de force in melodic punk rock. There's
danceable stuff (April 18th, Love Song), obvious radio choices (I Wanna Be A
Spaceman, Freakazoid, Later), rough and tumble old school punk (Road Rage,
Don't Fuck With My Mind) and songs that most of the NOFX/Fat Wreck Chords
clones would kill to have (Misery, Change The World, My Girlfriend's Got A
Gun). There's even a hidden track about the New Jersey Shore that if you are
from the area will bring a smile to your face and a tear to your eye. (It
made me mad that I didn't write it actually) It was recorded and released
completely independently. It looks good, it sounds good, and gosh darn it
people like it.
I demand that you go to their website and see what
they are up to. You can catch up on the band and buy their stuff and even
see where they are playing next. I suggest you see them now before they get
too big and all the jocks in school like them. Oh, and pad you ass, it will
be kicked!
www.digitalcity.com
- DigitalCity.com - Entertainment Website-
Pick of the Month Jan. '00
Lawndarts
2/3/00- Maxwell's, 1039 Washington Ave, Hoboken, NJ, 9 PM.- w/ Limecell,
Talking To Lois, The Bullys.
This Jersey based five piece band plays
fun, upbeat poppy punk rock that doesn't hold back. Their tongue-in-cheek
sing-alongs seem to turn rabid punk purists into rabid fans very, very
quickly. Personally, I can't wait to hear their cover of the day-glo Go-Go's
romp, "Vacation." Digital City www.Digitalcity.com Pick of the month
1/00.
The Morning Call- Allentown, PA-
by Ed Condran- Pop-punk band LawnDarts
makes a point of having fun- Friday, December 17, 1999:
To LawnDarts guitarist Jeff Brogowski, the late '90's are a weird
time in pop music.
"I get sick of all these bands on MTV," says
Brogowski over the telephone from his Bergen County, NJ, home. "I don't want
to mention names, but these macho, rap-metal bands are just so
mean-spirited. Look what happened at Woodstock (last summer). All the
violence, looting, and the fires. Something strange is going on. Maybe it
has something to do with all the economic prosperity. It's getting ugly like
it was during the '80's when so many people and bands were so
cocky."
Not that the 1980's were all that bad for Brogowski and the
LawnDarts, who will play tonight as the middle part of a three-band bill at
the Arch Street Hotel in North Catasauqua. Quite a few of the bands that
influenced the LawnDarts- Black Flag, the Minutemen, and the Ramones, to
name just three- wreaked sonic havoc during the Reagan era. And with it's
clever, terse, melodic pop-punk tunes, the North Jersey group is clearly a
descendant of Los Angeles' seminal Descendents.
Brogowski says that
he and his band mates- vocalist Chuck Moran, guitarist Steve Ugly, bassist
Sean Gallagher, and drummer Mike Random- "loved those bands and we also
loved good '80's metal- like Iron Maiden and early Priest couldn't be beat.
We like the punk side of music- fast, loud and raw- but we also like the pop
side, and that's all over our music. We love a good hook. Our songs are
based on reality, but that doesn't mean we're full of angst. There are too
many bands out there that are angry. We're just the opposite of
that."
The title of the LawnDarts' first disc, 1998's "13 Songs About
Nothing", released on the band's LawnDarts Records label, indicates that the
group has a sense of humor. There are a number of amusing tracks on the
album, but the band's latest release, "Volume Two," is full of such
pointedly off-beat songs as "I Wanna Be A Spaceman," "Crank Calls," "Road
Rage," and "Freakazoid."
"We're just trying to have some fun," says
Brogowski. "But at the same time, we're not trying to be, like, the pose of
the moment like so many bands are these days. We're genuine. We don't know
how to be any other way."
Brogowski, who studied International
Relations at Lehigh University during the late '80's, will return to the
Lehigh Valley tonight to perform with Nooner, which will headline the gig,
and Bluechannel, which will open.
"I love coming back, since I have
great memories (of) going to Lehigh," says Brogowski. "It was the classic
college experience. It was like "Animal House." It was a freewheelin'
experience. The LCB (Liquor Control Board) wasn't so fierce then. ...It was
like Disneyland (for alcoholics). Those were good
days."
www.theaquarian.com
-East Coast Rocker Magazine - Shooting
The Shit With LawnDarts-
by Chris
Uhl- June 2-9, 1999/ Issue
983R
Fun. The essence of the LawnDarts. The spiritual mantra to
which the frill-free North Jersey punkers LawnDarts adhere. Like a ride on a
carousel on a sunny day in the park, or pulling a chair out from under a
friend, that, eager readers, is the hydrogen that keeps the LawnDarts' blimp
afloat. Of course this hydrogen eventually felled the mighty Hindenberg, but
it is this spirit of moving and rocking on unfazed by the pressures of
"success" that make the LawnDarts so damn appealing and respectable. No
pretentious punk rock posturing, no self-serving ass-kissing within "the
scene," no bloated egos taking their art too seriously. Simplified, The
LawnDarts are riding their carousel with big wide smiles (and a six hidden
below). Jump on if you like; you are all welcome, but don't wait for them to
hop off onto the next bandwagon; for that's a bumpy ride, and they might
spill their drinks.
I had four-fifths of the band (new guitar recruit
Steve Petras was not in attendance) over my apartment for a Friday evening
bullshit session where we touched on, among other things, the best episodes
of "Diff'rent Strokes" and "Family Ties" (that's not an opinion question),
the art of flipping the bird, and the whereabouts of Markie Post. And though
they aren't close enough yet to yank my chair from beneath me, they did
drink way too much of my beer (ahem,Chuck) and sabotage my tape
recorder with frightening messages I'll divulge to no one out of fear of
abduction.
Here are some vaguely pertinent snippets from my
conversation with vocalist Chuck Moran, guitarist Jeff Brogowski, bassist
Sean Gallagher, and drummer Mike Ricra (who has played with everyone, most
recently the Drag Triplets).
Since LawnDarts were banned back in
'88, are you guys in danger of copyright infringement?
CHUCK: I
think lawndarts is a generic term. Jarts is the brand name that could cause
some trouble.
Aaah. Like tissues to Kleenex.
CHUCK: I
actually had two sets at home when I was younger. And, since you asked, I
have an interesting story involving lawndarts. When I was younger, I had a
dog who, when you threw (lawndarts), thought in his little dog brain,
"ball!", and would chase it down, chew it, and make the ends all gnarled. So
anyway, my dad would use them to mark where to pick the dog shit up in the
yard. He'd fling it and be, like, '10 feet to the left of the blue lawndart
there's a big pile of dog shit!' So, there'd be, like, six of them in the
backyard...'dog shit there, dog shit there...' and so on.
JEFF:
LawnDarts equals dog shit!
Not a good
connection.
CHUCK: But it is kind of funny; people don't think of
LawnDarts as a yard tool.
Or a shit locating device. But, hey,
that's good. If you can reference the origins of your band name back to shit
or any other form of bodily excrement, that's punk rock. Anyway, for a real
'interview' question: Trace the origins of LawnDarts, the
band.
CHUCK: We started in '94 as a joke. Complete joke. I'm the
only original member. We're sort of like The Cure!
SEAN: I was just
there. They played at my house, though.
CHUCK: Sean was there, but at
that point he was just a buddy. At that point it was just an excuse to be an
idiot. It was like, 'hey! So-and-so is having a party; let's bring the
band.
So it was a party-crashing tool.
CHUCK: Yeah,
and at that point we didn't even do originals. We just did obscure covers
that people didn't know were covers. They'd just be like 'hey, that sounds
cool!' We were older that a lot of the girls we hung out with at the time.
They were like still in high school and we were...not. So they were like,
'you guys are great!' And we were like, 'Yeeeaah!' But they were seniors,
though.
JEFF: Ninth graders.
You guys contributed a song to
a film soundtrack. Tell me about that.
JEFF: It's a film called
Scattered Limbs. It's a movie about two twenty-year-old punk rock
kids living in New York, and their lives and their loves, and blah, blah,
blah... We are still waiting.
I've learned a lot in the last year
about the plight of local bands who won't kiss ass to the powers that be. Is
it hard to maintain without brown-nosing to the booty?
JEFF: We
kiss so little ass. In certain clubs, we've played there, I won't mention
names, but basically the deal is that you have to take out an ad to play
there. I'm just happy to play anywhere, so I just try to go about my
business with blinders on. We just want to play music and have fun, but a
lot of other bands are looking for a way around that, and there is no way
around that in my opinion.
CHUCK: Some clubs, if they know you are
friends with another band, will be like, 'we can't put you on the same bill
because you'll draw the same people.' The thing is, it is exactly the
opposite because, if your friends know both bands are playing together,
they're going to go to the show.
As opposed to the 100 or so who
say they'll go and the 50 who show.
CHUCK: Right, and if they
know a band is playing with another band they know, that it'll definitely be
a good time, more people will go.
I like the Go-Go's cover on the
not-yet-released new one. Was that tongue-in-cheek or an honest
nod?
JEFF: Sean played it for me, and I figured we're not just
'rah, punk rock!' We like new wave, metal, everything, so why
not?
CHUCK: He is the met-tul man.
JEFF: Norwegian black
metal!
You guys recorded the new record in Jeff's home studio.
Very impressive. How does this differ from the last one done at the old Big
Blue?
JEFF: I like going to big recording studios. It's fun and
all. Recording the first album at Big Blue was fucking awesome, but we
figured, I wanted to buy this recording stuff anyway, so I figured I'd make
the investment now, get a couple of albums done. Incorporate Big Blue into
it for mastering or mixing, or whatever, but it came out sounding pretty
good anyway.
CHUCK: Did I mention we are big in Japan?
Hey,
I know Black Pumpkin has some ties distributing abroad; Any European tour
plans yet?
JEFF: Seriously, the way we look at it is, 'whatever
they can do for us, great!' We're into doing it ourselves
anyway.
CHUCK: We're going to be on a Triple X Records compilation
coming out this (winter) called (STRANGLEHOLD).
JEFF: I sent them a
copy of our last album (13 Songs About Nothing) a long time ago.
Then, about a month ago, I got a call while I was watching TV one day and
the guy from the label is talking to me like it was ,like, signed, sealed,
and delivered- like he talked to me a hundred times. He's like 'yeah, I'll
send you the contracts...' I was like, wait, what song? They ended up
picking (Spaceman).
So your legal weasel team of crack attorneys
scoured the documents and took it from there.
JEFF: Yeah. I sat
there and read it over. We get a buck, I think.
CHUCK: We each get 20
cents. Hey, were you listening to Opie and Anthony?
Yeah, I did
the WOW thing once. I got so blatantly ignored it was
depressing.
CHUCK: Yeah, except for other guys with WOW stickers
waving to you. It's like, 'hey man, stop waving. I don't care about
you!'
It's like that dumb fraternity of Jeep owners who wave at
each other. Whenever my friend would drive, there'd be guys beeping at him
because of his Jeep. Stop that! Random acts of senseless kindness...This is
the East Coast, that stuff will get you cancelled out. What's the LawnDarts
mode of operations?
(One simultaneous chime of
"Fun")
SEAN: It's another reason to buy more beer.
CHUCK:
If it's not fun, quit. I've said that to everyone who has ever been in the
band. If it is not fun, please quit, because I'd rather have a friend than
someone who doesn't want to be in the band. That negative thing is so in
vogue, but I'd rather maintain a friendship with somebody rather than go
through that band bullshit.
JEFF: Fun, and whatever else comes is an
added bonus.
Dig This Real(NYC
Fanzine)- by Edie-- Arlene Grocery- April
1999:
Dig This Real had a chance to catch up with the
fun-lovin' LawnDarts at Arlene's. We also had a chance to harass the group
pre-show.
Dig This Real: Are you going to do "Crayons"
tonight?
Chuck (singer): (exasperated) Why is that everyone's
favorite song? It's such a popular song!
Mike (drums, vocals): We should
still do it! (frustrated) No one listens to me because I'm the
drummer.
C: Then why don't we do "Crayons" tonight for Mike! The song is
about Applebee's.
Sean (bass): Chuck used to work at Applebee's and
they'd give out crayons to the kids to draw on the tablecloths and
everything like that...
C: ...and it's a silly song.
DTR: If
you were to have one of your songs "hit", which one would you want it to
be?
Jeff (guitar, vocals): Of the new stuff? "Spaceman".
S:
"Misery".
C: I'd say "Misery" or "Love Song".
J: "Misery", because it
was the first song we wrote together.
Steve (guitar, vocals): "Road
Rage".
(This breaks up the band and everyone starts laughing- must
be an inside joke.)
J: Steve likes "Road Rage".
DTR: If
you had the money to purchase any piece of equipment, what would it
be?
C: I know what Steve's gonna say!
S: I don't know,
probably guitars. A clear guitar, like Greg (Ginn) from Black Flag.
C:
I'm the singer. I don't really care!
J: A Dan Armstrong clear-bodied
guitar, which may be my next purchase...
M: I would like...
S: Mike
would like...
(Mike is cut off due to the band's horsing
around)
DTR: What's to be expected from the new
release?
C: We are going to call it "Going Postal" (we've changed
the name to VOLUME II since the interview- Jeff).
S: Cocktails and Ice
Cream was another name.
C: We were going to call it "Funk and Do
Me"...
Opening with "Love Song", one would think it's no wonder these
guys are calling their new release Going Postal (we changed the name since
then- Jeff). Jam packed with energy and performing pin-drop tight, this was
not going to be an evening of us falling asleep in our beer.
The band
opted for ripping through some new material like "April 18th", with it's
more ska-flavored beat. But by the time "Later" was performed I was on the
floor. With the dual harmonies and crunchy riff, these guys are what it's
all about when it comes to a good song. If I wasn't so damn self-conscious,
I would have definitely been gyrating alongside of Chuck Moran (singer) on
stage.
These guys have found the secret formula for writing great
tunes that are so damn catchy! We love a singer who knocks his microphone
stand around. Moran does it well, letting it finally rest on the floor. He
did this quite often during the set. Looking distantly into the audience,
while mid-song, he pulled out a cigarette and slowly dragged on it. It
seemed he was seeking inspiration through rest. Or just a cigarette break,
you choose.
Then the 'Darts slipped into "Misery" and a cover of the
Go-Go's "Vacation" and literally kicked the shit out of it. Sloppy as hell,
upon finishing the song, Moran slyly looked up to see the damage that was
done and then casually acknowledged friends he spotted in the audience. The
next song ("My Girlfriend's Got A Gun") began as he ranted 'six bullets and
she's coming after me'. Totally an urgent number.
Moran is the
perfect frontman. I was pumped with the 'Darts closing their set with "Going
Nowhere", which has been the theme of my life (and trying to get this zeen
off the ground). I am only comforted when Moran, Brogowski, and Ricra sing
together 'ha ha ha ha'. Then surprisingly the LawnDarts go into "Crayons".
As I search Moran's face, he looks like he's in total pain while performing
it. Lexi and I are totally appreciative.
The entire evening of music
from these guys was totally enjoyable. Don't be dull. See these guys as fast
as you can.
Two River Times
(Monmouth County, NJ) - Night Grooves by Uncle
Mike- January 15, 1999:
Any band that possesses the
mind set and courage to release a CD entitled 13 Songs About Nothing must
have something to offer. And that's why I made my way to The Saint in A.P.
(Asbury Park) to see The LawnDarts. My instincts were right. The musical
talents of Chuck Moran (lead v's.), Jeff Brogowski (lead g./v's.), Sean
Gallagher (bass) and Mike Ricra (drums) make this north Jersey based
power-pop/punk band worth checking out.
Looking more like frat boys than punk rockers, The
LawnDarts performed a 14 song/30 minute set featuring seven cuts from their
aforementioned CD. Some of the 'Darts' finer moments came on rants like
"April 18th" (Knackish punk pop), "Parking Lot Romance" (punk twanger with
spazzed out lead g.), "Vacation" (power-punk), "Road Rage" and "Innocent
Victim" (Ramones would be proud), "Retro" (crowd fave), "Girlfriend" (cool
little tune), and Second Gun (another 'Darts
ditty).
Look. The LawnDarts
aren't breaking any new ground here, but what they do, they do well. Their
performance at The Saint was a pleasant surprise. Their quirky
songwriting efforts accompanied by solid vocals, stellar guitar, and
high-spirited drum and bass play tells me that the 'Darts have learned
their lessons well! In other words, The LawnDarts are a cool little
band and a fun listen.
Bergen Town
Newspapers (Bergen County, NJ) - Bergen Life: The
Bergen Beat by Erin Muster and Jonathon Braunstein - February
19, 1999:
Thousands of young adults in Bergen County aspire to goals ranging from
academics to sports to music. It is generally assumed, however, that one's
talents in academics will be most influential in their lives and careers. In
the cases of some Bergenites, however, it's the music that is taking the
lead.
Young bands exist
everywhere, but in densely populated areas such as our own, such bands can
grow and amass significant fan bases in relatively short periods of time.
These bands do not necessarily share the same goals, however. Some strive
for super-stardom, some for success on their own terms, and some, like Chuck
Moran, are just looking to have a good time.
Chuck Moran is the lead singer for The LawnDarts, a
powerpunk/pop band based in Washington Township. In addition to attending
school and working two part-time jobs, he and his band attempt to practice
at least once a week and remain tight by playing a few gigs each
month.
The LawnDarts are
comprised of Chuck, Mike Ricra, Sean Gallagher, Steve Petras, and Wyckoff
resident Jeff Brogowski. They've been together for four years, and each is
in his mid-twenties. In August, they released their first full-length album.
Entitled 13 Songs About Nothing, their LP shows influences from bands
such as The Ramones and Husker Du. The CD features fast-paced songs flavored
by lyrics of sardonic wit and received a grade of "A" from AQUARIAN
MAGAZINE. It is available at Tower Records in Paramus.
The LawnDarts are involved primarily for
the fun of making music and performing as a band. If they sell a few discs,
"that's great!" says Moran. "We just want to make a little name for
ourselves, but with no major headaches or complications. Although they hired
Black Pumpkin Records to distribute 13 Songs..., their relaxed
attitude is reflected in both their live performances and their
CD.
The Aquarian Weekly (NJ/NYC) -
The Scene by Alana Quartuccio -
Maxwell's, NJ - March 1998:
Next up were The LawnDarts.
Celebrating both vocalist Chuck and guitarist Joe's birthdays, The LawnDarts
put on one helluva bash! It's always time for a celebration when the
LawnDarts play! From the second they kicked in with "FBI", I was psyched! I
didn't want them to finish. Nobody did. The crowd was sizzling that night.
Punk rock has never been this sweet until now. There is a bit of Green Day
and lots of early Descendents influence. Those lyrics are just so
bittersweet and heartfelt at times like in "Heresy" and "Innocent Victim",
but they are just as quirky and hysterically funny, too! The main thing is
that everyone has fun! That's what it's all about!
The Aquarian Weekly (NJ/NYC) -The Scene by
Alana Quartuccio - Connections, NJ - October
1997:
In case
you've already run out of the goodies in your trick or treat bags, I've got
lots more for you, so here we go. Connections did it again: they put on
another great show. This time The LawnDarts tickled my fancy. Talk
about an addiction! All you need is a quick dose of these guys and you are
hooked! From the very minute they went on stage, it was sheer excitement
right through to the end. The LawnDarts really put the pop in punk. All
their stuff is friendly, happy, and very fresh. Crisp guitars, sugar-sweet
harmonies lead their all around upbeat sound. I've been familiar with their
demo for quite awhile, so I was able to sing along with everyone. My
personal favorite is "Innocent Victim". It's the kind of song that is so
catchy, you want to hear it again and again. Frontman Chuck is something
else! He is one wild and crazy guy! I really dig those Buddy Holly glasses.
After spinning through all their songs, they finished off with a cover by
Cheap Trick. The LawnDarts really put on a fun show. Too bad they couldn't
have gone on
forever.