Visual Sound: Issue 1
SHADOWLAND
Shadowland is one of the three bands singer/songwriter/guitarist Glenn Alexander is in, the most famous of which is Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes where his lead guitar runs roughshod over and above those celebrated horns.
ALEXANDER SIMONE
Singer/Songwriter/Pianist Alexander Simone, from Asbury Park, has it in his blood. His grandmother was the legendary Nina Simone [1933-2003]. Starting in the church, he got swayed early by Motown and Sam Cooke. He may lead a band, Whodat, but his unerring solo soul can captivate and hypnotize.
UNICORN. UNIIQUE3 AND DJ FADE
It’s called Jersey Club. Similar to the DC go-go scene, Jersey Club is a particularly fast and aggressive kind of dance music incorporating hip-hop and funk. It’s influenced by the 1990s underground scene in Newark—and a similar Baltimore variant—but carries its own bounce what with its super-pounding bass, electronic drum kicks and crazy vocal samples. Unicorn and DJ Fade--seen here with Uniiqu3--had one of the genre’s biggest hits in “It’s Time.”
UNCLE FLOYD
Uncle Floyd has had The Ramones, The Misfits, The Smithereens, Tiny Tim, Jon Bon Jovi, Jan & Dean, Squeeze, Cyndi Lauper, Blue Oyster Cult and David Johansen on his Newark-based TV show, which ran from ’74 to ’98. David Bowie, Iggy Pop and John Lennon were fans of the show. Bowie even recorded a tribute called “Slip Away” on his 2002 Heathens album.
DD VERNI
DD Verni has been the bassist of Old Bridge Township thrash-metal pioneers Overkill since its 1980 inception. DD Verni & The Cadillac Band is something he’s always wanted to do. It’s downright shocking!
THE CATHOLIC GIRLS
The Catholic Girls—with their on-stage Catholic School uniforms—have been tantalizing boys since 1981 and are still going strong today. Their pioneering good-girls-gone-bad imagery pre-dates Madonna, and their sound straddles pop, punk and prog.