tunnlvision

"Check them out, they've got a groovy style and a lot of talent."- Mike Smith - The Underworld, WSCA 106.1 FM, NH

"Three-piece Tunnlvision had an indie vibe and a unique sound." -Bodog Music - Bodog

Each week, we take a look though our Sonicbids dropbox and let a band tell us about themselves. This week, get to know Boston based rockers Tunnlvision. The band will play Oliver’s at the Cask ‘n Flagon this Friday, March 21 with Northern Pike, Everyday Disaster, and My Lucky Stars.

Band Name: Tunnlvision

Members: Jon Deane –GuitarVox –Woburn (Wu Town, MA)
Ande Motta –Bass (Lynnfield, MA)
Jamie Sutton –Drums

Releases: TunnlDemo –Original Release – Nov 07’ – Re-release Jan 08’

Website: www.myspace.comtunnlvision

How did you form?

I kind of knew Jon from high school through some musical friends. Our first drummer and me (Ande) were in a band together in high school, Crypt Kicker 5, kind of a punkska garage band. So after college we were jamming and he introduced me to Jon (Jon graduated high school w him). Then Jon and I started jamming, and we instantly clicked. My melody heavy bass fit just right under his crazy guitar. Jamie came into the picture at the beginning of this year. Jamie was the man for the job, he was just what we needed and now there is no stopping us. We found him online somewhere…

Who are some of your influences?

Radiohead, Jack Drag, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Murder City Devils, Incubus. Drumming wise: Dave Abbruzzese, Glen Graham, Chad Smith, Keith Moon and a few others.

Finish the sentence, someone would like your band if they like…

Foo Fighters, Incubus, Radiohead, or if they need a new rock sound, cause we are it.

What has your most memorable moment as a band been?

Our first time playing the Middle East downstairs, Jon and I grew up in the area and have seen many shows there. It was kind of surreal to be up on the same stage I saw Dick Sale perform on months earlier.

Walk us through your songwriting process.

We all write together. We have been working on some new stuff from scratch for our EP. It starts with a basic idea, riff from guitar or bass or whatever and everyone adds their own spice. Its a very democratic process actually. Jon is always writing music, he has a million songs stashed away. We’ll never have a shortage of creativity while he is around. Jamie picked up the existing material via demos from before he joined and tweaked it. Everyone has a say and the opportunity to share in the direction of the material. Things can voted in or out. Its great.

Who is the best musician in your band?

Jon. He livesbreathes music. He was classically trained vocally and with his viola and also attended the Boston Conservatory of Music. We still need to get him to bring the viola out on stage. We are all accomplished musicians though, each having played our current instruments for over 12 years. If we sucked, I don’t think we’d be playing together.

What is your favorite local venue?

We do love the Paradise, although we heard its now being bought out by Live Nation. And of course the Middle East.

What separates you from other local bands?

Our sound. Everyone always says we have a unique sound. All of our songs don’t sound the same, they each rock in their own way. We think it opens us up to a bigger audience. It would be boring to write the same thing over and over.

What do you have coming up that people should know about?

In May we are recording our Debut EP at Old Folks Home Recording, Wilmington, MA. (www.myspace.comoldfolkshomerecording)

Which will be followed by a promotional tour around the New England/NYC area in August 08’ And of course - TONS OF SHOWS – See the listing below, more TBA :

3/21 - Olivers at The Cask N Flagon, 8:30pm, $9, 21+ , Brookline AveLansdowne St. Boston, MA Appearing with: Northern Pike, Everyday Disasters, and My Lucky Stars

3/30 -Arlene's Grocery -Manhattan, NYC 7pm, $7 - this show is streaming live online at www.musikville.com -check it out! Appearing with: The All New Cheap Moves, Corrado, and The Williams Sisters

4/4 -Good Times Emporium - Somerville, MA 8pm, 21+, $TBA Appearing with: Autumn Daez, and Kanaz


Convince our readers to see your next show.

Come to our next show or we will club a baby seal…..

Come see Tunnlvision HEADLINE at Oliver’s this FRIDAY 321. Everyone in the Boston music scene has been talking about Oliver’s since it re-opened back in Jan. We were there to bring down the house for the 2nd week of the Friday night rock series on 21, headlining for a packed crowd. This Friday is the first night of SPRING and also SPRING BREAK. Come rock out with 4 of Boston’s Best local rock bands, brought to you by, Team Shred Productions. Lets help keep Lansdowne alive while everything else is closed down. We love the Boston music scene, you should too, come out to support your local bands.

ROCK ON!!!

Updated: 3/20/2008

www.bostonmusicspotlight.com - Boston Music Spotlight

Tunnlvision’s song catalog zig zags through genres like one of those newfangled, searchable jukeboxes. Its music is far from the kind of straightforward focus the North Shore trio’s moniker implies.

Singer and guitarist Jon Deane came up with the intentionally misspelled name three years ago when he started Tunnlvision. But like the band’s sound, the lineup has changed. The latest arrival is drummer Jamie Sutton, who joined in early February, a week before Tunnlvision played Oliver’s Nightclub at the Cask’n Flagon for the first time. Sutton crammed to learn the diverse set list and made the cut. The band returns to Oliver’s tonight for an encore performance - with different songs, of course.

“Playing the same thing over and over again isn’t fun,” said bassist Andrea Motta. “Playing different songs opens it up to different audiences.”

Sitting at the Joshua Tree in Davis Square, Somerville, Deane explained that Tunnlvision’s eclectic mix allows the band to play anywhere, on any type of bill. From hardcore metal lineups to softer folk-rock shows, Tunnlvision band mates alter their set list to fit the sound. That’s not tunnelvision, that’s CinemaScope.

“I’d play to retirement homes if I could,” Deane said.

Which doesn’t seem to be a plug for where Tunnlvision plans to record its debut EP in May: at Old Folks Home Recording Studios, with producer Alexander Hatziyannis (Waltham, Hepburn, Almada). Mark yourcalendar - the EP should drop in early August.

Deane, who started playing the viola when he was 3 years old, has 17 years of music theory and a degree from New England Conservatory behind him. He says he writes new songs every day, and will continue to do so until Tunnlvision starts recording.

A classical-music enthusiast, he says he does not listen to modern rock. But he has band mates to add fresh, melodic bass lines and funky drum beats to his songs. And Deane plans to add a second guitarist so he can play his first instrument on some songs.

“I want to break out the viola,” he said. “No one does that” (at least no one we know of except John Cale). “And when they do they get made fun of” (with the exception, again, of John Cale).

Despite Deane’s viola and rock-free listening, Tunnlvision doesn’t plan on going classical. On the contrary.

“There needs to be more rock in the rock music genre these days,” said Motta. “We’re gonna fix that.”

The band: Tunnlvision is Jon Deane (guitar, voice, viola), Andrea Motta (bass) and Jamie Sutton (drums)

The sound: A little funk, a lot of rock

The show: Tunnlvision plays tonight with Northern Pike, Everyday Disaster and My Lucky Stars at Oliver’s Nightclub at the Cask’n Flagon.

The music: Hear Tunnlvision at bostonherald.com/entertainment and myspace.com/tunnlvision.

Article by: Kerry Purcell
3/21/08 - The Boston Herald

"Thanx again for your excellent musical collaboration." -

DJ Ridoux - Radio Propagande