4"Stud

Look for the January edition of Modern Drummer on your local mag rack to catch a spotlight on 4"Stud drummer Bill Jarry. Bill Jarry endorses C and C Custom Drums. - 4"Stud Press Release

If you like your pop rocky, or your rock poppy, with a cleaned-up-but-almost-alternative feel, sort of like Soul Asylum if they wanted to be The Goo Goo Dolls (indeed, a reversal of reality), well, then, here ya go. Now, perhaps the comparison is weighted by the fact that singer Damian David sounds a lot like Dave Pirner, with a bit less edge to his voice, but I’ll eat all of my rock cred (all three grams) if these boys don’t have both bands in their collections. “Can You Hear Me Now?” is one of the best of the bunch, with a neat-o stop/start thing going on in the verses and an energized chorus (that is probably a ton of fun live), not to mention a sizzling guitar solo. “I’m Getting Out” is another standout track, perhaps because it has less of the radio-friendly vibe that the rest of the tracks have in spades. That being said, this is all just a little too “safe” for my taste, and smacks of music made to get chicks. And not the smart ones, either. (Tim Emswiler)
- The Noise

Brookline -
Damian David is sitting in a room at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, recovering from a minor heart attack he suffered last Sunday.

David was performing on stage with his band 4”Stud (4-inch stud) during the Emergenza Music Festival finals (a large international Battle of the Bands that takes place in 150 cities in 24 countries) at the Paradise Rock Club when he started to “feel a little strange.”

“I almost felt like leaving,” said David. “And I kept thinking how that would look to our fans and the people who came to see us, if I just left early.”

Instead, David, who is 31 and has a family history of heart disease, toughed it out long enough to hear that his band didn’t make the cut (“We messed up on our song ‘Beating’”). He soon collapsed and was taken away in an ambulance.

But despite the loss, David, a Brookline resident, sounds good over the phone, vigilant even. And it’s not because doctors told him the surgery went great or that he’ll be back 100 percent in about a month. David is in high spirits because his band just took another big step toward becoming a success, which is huge when the current state of the music industry isn’t the most welcome place for a new band.

The industry has been in a downward spiral ever since a Northeastern University student created a little program called Napster. Since then, CD sales have decreased thanks to music fans illegally downloading music and major labels have scrambled to come up with a solution.

It’s been so bad that major artists have abandoned labels for concert promoters (both Jay-Z and Madonna have signed lucrative deals with Live Nation), while other artists like Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead have released their music for free (and it’s been reported they’ve actually made a profit).

So because of the upheaval, 4” Stud was forced to be a bit creative and had to find ways to be unique.

They started as a cover band five years ago, placating crowds with its covers of Led Zeppelin, the Killers and Journey’s indispensable “Don’t Stop Believin.’”

“And when people screamed out ‘Freebird,’ we did it,” admitted David. “We had the facility to do that song and we killed on it.”

Adhering to the old rock concert joke helped the band be unique in a sea of cover bands in the city and earning them respect from audiences. Think about it. They actually played “Freebird.”

“In the beginning, the band itself was so new that we just needed to get our name out,” said David. “We always wanted to be an original band. We thought that we could mix in original songs and that it would naturally convert.”

It was easier said than done, mostly because David was attempting to combine two different worlds, the people who enjoy cover bands and those who enjoy original music.

They did try to inject an original song in their set, which inevitably dropped the energy level in room a bit. But for the handful of people listened, and enjoyed, it was the start of a passionate fan base that would eventually propel 4” Stud to bigger stages.

It convinced David there was an audience for his music and he began to write more, all the while enduring weekends at Boston bars with the cover-band crowd.

“Some of the guys in the band have fun doing [covers],” David said. “I grin and bear it. I don’t personally enjoy the cover show.”

Finally, in October 2006, 4”Stud released their eponymous debut, a 12-track album that ranges from songs about regret and guilt (“After”) to songs about wanting to rock as loud as possible (“Can You Hear Me Now?”).

The band even found a way to capitalize on their cover experience by including the theme song to the video game “Super Mario Bros.”

“That song really played with both worlds, the cover band and original band,” said David. “And we found out that it sells really well.”

David considers the album the official launch of the original-material band and marked a shift in thinking. They were thinking about marketing and promotion, and how to do all that on a budget.

“We’ve done iPod giveaways for ticket buyers and other gimmicks,” says David. “But it isn’t a good incentive. We found that our excitement in the band and our music translated better when we had good conversations with people. When they got to know us, they wanted us to do well.”

This meant taking the time to personally answer e-mails, Myspace messages and making a point to hang out after a show to talk to any lingering fans. Sometimes it’s about music. Sometimes it’s about the fan’s personal life.

“We love our fan base and the people who support us,” replied David. “We know them. We’ve grown with them. And even though we’ve never hung out with them outside of the band experience, it feels like a community.”

The reason it worked was because instead of reaching out to thousands of music industry insiders and music bloggers, 4”Stud cultivated the people who really cared about the music, who in turn would tell their friends about the band, which grew the fan base organically. Instead of trying to get hundreds of fans, the band is focusing on the ones who really care about their music.

And instead of radio (though they have been played on local and college stations), they are looking into licensing their music for television shows, commercials and movies. It’s a practice that has become a profitable business for unknown artists (just look at what the Apple commercials did for Feist and Yael Naim).

In fact, one of their songs, “Winding Up,” was written with the hope of becoming a background song for sport playoff intros and commercials.

“We’re trying to make better relationships with music supervisors for television shows or indie movies,” says David. “We’re gonna record a couple of new songs this summer and shop it around as a single.”

The band is opting out of the second album route (it’s been two years since their debut) and instead recording a song or two at a time, which minimizes their studio time and maximizes their time on tour, another way they are breaking the mold.

But for now, David will be focusing on his recovery (he may even have a new song thanks to the experience) and dream of the day when he can finally quit his day job and have music as his career.

“I don’t think we’ll be wasting our time anymore,” said David. “I think we know what really works in terms of promotion. Before it felt people only came to shows to be nice … now it feels real.”

Hear them now
Main site for the band: www.4inchstud.com/main.asp

Where to buy their album: http://cdbaby.com/cd/4stud

Francis Ma can be reached at fma@cnc.com.
- Francis Ma / Staff writer Brookline TAB

4"Stud rocked Denver as part of a "coast-to-coast" music showcase at the Hard Rock Cafe last Friday night. The event was sponsored by Hitachi, TV Guide and Peerless Mount and had additional performances by LA's Song & Wager and Denver's The Railbenders.

The guys started the night with a power set of originals, including their newest creation, "I'm Falling". The song was such a big hit, they were asked to play it again later in the night! Plans to record the song are in the works. Later, while putting stickers on the crowd, the focus turned to stickering all the memorabilia on the walls!
- 4"Stud Press Release

[June 23, 2008]
4"Stud took the stage last night at 9:20pm with the support of a HUGE crowd waving signs professing their love for the band! The power packed set included I'm Getting Out, Vegas, After, Beating/Can You Hear Me Now? and I'm Falling. They had the crowd clapping, screaming and going nuts all over the place!

4"Stud really gave it their all, including choreography and exploding guitars! Even though the guys really wanted to take home the Gold, they finished the six month Battle of the Bands in 5th place out of the original 128 bands. They are calling it a HUGE WIN that couldn't have happened without the support of their fans and the good people at Emergenza.

Rock On!
-Melvin - 4"Stud Press Release

Boston-based rock band 4"Stud has just signed their first movie deal! The people at F.R. Perro Productions had been surfing the net for unsigned bands to include in their new movie "Remedial Attraction" when they discovered www.4inchstud.com. They were so impressed with 4"Stud that they have licensed both "SUV Girl" and "After". As a matter of fact, "SUV Girl" will be the movie's opening track. "Remedial Attraction" is currently in post-production, but fans can expect it to be out by mid 2006.

The boys have seen the trailer and they can’t wait! “This movie looks like it could potentially be the next Napolean Dynamite or My Big Fat Greek Wedding” says lead guitarist Stevie Gold. “Whatever happens, we are just ecstatic to be working with the amazing team at F.R. Perro Productions. They have been so easy to work with and it is really our privilege to be included in such a great project” adds drummer Bill Jarry. Bill also mentioned the deal was inked in between sets at the Green Dragon at Faneuil Hall over a round of beers. Talk about rock and roll! - 4"Stud Press Release

You'll be able to get your hands on a freshly mixed and post-mastered copy of “Load” a little bit early while donating to help saving lives!!! 4"Stud was invited to add their hit “Load” to the Illumina Records compilation disk benefiting Rock 4 Life, an organization devoted to drunk driving prevention awareness. All proceeds for this album go to GROUND CONTROL. They are excited because not only will they gain added exposure to regional and national audiences, media, and radio stations right before their much anticipated CD release, but they can get a bonafide CD with their music on it into the hands of their fans all the while helping an amazing cause! Please ask the guys how you can get your hands on a copy of this compilation!!!

For more information about Ground Control, please visit: www.preventdrunkdriving.org.
- 4"Stud Press Release

4"Stud reached the #6 spot on the iSound.com charts today, Friday March 2, 2007. iSound.com was founded for musicians by musicians in Seattle, WA in 1999. It was the vision of Founder/CEO D.J. Burdick to create the greatest music community on the internet and it is well on its way to accomplishing that with over 227,592 artist pages and over 1,000,000 listeners. Aside from being able to purchase music online directly from the artists, the listeners can also listen in on and create their own online radio stations.

Because of its success, 4"Stud, was chosen from the 227,000+ artists to be spotlighted on the front page of iSound.com for the next week.
- 4"Stud Press Release

Keith and The Girl is a comedy based podcast (downloadable internet radio show) that is sweeping the world. The guys in the band are die hard fans of the show and spread the word as much as possible. In show 442: Spooky is a Hoohaa, 4"Stud's album is described by both Keith and Chemda as a real rock cd, unlike the recent Grammy nominations. They then proceed to give out a 4"Stud cd to the first person who can email them with the position Stevie plays in the band. Thanks Guys! HUAR!!!

Download the FREE MP3 episode 442: Spooky is a Hoohaa at: http://shitecom.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=181315

Want a little more info about Keith and the Girl?

www.keithandthegirl.com
www.myspace.com/keithandthegirl
- 4"Stud Press Release

4"Stud is proud to announce that Bill Jarry has just joined the artist roster of C&C Custom Drum Company. He is having the brand new, one-of-a-kind “Stud Sunburst Sparkle” kit built as we speak, and cannot wait to unleash it upon Stud Fans everywhere in 2007!

Bill and Jake Cardwell and their team at C&C Custom Drums have been building custom kits out of Kansas City, Missouri since 1989 for the likes of Carl Palmer, Bob Bryar of My Chemical Romance, Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy, Kliph Scurlock of The Flaming Lips, Josh Eppard of Coheed and Cambria, Jason Aylward of Valient Thorr, and tons of other great bands. Check them out at www.candccustomdrums.com. - 4"Stud Press Release