New Liberty

New Liberty are far too young to rock n’ roll. A simple look at Billboard’s list of the top grossing tours of 2012 will tell you that. The only genuine rockers in the top 10, Bruce Springsteen, Roger Waters, and Van Halen likely have underwear older than any member of New Liberty. It’s easy to believe that if rock n’ roll isn’t dead, it’s at the very least on life support.

It seems as though the torch of rock n’ roll was dropped somewhere along the way. Since the dawn of rock n’ roll, each generation of rockers has paved the way for those that followed. Expanding upon their predecessors, and adding something new to the world of rock. From Elvis to The Beatles to Led Zeppelin to Van Halen to Nirvana and everything in between, rock n’ roll continued to move forward and evolve. But considering that the most popular rock and roll acts of 2012 belong to our parent’s generation, it’s easy for younger rockers to think that rock n’ roll might actually be dead.

Fortunately, not everyone is so quick to order a “Do Not Resuscitate.” Lead by bands like The Black Keys and Rival Sons, New Liberty are among a growing group of bands dedicated to revitalizing rock n’ roll. This new movement of old-fashioned hard rock are administering some much needed CPR, but instead of chest-compressions, New Liberty delivers a swift kick to the lungs.

Despite the comparisons, New Liberty are much more than a clone of The Black Keys or Rival Sons. Like those bands, New Liberty has certainly drawn inspiration from Led Zeppelin, Cream and other blues-based guitar rock of the 1970s. But what distinguishes New Liberty are their blistering 1980s heavy metal roots. New Liberty’s guitar riffs are so damn heavy that it’s entirely plausible to believe that Mick Marrs has left his deteriorating body and has entered New Liberty guitarist Armand John Lizzy’s body as an avatar. But considering Mick Marrs is alive and well and touring with Motley Crue, Lizzy’s guitar talents are all his own. In addition to his ten ton guitar licks, Lizzy’s ferocious solos, particularly in New Liberty’s cocaine anthem Burn It, are enough to make both Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen fans weak in the knees.

After a few minutes at a New Liberty show, you’ll quickly learn that Lizzy is much more than a magnificent guitar player, he’s also a dynamic showman. No matter the gig, Lizzy is determined to hold nothing back. ”I just like to get wild and give people something to remember,” Lizzy declared while packing up his gear after a show at O’ Briens Pub in Santa Monica. On this particularly night, Lizzy did just that.

Despite the modest crowd of around 100 or so bar patrons, Lizzy gave it his all. Halfway through the set, and mid-solo, Lizzy realized the grimy bar stage couldn’t contain his throat kicking fret work. So he jumped up onto a table in the middle of the bar. The table, which was barely sturdy enough to hold a couple of beers, was no match for Lizzy and his guitar. The table gave way, sending its contents, namely Lizzy and a few beers, crashing to the floor. Without missing a single note, he continued the solo while flat on his back on the dirty concrete floor. Frontman Shane Mac, then dragged him back onto the stage and they played out rest of the song.

Simply falling off a table, or performing a guitar solo on your back isn’t what was impressive. Any schmuck with a Stratocaster can and has played on the floor. What was truly remarkable about his performance, is that if you were to listen to an audio recording of the show, you’d have absolutely no idea that any of this transpired. Despite his body flying and crashing all over the bar, Lizzy executed a flawless and seamless solo, that would be electrifying even if he never left the stage.

The crowd pleasing stunt was a complete accident. Lizzy says, “I didn’t expect the ceiling to be that low. And I didn’t expect the table to be that rocky.” But crashing to the floor didn’t phase him in the least, he proudly declared “I’ve ate shit before, man. Just keep going. There’s no reason to ever stop.” Part of what makes New Liberty’s live show so memorable is how Lizzy and frontman Mac feed off each others energy.

Lizzy bluntly states, “we fucking push each other man.” Short of jumping onto bar tables, there’s not much anyone can do to avert the crowd’s attention from Mac. The entire venue is Mac’s playground. Like a dog who marks his territory by pissing on everything in sight; Mac screamed, danced, and kicked in every inch of the dingy Santa Monica bar.

Mac says “Fuck it. You’re on stage, might as well have fun. If you’re not moving, if you’re not doing something, what’s the point?” Mac prides himself on his stage presence. He adds, “If I can be in the 60th or 70th percentile as a singer, but the 100th as a performer, I’d be totally cool with that.”

Don’t let Mac’s modesty fool you. He’s more than just a blond haired frontman with dance moves. He’s also - Mike Gamms, Screamer Magazine

New Liberty are far too young to rock n’ roll. A simple look at Billboard’s list of the top grossing tours of 2012 will tell you that. The only genuine rockers in the top 10, Bruce Springsteen, Roger Waters, and Van Halen likely have underwear older than any member of New Liberty. It’s easy to believe that if rock n’ roll isn’t dead, it’s at the very least on life support.

It seems as though the torch of rock n’ roll was dropped somewhere along the way. Since the dawn of rock n’ roll, each generation of rockers has paved the way for those that followed. Expanding upon their predecessors, and adding something new to the world of rock. From Elvis to The Beatles to Led Zeppelin to Van Halen to Nirvana and everything in between, rock n’ roll continued to move forward and evolve. But considering that the most popular rock and roll acts of 2012 belong to our parent’s generation, it’s easy for younger rockers to think that rock n’ roll might actually be dead.

Fortunately, not everyone is so quick to order a “Do Not Resuscitate.” Lead by bands like The Black Keys and Rival Sons, New Liberty are among a growing group of bands dedicated to revitalizing rock n’ roll. This new movement of old-fashioned hard rock are administering some much needed CPR, but instead of chest-compressions, New Liberty delivers a swift kick to the lungs.

Despite the comparisons, New Liberty are much more than a clone of The Black Keys or Rival Sons. Like those bands, New Liberty has certainly drawn inspiration from Led Zeppelin, Cream and other blues-based guitar rock of the 1970s. But what distinguishes New Liberty are their blistering 1980s heavy metal roots. New Liberty’s guitar riffs are so damn heavy that it’s entirely plausible to believe that Mick Marrs has left his deteriorating body and has entered New Liberty guitarist Armand John Lizzy’s body as an avatar. But considering Mick Marrs is alive and well and touring with Motley Crue, Lizzy’s guitar talents are all his own. In addition to his ten ton guitar licks, Lizzy’s ferocious solos, particularly in New Liberty’s cocaine anthem Burn It, are enough to make both Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen fans weak in the knees.

After a few minutes at a New Liberty show, you’ll quickly learn that Lizzy is much more than a magnificent guitar player, he’s also a dynamic showman. No matter the gig, Lizzy is determined to hold nothing back. ”I just like to get wild and give people something to remember,” Lizzy declared while packing up his gear after a show at O’ Briens Pub in Santa Monica. On this particularly night, Lizzy did just that.

Despite the modest crowd of around 100 or so bar patrons, Lizzy gave it his all. Halfway through the set, and mid-solo, Lizzy realized the grimy bar stage couldn’t contain his throat kicking fret work. So he jumped up onto a table in the middle of the bar. The table, which was barely sturdy enough to hold a couple of beers, was no match for Lizzy and his guitar. The table gave way, sending its contents, namely Lizzy and a few beers, crashing to the floor. Without missing a single note, he continued the solo while flat on his back on the dirty concrete floor. Frontman Shane Mac, then dragged him back onto the stage and they played out rest of the song.

Simply falling off a table, or performing a guitar solo on your back isn’t what was impressive. Any schmuck with a Stratocaster can and has played on the floor. What was truly remarkable about his performance, is that if you were to listen to an audio recording of the show, you’d have absolutely no idea that any of this transpired. Despite his body flying and crashing all over the bar, Lizzy executed a flawless and seamless solo, that would be electrifying even if he never left the stage.

The crowd pleasing stunt was a complete accident. Lizzy says, “I didn’t expect the ceiling to be that low. And I didn’t expect the table to be that rocky.” But crashing to the floor didn’t phase him in the least, he proudly declared “I’ve ate shit before, man. Just keep going. There’s no reason to ever stop.” Part of what makes New Liberty’s live show so memorable is how Lizzy and frontman Mac feed off each others energy.

Lizzy bluntly states, “we fucking push each other man.” Short of jumping onto bar tables, there’s not much anyone can do to avert the crowd’s attention from Mac. The entire venue is Mac’s playground. Like a dog who marks his territory by pissing on everything in sight; Mac screamed, danced, and kicked in every inch of the dingy Santa Monica bar.

Mac says “Fuck it. You’re on stage, might as well have fun. If you’re not moving, if you’re not doing something, what’s the point?” Mac prides himself on his stage presence. He adds, “If I can be in the 60th or 70th percentile as a singer, but the 100th as a performer, I’d be totally cool with that.”

Don’t let Mac’s modesty fool you. He’s more than just a blond haired frontman with dance moves. He’s also - Mike Gamms, Screamer Magazine

New Liberty are newer act, coming out from Philadelphia, PA, now locate in California. They are quartet, and “The Uninvited” is their actuelle album from July this 2011 year.

A band has introduced themselves as a melody driven guitar rock act, pretty influental by the 80's movement, and less 70's period as well. Their self-financial album are consists of 11 mainly equalizing tracks, performed in the vain of rock and hard rock approach. Americans knows to remind on some well-known names from the past era, and I have found some similiarities with the earliest Deff Leppard style. A band “look” as a coherent team, and all of present songs posses strong melodicity, distant playings, relevant production, and generally accceptable and positive view as well. Nothing spectacular new, but with positive approach and attitude too.

Recomdable tracks are opening one – “The Sever”, and “Hollywood (x-rated)”. - Time Machine Music (Serbia)

New Liberty are newer act, coming out from Philadelphia, PA, now locate in California. They are quartet, and “The Uninvited” is their actuelle album from July this 2011 year.

A band has introduced themselves as a melody driven guitar rock act, pretty influental by the 80's movement, and less 70's period as well. Their self-financial album are consists of 11 mainly equalizing tracks, performed in the vain of rock and hard rock approach. Americans knows to remind on some well-known names from the past era, and I have found some similiarities with the earliest Deff Leppard style. A band “look” as a coherent team, and all of present songs posses strong melodicity, distant playings, relevant production, and generally accceptable and positive view as well. Nothing spectacular new, but with positive approach and attitude too.

Recomdable tracks are opening one – “The Sever”, and “Hollywood (x-rated)”. - Time Machine Music (Serbia)

Notes from a New Liberty show last June at The Hub in Ojai:
-Vocalist Shane Mac climbs bookshelves, drinking whatever beers get in his way, singing “Eat Your Heart Out.”
-Hot chick lights a cigarette for guitarist Armand John Lizzy during song; then walks outside to Ojai Avenue while ripping a solo; different girl takes cigarette from his mouth when solo fades out.
-Is the drummer wearing zebra-print spandex?
-Got to find out where the party is afterward.
And so on. Enough can’t be said about a New Liberty show and the way it invokes the early-’80s Sunset Strip, a time sorely coveted for its pure-at-heart rock ’n’ rollers. While the summer release, The Uninvited, has helped bring regional acclaim to the band, it will be pressing onward with its act, beginning this March with a tour to Austin for SXSW, and a possible European tour come the fall season.
- VC Reporter

Like moths to a flame, every March, seemingly the entire music world descends upon Austin, Texas, for the South by Southwest music festival.


What originally began as an event where emerging and local artists could be discovered by visiting industry people, more than 25 years later, is moving into Mardi Gras territory as seas of humanity roam the city’s streets in search of a great party more often than great music.


New acts are now overshadowed by performances from album-promoting megastars such as Bruce Springsteen and Jay-Z, and corporations book out entire venues to throw lavish parties, complete with free booze, to promote a host of products and companies that often have nothing to do with music.


Despite the industry takeover, SXSW is still, without question, the place to be, if for nothing else than for artists to prove they belong, and perhaps even stand out in some way. With well in excess of 2,000 official acts (and probably the same number playing unofficial shows in Austin), more often than not, an artist comes to SXSW and doesn’t make any impression, connections or even play in front of people at all.


Which brings us to the Ventura music scene. This year a few of our finest invaded an unsuspecting and hipster-laden SXSW in almost a guerrilla takeover style. It led to some surprising results.


The bulk of Ventura’s presence in Austin came in the form of the VenAustin Tour, which featured Jeff Hershey and the Heartbeats, 8stops7, New Liberty and Aaron Orbit.


The four local acts spent the previous two months raising money in every way conceivable to support a tour to SXSW. Despite no shows officially sanctioned by the actual festival, the four acts exceeded their own hopes and expectations, landing an astounding 29 sets between the four of them over six days in Austin. Venues ranged from packed outdoor events to off-the-beaten-path dive bars to even a Chinese restaurant that will probably now stand as Aaron Orbit’s all-time strangest gig.


Fueled on a diet of barbecue and Lone Star beer, the 17 members of the VenAustin tour set up headquarters in four Motel 6 rooms on the outskirts of town, venturing into the city every day, battling crowds during complicated load-ins, attempting to flier and promote shows to strangers and, as promised, bringing a party wherever they went.


There was New Liberty’s Armand John Anthony, who walked out of a club mid-set onto the busy daytime street and ripped a slide guitar solo that had blown-away music fans following him back into the club like some sort of jean-vested pied piper.


Jeff Hershey, not one to be outdone by anyone, channeled his inner Sam Cooke while singing on an outside ledge of a second-story club as hundreds of onlookers took photos and danced below, causing a temporary traffic jam. Badge-clad music business types filed into the club to give the amped-up frontman their business cards.



JH

Photo by: Ryan Cleary

If you look real close, you can see Jeff Hershey wowing a gathering crowd below him, as he gives an impromptu (and uninvited) performance in Austin. (That’s how it’s done, son.)




The tour even resorted to some ingenious tricks to raise its profile when one tour member impersonated a T-shirt-throwing radio DJ, hyping the crowd to a frenzy before 8stops7’s triumphant headlining set on the outdoor stage of the Texas Rock Festival.


But while the VenAustin Tour certainly was the busiest local contingent at SXSW, it wasn’t the only one.


Zachary James the All Seeing Eyes, conveniently including drummer Robyn Ryder who was in Jeff Hershey and the Heartbeats, and bassist Aaron Orbit, played a set on Wednesday afternoon at a rooftop bar. James, with his born-to-be-a-frontman tall and lanky look, strolled the streets in a bright pink sports coat and suspenders with a T-shirt that simply read “Rock and Roll.” He was stopped constantly throughout the week by people wanting to take his picture, proving tha - VC Reporter

For Dorothy, it was the Yellow Brick Road. For the Joads, it was Route 66. And for a bunch of Ventura bands seeking musical nirvana and maybe their destiny in Austin, Texas, at this year's South by Southwest Music and Media Conference, it's Highway 10 out of the Golden State.

That's the getaway trail for the VenAustin Tour, which begins tonight with one final fundraising gig at the Bombay Bar & Grill in Ventura.

Making the hot, dusty 2,900-mile pilgrimage to Austin will be soul band Jeff Hershey and the Heartbeats, rock groups 8stops7 and New Liberty, and Le Meu Le Purr singer Aaron Orbit. Their collective goals are simple: Play lots of shows, network, raise awareness about Ventura's music scene and, maybe, just maybe, land a record deal. All four acts have new records to promote and there's no better place to do that than the massive South by Southwest fest, which will run Tuesday through March 18.

"We want to land in Austin like a little army," says 8stops7 singer Evan Sula-Goff in a video on the tour website. "Twenty dudes walking down the street saying, 'We're from Ventura. We mean business. This is what we do.' "

Shane Mac, New Liberty's lead singer, is on board with Sula-Goff's vision.

"Tons of dudes," Mac says on the video. "Dude overload ... coming to Austin."

To raise money for the tour, the acts have launched an online pledge drive (see box for details) and held various fundraisers (car wash, rummage sale, tarot card readings). At last month's Local Rock Picnic, fans could smack the VenAustin musicians in the face with a plate of whipped cream — if they made a donation first.

One quarter of the VenAustin bill, 8stops7, has already tasted the big time. The group's "In Moderation" album was released by Warner Bros. in 1999 and featured the hits "Satisfied," "Question Everything" and "My Would-Be Savior." Lately, though, they've gone the indie route. The group's fourth album, "Fables," came out last month and is available at iTunes.

Sula-Goff talked about the VenAustin Tour, the new album and more during a recent phoner.

Hey, Evan. How are you?

I'm great.

Now's a good time?

Yeah, let me just step outside. I'm at the Coffee Bean doing some homework.

Homework?

I think I've decided that my life is not busy enough with two kids, planning a tour and working full time so I've also decided to go back to school.

What are you taking?

I'm taking some writing classes actually. I started back to school to get some prerequisites done — the stuff I have not been able to take care of because my education was interrupted by my opportunity to travel the world with 8stops7. This second time around I found that anytime I take an English class or anything that has to do with writing, I start writing more lyrics.

That's a good thing. So are you going to Ventura College or what?

I just transferred out of VC to an online program from the University of Colorado in Denver. They have the same teachers that teach on-campus teaching the students — and there's no more than 17 people in a classroom. So I feel like I'm getting a lot of good attention. The reason I'm taking classes online is the same reason most do and that's because I can't fit a schedule into my normal life. I have a full-time job at the hospital in Oxnard as a department assistant.

And they're going to let you leave and go to Texas?

Yeah.

How's the 8stops7 biz? It's been a while since I talked to you.

We never really stopped doing what we were doing. We continue to get together and practice and all that kind of stuff, but I think we took what you would call a hiatus. There was a year and a half, maybe two years, where we really didn't get together. But there was no talk that we weren't going to get together again.

So "Fables" is just out?

"Fables" has been sort of an ambiguous release. We haven't done a CD release party because the focus has been getting placed on so many other things. ... It's our fourth recor - Vc Star

New Liberty is not a deceptive euphemism for the Patriot Act, which many believe to be Osama bin Laden's unfortunate and unconstitutional legacy. Rather, it's a melodic rock band out of Philadelphia that relocated to Ventura. The group is having a CD release party Saturday night as part of the Bombay Bar & Grill's 26th annual Beach Party.

The album is "The Uninvited," a coincidental title shared with a 1944 supernatural ghost picture as well as a powerhouse original rock band that was a smash in these parts a decade or so ago. New Liberty plays guitar-driven rock without an ounce of scream-o. When long hair comes back, the boys in the band will be like gods.

These boys all have stage names. Shane Mac is the frontman, Diesel Bottoms hits the drums, Willi Love thumps that bass and Armand John Lizzy is the guitar player. The frontman, as is his due, stepped up to take part in a recent phoner.

Shane, it's Bill Locey with The Star.

Heeeey, Bill Locey — how are you?

Delightful. Now's a good time?

Yeah, man, now's perfect.

How's the New Liberty biz? Are you guys rich rock stars yet?

I wouldn't say we're huge rock stars yet but we have definitely traveled across the country, written and recorded a record and are living out of our 1976 motor home. We've definitely been hazed, lived it and survived it.

Living the dream, man, right out of Rock Star 101.

Living the dream, man, exactly. A lot of people aren't really trying to go through with that anymore. To be honest, before we left, I was a salesman for Coca-Cola and so was Dustin (now Diesel), our drummer. For the East Coast, we were doing pretty good and we just quit our jobs and moved out to California.

How'd you guys end up in Ventura?

Well, you know, my sister lived in Monterey, which is just a little bit further up north. I had visited once back in January and I had to drive through Ventura and actually made a pit stop here. I got gas and I saw Ventura.

When long hair comes back, you guys will be like gods.

I'm hoping. I'm hoping, man. Overall, I just want to keep pushing and get out on the road and make people aware. You know, rock 'n' roll is not dead.

It's not even sick.

Not by any means. I think now it's the time for people to really accept and appreciate the fact that music can bring people together. The reason music was so strong in the '70s and '80s was because there were bands that decided to give up everything and just rock it. That's what we're doing. We started in Philadelphia. I met Dustin on the boardwalk in Ocean City, Md., and at the time I had just been offered a distribution deal though Sunset Records, which is basically Sony but operated by Epic. That weekend, when I had to decide whether or not to sign, I met Dustin and I told the label man on Monday that "five years is a long time and I'm not sure if this is the right place for me as an artist." The rest is history, man.

We started writing songs and it was so easy. We wrote our first New Liberty album with a guitar player in Philadelphia and when we came out to Ventura, we recorded two demos with Chris Jay, Aaron Goldberg and Armand, a guitar player. After we did those two demos, our original guitar player quit the band and moved back home to Philadelphia. As it turned, Armand, who recorded us and is three years older than us, said, "Hey, man, if you guys want me to play some guitar for you I'll play guitar because I'm really into what you're doing." So we just stuck it out, lived in the motor home and went all over Ventura and met as many people as possible doing odd jobs. I can't express how welcoming Ventura was to us.

So how long has the band been around?

We've been a band for three and a half years.

"The Uninvited" will be the band's official release?

I would say "The Uninvited" will be our official release. We released a New Liberty record in 2008 that was recorded by a guy named Rob Freeman who is well known for his work with pop-punk bands. He didn't really produce us. He heard our songs for the first time as we recorded them and our drummer recorded his parts to a click track. He's a pop-punk guy and, obviously, we're not a pop-punk band. But this new record? It sounds clean, man. It's gritty. It's sleazy. There's a lot of rock 'n' roll vibe to it. It's actually got a vibe.

The first song, "The Sewer," is, I'm assuming, about the Sans Souci in Ventura. Locals refer to it as "the Sewer."

Oh, yeah. It's about the Sewer. We've played there a few times. It was the place we started going to. At one o'clock, we'd leave the studio and hurry down to the Sewer for last call. They've been very generous to us, always helped us and basically let us play whenever we wanted. It pretty much became our home away from home.

Who goes to see the band play? Does the same group show up repeatedly?

No, not necessarily. We're drawing a pretty decent audience here in Ventura. Obviously, people that like to party are definitely going - VC Star

They are not the first group of guys in the last decade to attempt to re-create the rock and roll ethos of 1980s Sunset Strip heavy metal. They are not the only dudes who have decided, post millennium, to bust out a killer wah-wah, finger-tap guitar solo in the midst of a song about a favorite local dive bar. But for East Coast transplants New Liberty, it’s not parody. It’s not even a tribute. It may be throwback, but only in the sense that by grabbing you by the shoulders and forcing you to recall a time in rock and roll before grunge drove rock in a more sober direction, you are forced, via whiplash, to remember when loud, drunk and obnoxious for the sake of loud, drunk and obnoxious was still cool and, yes, genuine.

Now, sitting pretty on the left coast of America in the sanctum of producer and new guitarist Armand John Anthony’s Satellite Studios in Ventura, the reborn version of the band that one year ago braved inclement weather to cross the continent in a beat-up RV, unleashes upon the world the product of a year’s worth of whiskey-soaked work.

What started as a supervisory role for Anthony quickly became a co-creative role when the band’s original guitarist quit to remain back east. Le Meu Le Purr guitarist Anthony, looking for a new outlet for his Slash-like chops, agreed to fill the position. “It’s like night and day now,” says bassist Willi Love of their new sound.

While the band advises “Question everything,” just don’t question the passion of a band that, against all prudence and logic, uprooted itself from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to make its way west in an audacious show of rock and roll determination to settle 70 miles north of the traditional rock band mecca. Los Angeles? They tried all that, and found it wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be. After some unsatisfying experiences there, producer-guitarist (and tour guide) Anthony delivered them from the smoke-blowing flakes of Hollywood to a new land, where music actually does breathe, unchoked by smog.

It’s not about some hope that long hair and denim will see a comeback on MTV. They’ll be first to tell you that they aren’t in this to fit into a marketable radio niche. But the band strongly believes in the cyclical nature of musical trend backlash. Says drummer Diesel Bottoms, “Guns N’ Roses and Twisted Sister came out and said, ‘You know what? That’s a bunch of crap,’ ” in reaction to the synth-heavy New Wave scene that had begun to dominate the airwaves back then. While stopping short of claiming a similar thing is in motion against today’s electro-pop trends, the guys in New Liberty will draw those comparisons. “There are people out there that love this kind of music and want to hear it,” says Anthony.

The record itself is a headbanging rock ’n’ roll journey from start to finish, reflecting a steady diet of the expected hair metal influences while staying true to roots, digging notably deep in its hard rock influences. Motley Crue and Poison flashbacks envelop the opener, “The Sewer,” in an intoxicated haze, replete with shout-outs to whiskey-Cokes and Pabst Blue Ribbon. That track pays homage to a popular local Ventura bar which, certainly, had either aforementioned band lived in Ventura, would have inspired similar anthems.

Echoes of Alice Cooper, Deep Purple and Motorhead and ’70s Southern rock abound throughout. (Check out the dirty Southern metal slide bar hook on “Me and My Whiskey.”) Listen for well-executed Megadeth meets Quiet Riot vibes on the anthem “Eat Your Heart Out,” and what could have been a lost track from Appetite For Destruction on the B side, “Can’t be Divided,” which the band wrote for VCReporter’s Protest Project compilation. No sooner than your whiskey buzz evolves into that dewy-eyed sentimental moment of inebriation, you get your one solid monster ballad, “Take it or Leave it,” and you’re left with the dusty shuffle of the country-laden “The Good” and the haunting sludge of “The Ugly,” which leaves us asking in vain, where’s the bad? - VC Reporter

What’s the difference between those who make it and those who don’t? Talent, connections and money usually are big factors, but there’s something else:

It’s that wild-eyed ambition. A do or die, in it to win it, relentless, positive attitude that almost forces people to get behind them. If you haven’t met them already, please give a warm welcome to New Liberty, a band that embodies all those characteristics of testicular fortitude.

After the recent snow-laden winter that hit the East Coast, the four 20-something members of the Philadelphia area band collectively agreed that it was time to pack it up and head for the sunnier side of the country. Beyond the weather, the band’s four-on-the floor, ass-kicking, Guns and Roses meets Green Day style of rock is a hard sell in the notoriously fickle cover-band-heavy tri state region of Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. Band members gave notice at their day jobs, ditched the apartment and secured lead singer Shane Mac’s uncle’s 1976 RV, complete with an eagle painted on the side, shag carpet and a host of mechanical problems.

So with adventure and a sense of hope flowing through veins, they embarked on their journey, and since then they’ve been met with a series of escalating tragedies that would make most mortal men throw in the towel.

First, their vehicle broke down after a hellish desert night windstorm drive that cost them their canopy and almost bassist Willie Love’s life. A shady, small-town mechanic took them for a financial ride to get it fixed, but they were all smiles when they pulled into Ventura and entered the studio to record with Armand John Anthony at his Satellite Studios.

After recording a flat-out awesome demo, original guitarist Niko flew home for his brother’s wedding, which he had planned on doing, but, just days later, Mac’s grandmother died unexpectedly in Pennsylvania. Despondent over the news, the night before he was to fly home for the funeral, he and bassist Love, hit the bars for a heart-to-heart over a few beers. Not being familiar with the area though, they wandered into a questionable part of town. In no time, they found themselves in the midst of a bar fight that sent Love to the hospital after being accidentally walloped by his own singer. Two massive black eyes later, they dropped Mac off at the airport, and New Liberty was left with only its manic drummer, Diesel Bottoms, and a bruised and battered Love.

Killing time as they waited for their band mates to return, the two New Liberty members began a relentless campaign of networking and friend-making. Some of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet with their party-till-you-drop attitude reminiscent of Poison and Motley Crue, the easygoing, ultra-positive rockers began making friends with, well, nearly everyone in town. They’ve essentially built a loyal fan base and have become a popular local band before even playing a gig.

Unfortunately, guitarist Niko decided to leave the band and not to return to California which put a serious dent in the shows that were already booked. But they refused to call it quits. They decided to honor the bookings as a three-piece and will perform the gigs as Basket Case:A Tribute to Green Day while they begin the hunt for a new guitarist.

So if you’ve ever had a crazy dream, if you’re a sucker for the underdog, or if you just believe in the very essence of what rock and roll is about, you need to support this band. Honk when the RV’s eagle flies by, don’t hesitate to bring canned goods or buy a round of beers at their show, and know that the spirit of liberty is alive and well in at least one band.


- VC Reporter

Philadelphia has a sizzling, new band named New Liberty, all ultra-attractive, poster ready guys. Rock, Metal, Punk Rock has never sounded clearer or cleaner. New Liberty's sound pops as polished and their look evokes a heart throbbing crush factor!

You could not have a tighter, more flawless rhythm section and over all musical arrangement. What makes a band marketable is a clean and precise sound and let's face it sex appeal, all of which they have in spades. 2009 era Punk Rock is not the punk rock that I grew up listening to and it can never be.

New Liberty have a fresh, radio friendly sound ala boy Paramore and their songs likewise contain a suburban wholesomeness about them. Hopefully age will dictate a more edgy sense of irony which would be the perfect juxtaposition against the sumptuously, likable melodies and instrumentally tight backdrop.

"Criminal" has a twelve-stepped Green Day quality about it. "Shake Shake" is almost a pole dancer-go-go bar crawl, G- string wetter that could have used a nastier thump-bump and grind. "Blue 42" kicks ass with a nice speedy, drive groove. "Told You So' is a rocking radio tune.

New Liberty is energetic without being threatening however they represent a more soberized age where even the wilder kids seem so tame by comparison to their predecessors. New Liberty's material reflects the enlightened boyfriend's jettison of the skanky, self-destructive lush girlfriend. While other Liberty tunes claim a low BS tolerance for pretentious girls. She's not the suicidal, junkie cutter that we've heard all about in Alkaline's Matt Sciaba tunes and something tells me the girls that Shane songs lament over are surreptitiously, "straight edge".

Straight edge does not always mean: emotionally centered and sane as New Liberty's songs emphasize quite well.. Something in New Liberty's repertoire of songs screams like a longing, horny, virgin. But this virgin can use a good doll up, pole dance of her own and deflowering. Maybe a fierce walk on the wilder side of metaphors? Setting this gem in some cut to the bone emotional imagery ala Alkaline Trio, Johnette Napolitano, My Chemical Romance, Annie Lennox and Sum 41.

What leaves me wanting more is that "too neat" lack of revelation via emotional agony, ecstasy, passion and epiphany. This band is too musically rich to settle for banal lyrical descriptions of love and life. While hooks are good things for songs, clever symbolism is always essential. Luckily Shane's vocal delivery is that of a qualified storyteller, he's more than just a good singer!

Their material should reflect that it's ok to dig in, take a hefty slice of life and imagination. They can afford to lyrically bleed once in a while as lilting melody is effortless for New Liberty.

I do have faith that such slick musicianship has a way of aging with the refinement of dare I say, fine wine. The solution may lie in New Liberty sitting with a seasoned producer who knows how to bring out a little more menace and danger as to exorcize this gifted band from any mom friendly, Disney Channel associations.
?
Still New Liberty is so much better than any of the crap coming from American Idol. Time will hopefully reveal their artistic blooming of a cool new band. My vote is a European tour will give them plenty of material to view the hometown girls in a new way.

Shane Mac has a wonderfully smooth voice, fronting the excellent line-up of New Liberty. His vocal technique is superb as he has a gift for deliciously phrasing his lyrics. The end result is remarkably appealing.

Vox/Guitars - Shane Mac
Bass - Willi Love Love
Drums - Doppler Diesel Bottoms
Guitar – Niko Marz

www.myspace.com/newliberty ??
(c)?2009 GraciaellaCarri Official Cyber Review
- (c)?2009 GraciaellaCarri Official Cyber Review

Philadelphia has a sizzling, new band named New Liberty, all ultra-attractive, poster ready guys. Rock, Metal, Punk Rock has never sounded clearer or cleaner. New Liberty's sound pops as polished and their look evokes a heart throbbing crush factor!

You could not have a tighter, more flawless rhythm section and over all musical arrangement. What makes a band marketable is a clean and precise sound and let's face it sex appeal, all of which they have in spades. 2009 era Punk Rock is not the punk rock that I grew up listening to and it can never be.

New Liberty have a fresh, radio friendly sound ala boy Paramore and their songs likewise contain a suburban wholesomeness about them. Hopefully age will dictate a more edgy sense of irony which would be the perfect juxtaposition against the sumptuously, likable melodies and instrumentally tight backdrop.

"Criminal" has a twelve-stepped Green Day quality about it. "Shake Shake" is almost a pole dancer-go-go bar crawl, G- string wetter that could have used a nastier thump-bump and grind. "Blue 42" kicks ass with a nice speedy, drive groove. "Told You So' is a rocking radio tune.

New Liberty is energetic without being threatening however they represent a more soberized age where even the wilder kids seem so tame by comparison to their predecessors. New Liberty's material reflects the enlightened boyfriend's jettison of the skanky, self-destructive lush girlfriend. While other Liberty tunes claim a low BS tolerance for pretentious girls. She's not the suicidal, junkie cutter that we've heard all about in Alkaline's Matt Sciaba tunes and something tells me the girls that Shane songs lament over are surreptitiously, "straight edge".

Straight edge does not always mean: emotionally centered and sane as New Liberty's songs emphasize quite well.. Something in New Liberty's repertoire of songs screams like a longing, horny, virgin. But this virgin can use a good doll up, pole dance of her own and deflowering. Maybe a fierce walk on the wilder side of metaphors? Setting this gem in some cut to the bone emotional imagery ala Alkaline Trio, Johnette Napolitano, My Chemical Romance, Annie Lennox and Sum 41.

What leaves me wanting more is that "too neat" lack of revelation via emotional agony, ecstasy, passion and epiphany. This band is too musically rich to settle for banal lyrical descriptions of love and life. While hooks are good things for songs, clever symbolism is always essential. Luckily Shane's vocal delivery is that of a qualified storyteller, he's more than just a good singer!

Their material should reflect that it's ok to dig in, take a hefty slice of life and imagination. They can afford to lyrically bleed once in a while as lilting melody is effortless for New Liberty.

I do have faith that such slick musicianship has a way of aging with the refinement of dare I say, fine wine. The solution may lie in New Liberty sitting with a seasoned producer who knows how to bring out a little more menace and danger as to exorcize this gifted band from any mom friendly, Disney Channel associations.
?
Still New Liberty is so much better than any of the crap coming from American Idol. Time will hopefully reveal their artistic blooming of a cool new band. My vote is a European tour will give them plenty of material to view the hometown girls in a new way.

Shane Mac has a wonderfully smooth voice, fronting the excellent line-up of New Liberty. His vocal technique is superb as he has a gift for deliciously phrasing his lyrics. The end result is remarkably appealing.

Vox/Guitars - Shane Mac
Bass - Willi Love Love
Drums - Doppler Diesel Bottoms
Guitar – Niko Marz

www.myspace.com/newliberty ??
(c)?2009 GraciaellaCarri Official Cyber Review
- (c)?2009 GraciaellaCarri Official Cyber Review