One Punch Nelson
Clark, New Jersey, United States | SELF
Music
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Daily Record
January 19, 2007
One Punch Nelson Creating Original Body of Work
ROBERT HICKS SPECIAL TO THE DAILY RECORD
One Punch Nelson is more than just moonlighting for the professionals who make up the band. Songwriter and guitarist Tom Walters works as a lawyer in South Jersey. Bassist/Lyricist Rob Redding works for an advertising research company in New
York City. Rhythm guitarist Paul Musilli is an Emmy Award-nominated producer and editor for NBC News and drummer Ken Brennan works as a sales executive in New Jersey.
"It's all very natural for me," said Redding. "I was just always moved by the idea of writing and creating. That's the part of it that I really love. I love playing at the gigs, too. But it's the process of getting together with these guys and having a good time and
creating something from nothing."
One Punch Nelson will perform at the Crossroads in Garwood Jan. 19.
"We'll put together a set of our own stuff," said Redding of Short Hills. "And we'll add a couple of classic cover songs."
One Punch Nelson first performed at a house party off Speedwell Avenue in Morristown in 1992. That informal gathering of friends
and musicians led to the band's first gig under the name the Candidates at Boo Boo's in Hoboken later in 1992. Early on, the band
performed cover songs primarily with the ultimate goal of writing original songs and recording a debut CD.
After seven years of performing locally at New Jersey clubs, the band entered the recording studio to complete its self-titled, debut
CD in 1999.
Redding and Walters wrote the lyrics and music, respectively. With a focus on blues-oriented songs, the band created a mix of
material that referenced the Dixie Dregs, Dr. John and Ray Charles.
Band members gathered at the Colonette Diner in Jersey City to come up with the band name One Punch Nelson, which refers to a
character in an episode of "I Dream of Jeannie."
Each band member brings his own unique background and musical tastes to the band. For Morris County native and resident Musilli,
who plays rhythm guitar, the music he heard, while growing up in Kinnelon and Smoke Rise, Morristown, Denville and now as an
adult in Montville, was punk such as the Ramones.
"I was always into music," said Musilli. "I was an only child. I was a happy child, but my mother, who, I guess, was over-protective,
thought I should get out and socialize more. My mom sort of envisioned me with an acoustic guitar sitting around a campfire playing
folk songs. As soon as I started guitar lessons, I was holed up in my room with punk music, so it sort of backfired. I became part of a
band and music has just became a big part of my life."
Redding and Brennan (who now lives in Clark) grew up on Long Island. Redding studied English and history at the University of
Scranton where he met Walters who later studied law at Seton Hall. After playing as a duo and in various bands, they asked
Brennan, who studied engineering at SUNY-Stony Brook, to join their group to make it a trio. To fill out the rhythm section, they
added Musilli, who had studied fine arts at Colgate University, in 1992.
In 1996, the band recorded a four-song, demo EP, which helped garner it a slot in the semifinals at the Long Island Music Festival in
1997.
Redding's day job, at the time, took him to Philadelphia, so the band started booking cover song gigs at J.C. Dobbs and the Khyber
Pass in Philadelphia, as well as gigs in Long Island and New Jersey.
"We'd play the usual four-hour set covering everything from Bruce Springsteen to Jimmy Buffett and Stevie Ray Vaughan," said
Redding.
Money from these cover shows went into a fund to help finance the band's debut recording of original songs.
06/28/2007 04:39 PM Daily Record: Document Display
One Punch Nelson is currently writing songs collectively. The band plans to focus more attention on guitar as opposed to keyboards
and on rock songs for its next CD. The band will record its sophomore CD in summer 2007.
ONE PUNCH NELSON Jan. 19, 7-9 p.m. The Crossroads, 78 North Ave., Garwood (908) 232-5666 www.xxroads.com
Copyright (c) Daily Record. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.
- Daily Record
Daily Record
January 19, 2007
One Punch Nelson Creating Original Body of Work
ROBERT HICKS SPECIAL TO THE DAILY RECORD
One Punch Nelson is more than just moonlighting for the professionals who make up the band. Songwriter and guitarist Tom Walters works as a lawyer in South Jersey. Bassist/Lyricist Rob Redding works for an advertising research company in New
York City. Rhythm guitarist Paul Musilli is an Emmy Award-nominated producer and editor for NBC News and drummer Ken Brennan works as a sales executive in New Jersey.
"It's all very natural for me," said Redding. "I was just always moved by the idea of writing and creating. That's the part of it that I really love. I love playing at the gigs, too. But it's the process of getting together with these guys and having a good time and
creating something from nothing."
One Punch Nelson will perform at the Crossroads in Garwood Jan. 19.
"We'll put together a set of our own stuff," said Redding of Short Hills. "And we'll add a couple of classic cover songs."
One Punch Nelson first performed at a house party off Speedwell Avenue in Morristown in 1992. That informal gathering of friends
and musicians led to the band's first gig under the name the Candidates at Boo Boo's in Hoboken later in 1992. Early on, the band
performed cover songs primarily with the ultimate goal of writing original songs and recording a debut CD.
After seven years of performing locally at New Jersey clubs, the band entered the recording studio to complete its self-titled, debut
CD in 1999.
Redding and Walters wrote the lyrics and music, respectively. With a focus on blues-oriented songs, the band created a mix of
material that referenced the Dixie Dregs, Dr. John and Ray Charles.
Band members gathered at the Colonette Diner in Jersey City to come up with the band name One Punch Nelson, which refers to a
character in an episode of "I Dream of Jeannie."
Each band member brings his own unique background and musical tastes to the band. For Morris County native and resident Musilli,
who plays rhythm guitar, the music he heard, while growing up in Kinnelon and Smoke Rise, Morristown, Denville and now as an
adult in Montville, was punk such as the Ramones.
"I was always into music," said Musilli. "I was an only child. I was a happy child, but my mother, who, I guess, was over-protective,
thought I should get out and socialize more. My mom sort of envisioned me with an acoustic guitar sitting around a campfire playing
folk songs. As soon as I started guitar lessons, I was holed up in my room with punk music, so it sort of backfired. I became part of a
band and music has just became a big part of my life."
Redding and Brennan (who now lives in Clark) grew up on Long Island. Redding studied English and history at the University of
Scranton where he met Walters who later studied law at Seton Hall. After playing as a duo and in various bands, they asked
Brennan, who studied engineering at SUNY-Stony Brook, to join their group to make it a trio. To fill out the rhythm section, they
added Musilli, who had studied fine arts at Colgate University, in 1992.
In 1996, the band recorded a four-song, demo EP, which helped garner it a slot in the semifinals at the Long Island Music Festival in
1997.
Redding's day job, at the time, took him to Philadelphia, so the band started booking cover song gigs at J.C. Dobbs and the Khyber
Pass in Philadelphia, as well as gigs in Long Island and New Jersey.
"We'd play the usual four-hour set covering everything from Bruce Springsteen to Jimmy Buffett and Stevie Ray Vaughan," said
Redding.
Money from these cover shows went into a fund to help finance the band's debut recording of original songs.
06/28/2007 04:39 PM Daily Record: Document Display
One Punch Nelson is currently writing songs collectively. The band plans to focus more attention on guitar as opposed to keyboards
and on rock songs for its next CD. The band will record its sophomore CD in summer 2007.
ONE PUNCH NELSON Jan. 19, 7-9 p.m. The Crossroads, 78 North Ave., Garwood (908) 232-5666 www.xxroads.com
Copyright (c) Daily Record. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.
- Daily Record
Discography
EP released through Sea Blues Records in 1996
self-titled debut CD released independently in 1999
Photos
Bio
In 1992, One Punch Nelson began as a casual introduction during a lazy soiree; an acoustic jam sans percussion. Just a few weeks later, OPN (then known as the Candidates) gave its maiden performance in a Hoboken, NJ bar. It was the first time guitarist Paul had ever met drummer Ken, let alone played with him. It was a short (thankfully) original set filled with miscues, bad monitors, and forgotten chords. But it started something. Something we still can't kill.
As time passed, the original songs were put on the back burner while the band rehearsed hundreds of classic rock cover songs. U-Haul trailers were rented, shows were organized, gear was purchased, and the band hit the road playing venues in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey (and, Vermont once).
In 1996, OPN finally took the time to record a four song original EP at a studio in Long Island, New York. The songs were recorded "live" with minimal lead guitar overdubs. The resulting tape sold well to loyal fans and got the band a shot in the Long Island Music Festival. Making it all the way to the semi-finals of this competition - and just missing the finals (in part because Rob didn’t realize the 20 extra tickets he threw into the fire pit were also the ballots)- encouraged OPN to embark on a full-length effort. In 1998, that project was undertaken at Aria Studios in Hawthorne, New Jersey. With Aria owner Pompeo Messano at the board, OPN eventually mixed and mastered fourteen original songs. The band released the self-titled result on its own label in early 1999.
The "new" millennium has seen the band continue to sport two familiar faces to its audience. OPN can still churn out four hours' worth of good old rock n' roll for cover gigs, and they also showcase its originals in tighter, more serious efforts in NJ and NYC. Since the CD release. the quartet has written and performed many more originals, and look to get back into the studio later this year.
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