Rollers
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Rollers

San Diego, CA | Established. Jan 01, 2016 | SELF

San Diego, CA | SELF
Established on Jan, 2016
Duo Rock Americana

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"Fresh Tracks New Indie Rock from"

ROLLERS – Somewhere Along The Way
Life-long friends and former band mates, singer/songwriter Erik Mullin and guitarist TJ Royer, better known as ROLLERS, reunited recently to record their long-overdue debut EP, Somewhere Along The Way. The EP is a collection of truly indie rock songs that lean more to pop-heavy Americana songs and blends of reggae, blues, rock and country.

Mullin and Royer grew up together as kids in the suburbs of Long Island, and performed at “every backyard party and dive bar” they could find. After graduating high school, they moved out to San Diego.

Over the ensuing decade, the pair formed the band Grow, which became popular on southern California college campuses. During those seven years, the band landed slots on the famous Vans Warped Tour, and “lived together, played hundreds of shows and toured the country in the back of a cramped van.”

MP3: “Nobody Else” – Rollers from Somewhere Along The Way

Now, years later, their debut EP as ROLLERS demonstrates the value of all of those years of hard work on the road and in the studio, resulting in well-honed, high caliber songwriting, musicianship, and production. The band’s biggest influences include Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Eddie Cochran, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead and Rolling Stones.

As the band says: “the album is not just a random mix of songs; it’s the soundtrack for our unique and indelible journey.” Standout tracks include the infectious, Elvis-Costello-like power pop love song, “Nobody Else,” and the riveting rocker, “Going Nowhere.” The duo have shared the stage with bands like Incubus, Matchbox 20, The Romantics and Louis XIV. Listen to this EP and keep an eye out for ROLLERS. - Indie Rock Cafe


"Rollers -Somewhere Along The Way"

Rollers

Somewhere Along The Way
self-released; 2017

​4.0 out of 5

By Jamie Robash

There’s a reason why rock n’ roll is as popular in all its forms as it is, has always been, and always will be. It will never ever ever die. That reason is because all you need to do to produce it is to play a few chords and make yourself sound like you’re having fun. Smile while you talk on the phone they tell you in customer service jobs, and that smile will project to the person you’re talking to. This rhetoric applied to rock music has produced so much great music it’s not even funny. But why should music be hard? Sometimes it should but most times it should just be fun and very nonchalant, something to listen to on a commute or while getting loaded at a bar or a house party. Many bands have made quite a good living off this format.

​One such band to apply the aforementioned formula of rock n’ roll are the bi coastal two-some Rollers. The New York, by way of San Diego, duo have just released their debut Somewhere Along The Way, a five-song EP of party-hardy blues inspired rock tunes with a decent amount of organ vibes to give it that lift that makes it hard to resist. It’s formulaic but catchy as hell and reminded me of how much fun music can be if you just let it be that: fun.

On Somewhere Along The Way singer/songwriter Erik Mullin and guitarist TJ Royer dabble in the bluesy garage rock that was made famous early by bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and later by the more famous garage-blues gurus of the Black Keys. The record has all the sentiments of their predecessors; fat and gummy hooks and lyrics that gesticulate the world of people who make their living in the service industry while trying to make a career in the world of art and music. Funny that the world of nine to five cubicle sitting suit and tie kids are the ones who made this type of music lucrative for such bands.

As far as Somewhere Along the Way is concerned the record is pretty true to form to its aforementioned predecessors. The lead off track “Going Nowhere” is a blues rock riff laden gospel choir ode to the gods of the genre. But they burn great offerings at the pyre cuz its fun. Even more fun is the organ laden, hand clapping “Don’t Lead Me On.” It’s a typical song by a man about a woman, (spoiler alert it didn’t work out hence the song) but it’s fun. It’s fun because it sounds like somewhere between the formula that Kinks and then the Strokes found and never really let go of like a teething puppy with a chew toy.

At the end of the day Somewhere Along the Way is like a pop rock romance novel. There are several authors who write about the same shit but you always read till the end because you just can’t stop yourself.

This is not a knock - much rather a feather in the cap of a band that knows how to write super sweet bit of songs and still pull off an original sound. The five- minute instrumental closer cements the fact that Rollers know how to roll with what works but also are smart enough to keep from making themselves stagnant. - Divide and Conquer


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

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Bio

 

Life long friends and former band mates reunite and get it right this time. Rollers a new rock duo from New York by way of California, dig deep to create high flying pop-infused Americana. Their Debut Ep, Somewhere Along The Way is a tribute to lasting friendship and renewed creativity. Singer -songwriter Erik Mullin and guitarist TJ Royer blend high-spirited rock and roll with elements of country, reggae, and blues, wrapped up in a relatable pop sound. The two grew up together in Long Island New York. As kids they played every backyard party and dive bar they could find, eventually moving out west to San Diego California. There they spent many years playing supporting roles in a various array of wild psychedelic, punk and indie-rock groups. Collectively they put out five albums played hundreds of shows and toured the country multiple times. Their years of experience, on the road and in the studio have finally come full circle with the release of their latest musical endeavor. Somewhere Along The Way is not just a random mix of songs; it's the sound track for their unique and indelible journey.

   

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