Music
Press
Through an all age’s collaboration, punk and metal bands united on June 20th to reach out to the people of Darfur located within the Sudan through the Peace Punk and Metal Festival 2008. Punk and metal bands gathered to raise money and develop awareness about genocide in Darfur. Ben Mench-Thurlow, drummer for Strike Orange, was at the top of the list to play with his band for this life-saving cause.
“I am honored to play and raise money for such a great cause,” Mench-Thurlow said. “Strike Orange loves to play anytime we can and especially for the people of Darfur.”
The Save Darfur Organization is backed by Barack Obama and other presidential candidates to raise money as well as awareness for the people of Darfur that are dealing with genocide, social inequality and other horrific issues. Chapters are popping up all over the country to contribute to the cause and when asked to be part of it, Mench-Thurlow was there to be part of it all.
“I was approached by Obama’s team to play for the presidential candidacy last week,” Mench-Thurlow said. “They found out that I was playing the Peace, Punk and Metal Festival 2008 for such a great cause and they asked me to play for their Albany campaign.”
Strike Orange, previously known as Orange Juice to their fans, has been playing around the New England area for several years. With three albums under their belt and industry interest on the rise from all around the country, Strike Orange promotes their non-violent values through songs like “war is hell” and “bombs away.” The remarkable talents of Strike Orange found a home at the Save Darfur benefit and in the hearts of all those who attended.
The most unique thing about Strike Orange, who recently joined forces with Alonce Music Agency, is that none of the band members knew how to play an instrument until after they decided to start a band. Each member is self taught and together they self recorded as well as self produced their albums. Listeners and industry professionals alike agree that Strike Orange has natural talent that can hold its own up against more known punk and metal bands around the nation.
Strike Orange can be heard live during their mini tour of the East Coast, called the East Coast Attack Tour. They are playing in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and all throughout New Jersey. - Alonce Music Agency
"For those who have never tried Strike Orange , it's a five-year-old, fast-paced punk band with a conscience. It claims on its MySpace page, "All [three] of us in Strike Orange . . . will do whatever is necessary to awaken the people of this country to its government's horrific atrocities to humankind." And they do it with pretty good guitar hooks, too."
The Boston Globe, May 2008. - The Boston Globe
"Strike Orange is a very intense live band, with their very powerful and thick guitar licks and their lyrics that cut straight through your soul. You can feel the emotion that they express at the first strike of the opening chord to their set. Most bands try for years to perfect this amazing ability to grab everyone’s attention, but Strike Orange doesn’t need to try and get your attention. They achieve this by their amazingly well thought out sing a longs and crowd participation. Seeing Strike Orange live is a must for any young, angry, poor, hostile, or just down right awesome person. I highly recommend this band to any venue or promoter. They will give you everything they have on any night. Just straight up awesome dudes"
Anthony Patorti Inn-One Entertainment - Anthony Patorti and Inn-One Entertainment
Discography
The Pulp Demo EP - 2005
Land of the Dead (Full Length) - 2007
Bombs Away EP - 2008
The Orange EP - February 2009
Photos
Bio
Strike Orange (formally known as Orange Juice) officially started in March of 2003, when guitarist Nick Juice, drummer Bruce Fitzgerald and now lead vocalist Evan, decided they wanted to start a band. The fact that Orange Juice exists today is a grand feat in itself, considering none of them had picked up an instrument in their life. So from this time on, through early 2004, the band slowly learned to master their instrument of choice and how to play together as a band.
In the spring of 2005, the trio recorded a five-song demo, self-produced, with a 4-track tape recorder and a decent set of microphones. The recording was primitive in form, but got them attention in their local town. The recording was thoughtfully titled, "The Pulp Demo." Through the summer of 2005, the band practiced relentlessly, forming a respectable seven-song set, which landed them their first show at the annual Punk In The Park in Rutland, Vermont. The show was a success and the group has been offered shows consistently since.
The debut Orange Juice album, "Land Of The Dead," released on September 20, 2007, was recorded and mixed in twenty different sessions from December 2006 through June 2007 with renowned folk/rock guitarist Phil Henry. The album consisted of twelve tight songs, taking equal stabs at melodic hardcore, 80's hardcore, street punk and contemporary metal with Iron Maiden influenced guitar riffs. With their debut album "Land Of The Dead," the group headed out on tour for two weeks. Before the tour, Orange Juice was able to pick up a new bass player so Evan could focus more on vocals. Now with Matt on bass played shows every weekend all over the New England area after the tour came to an end.
However, in late October, drummer Bruce Fitzgerald and bass player Matt Kimball left the band. Without a drummer and still shows still booked, OJ turned to ex-Tragic Fallacy drummer, Ben Mench-Thurlow. Ben accepted the offer to play drums for Orange Juice in November of 2007. The band started to record a new EP almost immediately called "Bombs Away" and released it in January of 2008.
In May of 2008, Orange Juice changed their name to Strike Orange. This was to prevent a possible copyright infringement with the 1980's band Orange Juice out of Europe. The band promised to their fans to keep the same style of music, ideals, and morals that Orange Juice had.
Since their May tour in 2008, the band was in search of a dedicated rhythm guitar player. In September of 2008, Strike Orange came across Berklee College of Music guitar player, Daniel Whitebread. Dan grew up listening to early punk and was ecstatic when asked to play guitar for Strike Orange.
Sadly, in January of 2008, lead guitarist, Nicolas Grandchamp left the band on good terms. Without a lead guitar player, Dan Whitebread stepped up to the challenge of playing lead guitar. After only a week without another guitar player and tours already booked, Strike Orange was saved with another Berklee College of Music guitar player, Michael Romano. Mike was able to learn all of Strike Orange’s set lists and start writing new music with the band in only one week’s time. Strike Orange released their newest EP, in late February of 2009. The album was called, "The Orange EP."
In addition to the music, Strike Orange endorses a lifestyle based on non-violent resistance and an attempt to break down the barriers of racism, sexism, homophobia, ethnocentrism and all forms of capitol making money at the expense of human dignity. We are not a fan of the current Bush Regime and its belief that the US may use unilateral military force at will. Our government's belligerent foreign policy with the illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq is a serious threat to the security of the world. All four of us in Strike Orange take this seriously and will do whatever is necessary to awaken the people of this country to its government's horrific atrocities to humankind. Strike Orange is a band that can't be silenced.
Links
