THE ANSWERS

Brian Dukes, Up & Coming Weekly, September 14, 2005

THE ANSWERS
A Break Thru The Crush

Finally! I know I'm not half as excited and ready for the new CD as the three members of local rockers The Answers, but damn, I've been waiting a while. And the wait has been worth it.
A Break Thru The Crush is the latest offering from The Answers, and even though there are only six - I mean five, ahem - tracks, the CD is solid and belongs in every local music lover's collection. Consisting of Shawn Adkins, Noelle Reiners and Ken Kobayashi, The Answers are a perfect sonic triangle of sound. They possess a sound that is larger than itself, a complete rock n' roll animal. Nowhere is this more evident than on A Break Thru The Crush, which is second only to experiencing their music live - which you can do as well, because they quite often play in-town gigs, and they host an open mic night at Huske Hardware every Monday at 10 p.m.
At any rate, the trio took their time and battled through work schedules and personal issues to lovingly craft an album that sticks in the mind long after the final track has played. The extra time was worth it and well served. Instead of rushing out something about six months ago, which they could have done, the band waited patiently and diligently to put forth something that they could all own up to and be proud of. The sound is clean and the whole project is well engineered and easy to listen to. Bravo. Now if only you guys had added about four more tracks - because I wanted more! That's both a blessing and a curse, because A Break Thru The Crush does exactly what it's supposed to: whet your appetite for more. But, musically, speaking, I'm starving here! Guys, and gal, don't take another year to put something else out, please. Get back to work immediately ... because I'm selfish and greedy and the music scene needs you. "I Know" is the CD's opener and is a great grinder of a tune. I love the guitar work, especially the bassline here. "The First Day," however, was a 180 degrees from the straight-chargin' first track. A strong acoustical offering, "The First Day," is very radio friendly, but doesn't sacrifice quality for playability. The lyrics and musicianship are top notch, and I think, surprisingly, this is my favorite track of them all.
Just when you thought it was safe to swim in the water, "80s Song" arrives and kicks your ass and takes your name. Likewise, "In My Eyes" is another slashing, aggressive heartfelt affair that displays everyone's talents equally.
I have to say, though, that "Means Of An Eye" is my top pick here, and I can't wait to see them play this live. The instrumentation is insane and Kobayashi is a madman on the drums. He's got to be the best Japanese drummer I know ... well, he's the only Japanese drummer I know. But he's still amazing.
And ... I'm not supposed to talk about the "sixth" track. So, just ignore that I mentioned it.
A Break Thru The Crush is destined to be "the" CD to have in your collection - the "one that started it all." Don't believe me? Just wait and see. The Answers are going places, and you'd best hop on while you can. This CD will be a collector's item one day. No pressure guys ... and gal.

©Up & Coming Magazine 2005


- Up & Coming Magazine

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

A staff report

Remember the name The Answers.

Of all of the bands in Fayetteville, this non-genre-specific trio has pretty much the best chance
to make it.

And Friday, Sept. 9, the band enters its next phase with a headlining CD-release show at Jesters Pub in Fayetteville.

The CD, "A Break Thru The Crush," has been months in the making.

Including the songs "I Know," "In My Eyes" and "The First Day," this release is bound to get attention both here in Fayetteville and up North, where the band is also making a splash.

Judging from a show on Aug. 26, The Answers simply rock . The group has great stage presence, a good business sense and more than enough drive to push themselves from promotion to support for other local bands.

But most importantly, the group (which includes Noelle Reiners, Shawn Adkins and Ken Kobayashi) has the talent and the right attitude . They know that having fun crosses over to the audience.

Also on the horizon, The Answers will be included on the 2005 Independent Music Conference Compilation.

The show also features MT-TV, an all-female band from England, and guests A Breath Forgotten and Stronghold. The music begins at 8 p.m. and tickets are $7. For information, call 423-6100, or go to www.theanswersband.com .


- The Fayetteville Observer- Fayetteville, NC

OUT & ABOUT
By Stacy Peterson
Staff writer

Friday, September 2, 2005

Jesse Perry stood shirtless, sweating and rubbing the inch-wide shaved path that ran diagonally through his black hair.

He looked ridiculous, and he knew it.

Just moments before, Perry stood on the stage at Jesters Pub in Fayetteville to have his hair "cut"
by MTV star Ryan Dunn of "Jackass" and "Viva La Bam" fame.

It was after midnight Friday, and Dunn and Don Vito of the show "Viva La Bam" were at Jesters
as a part of "the stupidest rock tour in America" with bands Fight Paris, Open Hand and local heavyweights, The Answers.

If you have seen MTV, you know about the kind of humor that led to this on-stage stunt. "Jackass," which helped launch the career of "Dukes of Hazzard" actor Johnny Knoxville, started a new "reality" trend in America five years ago. Knoxville and a group of skateboarders took pleasure in injuring themselves with their cameras rolling.

The weekly junior-high hijinks led to careers for cast members like Steve-O and the actors of the second generation in "Viva La Bam."

Now they were at at Jesters Pub.

"I love my hair but I love Ryan Dunn," Perry said.

"Now that it's gone I think I love my hair even more."

Admiring his new style, which looked like an accidental hair clipper slip, a group of Army friends gathered with slightly different advice.

"You know you are going to have to shave your head, right," one friend called out over the club's music.

"Yeah," Perry said.

After all, Perry had to return to Fort Bragg on Monday.

In addition to the music, which featured a great opening set by The Answers, Dunn and Vito did their best to bring MTV to Fayetteville.

One poor volunteer lost a contest on stage and was forced to have ice poured down his pants before being hoisted up under the middle of a ladder for the "ultimate" wedgie.

Another drank, unknowingly, what was said to be sweat from Dunn's shirt. Yet another was blindfolded and kicked where it hurts by surprise.

All the while, Don Vito, an older and "distinctive" "Viva La Bam" cast member sat on stage and waited for someone to lick his toes.

And someone did.

At least Dunn and Vito get paid for it.

Stacy Peterson can be reached at petersons@fayettevillenc.com or 486-3512
- The Fayetteville Observer, Weekender

by Brian Dukes

Wednesday October 12, 2005

For one night only, 10 of the biggest local bands in the Fayetteville music scene will share a single stage to raise money for the American Cancer Society. The concert, billed as the "Monsters Of The 'Ville," will offer a unique opportunity for Fayetteville music-lovers to see some of the most notable bands in the area, as well as to meet some they may not know as well.

The Monsters Of The 'Ville show will be held at Jester's Pub on Saturday, Oct. 15, beginning at 1 p.m. The show will start at 1:30 p.m. and continue throughout the day and night until 1:30 a.m. Tickets are $10 and this is an all ages show. Rock 103 FM will be on hand with several live remote broadcasts throughout the day. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the American Cancer Society. The bands that have been lined up to perform read like a Who's Who of Fayetteville rock. The Monsters show will feature performances by The Fifth, The Answers, Nephilym, Pinebox Destiny, Downs Lane, Driven, 13th Knot, Kaustic, Dionysus and Stronghold (not in that order).

Getting all these bands together was easier than it would seem, according to Shawn Adkins, frontman for The Answers. "This is going to be a great show for a great cause," he said. "Cancer is something that has touched everyone's life, especially our band. It's hard to talk about, but we wanted to do this show and a lot of people jumped on the bandwagon to support us." Ken Kobayashi, drummer for The Answers, recently lost a family member to cancer. Adkins said the band went through some trials and tribulations during that period, but they never let their support for Kobayashi or their love for his family - part of their own extended family - waiver. "This is something we can do, Ken can do, to help give back," said Adkins, who worked with Mike Sarisky at Jester's Pub and Roy Cathey, lead singer of The Fifth, to get the groundwork laid and the wheels turning.


"This was originally a Fifth gig date," said Adkins. "Roy and I have been talking for a long time about doing a show together, but our schedules are always so crazy that it never happened." Adkins said that once the idea for the show was a "go" he approached Cathey about participating. "Roy was automatically behind it," he said. "And everybody else that we've asked to do this has been really supportive." Cancer is no stranger to Cathey either - having lost his father to it. "The minute Shawn told me it was a cancer benefit, I was on board," said Cathey.
"I lost my father to cancer, so I know what Ken, their drummer, is going through."

Once the proverbial ball got rolling, Adkins, Sarisky and Cathey found no lack of interest from other local bands to participate. "This is not only going to be the first time that The Fifth and The Answers have performed together," said Cathey, "but this will be the first time you'll have all these great Fayetteville bands together on the same bill."
The lineup is very musically diverse, covering genres that run the gamut from punk to hardcore to rock. Even with 10 local bands sharing the same stage, no one will sound alike, Adkins said. Cathey agreed, saying "there is going to be a lot of different styles that people can listen to."

Potentially, the most difficult part of organizing a show of this size and caliber was figuring out who would play when. Even local bands have egos that can bristle and bruise. However, according to Adkins and Cathey, there wasn't much evidence of that for this show at all. "It's amazing how many bands have been able to come together and do this," said Cathey. "It shows how all these guys are able to come together for the common good." Adkins and Cathey left the lineup's order in the hands of Sarisky.

The order will be as follows: Stronghold (1:30-2:15 p.m.), Dionysus (2:45-3:30 p.m.), Kaustic (4-4:45 p.m.),
13th Knot (5:15-6 p.m.), Driven (6:30-7:15 p.m.), Downs Lane (7:45-8:30 p.m.), Pinebox Destiny (9-9:45 p.m.), Nephilym (10:15-11 p.m.), The Answers (11:30 p.m.-12:15 a.m.), and The Fifth (12:45-1:30 a.m.).





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