The Councilmen

Tammy Caputo, the producer of special events for the CBS Early Show said, “she chooses the videos that appear on the show from thousands of submissions.”

The Councilmen, remember this name! These guys are gonna be big in the music industry. Keaton York is one of the best writers I've seen in a long time! I'm blown away at the dedication and music ability these guys have!”
Rodney Powell Drummer - (The Tennessee Three, Randy Travis, Donna Summer)

Brian keyboard player from Last American Buffalo describes The Councilmen’s music by saying “I can't help but hear some nirvana influence in some songs, Americana/bluesy material is really great, vocals are profesh and have their own sound, swagger, and a heartfelt quality."

Tony from The Rockets says “Your band friggen rocks!! Great song writing!”.

“The Councilmen do a great job of mixing music of a hundred different genres and putting their own dirty Bakersfield Air effect to the sound and creating something completely original that sounds like the world you grew up in.” Bakotopia

“ I like a band that doesn’t feel the need to adhere to the confines of a certain genre. The original songs are impressive, penned by York the pounding, sexy build-up of “Cadillac Girl” sends admirers into a frenzy.” The Californian


- Various

Band rocks 'Living Room' with winning video

When Keaton York got a call from a number he didn't recognize at 5 a.m. Wednesday morning, he almost didn't answer -- he thought it was a telemarketer or bill collector.

The 23-year-old had completely forgotten about the video that he and his band, The Councilmen, had sent in to the "Living Room ... LIVE! Battle of the Bands," a competition on CBS' "The Early Show."

But he quickly remembered when the woman on the phone informed him that his band's video was one of three chosen to air between 7 and 9 a.m. on Monday's program.

Tammy Caputo, the producer of special events for "The Early Show," said she chooses the videos that appear on the show from thousands of submissions.

"The biggest thing I look for is talent," she said.

The Councilmen, which released its debut album Friday night at Narducci's Cafe, 622 E. 21st St., heard about the competition from their manager, Tami Haley, on July 17. They quickly got together equipment, recorded a video and uploaded it the next day.

York said they were a bit restricted in what they could do with the video -- it had to be an original song (York writes the music for the group), and it had to be done in a band member's living room. They chose drummer Taylor Haley's.

"They didn't want to make it like a music video," he said. "They didn't want a piece of conceptual art work. They wanted it really basic, stripped down, with a stationary camera. It's just strictly the band playing the song, and that's it."

The band, whose third member is bassist Phil Williams, chose to submit their song "Dirty Games" because it fit the allotted three-minute time slot and was lyrically "the cleanest," York said.

"It's really kind of a dorky video, but I guess that's what they're looking for -- raw talent, undiscovered," said Tami Haley.

York said he looked at some of the other videos that had made the show before they recorded their own and was a bit worried that they wouldn't quite fit in.

"They're all pretty much clean-cut, middle-America," he said. "We're all pretty heavily tattooed, so we tried to cover it up."

But in other respects, they tried to set themselves apart.

"One of my bigger focuses was the sound quality," York said.

"The sound quality on some of the other videos was kind of wanting."

Haley said the band's style could be considered a blend of classic rock, blues and grunge. Examples of the bands music and more information can be found on their MySpace page, www.myspace/keatonyork.

"Living Room ... LIVE!" is a 13-week competition that began June 25. Each week, the program shows three band's videos and fans can vote for their favorite group through the following Wednesday. The winner advances to the semifinals. Fans vote again, and the winner of that round gets a trip to New York to perform live on "The Early Show" the week of Sept. 24. To help The Councilmen reach the next round, log on to www.cbsnews.com to vote for the band's video.
- The Bakersfield Californian

Review: The Councilmen / The Iron Outlaws 9/28

Driving west on the 58 I exit on Chester make right and head towards Albertson's. They have good cheap batteries there. The batteries I have in my camera I just found god only knows if they are new or used. I have the worst habit of taking dead batteries out of my the camera and sticking them in my pockets when I'm out taking photo's. They end up just laying around and I always mistake them for good batteries. Why don't I just through them away right when I take them out??

Any way I was on my way to Sandrini's for the Kris Special, Iron Outlaws, and the Councilmen show. I had looked forward to this show all week. I was dying to see the Councilmen. I wanted to take lots of pictures and finally write about two of my favorite local bands. Two of many number of local bands I love you know me I find something to love about all our local heroes.
I got my batteries. One more quick stop at the Cigar Bar needed a couple of stoggies...no not for a blunt. To smoke in the smoking room at Sandrinis. I wish all the bars had a room just for the smokers. Nothing against smokers!
By the time I got to Sandrinis http://www.myspace.com/thek...>

The Kris Special was already on stage. The place was just starting to fill up. Members of the Councilmen and the Outlaws were scattered throughout trading war stories like all good musicians do. I found my buddy Sey at the bar ordered a Newcastle and we made our way to the smokeroom where we ran into a couple of Councilmen fans. We drank our beers smoked our cigars and talked about the local music scene. I was so stoked about finally getting to hear the Councilmen Live (did I say that already?). I'd scene Keaton York a few times here and there sitting in with folks or as part of a duo. It was usually acoustic and pretty low key. I wanted to see him rock like on the stuff the Councilmen have posted on their myspace.

Let the Record Play has to be one of my all time favorite local artist songs. I downloaded it months ago along with Pass the Bottle, Boxcar Sermon and Cadilac Girl. These songs are all in heavy rotation on my Ipod as I write this piece.
The Councilmen went on next and they flippin rocked the joint. Their sound is so great a mixture of rock/blues/soul/ and grunge. The sound is total downtown Bako it smells like beer and leaves you sticky and feeling dizzy like a good downtown bar buzz should. Like a hundred people sweating in a tiny room The beers poured and the music soared.

Highlights of the 30 minute plus set were: Never Takes Us Alive, Pass the Bottle, Suzy Got a Gun. Crowd favorite was Downtown Kings the Councilmen’s ode to the Bakersfield Downtown life they live along with all us other bar crawlers.
The Councilmen and the Outlaws do a great job of mixing music of a hundred different genres and putting their own dirty Bakersfield Air effect to the sound and creating something completely original that sounds like the world you grew up in. The world only you and the people who grew up around you could only love because its rural and its raw and its dirty and its Filthy and its Mento and its just like us. IAnd it’s all ours, our Bakersfield sound.

Then there was Paul Cartwright wondering around. I was stoked knowing he would probably sit in with the Outlaws like he's done so many times over the last few months although the last time at Sandrinis doesn’t count. The sound was bad and Paul spent the whole night just trying to fix his sound glitches. Tonight would be better.
It was the end of the Councilmen’s set. I was bummed cause they hadn’t played Let the Record Play nor had they used they Keyboards that had been set up on stage left. Then Keaton announced "we'd like to bring up a couple of special guests". Paul grabbed his Violin and some dude named Jeff turned on the keyboards. Wholly shit I thought what the fuck is up? They launced into a Bakobilly version of The Texas Tornando's “Hey Baby Que Paso”. Keaton York flawless on the vocals no white boy/gringo accent in his delivery at all. The crowd danced it was the perfect loose ending to a set that had been hard worked by the Councilmen. Nice job guys.....next you better play Let the Record Fuckin Play!!!!
- Bakotopia

by Susan Scaffidi

October 2, 2008

Despite the fact that the Internet and home music production software has made it possible for anyone to promote real or imagined musical talent, the music business hasn’t changed: If you want to have an important career in music, you still need an army of music industry professionals working for you. But how do you recruit such an army?
sk The Councilmen, a local trio that has earned a considerable following and a few high-profile opportunities, including an appearance on CBS’ “Living Room ... LIVE! Battle of the Bands,” on “The Early Show” in 2007.

Thanks to an enthusiastic fan base and a supportive manager, The Councilmen — currently Keaton York, Julian Sanchez and Taylor Haley — work steadily, mostly around Bakersfield, but occasionally in the Los Angeles area. A recent appearance in Hollywood caught the attention of executives of a new company, LP33.tv, a Web-based showcase for musicians founded by former Virgin Records CEO Andrew Bentley that officially launches Thursday.

“We provide a platform for unsigned artists or indie artists they wouldn't usually be able to get,” said LP33.tv senior vice president Catalina Guirado-Cheadle. “We encourage people to put up their own videos, blogs, etc.”

But Guirado-Cheadle said the company is going to do a lot more for The Councilmen. In addition to the general Web site benefits, the company has signed The Councilmen as a featured artist. The company has shot a video of the band, which will be added to linear streaming video presented by online hosts who also direct music fans to featured artists like The Councilmen.

“They’re going to supply contracts, legal documents, all those other things that go with being a band,” said band manager Tami Haley, who added the company offers a split of 70/30 — which she described as higher than the industry standard as the “70” goes to the artist — for all music, merchandise and bookings sold by LP33.tv.

The Councilmen are lead singer, guitarist and band founder Keaton York, 24; and childhood friends Julian Sanchez, 21, on bass and backup vocals; and Tami Haley’s son, Taylor, 21, on drums. York has been the songwriter, but Sanchez said all three have been collaborating on songs in the last several months.

York, the “old man” of the band, describes the band’s style as “roots rock,” original songs grounded in ’70s Southern rock groups such as the Allman Brothers and ZZ Top, with some Jimi Hendrix thrown in.

“To me, the focal point of the band is our live shows,” York said. “The CDs are good, but when people see us live, we come across a lot better that way.”

Guirado-Cheadle would seem to agree, saying the band is getting an “extra push,” because of what she describes as very strong songwriting, great vocals, and the “X-factor.”

“It’s that extra quality that some people have and some people don’t,” Guirado-Cheadle said. “We just think they’re really different, really special. They have a nonchalant vibe about them.”

Is the band ready for the big time?

“We’re just, like, slowly going about it,” said Sanchez, who is balancing a day job with playing in the band. “I would like at least to go on a tour so we can at least say we tried.”

York’s ambitions are more definite.

“I’ve been having people tell me they were going to make me famous since I was 10,” York said. “A lot of my ambition with this band is not to play a lot of gigs, but really good gigs.”

“It’s for the experience and the opportunities,” York said. “Lately we’ve been getting a lot of opportunities and they’ve been a lot of fun.”
- Bakersfeild Californian