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This was Aric and Chuck from the MC's and they were amazing. Aric is one of the most incredibly skilled Guitar players that I have seen in many years. Chuck on percussion left you speechless in awe after watching him completely rip the congas apart. Words cannot explain, you must see these guys to believe. - Griffin Smith
This was Aric and Chuck from the MC's and they were amazing. Aric is one of the most incredibly skilled Guitar players that I have seen in many years. Chuck on percussion left you speechless in awe after watching him completely rip the congas apart. Words cannot explain, you must see these guys to believe. - Griffin Smith
Florida Today
TGIF Section
The Mc’s: SRK Q&A
Power trio brings eclectic mix of rock and funk
By Mike Nunez
Special to Metromix
Newly formed power trio The Mc’s will perform a pair of shows this weekend,
beginning this evening with a stop at the Eau Gallie First Friday Art Walk and culminating
in a show at Jump’s Tiny Tavern in Cocoa Beach on Saturday. The band
consists of Chuck Mc on drums, Aric Charles on guitar and vocals and Nathan
Thorpe, son of the late bluesman Steve Thorpe, on bass. Able to achieve a full and
dynamic sound from only a three-piece band, The Mc’s offer a refreshingly different
sound that is appealing to a wide range of audiences.I spoke with founder
Charles about his move to Brevard County, his music and the band’s future.
So let’s Shake, Rattle & Know: The Mc’s.
SRK: What caused you to relocate to Brevard from New York City?
Charles: My drummer moved here about four months ago, and he told me what a happening place it was here
musically. The scene is great, and here you have the opportunity to play full sets and more regularly than in
NYC, where there is a lot of competition for stage time. There you may get a 45-minute set here and there,
but here you have an opportunity for a full set. I had been doing music there for 10 years, so it was time for a
change.
SRK: You have an eclectic mix of rock and funk, but some of your songs, “Lola” for instance, have a heavy jazz
influence. With so many styles, how do you best describe your sound?
Charles: I would say it is fusion-based. I guess it can best be described as pop-rock and jazz. It’s an ensemble
mix of music with a little of everything.
SRK: How difficult was it for you to adjust from the busy life of a NYC musician to the more laid-back
atmosphere of the Brevard scene?
Charles: It was simple, really. It was a complete lifestyle change from the hustle and bustle of New York, and it
was nice to be more relaxed. I am just as busy as I was there though; music is my life.
SRK: You have been compared to artists like Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson and John Mayer. Are those
comparisons based more on your songwriting style or your musical arrangements?
Charles: It is really a little of both. My chord structure and how I build a song is a lot like them in the musical
realm. In the songwriting, I aim for the catchy hooks, which draws comparison.
SRK: How hard will it be for you to make a splash on a larger music scene being based in a small market?
Charles: It is actually better to be in a small market now, because you don’t have to compete as much for
people’s attention. Record companies are looking for numbers, they want (to know) how many people are
coming out to see your show, are you packing places, and things like that. They want to know if you can have
mass appeal.
SRK: In a competitive music scene, how will you stand out from your competition?
Charles: Because we have a great live show. That’s the best aspect of us. It’s energetic and more than just a
show, it’s a performance worth seeing.
SRK: Do you have a CD in the works?
Charles: I have my first solo CD and just waiting for it to be printed. We are going to also start working on CD
s the band soon.
- Florida Today
Florida Today
TGIF Section
The Mc’s: SRK Q&A
Power trio brings eclectic mix of rock and funk
By Mike Nunez
Special to Metromix
Newly formed power trio The Mc’s will perform a pair of shows this weekend,
beginning this evening with a stop at the Eau Gallie First Friday Art Walk and culminating
in a show at Jump’s Tiny Tavern in Cocoa Beach on Saturday. The band
consists of Chuck Mc on drums, Aric Charles on guitar and vocals and Nathan
Thorpe, son of the late bluesman Steve Thorpe, on bass. Able to achieve a full and
dynamic sound from only a three-piece band, The Mc’s offer a refreshingly different
sound that is appealing to a wide range of audiences.I spoke with founder
Charles about his move to Brevard County, his music and the band’s future.
So let’s Shake, Rattle & Know: The Mc’s.
SRK: What caused you to relocate to Brevard from New York City?
Charles: My drummer moved here about four months ago, and he told me what a happening place it was here
musically. The scene is great, and here you have the opportunity to play full sets and more regularly than in
NYC, where there is a lot of competition for stage time. There you may get a 45-minute set here and there,
but here you have an opportunity for a full set. I had been doing music there for 10 years, so it was time for a
change.
SRK: You have an eclectic mix of rock and funk, but some of your songs, “Lola” for instance, have a heavy jazz
influence. With so many styles, how do you best describe your sound?
Charles: I would say it is fusion-based. I guess it can best be described as pop-rock and jazz. It’s an ensemble
mix of music with a little of everything.
SRK: How difficult was it for you to adjust from the busy life of a NYC musician to the more laid-back
atmosphere of the Brevard scene?
Charles: It was simple, really. It was a complete lifestyle change from the hustle and bustle of New York, and it
was nice to be more relaxed. I am just as busy as I was there though; music is my life.
SRK: You have been compared to artists like Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson and John Mayer. Are those
comparisons based more on your songwriting style or your musical arrangements?
Charles: It is really a little of both. My chord structure and how I build a song is a lot like them in the musical
realm. In the songwriting, I aim for the catchy hooks, which draws comparison.
SRK: How hard will it be for you to make a splash on a larger music scene being based in a small market?
Charles: It is actually better to be in a small market now, because you don’t have to compete as much for
people’s attention. Record companies are looking for numbers, they want (to know) how many people are
coming out to see your show, are you packing places, and things like that. They want to know if you can have
mass appeal.
SRK: In a competitive music scene, how will you stand out from your competition?
Charles: Because we have a great live show. That’s the best aspect of us. It’s energetic and more than just a
show, it’s a performance worth seeing.
SRK: Do you have a CD in the works?
Charles: I have my first solo CD and just waiting for it to be printed. We are going to also start working on CD
s the band soon.
- Florida Today
Saturday night’s bill at Up or On The Rocks was a hot one, as it featured two of the newer bands on
Hartford’s alt-rock scene: 3 Days Prior and Dharma Brown. I first caught 3 Days Prior in a cramped club in
Southington, and I liked them, but Saturday’s set was absolutely stellar. On a proper stage with a good P.A.,
they were larger than life. Singer and guitarist Aric McNemar not only has great stage charisma and excellent
pitch, but he was able to nail solo after engaging solo. The room steadily packed in more and more bodies as
they played. The band’s coordination was also seamless: At one point, McNemar’s solo came to a screeching
halt as the band ceased behind him and he held a gargantuan long note, sounding as though he were taking
a running leap off a cliff. Just as the note began to fade, drummer Chuck McGrane came in with an
excruciatingly slow hip-hop beat. Now that’s some cinematic funk.
- Hartford Advocate
Saturday night’s bill at Up or On The Rocks was a hot one, as it featured two of the newer bands on
Hartford’s alt-rock scene: 3 Days Prior and Dharma Brown. I first caught 3 Days Prior in a cramped club in
Southington, and I liked them, but Saturday’s set was absolutely stellar. On a proper stage with a good P.A.,
they were larger than life. Singer and guitarist Aric McNemar not only has great stage charisma and excellent
pitch, but he was able to nail solo after engaging solo. The room steadily packed in more and more bodies as
they played. The band’s coordination was also seamless: At one point, McNemar’s solo came to a screeching
halt as the band ceased behind him and he held a gargantuan long note, sounding as though he were taking
a running leap off a cliff. Just as the note began to fade, drummer Chuck McGrane came in with an
excruciatingly slow hip-hop beat. Now that’s some cinematic funk.
- Hartford Advocate
Discography
Aric Charles/Aric Charles Album itunes
Jango internet radio
Pandora internet radio
Photos
Bio
South Florida power funk trio, The MC’s first single LOLA topped the Reverbnation Pop Chart for three weeks in August-September 2013, drawing the attention of New York City based producer Dan Schteingart. The MC’s are now recording with Schteingart at Avatar Studios in New York and plan to release a full EP in Fall 2014.
A local sensation in Brevard County, The MC’s funky, upbeat, pop-rock-jazz fusion sound has been described as “refreshingly different and appealing to a wide range of listeners.” Their goal, according to singer-songwriter-guitarist Aric Charles, is simple. “To get you up out of your seat and dancing.” It’s no wonder then that they’ve become known for their live shows, where the energy is contagious.
Originally conceived as a duo by childhood friends Aric Charles McNemar and drummer Chuck McGrane (hence the band’s name), the band took on a new life with the addition of bassist Nathan Thorpe. Both Charles and McGrane describe being “smitten” by Thorpe’s musical chops, look and sound the first time they saw him on stage. Thus, the duo became a trio and garnered an instant following in South Florida, no doubt aided by Thorpe’s deep local roots as the son of legendary blues guitarist Steve Thorpe. In 2012, a potentially life-threatening illness threatened Charles’s voice and the band’s future, but since his full recovery earlier this year, the band has recovered and is gaining traction faster than ever.
With combined musical talent histories of all having fathers as professional working musicians, including the son of a Marine drummer (self-described “token bad boy” McGrane), (“Monster bassist” Thorpe) The Steve Thorpe Band and Charles who also fronted popular New York band Three Days Prior), as well as a key player in fathers band Ritual, The house of tabernacle (gospel) band and The Kronic (reggae). The MC’s have blended diverse musical experience and talents into a cohesive sound they’re eager to take to a larger audience.
To that end, a video for chart-topper Lola (lead single from the forthcoming EP) is currently in pre-production.
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