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Contact: Hotline, 310-422-5327
Web: MySpace.com/thetowelsband
The Players: Noral Squizz, lead vocals, guitar; Roy Hardinge, lead guitar, backup vocals; Doug Deringer, bass, backup vocals; Tom Bolton, drums.
Material: The Towels are a trippy, quirky and totally cheeky band –– sort of like the Traveling Wilburys under the influence of LSD. They call their style of music “alterno-pop,” but the songs have so many influences the group is almost beyond categorization. The Beatles, the Kinks, Pink Floyd and a range of other super groups from the 60’s to the 90’s are all identifiable within the songs. Usually, such a hodgepodge results in an unfocused mess, but the Towels not only make it work, they add heaviness to the music. And, because many of the tunes have an unpredictable structure or chord progression, combined with irreverent lyrics, they come across fresh, interesting and compelling.
Musicianship: One of the reasons the material is so intriguing may be because the musicians are pro level. A couple of them are premier session players and all have performed with a variety of well-known bands. Each band member could be a standout on his own but, together, the sum is greater than its parts. The Towels have obviously found the perfect dynamic for their unique music, much like the groups they identify with.
Performance: This is the only area that could use some improvement. Other than bassist Doug Deringer and drummer Tom Bolton, who both performed like possessed madmen, the activity onstage was rather stilted. Hardinge seemed nailed to his spot and Squizz rarely moved from center stage. That lack of energy diluted the impact they could have had. Even so, their enthusiasm for the music came across loud and clear.
Summary: The Towels are a different sort of group. Though their influences are varied, they don’t sound like any one else. That, of course, could be a double-edged sword, but the caliber of talent is so high in this band that their uniqueness could be their calling card.
––Bernard Baur
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- Music Connection
The TOWELS
"American Beaus"
These clowns are a little off kilter in the realm of mainstream, and you couldn't brand them "cutting edge" either. With their many tales of life, love, hope and sensuality in a melancholy tone, they do manage to keep your interest alive. I do believe sex had something to do with the origins of their name... I mean, think about it... The Towels? And also, consider the fact that their whole CD sleeve for 'American Beaus' is the colour of blood red. The music of the Towels is similar to a wide range of bands from the past, including The Traveling Willburys, such as with the song "Once Again." Other similarities include: The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Dire Straights, and even Men At Work, such as in the song "Thinking Of You." The lyrics are simple, but very well crafted, and flow smoothly with the backdrop of an extremely professional sound. The TOWELS are extremely talented musicians and on this album are: Leusley Aschbudt (vocals/guitar), Dennis Davis (bass), Noral Squizz (vocals/guitar), with special guests: Jefferson Rice (keyboards), L.A. Steve (vocals/guitar/keyboards), and Cliff Kid (percussion). I would have to give them 5 Stars on the overall production of this album, and whether it be a ballad like "I Caught You Crying" or a heavier song like "From The Hype" or "Werewolf Moon," the TOWELS sound like they could hold a live audiences' attention quite well!
~ Gregory Cataline (MUENmagazine.net)
- Muen Magazine
The Towels
American Beaus
Platehead Records
Don’t let the goofy name and circus-themed cover art on the Towels American Beaus fool you. This is bona fide, straight ahead rock and roll. Guitarist/vocalist Noral Squizz’s quintessential classic lead guitar licks and well-timed strumming color the CD’s 13 mostly-mid-tempo tunes a bright upbeat optimistic hue. The Towels sound is derived from combining all the best multi-layered guitar/ vocal blends like an edgy tripped out version of The Traveling Wilburys. Songs like the dark-riffed “You’re Making Me Nervous” and the reggae-laced “Thinking of You” don’t just simply offer an alternative to tedium, but rather explore the group’s vast diversity and ability.
Frank Cirizia
- Frank Cirizia
“Traveling where the Wilburys won’t, beatin’ beats the Beatles wouldn’t touch, the irreverent pop guitar band called the Towels is ready to conquer America with their new CD AMERICAN BEAUS…spearheaded by the guitar tag team of Leusley Aschbudt and Noral Squizz, and anchored by bassist Dennis Davis, the album is chock full ‘o good time riffs, textural filigrees, blues-y fireworks and distorted fuzzjam. While the group display an avid sense of humor, they are nevertheless, very serious about their songwriting.” GUITAR 9
“FOUR STARS (Highest Rating)…simply put, The Towels are one of the most delightfully entertaining, one-of-a kind musical combos I've heard in many decades. Uniquely, marvelously talented! These guys deserve to be major stars. Yes, I admit that I have now become a Towel addict. Once you hear them, you'll probably become addicted, too!" TODD DAVID SCHWARTZ/CBS RADIO
“AMERICAN BEAUS is a great blend of Alternative, Rock, Blues and Pop with a genius slice of humor mixed in. Each song had a very different sound from the next song, keeping you wondering what was next…good music you can sink your soul into!” NEW ARTIST RADIO
“The Towels AMERICAN BEAUS is one of those rare recordings which contain more than one track you’ll actually want to go back and listen to…filled with lots of great guitar sounds, horns, strings, harmonies, hooks, real drums, big keyboards, and fascinating vocals…opening tune “Once Again” is a gorgeous piece of rock/pop that would make George Harrison and The Traveling Wilburys proud. Beautifully produced and recorded, and the more you listen (try it one time with some good headphones), the more you’ll discover the wonderful diversity of this group.”
SQUID MUSIC
“AMERICAN BEAUS is bona fide, straight-ahead rock and roll. Guitarist/vocalist Noral Squizz’s quintessential classic lead guitar licks and well-timed strumming color the CD’s 13 mostly-mid-tempo tunes a bright upbeat optimistic hue… songs like dark-riffed “You’re Making Me Nervous” and reggae-laced “Thinking of You” don’t just simply offer an alternative to tedium, but rather explore the group’s vast diversity and ability.”
CONTACTMUSIC.COM
- Guitar 9
The Towels:
American Beaus
Label: Platehead Records
Released: 2006
Website: http://www.thetowels.com
Buy This CD
The Towels were house band for Frasier Smith's "KLSX Live" broadcasts from The Laugh Factory, a quirky trio comprised of the songwriting genius and lead vocals of guitarists Noral Squizz and Leusley Aschbudt, and multi-instrumentalist Dennis Davis.
When I think of fun music, usually it involves a purple dinosaur named Barney! That was not the case with The Towels CD AMERICAN BEAUS, it was fun music without the smell of baby powder. The music is a great blend of Alternative, Rock, Blues and Pop with a genius slice of humor mixed in. Each song had a very different sound from the next song, keeping you wondering what was next. The heavy rock sounds would become a blues sound then onto a faint Beatles-induced melody that was easy to to plug into your ears. There was even some sounds of the great Santana on this CD, good music you can sink your soul into.
The first song “Once Again� started off with a trumpet warming up and on comes that soft Beatles sound that soon blends into a alternative mix that was very easy to listen to. Track 2 “You're Making Me Nervous� had a very mysterious essence to it that made me think of an old Robert Palmer song. “Sabretooth Love� was a powerful blues rock mix, this song had backbone to its play, very good song! “Shall We Go� was more of a pop song, light with a catchy sound that had my foot taping out the beat. “Thinking of You� took an entirely different approach, the reggae island sound was a really great change in there ability to be multiple genre. “Turn Up The Television� brought you back to that Beatles sound they do so well, yet there was this sexy blues riff that made this song one of my favorite songs on the CD.
“I Won't Be There� was a fun pop song with a good step up from verse to verse, this is one of those fun songs that can get stuck in your head. “From The Hype� was a hard song to put my finger on, it drifted from a big band sound to a jazz and then on to a heavy rock. By the end of this song all the different genres of music are working together. “In The Dawn� had a strong Doors sound to it, late 60's or early 70's mixed with some screaming guitar. “I Caught You Crying� was a softer side of The Towels nice sweet tune that kept me to the end. “Werewolf Moon� grabs onto that blues rock train and takes you for a fast paced ride, you will like this one. “If You Let Me� was a fun pop song with a marching tune and fun simple lyrics for the one you love.
~Dark, Bill Messick
reviews@newartistradio.net
- New ArtistRadio.net
Discography
Splendid company of artists 2001
Godzilla Christmas 2002
American Beaus 2006
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
BIO: The Towels
They say that great music, like fine wine or a friendship worth keeping, is not something that happens overnight. Actually, in the case of The Towels, the 3 ex-patriots from Akron, Ohio who separately found their ways to the Los Angeles/ Hollywood/Silverlake area, it took almost ten years of life in LA for them to bump into each other. But, after just one listen to their debut CD "A Group of Splendid Artists," you'll certainly be glad they did.
The Towels were house band for Frasier Smith's "KLSX Live" broadcasts from The Laugh Factory, a quirky trio comprised of the songwriting genius and lead vocals of guitarists Noral Squizz and Leusley Aschbudt, and multi-instrumentalist Dennis Davis.
As teenagers in Ohio, Noral and Dennis played together in a band called Eyes, who were one of local bands doing original music at that time. While they view their hiatus from each other's company as more of an education than it was a future, the totally worthwhile end result is a humorously poetic look at the absurdity of a culture, through that culture's musical influences of the last few decades.
During that time, Noral Squizz played with many an LA band and formed Foreign Language in order to feature his own music, which gathered for itself quite a local following. Noral was also recruited by the remnants of the band The Box Tops, to play the Alex Chilton character. Jonathan Michaels, producer of Frasier Smith Live, put together a Rock 'n' Roll Review band called Saints and Sinners, which also featured Noral Squizz.
Dennis Davis, who has worked as a session musician for various recording acts, is responsible for the orchestrations on The Towels' CDs, as well as having produced and engineered the album.
Although Leusley Aschbudt has been writing songs since he was a teenager, most of the groups he has played with, which include Chaser and Ralph & the Buicks, have been basically cover bands.
While the group display an avid sense of humor, obvious in their name which was chosen simply for the baffled reaction that it would invoke upon hearing it for the first time, they are nevertheless, very serious about their songwriting. "We do not write songs following a formula. We have never sat down and said 'Let's write a pop song,' or a country song, or whatever. Every song is different, some begin with the music, some the other way around, but each one shows the direction that it will go, as it develops," says Squizz. By the way, if the group ever does decide to add back-up singers, they will call them The Moist Towelettes.
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