Neu! 1972 by Peter Lindbergh

NEU! Vinyl Box Set

Groenland Records

By Eugene Reznik

Road tripping, sitting at the wheel, hypnotized by a big wide-open road, listening to the beat beat beat beat and the buzz of the engine and road humming and the wind howling and anything that comes across your path over and over again.

This is Krautrock. Or, it’s as good a stand-in as any. I’m talking about one song, NEU!’s 1971 “Hallogallo.” It may be just a single connotation, and it might not fit with the German narrative, but for those of us who weren’t hanging around Düsseldorf in the seventies, for the American audience that has to listen and live with its aftereffects, it became the archetype and the paradigm. Those who like to scoff and talk about the real Krautrock, they’re right to call it a “phenomenon.” But the experimental rock phenomenon was not restricted to Germany. It happened here too and it came by way of the record.

It’s the 4/4 on the floor “morotik” beat, the driving rhythm that’s always repeating and yet progressing with a forward motion, and the endless layers of panning, pulsating, dopplering in and out filters, phasers and synths that can put you in a hypnotic trance or prompt revelations. This must be what it’s like to drive on the autobahn. The song creates an atmosphere and it flies by in ten minutes. You put it on when you’re driving and before you know it, it’s gone. Maybe it distracts you from time; maybe it just makes you think you finally understand relativity.

This form they pioneered is what we came to associate with the genre. Knowing it could be a moment of clarity for those of us often thinking where the hell all these ambient “experimental” bands today came from and what they listened to. It also makes you think what the hell these NEU! guys where listening to. On the experimental, electronic end, they were pretty much at the forefront. Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger started NEU! after leaving their original band, Kraftwerk, considered to be the root of popular electronic music and one of the first to use Moog synthesizers.

On the other hand, morotik’s a great label, but they obviously weren’t the first to use an ostinato rhythm. We couldn’t know what NEU! was listening to in 1972, but we can still draw a parallel to The Velvet Underground. It’s not hard to superimpose some motorik on the Velvet’s 1968 “Sister Ray,” clocking in at 17:26 in the studio, but the sound, with its songwriting emphasis on repetitive rhythms and improvisation makes them really similar.

The chaotic “Sister Ray,” however is probably more apt for rocking out in a dope-induced stupor than chilling out in a (different) dope-induced torpor. It can’t have the same smooth mechanic or spacey connotations. What NEU! did was blend rock and electronic. They became the stand-in for Krautrock, maybe because they were more palatable for the American audience with their use of real drums and guitars, or maybe because they were more imitable.

Once you break down “Hallogallo,” you can start to hear it everywhere. In spite of, or maybe because it almost can’t be covered, the song’s been the object of mimicry and parody ever since it came out. It’s almost as if every band, at one point or another, recorded or not, did some semblance of a Krautrock song, did their Krautrock song.

We started to see Krautrock done live.

The jubilant background wall of “pa pa pa pop’s” and “oo wah wah oo’s,” and the clean, easy strumming of the guitar might make this more apt for a Parisian bike ride than a cruise down the autobahn, but halfway through, the song breaks down, the synth takes over and the motorik comes out full force. You can look through Stereolab’s catalogue, or just hit next track, and hear “Hallogallo” all over.

This starts off pure motorik and pure “Hallogallo” but manages to transition flawlessly to pure Wilco. On top of that, Jeff Tweedy uses the 10-minute form to bust out his nastiest tone and most delightful ear piercing screeches where he couldn’t have elsewhere on A Ghost is Born.

Woods uses track 4 of their 2009 Songs of Shame largely to the same end as Wilco. “September With Pete” isn’t exactly motorik driven until late in the song, but once again at 9:40, the form allows them to break out their trippy, unstructured psycadelic side amidst an album full of harrowing pop masterpieces.

These guys seem to miss the mark and their repetition dances the fine line with boredom. A lot of the talk surrounding The Horrors’ Primary Colors centered on how much they outdid their debut album, Strange House. Lost in all this, however was the fact that Strange House just wasn’t any good in the first place. Primary Colors may have been a step up from the debut, but songs like “Sea Within A Sea” show that they started to sound like a whole bunch of other great bands, like NEU! and Joy Division, but have little to show for themselves.

The truly good songs that came out of “Hallogallo” and the Krautrock “phenomenon,” don’t simply mimic the form, they appropriate it. Stereolab, Wilco, and Woods blend their own elements, make the form theirs and steer clear from trying a sort of cover.

Fujiya Miyagi makes a bunch of cute but admirable 4-5 minute attempts at it, adding vocals on its 2007 Transparent Things. Yo la Tengo’s “Spec Bop” might be the closest thing to a “Hallogallo” cover, fading in with all the right elements and holding strong for 10:41, but it still manages to assert its own identity.

Sonic Youth’s “Listening to Neu” is obviously noteworthy. It opens with a comically slow half-motorik, the cheesiest of department store synths and a kind of irony that can be amusing for a few seconds, but virtually unbearably thereafter. But the song might not be a parody of “Hallogallo” as much as it is a parody of the endless “Hallogallo” sound-alikes.

Everyone does motorik, some bands more than others, and nothing really beats the original. “Hallogallo” was only the beginning, track one, side one, album one. NEU! built up on it, they sped it up, slowed it down and layered it with all kinds of stuff over the course of three studio albums. On May 10, they’re re-releasing a catalogue box set with the original three albums, an unreleased fourth album, NEU! ’86, live recordings and singles, and a book of very cool and very rare photos.

“NEU!” is pronounced “noy” or “noi.”

The Father Figures formulate funky rock music fusing the principle of improvisation founded in jazz. Behind this music are five musicians (Adam Schatz, Jas Walton, Spencer Zahn, Ian Chang and Ross Edwards) who take their jazz performance and studies training from NYU and kick it up a whole lot of notches. Listeners hear everything from the undertones of the upright bass to the resonance of the melodica, a mini keyboard with a mouthpiece and tube attached to it. Expect to see them on tour in July, but in the meantime check out the digital release of their LP on iTunes.

By Cody Thomas

Shreyans Jha stands in one corner of the room, next to his Fender amp, which is propped up on a chair. He wears his Epiphone Les Paul very low, an ideal position for jumping around with a guitar. The New York University music practice room is extremely warm. Jha and the rest of Null Friction, however, are used to playing in the heat. The band hails from Madras, India.

Over the last four years, Null Friction, with Jha as their front man and singer, has quickly become one of the most popular independent acts in India. The power trio of 20-year-olds (Jha just turned 21) has played in some of the country’s most important musical events, like the June Rock Out, an outdoor festival with thousands of spectators. They have been written about more than once in The Hindu, India’s national newspaper, and have also seen widespread radio play. They have been featured on the popular Indian podcast Sound of the Indian Underground and recently broke the top 10 most-watched music videos in India with their collection of still-frame photos that comprise the video for “Madras,” the first single off their eponymous album.

“It feels good when you’re walking through the supermarket and a guy randomly comes up to you and says, ‘I saw you guys last week, your show was awesome,”’ said Jha. He has also received emails from fans from all around India. Some fans even ask him for copies of his transcribed music so that they can learn the songs themselves.

Jha and his band mates, however, have recently reached an exciting crossroads. All three members are juniors in college, and all three are attending school in North America. Jha is currently a student at New York University, and his band mates go to school in Boston and Ottawa. Like most other college bands, the members of Null Friction have been forced to balance their studies with their music. On top of that, though, they also have to deal with the distance. Keeping the band together has been a challenge, but the rewards have been immeasurable for Jha. The band has just recently had the opportunity to play their first American show at Sullivan Hall in Manhattan.

“It feels good to be playing with Null Friction again,” said Jha. “It’s not about playing in New York or the middle of nowhere.”

The members of Null Friction met in high school, where they were classmates together. Jha and bass player Abhishek Singhal met first, and they added drummer Ansh Sanyal later. The band developed a strong sense of friendship during high school, and breaking up at the beginning of college never seemed like an option.

Jha describes the band as mainstream rock, and the sound is reminiscent of 90’s grunge. Null Friction factors in an emphasis on hard rock, which is balanced with a strong attraction towards catchy song writing. Jha says his guitar parts may have been most influenced by Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine. When it comes to singing, though, his influences are a little more diverse. Jha draws influence from classical Indian music, and also lists Kurt Cobain, Chino Moreno, and Maynard James Keenan as vocal influences.

Another noticeable trend that emerges during the band’s practice involves Jha’s fascinating facial expressions. For most of practice, he wears a puzzled, frustrated look to match his low-hanging instrument. The tension in Jha’s face, however, always seems to resolve in the same genuinely enthusiastic smile. This occurs only after Jha has rigorously doodled with his guitar in search of the perfect riff for the current song.

“Shrey is the intellectual one,” says Sanyal, the drummer. “Abhishek is reserved, mellow, and soulful. I’m aggressive, and Shrey is the intellectual.” Sanyal also describes Jha as a perfectionist, which he says is important in the writing process for the band.

The three members have, so far, succeeded in keeping the band active. They have a Skype conversation once a week, and have even managed to practice occasionally. “The more important thing to a band is being friends,” says Jha. Null Friction’s first show at Sullivan Hall in February proved successful, and the venue invited them back for another show this St. Patrick’s Day. “It was a lot of fun,” said Jha.

“What’s been helpful for us is that we’ve always had a goal and we’re always working towards something,” says Jha. The band, however, keeps its sight on short-term goals. “We don’t get a chance to think about the long-term.” For Jha, it has become less about the long-term goals and more about just doing things with the band. “We spend 2 hours on a train to practice for 10 minutes, or do pointless things like that. But the pointless things come together and end up some of your most important memories.”

One pointless thing in particular sticks out. Jha remembers a show the band played in a small town in South India. Null Friction was scheduled to play for an hour but went on for only 10 minutes. The motivation, according to Jha, was simply to piss off the people running the show and to see if they could get away with it.

As for being a student so far from home, Jha concedes that it contributes to his music. “When you’re home you feel comfortable and you have all the resources of being home,” says Jha. “When you’re away from home, you’re always slightly stressed, and that definitely affects the music.” Plus, Jha feels as if being away has helped him focus his influences from back home. “When you’re there, you’re being bombarded with it, but when you’re here it’s like wearing gloves and you can select what you listen to,” says Jha. “There are less Indian influences, but they’re more focused.”

By Carolyn Keogh

Although NYU student Alex Craig and high school pal Ian Drennan (who attends the School of the Museum of Fine Arts) began their musical project Big Troubles in July of 2009, they have been gaining a bunch of buzz in their few short months of existence. With a debut 7’’ LP released on Blackburn Recordings this past January and a trip out west to South by Southwest (SXSW) and Mexico this March, Big Troubles’ presence in the blogosphere has blossomed fast. “We did start our band this past summer,” Craig wrote in an e-mail, “but we’ve been friends since early High School and have played on and off since then.” According to Craig, a majority of their recent renown stems from the influx of exposure facilitated by the Internet. “15 years ago probably no one would have known about us this early on – but the World Wide Web works in mysterious ways.”

Mysterious ways indeed. There is no question that the Internet has provided a forum for bloggers to write about this duo hailing from Ridgewood, New Jersey. With a propensity for ear-numbing reverb and a sound suggesting classic alternative rock, Big Troubles is often categorized by bloggers as a “fuzzy alt. rock band” with a “woozy” sound – whatever that may mean. Though the band has been gaining coverage within the world of music blogs and online music journalism, including some coverage in Pitchfork, the words used to describe Big Troubles just do not seem to do the band, or its influences, much justice. According to Craig, Drennan and himself are not too bothered by the frequent comparisons to bands like Guided by Voices and My Bloody Valentine found on many music blogs. “I’m glad people pickup on bands like GBV or MBV as our reference points,” Craig wrote, “rather than thinking we are influenced by a newer crop of ‘lo-fi’ bands.” According to Craig, despite their similarities with other emerging bands who record low-fidelity alternative rock music, the band actually draws a good amount of inspiration from early ‘90’s bands, such as The Lilys and Swirlies, to name a few.

And these inspirations make perfect sense as Big Troubles’ sound is reminiscent of the “shoegaze” sub-genre that emerged during the late ‘80’s and early ‘90’s. Characterized by indistinguishable vocals and noisy guitar riffs, some of Big Troubles’ tracks (Freudian Slip being one of the most well-known) are evocative of “shoegaze” alternative rock. Like many of the bands that ushered in the sub-genre, Big Troubles amplifies their guitars during live shows like you would not believe. Cranking up the volume seems to be a Big Troubles trademark. “We have always loved super loud live bands,” Craig explained. But recently, in an effort to balance their sound, the two have been turning down the amps slightly. “Just a little though,” Craig reassured.

On March 18th and 19th, the band will be bringing their very slightly softer sound to Austin, Texas, home of the South by Southwest music and film festival. “Some of our friends throwing unofficial showcases down there asked us to join them and we gladly obliged,” Craig wrote. From there they are headed to MtyMx, an art and music festival that is the brainchild of New York music maven Todd P (www.toddpnyc.com). The festival is being held in Monterrey, Mexico on March 20th, 21st and 22nd and includes performances by Andrew WK, Liars, and No Age, as well as a number of Mexican bands. Although this is the first time Big Troubles will be playing on the West Coast and outside the U.S., they are more concerned with playing their music well and having a good time than gaining exposure. “More than anything I think we’re looking forward to the experience of traveling down and hanging out there,” Craig wrote. Yet, in the last line of his e-mail, he expressed some concerns about sounding “okay” since their distance, with Drennan attending school in Boston and Craig stationed here in New York, makes practicing difficult. Ah, the perils of balancing college and an up and coming “fuzzy alt. rock band.”

While Big Troubles will be playing outside New York until April, you can certainly hear some of their music on their Myspace, www.myspace.com/inbigtroubles, and order their LP on www.blackburnrecs.blogspot.com.

“I think getting back together would take the lid off…and possibly change what to me [seemed] like the perfect lifespan [for] the band. I can’t think of any reason to mess with that.”

The above would be a short extract of Cornell’s statement just a good three years ago, post the disbanding of Seattle-based Soundgarden. From a group that had coalesced from the tiny bits and pieces of the Shemps, a.k.a. the cover band they first formed as, they treaded musical grounds much vaster than your average radio single popper (let alone local cover band). Taking shape within the movement and subculture of grunge as it were, the band graced fans with the psychedelic-meets-metal canvas of Ultramega OK and the equally somber compositions on Superunknown. “They came, they saw, they conquered:” a cliché adage that would wrap up the career path of these cats pretty well, until that sad day when the band parted ways and the craptastic tunes otherwise known as Chris Cornell’s solo work began to fill the airwaves.

Years passed, and Soundgarden’s singles slowly climbed the billboards; little did I know, two years old at the time and observing the inverted colors and trippy camera work of “Jesus Christ Pose” on my television screen, that this band would become a sonic staple in my own life. Come middle-school, when I grew out of the manufactured auditory garbage otherwise known as Linkin Park, I began to confide in such introspective, Cornellian lyrics as, “down in the hole, Jesus tried to crack a smile / beneath another shovel load.”

The emotional connection with music that bands like Soundgarden fostered in me only catalyzed my ascent into the world of heavy metal. What’s more was my frustration that I’d picked up Superunknown a bit too late, that I’d been born in the wrong decade: discovering the band so late as to merely be able to catch Chris Cornell live, solo (a snippet off of the original package: yes, the original package – Soundgarden – who’d been playing the stages of NYC while I was twiddling my thumbs, frying a few dozen neurons in an SAT exam room, circa spring 2006…That horrible day when the band decided that they, as so eloquently described by Cornell, had reached their last creative half-life.)

All of this seemingly melodramatic textual buildup, for me to happily type into this Microsoft word screen that Soundgarden has reunited. So, least to say that my regrets of my late conception, prolonged exposure to crappy pop music, etc., all significantly abated.

So, for now, I’m going to flip off my skepticism (of the members’ old ages and Chris’ recent musical track record) to rejoice in this.

“Paparazzi” was an interesting choice for a cover, considering the venue. When L2 performed the Lady Gaga song at the Bitter End this past Dec. 30, it paid homage to the pop star in more ways than one. For those who do not know, Lady Gaga performed at the Bitter End a handful of times during her brief enrollment at NYU.

That celebratory spirit contributes a lot to L2’s stage presence. A more commanding attribute of their performance, though, may lie in their ability to complement each other. They are sisters after all.

“In real life, I’m more outgoing,” said Jessica Labbadia, 17, a high school senior and the younger of the two. “On stage, Melissa is more outgoing.”

L2, formerly known as the Labbadia Sisters, was formed by Jessica and Melissa, 20. They currently live in Norwalk, CT but have recently made an effort to establish a presence in Manhattan’s heralded music scene. The duo has also graced the stage with well-known pop acts like Ryan Cabrera and Anberlin. It’s safe to say L2 has picked up steam since their humble beginnings.

“Music has been a part of our family since we were so little,” said Jessica. Indeed, Melissa was involved with musical theater at 3.

“We sang together at home, writing music,” said Melissa, referring to their childhood together. The sisters decided to combine their passion for music around middle school age, forming the first incarnation of L2. The sisters began performing consistently when Melissa was only 15, starting with school band nights that slowly evolved into NYC club gigs.

L2 has, admittedly, gone through their fair share of different styles. Recently, the girls have tried to add something new to their pop-rock sound. “We’ve added dance beats,” said Jessica. “It sounds like Katie Perry meets Lady Gaga.” Melissa went on to list more influences; Kelly Clarkson, Pat Benetar, and Joan Jett all included.

Incidentally, with the new sound came newfound success. Recently, their shows have been so well attended that they decided to start hosting meet-and-greets. “The coolest was when we were recognized on the street in New York,” said Melissa, who credited their New York street team as a big part of the process.

The increasing popularity has been a result of hard work, but it doesn’t mean the sisters can start to take any time off. Melissa decided to postpone college in order to do more work for the band, and things have been stressful for Jessica at times, considering that she is also dealing with her last year of high school. “But it’s what I want to do,” said Jessica. “It’s worth the late nights.”

“It’s our life, and we’re used to doing it,” said Melissa.

“It is sad, though,” joked Jessica. Melissa chimed in to help finish the sentence, saying, “When there’s no time to bake cookies for Christmas.”

L2 made one thing clear. They were committed to their music. The most telling sign may have been the freezing cold back room the girls were enduring at the Bitter End. For them, playing in New York was well worth the price. “We love New York,” said Melissa. “It’s so alive.”

While the City is a satisfying place for the girls to broaden their horizons, their goals are much more ambitious. “We would love to tour,” said Melissa. She added that the final piece of the puzzle would be to land a record deal.

While Jessica admitted that she thinks about using her musical abilities to pursue other careers (both girls are still involved in musical theater, and Melissa just finished up her lead role in the off-Broadway performance of “Cleopatra” this summer), Melissa had a different take on the process. “I want to go at music full force,” she said. “Instead of a backup plan, that energy could be used towards the ultimate goal.”

Originally from small-town Jersey, and now a sophomore in Steinhardt, Brent Butler knows for certain that despite any odds, music will be a part of his career. “I guess when you’re a musician in a small farm-town, you have a lot of time to sit around and write songs,” he openly admits.

“I’m not in Recorded Music, I’m not in Composition, I’m not in any of those majors where kids make music for homework and are gearing themselves towards a specific career. For me, it’s always been a ‘free time’ thing. But I know that if I’m going to go anywhere with this, I have to believe in myself. Lil’ Wayne swears he’s the best rapper alive, whether he is or he isn’t, and it’s that confidence – almost arrogance – that allows him to keep putting music out like a fucking monster, like a machine,” he says reverently.

A pertinent question at this point would be: at a school like NYU, where musical talent is more prevalent than much else, what makes Brent Butler relevant? In a school where everyone claims to be a songwriter, and in a city that makes us all artists, why pay any attention?

Butler’s claims to fame include playing at the CAS Block Party 2010, busking at several Subway stations and Washington Square Park, being selected for the finals of Ultra Violet Live 2010, and most recently (and most significantly), recording a live album at The Bitter End, New York’s oldest rock club with “Winter North and Night,” a band that he plays bass for. The album is slated to drop a month from now, before which the band has a host of shows scheduled in both Manhattan and Brooklyn, including UVL on February 25th. Although playing bass is new to Butler, who usually markets himself as a solo act, he acknowledges that “the more aspects of music that I hone in on at different times in my life, the more I will have to feed into, and they’ll help my ability to write songs as a composer.”

Butler was a small-town boy, born and raised in South Jersey (no, not Detroit), where his mother brought him up with country music (he claims to be able to sing along to multiple Dixie Chicks’ albums), while his father barraged him with cutting edge rock n’ roll. “I think him blasting Greenday and Weezer when I was 5 was what made me want to play guitar. I don’t know how that fits into things with a country mom, but that combination probably defines me,” he laughs. Now a singer/songwriter of the pop-rock persuasion, Butler also admits to “an undeniable compulsion to rap from time to time.”

As for the future, Butler knows that one way or another, music will feature in his professional life. “I love, love, love, love, love performing,” he asserts. “But, as a slightly more realistic option than being a breakout music sensation, I want to be a songwriter. Not to set the bar low – if I can make a living out of performing, then that’s awesome – but if not, I could have a very, very fulfilling career doing what the Dream or Kanye are doing.”

Winter North & Night website: www.wnanband.com

Brent Butler’s Fanpage: Search “Brent Butler” on Facebook.

UVL info: http://www.skirballcenter.nyu.edu/calendar/uvl_2010

It’s no surprise that hearing names like Elvis, The Beatles, or David Bowie bring certain melodies to mind. But in a time when an image helps many musicians propel to stardom, memorable songs and choruses do not stand alone. The legacy of many music icons lies not only in their music, but in their persona. Before his white, sparkly suits Elvis had his thrusting pelvis. Before their shaggy beards, the Beatles had their mop hair-dos. And before marrying Iman, Bowie had androgyny down to a tee. Throughout these musicians’ careers, their image played a role almost as paramount as their sound.

With the exhibit, “Who Shot Rock ‘n’ Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 – Present,” which ran from October 30, 2009 to January 30, 2010, the Brooklyn Museum examined the inextricable link between rock and roll and photography. The collection of music videos, concert photos and portraits on display proposed that since its beginnings, the way rock music looks has been almost as important as the way it sounds. Through a collection of famous music iconography, like photos of Mick Jagger, Tina Turner and Michael Jackson, the exhibit showed how integral photographs have been throughout the formation and continuation of rock and roll culture.

Organized into six sections, including ones entitled “Starting Out” and “Fans and the Crowd,” the exhibit pointed out the importance of photographs and video in many musicians’ rise to fame. In fact, the first piece on view in the exhibit was a video of Elvis singing and shaking those infamous hips. Taken by William “Red” Robertson in 1955, the video footage showed how very much music may owe to the pictures and video that put famous musicians on the map.

But besides widely seen photographs and famous footage of rock icons, never-before seen photos were also on view; such as one of Amy Winehouse laying in bed on her wedding night. Photographs like these revealed another aspect of music and photography’s relationship: the intimacy shared by many performers and photographers. An intimate photo of Paul McCartney taken by Linda McCartney was on display next to an impromptu shot of Madonna on the streets of New York.

Although the exhibit ended in January, intimate photographs like these can still be seen in the book, Who Shot Rock ‘n’ Roll: A Photography History, 1955 – Present, written and compiled by Gail Buckland. The book was published in late October and was the origin of the exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. Buckland, historian and author, served as a guest curator of the museum’s display; which showed some of the 250 photographs that are included in her book. The book touches upon the same central concept as the exhibit: imagery and photography’s undeniable importance in creating the culture and legacy of rock and roll.

Chrissie Hynde, lead singer of the new wave band The Pretenders, once said in regards to rock n’ roll, “It’s not just the music – there’s music and there’s attitude and there’s the image.” The Brooklyn Museum’s “Who Shot Rock ‘n’ Roll” addressed this notion that in rock n’ roll, maybe it is not just about the music.

In the closet-sized performance room of the radio station, I got some one-on-one bonding time with the band, recording their 30 minutes on the air. Amidst the claustrophobia of four metal dudes (and their gear) in a small room, listeners were cast into the raw aggression and haunting ambiance of “Chapter Hell: Part II (Prisoner),” which, at the 1:45 mark, catapulted itself into complete rhythmic frenzy. With the wall of atonal guitar riffs, marked by the traces of minor melodies, the drum parts effectively established a rhythmic duet: delivering beats that were fast, without sounding triggered. The bass lines were prominent, bold yet well-complemented by the steady drum beats. All of these elements collided to form the sonic medium through which Forrest delivered his vocals: visceral growls that called to remembrance the horrors of biological warfare, zombies, and the human destructive impulse. Though a better part of their songs start with modest tempos, Shiro Ishii quickly shoves them into a furious pace that absolutely compels those listening to headbang. The band, currently on hiatus writing new material, keeps itself busy, saturating the New York metal scene with what’s fresh in grind and beyond, à la local hole-in-the-wall venues that permit. To hear their recorded in-studio performance, as well as brief post-set interview, visit the Hellhole archive at www.wnyu.org.

Just behind the door is a long, concrete hallway; the main passageway and backbone of the Sweatshop. No, this is not that kind of sweatshop. This Sweatshop is one of Williamsburg’s most coveted secrets, considering the growing music scene in the neighborhood. This Sweatshop is a music practice space. For nearly seven years, the Sweatshop has provided the musical communities of New York with a cheaper, more convenient practice alternative. And you cannot have music if you do not have space to practice, making the Sweatshop one of the vital organs in New York music.

“Run by musicians, for musicians,” said Rob Alfonso, one of the three owners and managers of the Sweatshop. “That’s our motto.” Alfonso and co-owner Z Jadwick initially played in a local band together, but the band broke up in 2001. Consequently, that was how the Sweatshop started.

The space was originally a monthly room rental and was primarily filled with bands looking for private practice space. Whenever a band moved out, Alfonso and Jadwick would try to help the landlord by taking the space and renting it out to friends’ bands. “It wasn’t originally a business model,” said Jadwick. “But it was a basement. What else were we going to do besides play music down here?”

“It kept growing on its own,” said Alfonso. Once they had access to all of the rooms, opening it as a business seemed like the next logical step. As for the name, the musicians shared the building with an industrial clothing factory until early in the business’ inception.

The band has long been broken up, but Alfonso and Jadwick have remained behind with the space. Although, not too far behind. Alfonso and his wife, Vanessa Dobre, also co-owner and manager, now live in Rockaway, and Jadwick currently lives in New Jersey. “He’s actually closer to here by driving,” said Alfonso, following with a deep laugh.

The business is no longer about providing a practice space for their friends. Since 2003, the owners have focused on providing their customers with a place they can appreciate. Looking at the Sweatshop’s busy evening and weekend schedules, literally a half dozen giant calendars on the office wall, it seems like they have accomplished their goal.

“The equipment is good quality, and that’s key,” said Mark Kirby, a drummer from just a few blocks away who has been using the Sweatshop since it opened. “They always change the drum heads, which a lot of places don’t do.”

The Sweatshop’s most intriguing quality for its customers might be the great range in price. The cheapest room costs only $15 an hour and fits a four-piece band comfortably, while still providing two guitar amps, a bass amp, a drum set, and a PA. Most of the rooms cost $20 an hour and are a little larger. The owners even let individual drummers practice at the discounted price of $12 an hour.

The main attraction, though, is the $35 showcase room. Atop a small, lit stage sits a Yamaha drum set, decorated by the Sweatshop logo on the bass drum, with three guitar amps and a four-foot tall bass amp. At the foot of the stage is a small lounge area with two broken-in couches. “We throw some parties in hear,” said Alfonso, casually reclined next to Jadwick on one of the couches. “This couch comes out and the bar comes in.”

“The showcase room is the coolest room,” said Melissa Labbadia, a singer for her band L2. “It’s big and it has the stage setup.” Melissa and her sister Jessica Labbadia, also a lead singer, practice at the Sweatshop with their band at least three times before every gig. “It’s kind of gritty, which gets you in the rock mood,” said Melissa.

“The walls are covered with bands’ advertising and you can hear the other bands practicing,” said Jessica. “It gets your ready to practice.”

“And the name is very appropriate,” added Rich Labbadia, the sisters’ father and manager. “There’s no air conditioning or anything.” Alfonso has even lent his guitar playing to L2 as a member of the band, who describe their sound as pop-rock with an edge. “It’s a very comfortable setting,” said Rich.

“The couches are really comfy,” added AJ Javier, another guitar player, sporting a baby blue fender strat, who has played with L2 in the past. “The half stacks for guitar are top of the line, but it does take some fiddling to get your settings.”

“This place has open and warm owners,” said Tom Gehlhaus, who has worked for the Sweatshop for two-and-a-half years. Gehlhaus, who is also a drummer, was born in Queens but grew up in Florida. Now he lives in Flatbush in the Bronx. “It’s really great because there’s practice time available,” said Gehlhaus, who met his current band while they were practicing in the Sweatshop.

“We support their careers as drummers,” said Alfonso. The other two regular employees also play drums and frequently take breaks to go on tour. “We want to give them freedom to be a musician.”

The impact of the Sweatshop is starting to be felt outside of the Williamsburg community. Popular bands that frequently practice there include I Am the Avalanche, The Queen V, Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and The Smashup. Jason Bittner, drummer of Shadows Fall, even filmed an instructional drum video in one of the Sweatshop’s practice rooms.

As the Sweatshop’s influence grows, the neighborhood remains unaware of the musical community brimming literally underneath their feet. “I live upstairs, and there’s no noise,” said the manager of San Marco Pizzeria, who would only give his name as Sal Pizza. The pizzeria sits just around the corner, and the employees appreciate the business the musicians bring. “They come in all the time. They even hosted a show this past summer for the neighborhood. It was great.”

A music practice space would seemingly by trouble with the neighbors, but the Sweatshop has received almost no noise complaints. “Most people in the neighborhood don’t even know we’re here,” said Jadwick.

As the Sweatshop gains notoriety, the owners look to start supporting the local music scene in other ways. Dobre listed numerous concerts and music programs that the Sweatshop sponsors, including Gotham Rocks and BEA Rock Camp, a Brooklyn camp for young musicians.

The owners all hope to adapt the Sweatshop to provide for the changing world of music. “We’re always trying to implement new ideas,” said Alfonso. “We want to add an audio-visual aspect. We want you to be able to shoot a video and get it edited right here.”

For now, they remain happy with providing their clients with a quality experience. “We rock the block,” said Dobre.

Now is an especially good time to check out the Sweatshop. They’re giving a ten percent discount to anyone with a valid NYU ID for the month of February. You can learn more about the place by checking out their website, thesweatshopnyc.com.