At this years’ NYU Strawberry Festival you may be getting a little more than your fill of strawberry short cake, sweets, fun games and prizes. Come Friday April 30, you may find yourself getting a little jolt from the screams, convulsing-upbeat guitar work and hard drumming of New Brunswick, NJ band Screaming Females.

The Festival’s live music line-up, which will also include smaller bands like Little Lungs, Hop Along, Fiasco, and JEFF the Brotherhood, was booked by NYU Freshman Shannon Murray and Junior Lauren Monaco.

“When I was thinking of a lineup, I guess I just reverted back to bands I’ve grown up seeing, who despite their increased popularity, have really remained true to DIY [Do-It-Yourself] ethics,” said Murray.

Murray heard of the band about a year ago when they played a show in New Brunswick, close to her own hometown, Westfield.

“Both Screaming Females and Little Lungs have a decidedly more pop-y sound but combine it with elements of grunge, punk, and hardcore which just works really well,” said Murray of her picks.

So who is Screaming Females?

“Screaming Females is Marissa, Mike, and Jarrett. Without that lineup it is not Screaming Females,” says drummer/manager Jarrett Dougherty.

Other members include Bassist King Mike and guitarist/singer/screamer Marissa Paternoster.

Screaming Females have played several shows in NY since their birth, sharing the stage with numerous other scene bands. (They do play here quite often, so if you truly enjoy their show, you’ll be glad you live in NY.)

Dougherty points out Shellshag and Stupid Party, both Brooklyn, NY punk bands, as some of the most notable groups he’s played with.

But there is a difference in the two scenes, according to King Mike.

“NJ is much smaller so you end up playing with and seeing the same bands more often,” he said. He continued on in jest, “In NJ people bleed a lot at the shows because the bands tend to cut themselves while performing much like pro wrestlers.”

Screaming Females started about five years ago, says Dougherty, and have since released three LPs and an EP earlier this year.

“We also have a whole new album recorded but the finishing touches are giving us issues,” said Dougherty. “That will come out some day.”

The band is definitely a growing name, and not just in NY and NJ. They are known far beyond the borders of NJ for their extensive touring, Jarrett estimating their latest count at about 420 shows. Some of these performances have included shows with Dinosaur Jr., Arctic Monkeys, and even Jack White’s latest side-project Dead Weather. They are currently touring with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists.

So how did Screaming Females end up scheduling a show at NYU? And what can NYU expect from this popular New Brunswick band come the day of the Strawberry Festival?

“We had been talking with show organizers at NYU for a while about Screaming Females playing some event,” said Dougherty, “This one worked out well for everyone involved…I hope they have a good time.”

King Mike’s goal: “I hope to successfully stay dry and have a good time.”

Murray’s choice for contacting the band came from her appreciation and pride of the New Brunswick music scene.

“These are bands that are equally talented, and genuinely care about the music they are making,” said Murray. “I guess I just wanted to introduce students at NYU to new music they might not have been willing to expose themselves to otherwise.”

You have to have been studying abroad on a different planet if you haven’t seen (or at least heard about) the video from 2005’s UltraViolet Live that shows a nascent Lady Gaga (alias Stefani Germanotta) performing. At 2010’s version of the all-school talent show, you could almost hear the question, “Who’s next?” 20 competitors, each representing one of NYU’s residence halls, took to the stage to try and give us an answer. Whether singing Mozart arias or beat boxing, an impressive array of talented performers had their five minutes of fame on Skirball’s stage. Given the talent-show-nature, those who shone the brightest had, like Gaga, a complete act, a novel presence. But regardless of who won, the February 25th show was an entertaining snapshot of the NYU community.

The show was hosted by Derrick Comedy member and NYU alum DC Pierson, who enjoyed making fun of overenthusiastic audience members and overly flirtatious artists. The night started with indie band Winter, North, & Night giving a noisy, vocally passionate rendition of an original song. Kudos went to vocalist Chris Duggan for his expressive and enthusiastic singing. Crowd favorite Martha-Sadie Griffin (after declaring “I’m single, just putting this out there” ) got the crowd going with acoustic versions of rap hits like Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” that showed off her large range and great sense of comedic timing. Guitarist Eric Kim took up the single-and-mingle banner and wooed the audience with his poignant original “Wine.” After a tap dancing interlude by Greenwich Hotel’s Lauren Lashua, classical pianist Francis Guo wowed the audience with his version of Lizst’s virtuosic “La Campanella” and an awesome lace ascot. Carlyle’s Don’t Forget to Write took things down a notch with their mellow, barefoot “Coast to Coast” which included a brilliant use of harmonica and dance. Carissa Matsushima sold the audience on her flirtatious take of the Queen of the Night’s aria from Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Alex Goley and his band (as yet unnamed) played “Don’t Let Me Go Alone” showing off a beautiful voice and indelible mandolin playing. Christian Oreste and Noah Welch thrilled the audience with their acoustic, stripping version of Britney Spear’s “Intoxicated” that included a very well placed moment with a glitter filled bandana. Phoebe Ryan’s band was the most professional-sounding of the night, including a string section, bells, creative lyrics, and overall polished sound, particularly impressive from a freshman. Guitarist Andrew Onore sang an original song with gusto, managing to fill the stage by himself. After David Sangillo’s juggling, Daniel Eiseman gave another polished performance of his song “Tiger” which started off as a piano and vocal number and blossomed into a jam complete with trumpet and sax. Meghan Offtermatt and accompanist Daniel Lee offered a different take on Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” that showed off another lovely voice with theater sensibilities. Paolo Bitanga did a little bit of everything. A combination of break dancing, piano playing, singing, and beat-boxing kept the audience guessing. Lionel Yu played an original piano waltz that developed several catchy themes in complex variations. Andrew Flockhart, the ultimate winner, had a great act, escalating from creating simple beats to singing and beat boxing at the same time; just when things couldn’t get any crazier Flockhart pulled out a harmonica and played, sang, and beat boxed at the same time. The crowd went wild, and it came as no surprise that the judges chose him as the winner. To finish off the evening Brother Goose played a mellow composition about the beach with box percussion and strings.

Perhaps in a nod to Lady Gaga, the judges chose the performers of the evening as winners, awarding 2nd place to juggler David Sangillo and 3rd place to poi performer Shaun Sim. Regardless, there’s no doubt several of the performers of the night have more than enough talent to be seen far beyond Skirball’s stage.

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

This past October 24th, as part of the CMJ festival, the Temptress hosted about 500 fans (probably a few more than the boat is supposed to hold) for the festival’s only metal show. The show featured Virginia grindcore band Pig Destroyer, who played between New Orleans bands Goatwhore and headliners Eyehategod.

“We saw this show and we were like, ‘we have to play this show with Eyehategod on a boat,’” said Scott Hull, guitarist of the band. “I mean come on. It’s on a boat.” While few of the musicians and fans could find the right words to describe what was so special about a show on a boat, everyone seemed to agree that the setting made this far better than your average metal show. To add to the perfect surroundings, a few bolts of lightning decorated the skyline only hours before the show began.

From the dance floor, the Temptress seems roomy. The wooden floor, acting as the stage, is surrounded by a second floor balcony. Carpeted standing room with a very low ceiling circles underneath the balcony, and an outdoor deck was open as a smoking area away from the show. Add a couple hundred fans and all that personal space quickly disappears, especially for the band.

“I felt like I was playing in a war-zone,” said Hull. During Pig Destroyer’s set, fans pushed the band off the floor and backed them against their amps. The couple dozen eccentric fans in the front lines got a very intimate show. After only a couple of songs, though, no one else on the boat could see the band underneath the flailing limbs of the pit. The few lucky fans missed out on vocals, since the PA was situated a few feet behind them. JR Hayes, the band’s vocalist, was still vaguely audible over the amplifiers.

“It was crazy,” said Hayes, who rarely needed to make eye contact with fans despite commanding tremendous stage presence. “I’ve never played a show like this before.”

That would be saying a lot, considering how much popularity has come with the band’s newest studio release, Phantom Limb. Pig Destroyer, however, has established a reputation for not playing a ton of shows. The members have noted various reasons for the lack of gigs, an uncommon occurrence in the metal world, and the influx of fans has not prompted the band to change their ways.

“It’s not about playing a ton of shows, it’s just about playing the good shows,” said Hull. “And it’s about hanging out with the fans at the shows we do play.” The band certainly did just that, though it may have been because of the tight confines of the venue. Nevertheless, when the majority of the other musicians were nowhere to be seen, Hull and Hayes joined drummer Brian Harvey (Blake Harrison, samples, was feeling a little seasick) on the deck and in the audience talking with fans.

Playing on a boat was certainly a new experience for the band, but playing in New York was a little more familiar. “We love playing in New York,” said Hull. “We’ve always had good shows in New York.”

“Well, except for the first one,” Hayes corrected. “Our first show in New York was at the Knitting Factory, and there were only, like, 12 people there.” Hayes laughed as he told the story, while Hull struggled to recall the gig.

The band has come a long way from that first New York gig, though, and Pig Destroyer is now considered one of the leaders in a very strong subgenre. “We’re sort of a third generation grindcore band,” said Hayes.

Pig Destroyer has not been afraid to venture elsewhere in their career, even releasing a one-track doom metal EP called Natasha (sonically, a polar opposite of grindcore). “I wanted to create an auditory experience,” said Hull, the primary writer on the specific project. “I want you to put it in your DVD player with your 5.1 surround sound and sit in the middle of the room.”

The intricate musical and lyrical details are not limited to Natasha, and really come to the forefront on Phantom Limb. “With Phantom Limb, we got to jam out on these songs for two months,” said Hayes.

Jamming out on grindcore songs is an interesting notion, considering the typical length of a track is about a minute. There was an advantage to the song lengths for the fans on the Temptress, though, as the forty-minute set featured more songs than most would expect. The quick-hit style had many exhausted early in the set, but the audience and the band seemed to respond by using the sense of weariness to fuel more energy and movement. A dim red spotlight peered through the thicket of raised arms, causing shadows to jump wildly on Hayes.

Later on in the evening, Hayes found himself leading the cast of 500 again, this time in a very different way. As the Temptress pulled in, Hayes stood at the front of the deck with a cigarette, looking straight ahead at the Manhattan skyline, the Intrepid brightly lit up just to the left of the dock. Fans had been approaching him all night, but at this moment no one seemed to want stand within 10 feet, leaving the musician to sing along with Eyehategod’s set, faintly sounding from a set of speakers, in a light drizzle.

Pig Destroyer has found itself, despite increasing popularity, at a point of satisfaction. The members know a higher pinnacle can be reached, but enjoying the present seems more important and goals remain short term. “We just spent all summer building a studio,” said Hull. “There’s no new material yet, but we’re ready to get back to work.”

For Hayes, however, there is one long-term goal. “I just want to play with Slayer.”

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.

Think back to your first week at NYU. Remember those Welcome Week best friends who you haven’t spoken to since? Remember when you had to sneak peeks at your map everywhere you went, playing it cool with your hands shaking? Remember your first “I Love New York” moment, watching the sunrise from the Brooklyn Bridge or having a stranger smile back? Think harder. Remember the first time you walked through Washington Square Park at night, mildly intoxicated on novelty or more illegal substances, and had your mind blown by the man with the stunning voice, singing all of your favorite songs in a way that seemed tailored specifically to say ”Welcome home.”? That man is Michael David Gordon. And he’s still around.

Michael was born in the Village to a blue-collar family – “Nurses, nurses’ aids, that’s who we are. My father worked for the telephone company, he was the guy hanging up wires, and my uncle was a doorman on Park Avenue” – all of whom nonetheless encouraged the arts in both Michael and his late brother. He graduated from the Fame High School for music and arts and took a baseball scholarship to college in New Mexico, but he got sick of the $300 phone bills his long distance romance was running up, and came back to New York to make it as a performer. Decades later, Gordon lives like a sitcom, with his now-lesbian-ex-girlfriend and her now-gay-ex-boyfriend in a brownstone house in Brooklyn. He sustains himself on theater, street music, and recording jobs (for Bud Lightand McDonald’s, amongst others)… “There are many ways,” he muses, “to cobble your living together.”

Gordon has been tied to the park for most of his life: “I had my first kiss in Washington Square Park. I was eight.” Thus began a relationship that’s outlasted many others for Gordon, a relationship that took new form when, on a warm Sunday in June seven years ago, Michael walked past guitarist Scott and harmonized with him on an Elton John song. They got to talking, and the two have been performing together ever since. As Gordon says, “I love making music live. It’s important – that back and forth. The longer I go on, the more important the live aspect becomes.”

“It’s interesting,” Gordon adds, “because the more technology we discover, the more people decide to be in studios, in their rooms, on their iPods. I’m interested in just the opposite – what’s it like to make music live with people, for people, to watch the communication back and forth.”

Buskers are an integral part of the New York experience. “The dynamic of making music live and people coming to hear you live outside – it’s a very specific thing and it’s really quite magical,” Gordon told me. He then went on to recount some of the stories he’s collected over the last eight years in Washington Square Park. For example, Gordon says, “We’ve had people on their way to Broadway shows not go to the Broadway show and just sit and watch us for hours, knowing full well that they were missing the show, giving up hundred dollar tickets. A couple of years ago a guy brought his fiancé to the park and asked her to marry him while he was at the jam. He said, ‘I knew if I asked her at the jam, she’d say yes.’ And she did!”

But romance aside, there’s no denying that the life of a performer is one fraught with insecurities and hardships. “It’s very hard to be an artist in America,” Michael agrees, “You’re either a star, or you work in a restaurant.” The last time he had what he calls a “straight job” was when he was a sophomore in college, nearly two decades ago. He relays an anecdote about his friend who had a job on Wall Street but “got bored out of his company,” and now sings in subway stations. “I have no problems with a straight world, if you will, but it’s just not for me.”

At the same time, he admits to being continually surprised by the generosity of complete strangers. Aside from money, he’s received live iguanas, pebbles, sealed panties from Victoria’s Secret, food, coffee, and hugs. “It’s amazing how much people will give when you touch just one chord,” he laughs. “It makes people feel like they’re a part of something. Society needs buskers. Society needs Madonna too, and all the people in between.”

It’s something that Saadiq has been doing for his nearly 20 year music career, which has included playing for Prince at the age of 19, leading the group Tony! Toni! Toné!, producing hit records for artists such as D’Angelo, John Legend, Mary J. Blige and Lauryn Hill, as well as selling millions of records and collecting Grammy nominations of his own. His résumé is quite impressive, making him the ideal candidate to help conclude a series held by NYU’s Recorded Music Departments that looked at the influence of Motown records on the music industry. The series was entitled “Motown U.”

Saadiq himself is a glimpse into the past, but you wouldn’t be able to tell based on his demeanor or dress. He walked into the room wearing large trendy glasses and spoke like any musician would. There was no air of nostalgia about him. But throughout the night, as questions were asked, it was apparent that this man is a visionary. It’s no coincidence that he is constantly mistaken as a new artist- his songs are glimpses into the past, but they are refreshing in an era filled with cookie cutter songs and overused beats.

“I want to make music I’ve been listening to all my life,” Saadiq says of his vision and goal as an artist. His work sounds like something that Marvin Gaye or Stevie Wonder would rely on as an influence. His raspy voice and cool demeanor instantly draw comparisons to some of the most legendary of soul and R&B singers. His knowledge of music is vast, yet his approach is surprisingly simple.

“Being a good producer means being able to capture sounds you can make in your living room,” he says. “It’s sing-songy in a way that people can instantly capture it.”

The discussion involved a series of questions delving into his vast music career, from his days of playing various instruments in his church choir, to his days as a big-time record producer and solo artist. Throughout the event, Saadiq’s songs were played while the audience listened along. It was fascinating to watch Saadiq listen to songs from early in his career. His smile brought a sense of nostalgia that took us all back to a time when music had real soul.

But the man on stage is still a contemporary, and he’s still making music that is more relevant than ever. His new album is currently in the works, and if his past works are any indicator, it looks like his fans, and myself included, will be taken back to the free spirit of the Motown soul.

Fall in New York City means many things – some of them questionable – to many people. But to music aficionados, it rings one harmonically perfect, super-loud bell: the CMJ (College Music Journal) Music Marathon (October 21st – 25th). As every year, the festival will span 5 days, 5 nights, 75 venues around the city, and over 1000 artists. Beginning last year, a convenient alliance between MEISA (Music and Entertainment Industry Student Association), NYU and CMJ ensures one of those 1200 spots to an NYU band, determined by virtue of a Battle of the Bands, which this year took place on October 9th in Kimmel’s Eisner & Lubin auditorium. Seven bands, each as eccentric as the next, brought their decibels through three grueling rounds of auditions onto that stage, and (after an extended sound-check which left an initially disgruntled audience waiting outside closed doors for a while) they collectively put up a battle worth hearing.

The night began with DJ-duo Stitch N Eye-V playing persistent house music to a steadily filling auditorium. After a few technical delays, they faded, allowing first act Natti Vogel to inaugurate the night’s battle. Vogel, with his theatrical expressions, searing lyrics, undeniably catchy riffs, and upright bass and violin accompaniments, kept the crowd fascinated through his set, though he proved too esoteric for some. “His lyrics were original, but I wasn’t too keen on the sound,” said Danielle Blanchard (NYU grad student) about his nearly intrusive vocal style, strongly reminiscent of Rasputina and the Dresden Dolls.

The next band on stage, Analogue Transit, was a three-piece ensemble that stood out for sheer versatility, and eventually walked away as 2nd runners up. They began their set with a subdued and understated song, but somehow finished up with a hip-hop/electronica/hard rock feel that had everyone on their feet, or at the very least thinking about it. MEM, who followed Analogue Transit, was energy embodied. All five members thoroughly occupied their spaces; jumping, yelling, dancing, and engaging the audience in a multitude of (often tambourine-assisted) ways. Their music, although tight and commendable, was overshadowed by their overwhelming stage presence. Bad News Babe, up next, fell into a stage setup oddly reminiscent of the Jonas Brothers (as much as we hate to say it). Their undeniable neatness, good-boy-harmonies and straight-edged mannerisms were very in sync with their generically appealing musical style, which ultimately won them 1st runners up.

The Brothers Frank, the night’s victors, was a simple two-man act: one bass guitarist, one guitarist, and one drum-loop. Chris and Hayden Frank captivated and enthralled everyone present with their new-age lullabies, somehow combining tribal beats with borderline-psychedelic vocal harmonies and high-fretted pungent bass-lines. Each shift in their progressions was orchestrated carefully to lull the listeners along on what can only be described as a reverie. While they sailed over the competition on musical talent alone, every heterosexual girl and homosexual guy in the room would agree that their dimples did not hurt their cause. At all.

The penultimate act of the night, Amadeus, snapped everyone out of their Frank-induced haze, launching the audience headfirst without warning into a clamoring of belligerent metal vocals, uncompromising drum patterns, complex guitar riffs and relentless bass-lines, which combined to form undeniable momentum. Every metal fan in the room breathed relief and the rest cringed, as Amadeus provided a two-song set that can be best described as loud. “It was fucking awesome,” said CAS freshman Jonathan Fang, “but this may have been the wrong borough for metal. I’d follow them to Brooklyn!” They were followed on stage by Kevin Haden, the final act of the night, who provided nearly comical juxtaposition to their 4-man-raucousness, replacing it with a solo acoustic set complete with sentimental lyrics and cute jokes. A few people waved their lit cell-phones in the air, others “awww”d quietly, and the rest simply acknowledged Haden as an appropriately soothing final act for a night whose volatility and versatility would leave most of us reeling for a while.

Pinn has always in some way been involved with the music industry. A native of Pittsburgh, Pinn got his start by working at local radio stations, but decided to leave when the earnings and creativity weren’t quite up to par with his expectations.

Driven by a love for the city and an admiration for the people made famous on its streets, Pinn took to New York City in 1990. He scored a job at Tower Records in the Lincoln Center making less than rent required, but that didn’t damper his Rock ‘n’ Roll spirit. After lots of hard work and networking, Pinn became a sales representative for Caroline records.

While there is a battery of bands Pinn admires, the one that earned the title of favorite is The Rolling Stones.

“They were just all over the place,” Pinn said. “They loved the blues, but also had some punk and, more recently, country songs.”

Their way of life and timeless songs have always amazed him and earned his respect. Other heroes of Pinn include Arthur Guinness and Andy Warhol; anyone who has shown themselves to be truly creative and innovative, Pinn said.

An innovator himself, Pinn runs Rock and Roll walking tours of the East Village, were Punk Rock and Glam were born and perfected. The Rock Junket tours (http://www.rockjunket.com/) started in 2001 as a hobby, Pinn said, just to get out of the apartment on Saturdays. However, they soon attracted the attention of music television and publications worldwide including MTV, VH1, The New York Times and even various European publications. The success of his tours drove Pinn to turn the hobby into a full time operation.

“The music business wasn’t as good as it used to be,” Pinn said. “I was sick of seeing bands getting ripped off.”

Ultimately, Pinn decided he didn’t want to work for anyone and became his own boss; all the while educating those interested in the city’s musical past.

“New York City doesn’t recognize enough Pop culture,” Pinn said. “It really is a shame.”

Many places where musical history was made, like CBGB, have been closed and replaced, Pinn said. It’s places like CBGB that should’ve been granted landmark status, but instead have faded into New York nostalgia.

“One of the greatest moments in pop history happened when 73 million people watched The Beatles play the Ed Sullivan show,” said Pinn. “During their performance it was reported that not one crime was committed in the U.S. and the building [Ed Sullivan building] doesn’t even have a commemorative plaque.”

In an effort to commemorate New York City’s musical greatness and share his knowledge, Pinn wrote a book that is due to be released in November titled “Rock Junket: New York City”.

While it is clear that the music industry has its up’s and down’s, there is always a memorable moment to be had. For Pinn it was organizing The Ramones last in-store event for their box set, “We’re Outta Here!” Not only did he get to meet the band, but they also presented him with an autographed poster of their movie “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School.”

Pinn has always found a way to surround himself with what he loves most: music. And the secret to his success, he said, is what any person striving to make it in the music business needs: passion.

“If you really love it, you’ll find success,” Pinn said. “Money will come down the road, but you have to love it.”

Founded by NYU senior Ani Sanyal and Boston University’s Max Schneider, Green Street has been garnering attention for their breezy 90s-era throwback influence and thoughtful lyrics.

Ani and Max, known on stage as A-Live and Renaissance, have expanded their emcee/producer duo to include emcee and videographer, Elijah Adamson, known as Soupa. Dennis Orellana, or ‘D. Snaxx’ manages the whole operation, helping to book shows and network with as many fans and industry people as possible. The guys also collaborate with new artists via Green Street Records, an independent music label they started.

Soupa describes Green Street’s sound as “sophisticated urban.” Renaissance creates the beats, using old jazz and soul samples from vinyl records and drum machines. After, they hit the studio to collaborate with singer/guitarist Ken Ross who lends his take on the melodies and instrumentation. Ross is a member of their recording label and a friend from the Boston area.

Both emcees A-Live and Soupa write their own lyrics. Says A-Live, “I am always writing lyrics, on the train, in class and I like to hear beats for certain emotions and then write verses and hooks that fit the feeling.” Topics include relationships, the virtues of good old-school hip hop and the importance of being socially conscious in an ever-changing world.

Green Street’s music borrows from the funk of jazz to East-Coast hip-hop. Nas, A Tribe Called Quest and Talib Kweli are all cited as important artists for the group. “We bring that jazz, soul sound but also keep it relevant for today’s market,” says Snaxx.

Green Street is best experienced at their live shows. They’ve currently been on tour since June and play in various venues around Boston, New York and New Hampshire, where Snaxx is enrolled at Keene State.

On stage, the guys collaborate with Springfield, Massachusetts band Malado, consisting of Josh Dodds, Gary Smith, Keith Blake, and Jules Belmont, who help bring the soul elements of Green Street’s music to life.

NYU students can usually catch ‘Green Street’ right at Webster Hall, most recently on the bill with MC and recent NYU grad, Nyle. The band has also had the opportunity to open for major label rapper Lupe Fiasco.

In the future, Green Street hopes to continue growing its sound and its audience base. “We want to get more people to see what we see in our music and get them on board,” said Snaxx. The band is currently promoting their mix tape, “Chess Moves,” which you can download for free on their website.

Upcoming material will push the scope of ‘Green Street’s’ sound. “The new joints got real diverse vibes and I think they gonna surprise people-in a good way,” says Renaissance.

The band also plans to collaborate on a clothing line with a company called Trueface.

Green Street has the drive and focus to continue sharing and expanding their music. “The best music comes from people who constantly challenge their sound, try to escape (the) box,” says Renaissance. Green Street hopes that an ever-evolving sound will be met with success. But if not, the band will continue on anyway. Says Soupa, “Essentially I’m doing what I love to do, so ya’ll can take it and make it what you want. We’ll adjust accordingly.”