The Power of East Coast Surf

Genre: Garage and Surf

Geographical Area: New York City

Interview by email with Tornado Tom on 8/27/04


1.  What is the current line-up of your band?

Masher Mike on drums, Tornado Tom on Guitars and Tallahassee Tim on Bass. All the 'cruders sing though Tornado handles the majority of lead vocal duties.


2. How and when did you get started with your band?

The Recruders formed out of happenstance and destiny - call it kismet, 
if you will - as byproduct of the many things gone wrong in the music industry. The "crude boy three" want to reinstitute the notion of feral fun and nefarious nastiness that had been tragically suppressed by the executive 'suits' whose master plan is to sanitize and pasteurize popular music and culture, transforming it into their own version of 'It's a Wonderful Life" and "Father Knows Best." Oh yeah, in 1999, to answer the question.


3. What bands or music have influenced you most?

Basically, bands that took chances. If it has a formula - forget it. All three of us have a strong background in the punk scene of the late 70's.


4. What is the break down of cover vs. original material in your live shows and/or recordings?

Live shows tend to be about 60/40 in favor of original material but there's no hard and fast rule. The new CD, Recruder Stew contains 13 original tracks and 3 re-makes.


5. What recording have you done?

* Recruder Stew / mo35x Records (NJ) - October 2004
* Recruders Live at CBGBs / Indie - 2003 
* Tijuana Nut Crunch - CD Single / Indie - 2003
* Gotham Garage - CD Comp/East Coast Bands Enoch Records (NYC)
* Best You Ever Fragranced / mo35x Records (NJ) 2002
* Recruders Live...NYC Benefit for WTC Victims / mo35x Records (NJ) - 2001
Many other recordings done in the various groups the members were in previous to The Recruders.


6. What is your band's favorite food/beverage?

Food: Pretzel Rods, we eat 'em by the bucket in the studio.
Beverage: Beer (duh)


7. How do you get gigs?

Besides the ones that are offered to us, we book everything ourselves. The internet is great resource.


8. What are the difficulties you find playing your kind of music in your area?

Since the music is generally obscure to the average person, it's difficult to relate exactly the kind of music we play. And, since we play a split between surf and garage-trash, it makes it doubly hard to define at times. This, along with trying to find venues that are interested or willing to take a chance on original music that isn't necessarily commercial or that they fully understand. But, there is a bit of a turn in the tide. NESMA is certainly part of that.


9. What positive attributes does your band have that sets you apart from other bands (of any genre)?

We have our mascot wommannequin 'Gladys' and her attributes.


10. What have you found to be the single most effective promotional tool you've used to further your band's musical path?

The internet/website


11. What's the most interesting performance experience you've had?

As far as the Recruders go, one outdoor Yacht Club party we did for a mix of sailors, kids and older people that, although unfamiliar with a good portion of our material, dug the vibe of surf and danced the night away. Also, I remember that the 2003 'Jalopy Jump and Jive' show we did in Asbury Park had a great crowd who really responded to both the garage and surf in a big way.


12. What do you hope to get out of being a NESMA member?

To unite with like-minded musicians to enjoy the full benefits of camaraderie and the promotion and fostering of a solid scene.



Some reviews of The Recruders:

"What's the difference between California and yogurt? Yogurt actually has a culture! With that said, here comes The Recruders, an east coast, [New York] based surf-a-delic trash garage band that keeps the reverb knob turned to 11. When these boys aren't avoiding the hypodermic needles while long boarding in the sludge of L.I. sound or chasing hair-sprayed, gum chewing, gals at the local mall they are tearing up a Fireballs/Jan and Dean 60's surf rock and roll that makes you say "Yeah!" and "Alright!" No gnarly west coast cow-a-bunga trite from these from these cats. The Recruders have a bite that a culture of perfect weather UV ray induced zombies would never understand or appreciate.

Admittedly, California gave us the Mummies, one of the greatest and most
psychotic 'surf' revival bands of the early 90's, but really, what has California done for us lately? 

What's great about The Recruders is their ability to play garage as well as 
surf. I know what your thinking, "Choose one sound, one genre, and get great at that." Certainly, many bands have floundered worse than a beached Hamptons tuna trying to work the great beach triad (surf, garage and frat rock) but The Recruders prove up to the task, and do it almost as well as Midwest surf, garage, frat rock monsters, The Untamed Youth. The Recruders take you to the Sung Harbor beach of raw vocals, savage drumming, bombastic Fender guitaring, and nefarious bassing. Kids, be careful, this is real rock and roll. If you want some tunes that will have the paint peeling off your beach bound 75 Volkswagen Buggy, send these beach bums some hot board wax in exchange for their rehearsal tape of clamor, lunacy and grime. The Recruders will put you in the pike of twenty foot wave rock and roll."

Scott
www.lookey-dookey.com 

***

"Then there's the Recruders (their spelling) who sound just like the Troggs, 
which I believe is the whole fuckin' idea. I think you get the drill here. If you dig your rock retro-fried and liquored up, "Gotham Garage" is a great place to go looking for it."

http://www.sleazegrinder.com/review_gothamgarage.htm

***

" 'Don't Wanchoo No More' from The Recruders took me by surprise. At first, I heard a gruff lead vocal and a Sonics-like chord vamp, and that alone would have made for a cool Garage track. But I didn't expect the splendid backing vocals and harmonies that entered shortly after, nor did I expect the adventurous twist and turns the chords took. Nicely done."
 
Michael Lynch
http://www.fufkin.com/columns/lynch/lynch_08_03.htm

***

"New raw vocals, 60s inspired guitar garage!"

Bill Kelly
http://www.garagerockradio.com

***

" 'Don't Wantchoo No Mo' by The Recruders, as you might guess from the title, is an energetic take on that early-Stones version of the blues - except the Stones never stepped on the gas to quite this extent. Nor, unless I'm mistaken, did poor old Bill Wyman ever venture in the direction of a bass solo."

UncleNemesis