After a late night filled with shots of 151, Bo (bass) was speeding home and lost consciousness to awake with a face full of airbag and his car wrapped around a telephone pole. He called Shaun (vocals) to tell him that he’d found the perfect name for the band they would form: a rock n' roll trainwreck called Crash Midnight. Rounding out the line-up is lead guitarist out of Ohio, Alex, rhythm guitarist from Philly, Matt, and Boston drummer, Tony. In the span of just a year, Crash Midnight has toured the Northeast and Mid-West, building a fan base of over 50,000 plus. This caught the attention of Producer/Engineer, Paul Santo (Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton) which led to the band signing a production deal with him in the spring of 2006. The band's second EP, the Paul Santo produced "Suicide Tattoo" is slated for an August 2006 release.
In-Tune Magazine Review
Crash Midnight
Booze, Balls, and Car Wrecks
Indie/Unsigned
Boston
New England rock fans, take note: Crash Midnight is coming your way! With a name born out of a late night car crash, this punk-influenced five-piece band brings a ballsyness you won’t find on the radio. They list their influences as the NY Dolls, Sex Pistols, Led Zeppelin, and Guns ‘N’ Roses, and they blend this eclectic list of inspiration into something any fan of hard rock can get behind.
At the front of the stage is lead vocalist Shaun, with brother Bo on bass, both hailing from Boston. Fellow Boston native Tony Barnes, the newest addition to Crash Midnight, pounds away on drums. Punk-rocker Alex Donaldson from Columbus, OH is the band’s talented lead guitarist, and backing Alex up on rhythm guitar is Matt Jimino of Philly. They’ve been playing since the summer of 04, using sit in drummers until Tony joined the group this winter.
Though there’s something to be said about each member in turn, but the real hero of this band is lead guitarist Alex. A “veteran of the Columbus, OH, punk scene”, Alex combines experience with ability. Lightning-fast fingers do some really incredible stuff, and he makes every solo count. Shaun is a great frontman, and Matt, Bo, and Tony are all very skilled musicians.
Crash Midnight loves excitement, and the group’s impulsiveness and passion translate to both their music and their business. Says Tony: “Everything about this band seems to be a spur of the moment kinda thing.” With a wide range of songs to choose from, the content of their as-yet-unnamed upcoming album is still a mystery, but whatever they call it and whatever goes on it, you won’t want to miss it! Additionally, they are on the lookout for the right record label. According to Alex, “We’re trying to find a label that is a good fit for us both direction-wise and that will give us the creative control we want.”
The first song on their press kit, “Yesterday”, gives good insight into Shaun’s range of voice. Dark and menacing during the verses, he goes up quite high for the chorus. Though no Sebastian Bach, yet, this young man has a set of lungs and knows how to belt out the songs! Bo, Gabe, and Tony provide solid backbone while Alex does some intricate work way up on the fingerboard.
The next (and my favorite) song up on their press kit was “151”, the band’s ode to alcohol. Besides two blistering solos by Alex, the song’s strength lies in the catchiness of the chorus. If you’ve heard what I’ve heard, the words “Get back Jack, I'm tippin back /Gonna ride this road til it all goes black” will be running through your head all day, just like it did in mine. The subject matter is something I and my fellow binge drinkers can relate to, especially the “all goes black” part. Shaun sounds more than a little like Axl Rose on this track, not a bad thing as long as he doesn’t try to emulate Rose’s antics!
The final song in the press kit (which is the same as their demo) is called “Take It”. As much as the band likes to party (and they do; ask Shaun about a rager with apartment-hall Slip n Slide and the Law), “Take It” really shows the depth of Crash Midnight’s songwriting ability and carries a veiled message . Don’t let the sexually suggestive lyrics of this song fool you; it’s about the battle with heroin undergone by a friend of the band. Another solid song.
Crash Midnight is going to be busy this summer. With five tour dates all over New England throughout June and July, you’ve got a good chance of catching them locally. Even if you can’t, this is one band that will definitely be worth a road trip. They start on 6/10 at The Bombshelter in Manchester, NH, then they hit Lucky Dog in Worcester and TT the Bears in Cambridge (both in MA) on 6/22 and 6/29, respectively. July brings them to the Living Room in Providence, RI on 7/7, and you’ll find them back in Mass on the 16th at Club DeNiro in Tauton.
Bio
After a late night filled with shots of 151, Bo (bass) was speeding home. He lost consciousness and awoke to a face full of airbag and his car wrapped around a telephone pole. He called Shaun (lead vocals), not to pull him out of the heap, but to tell him that hed found the perfect name for the band they would form: a rock n' roll trainwreck called Crash Midnight. They quickly recruited lead guitarist, and veteran of the Columbus, Ohio punk rock scene, Alex Donaldson and guitarist, out of Philly, rocker Matt Jimino. These two would form the raw blues heart and soul of Crash Midnight, exploding with unbridled rock riffs. They strove to infuse the modern-rock music scene with the genuine punk attitude and credibility it sorely lacks. Boston native Tony Barnes was brought on board to lay down the drum grooves and provide the rock-hard ledge for Shaun's vocals to leap off. Crash Midnight is pure rock n' roll, out of control and proud of it.
In the span of just a year, Crash Midnight has toured the Northeast and Mid-West, building a fan base of over 50,000 plus. This caught the attention of Producer/Engineer, Paul Santo (Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton) which led to the band signing a production deal with him in the spring of 2006. The band's second EP, the Paul Santo produced "Suicide Tattoo" is slated for an August 2006 release . . . many other exciting announcements to follow! stay tuned . . . .