by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
Seccond Wave (spelled with two “c”s) is an original rock trio that is rough around the edges, but decidedly different. It’s a grass roots project, from its CD in a plain white envelope with the title scrolled out in magic marker, to its original approach to rock’n’roll. In other words, SW marches to the sound of a different drummer. Even the band’s covers are played with their particular rock sound, that separates this group from the pack. In this respect, SW is a refreshing change from the usual slick presentation by innumerable other cover bands.
I caught the lads of SW at Latitudes (formerly Kevin’s Grille) at the Beaches. The trio consists of Brad Rowe on guitar and vocals, Terry Smith on drums and vocals, and Terry Lee on bass. Obviously, the project is just getting off the ground in the professional arena. The group’s originals are different. More importantly, its difficult to pinpoint the group’s influences, which is a good thing. Brad said they are using the two “c”s to distinguish themselves from another group with the same name on MySpace from Britain.
Brad’s guitar playing is basic, but he is not afraid to experiment, trying new improvisations that, for the most part, work out. Although it could be argued that his playing lacks advanced sophistication, it’s coming from a new direction, not already imitated by legions of other players. This chancy style of playing gives the group a its trademark raunchy sound that when it’s grooving, it’s remarkably original.
Every day on YouTube, I see guitar prodigies playing note-for-note versions of Jimi Hendrix’s classic songs or other guitar gods’ material. Sure they’re gifted players and they have great ears to immediately play these guitar icons’ solos, but it’s not original playing. That comes from experimentation and innovation that Brad Rowe embraces. If he keeps at it, he will carve out an original playing style that flows a bit smoother.
Remember, the reason Hendrix was so revolutionary, he never imitated anyone. He developed his own style from his own imagination and musical genius. He said that he was trying to make his guitar sound like a completely different instrument altogether. Clearly, in his short life (he died in 1970 at 26 years old) he achieved that goal. Now, any guitarist with the right amp and foot pedal can sound like Hendrix.
The stalwart members of Seccond Wave were revved up for their second set. They would play a verison of a cover song, then segue into an original or another song, improvising so that it created a new fresh sound–oddly appealing in its raw saw tooth wave pattern. Terry Lee improvised bass playing fills in the spaces left by Brad’s minimal rhythm and solo playing. Again, it was off the wall, but created an original groove.
What SW lacks in sophistication it more than makes up for it with its avant garde sound that gives the band a brand, apart from the hundreds of other part original and part cover bands. This band harkens back to the early days of rock when everyone was experimenting, looking for a new sound. Then the Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, and Quicksilver Messenger Service emerged from the San Francisco scene.
Today, rock needs players like the members of SW, who are forging a new direction for rock–way left of center. They’re evolving from a rough-cut beginning into something brand new. Presently, SW may sound elemental–even primitive, but as it develops, it is venturing into uncharted territory, reinventing rock, making it their own. It will be interesting to see how it all works out.
|
