One of the great things about
working merch for bands is the people that you meet. I have had the privilege
of working with the best rock band on the planet-Marah- the past year or so. I
have been able to travel around the east coast with them. This has let me meet
many more people outside of Baltimore as well as see some great venues and hear
some amazing bands. Marah opened for Jesse Malin at the legendary The Stone Pony in
Asbury Park N.J. this summer. Not only did I get a chance to see this historic
venue that Bruce Springsteen came out of, but I finally got to see and hear
Jesse Malin. What a treat.
Jesse was born in Queens, N.Y. and fronted his first band Heart Attack at the age of 12. In 1991 he formed DGeneration which was a cross between glam rock and punk music. They put out
three albums before disbanding in 1999. Even though he was known as a punk
rocker, he wrote poetic lyrics and was looking for a new direction to take with
his music. He teamed up with Ryan Adams, who had been a huge fan of D
Generation, and produced Jesse’s first
album The Fine Art of Self Destruction
which was released in 2003. He has recorded six other albums since then. He has
toured internationally many times and is a big draw in England. He has a following
from artists as diverse as Bruce Springsteen, Steve Earle, and Green Day.
The uniqueness of Jesse's work is
his ability to combine his poetic lyrics with his pure rock and roll attitude. He has things
to say. His newest album released this year is New York Before the War. The album focuses on how gentrification
has changed the city. Corporations are building huge skyscrapers and to do this
are buying up cheaper land and putting people out of their homes. He talks
about how NYC has changed since his early days of punk rock and the change isn’t
always good. Enjoy “Addicted” from his new album:
“Now they are closing down the
bookstore and putting up a condo”. As you can see Jesse has something to say
not only about the city he loves, but many American cities. He is a part owner
in the Bowery Electric club in NYC. Jesse is trying to keep the spirit of independent
music alive with his club. I have been there with Marah. I can vouch for Jesse’s
live shows. A lot of energy from a very talented band. Jesse is a very down to
earth person. He is kind, courteous and thoughtful. I got to help him when he
came to Baltimore and he gave me an advance copy of his new album Outsiders due out in the Fall. Another
killer album from this talented musician!!!!
