Tongue N' Groove
Nobleton combo releases their first CD
By Bill Rea

Tongue N' Groove

It's been said that every little bit helps.

Sometimes winning a few hours of studio time here and there can result in something great, like a new CD.

That's been the case with the recently released disk by Tongue N' Groove, a Nobleton-based group that's been performing in a number of local spots. Their appearances have included the 2006 Kingstock Battle of the Bands, which was hosted by Youth Leadership Association of the King Township Chamber of Commerce, appearing under the name Fatchface.

Singer and guitarist Frank Maccarone said the new name was decided by fans, who had five options to vote for on their home page on MySpace.

"It was landslide for Tongue N' Groove," remarked guitarist Jeff Skrypek.

The CD was released Sept. 20, and the group had an official release party in Woodbridge.

Skrypek described their music as "straightforward rock."

"With a classic influence," added drummer Dave Celebre.

"If you're a fan of Led Zeppelin or the Rolling Stones, you'll like us," Maccarone said.

The CD contains five songs, four of which were recorded in the studio, while the other was a live track. The songs were cut in early May.

Maccarone and Skrypek composed the numbers originally, "then we work them out as a band later," Skrypek said.

"Marco (Pascucci) and Dave add their own touches," Maccarone observed.

The group members have known each other for years, since their high school days, and even played street hockey together. "We're all home-grown King Township," Maccarone declared.

But it wasn't until later that they came together as a band, after numerous jamming combinations. "And then it all happened and we just said, 'Why don't we join together?'" Celebre recalled.

As with any group, the musical influences on these four guys is varied. Maccarone said he listens to a lot of blues, while Led Zeppelin is his favourite band of all time. He's been trying to bring those styles together. But there are some influences that go back a lot farther. "For sound structure, you can't beat the Beatles," he said. Skrypek said he likes the work of Stevie Ray Vaughan, adding his guitar work has been inspired by the likes of Guns N' Roses and AC/DC. Bass player Pascucci said he likes Zeppelin and The White Stripes, among others. "I love the Red Hot Chili Peppers," he declared. Celebre said he admires the likes of Pink Floyd, Rush and Pearl Jam.

Tongue N' Groove has taken part in a number of "battle of the bands" competitions in the Toronto area, winning four of them. The prizes totaled 24 hours of time in Machinehead Studios in North York, as well as the services for replicating 500 disks from Soundscape Productions.

Pascucci observed that while they had studio time, they had to wait a while before it actually became available. But Celebre added that had the advantage of allowing them more time to bring the songs along.

The 24 hours of studio time was spread over two days. "It cost us nothing to make this CD," Maccarone declared.

Pascucci added all the money they make from the CD will go toward promoting it, and getting more studio time. They want to make this enterprise as financially selfsufficient as possible.

A certain amount of obligation has to go to the books, as all four members of the group are currently in university. Maccarone, 21, is studying English at York, Skrypek, 21, is studying history and archaeology at the University of Toronto, Celebre, 20, is taking kinesiology at York and Pascucci, 19, is taking civil engineering at U of T.

How far can this group go?

"It depends on the breaks we get," Pascucci said. "We're putting as much effort as we can into the band right now."

That means a lot of time rehearsing, although Skrypek admitted they probably don't do as much as they should. Maccarone said it works out to at least once a week for sure, and more frequently if gigs are coming up. And there are generally a couple of those per month.

Pascucci observed that doing a CD is always in the back of one's mind as a group is being formed. He said the idea really took shape at Kingstock last year. After their performance, a girl approached the band, asking for one of their CDs.

"That kind of floored us," Maccarone said. "I didn't want to have to say 'no' any more."

They don't, and the reaction has so far been gratifying. "It's getting passed around," Celebre observed, adding they're receiving feedback from friends of friends of friends.

The significance of their first CD is having varying impacts on the young musicians,

"Huge stepping stone," was the way Pascucci described it.

"It's the first step on a path to success," Maccarone observed, adding it's a great reward for all the work that went into winning those contests for the studio time.

Skrypek was a little more basic - "I just want people to hear our songs."