New UUU, but same party
Beat goes on with new members

Reprinted with permission of author.

I can remember the very first time I saw UUU. It was in the summer of 1995, and it was at Market Street Square. It was also at the height of the whole grunge movement, when bands - although often talented players - seemed to know as much about entertaining an audience as I know about trigonometry.

Just as I was leaving the club that night, owner Thom Greco was walking in.

"Have you seen this band?" I recall asking Thom. "You've got to see what's going on in there. This is pretty wild."

Simply put, people were having fun. And so, apparently, was the band. There were flashy clothes, upbeat songs and wild, energetic and charismatic performers on the stage that had the whole crowd grooving all night long.

And with all of the shoe-gazing of mid-90s, this was reason to lift your head - a true sight for lethargic eyes and ears.

Originally billed as the "Disco Boys," UUU soon took Northeast Pennsylvania by storm. Clubs were jam-packed everywhere, and in 1996, 1997 and 1998, the group topped The Times Leader's annual "Sound Choice" readers' poll and was voted the area's favorite band.

Now, after five years of relatively smooth sailing, UUU is undergoing its first major change. Original vocalist Eric Klein has left the group as well as keyboardist/guitarist Curt Turner. Singer Jason Hoffman and keyboardist Don Searfoss are in, and although the band members admit it's been a difficult few months since the announcement was made, they also say they're very excited about the future.

"It's strange to have your best friend join your band," says bassist Peter Connors with a smile. "Every band I've ever been in, we've all been friends, but it's always been very business-like. Jason and I have been playing golf together for the past two years, and we used to joke about him singing for the band all the time."

Hoffman - an area music veteran who been a singer with bands such as Side 3, The Pogs and Box-A-Krayons - says he's looking forward to the new gig with UUU.

"I'm thrilled," he says. "I've said all along that I was always happy in the bands I was in. Unfortunately, they were always strictly weekend bands. I wanted to play all of the time, but the rest of the guys - even myself at one point - we all had full-time jobs and it wasn't something we could do. This opportunity came up, and I didn't really think twice. I just jumped at it."

Former UUU members Klein and Turner have formed a new band, Liquid A, which will make its area debut next week. And the remaining UUU members wish nothing but the best for the original/cover project.

"I think we're all glad that Eric is moving on to something that he is truly 100-percent behind," says drummer Joe Saltalamacchia. "If it makes him happy, we're happy for him. When you're a band, you not only play music, you have to be business partners and you have to be on the road for many hours a week. Everybody needs to be 100-percent into it and 100-percent happy. He's very happy doing this project, and we're all happy for him. It's a great idea."

Although it was originally deemed as a fitting moniker, UUU began steering away from the "Disco Boys" label a few years ago. Today, the band's set list is a virtual blender of disco favorites, '80s hits, Top-40 and modern-rock. That, they say, will not change.

"We're definitely going to keep in that vein," says Saltalamacchia. "We are a product of what the crowds are in the clubs. When we were the 'Disco Boys,' five years ago, the '70s music was hot and the 21-25 year old kids were really into it. But we adapt with the crowds and the age groups. We're still going do be doing some of the classic disco, but we're also going to do a lot of the songs that the 21 year-olds now want to hear. Today's listener is very versatile."

"You can play 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' now, and they'll say 'When I was a kid, that song was huge."' says Connors with a laugh. "Sometimes, we'll go from Metallica to Madonna, back to back. It's a great variety." Guitarist Doug Mackie says tunes by K.C. & The Sunshine Band, Limp Bizkit, The Dave Matthews Band, Rusted Root, Rick Springfield and Dexy's Midnight Runners will remain in the set-list. Still, it's Mackie that then asks the question:

Does it really matter?

"Is it really about the music?," he asks. "People come to see UUU because of music, but they also come to see UUU because of what might happen.

You never know what's going to happen. Somebody's going to get covered in silly-string, or not. Somebody might jump off the stage, or not. If you come to our show, it might happen there. That's what's it's always been about.

"It's a party."

In closing the Klein-era of the band, the group says it's offering a free CD to its fans via the Internet. By visiting the band's Web site at www.uuu.org, online surfers can download a group of live numbers recorded earlier this year in the MP3 format.

"The fans have been so good to us," says Saltalamacchia. "We just said to ourselves, 'Why are we charging $10-$12 for a CD of covers?' Let's just give it to our fans as a 'thank you."'

"We're starting a new chapter," adds Connors, "It's a totally new UUU now. Same vibe, same music, same fun - new guys."

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