As one listens to the smooth guitar licks, the groove-laden bass riffs and the drummer's dream fills, one may be shocked when they hear that the players are only guys in their mid-teens. One will also be impressed with the musical knowledge and technique of
SERIAL JOE as was Producer Dave "Rave" Ogilvie (Marilyn Manson / Nine Inch Nails / 54-40). Dave had to continually look up from the board, reassuring himself that those were teenagers and not veteran musicians playing. The folks at Aquarius Records instantly recognized the talent of this young band and signed them. What came out of Metalworks studio in Toronto during March break '99 and out of Bryan Adam's Warehouse studio in Vancouver is FACE DOWN, a full-blown, in yer face album of great rock songs by serious contenders.
From the first single release, the rich fullness of
MISTAKE followed by the driving melodic leads in DOWN to the angst of OUTRAGE, it is clear that Ryan, Dan, Jon and Stever have the right formula. The raging rock energy on this record is tempered with a sen se of youthful innocence. There is a buried simmering chaos in the music. Their lyrics are a quagmire of emotions, bursting forth and boiling over. In SHOULD'VE BEEN MINE, the music forces the listener to wake-up and smell the amps burn. One gets easily wrapped up in the driving guitar riffs of SHALLOW and hypnotized by Ryan's anthem-like rap in DEEP. The last two tracks, CONFUSED and DENIA L aptly characterize this record. The proverbial words in describing FACE DOWN are purposeful, rich and heavy.SERIAL JOE
's first six song independent EP release KICKED proved that energy and a dedi-cation to craft comes with youth. As other kids play Nintendo twenty-four-seven, SERIAL JOE is rehearsing, performing and writing; although they still have a little time for a game or two...
Ryan Dennis
, Lead singer / guitarist, is fifteen years old. A natural showman, Ryan captures and controls his audience instantly. The girls already have his photo gaffer-taped to their walls.
Dan
Stadnicki is truly a drummer's dream player and only age fourteen. There is much to be said for being naturally gifted at your craft. His beats and fills reveal an astounding percussion ability, easily recognizable and felt throughout FACE DOWN.
Jon Davidson
is already a natural at fourteen. His quiet presence and manner is quite in contrast to his driving grooves on bass. Drawing on assorted musical influences and incorporating them into his own unique style and technique, Jon lays down heavy grooves like cement.
Ryan "Stever"
is an amazing guitar player for the ripe ol' age of fifteen. The speed and dexterity of Stever's guitar playing is dropping a few jaws.
Skidrow
, the band's VideoFACT-funded first video, won the Best Independent Video category at the Much Music Video Awards in '98. Offers for the guys to play live are constant. They are opening for Bif Naked at the Guvernment on Saturday May 1 in Toronto and will also be performing at the Vancouver International Children's Festival in June. They will be launching FACE DOWN in Toronto on Tuesday June 15 (street date) at Ted's Wrecking Yard and will thenbe on the national
Edgefest Tour starting in July. Serial Joe is also the winner of 1999's YTV Youth Achievement Awards in the band category. The first single MISTAKE will be released in May '99. The summer will prove to be very exciting for the guys and Canada can rest assured SERIAL JOE have only just begun.