Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution
Encyclopedia
Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution, or BOTAR, is a musical collective including influences from ska
, punk
, classical
, and eastern European music, entirely in an acoustic format. It is composed of former Catch 22
members Tomas Kalnoky
and Jamie Egan, in addition to Nick Afflitto, Marcy Ciuffreda, Rachel Goldstein, Layton Hayes, John Paul Jones, Achilles Kalnoky, Paul Lowndes, Chris Paszik, Mark Rendeiro, Dan Ross, Pete Sibilia, Shane Thomson, and Natalia Ushak.
entitled A Call to Arms, in late 2001. Among its five songs was a new arrangement of the Catch 22 song “Dear Sergio”, originally written by Tomas Kalnoky, which included a new verse and a minor renaming to “Hey Sergio:”. They quickly sold out of their self-produced album, deciding to then offer it on their homepage for free. The EP has since been re-released in CD-DA format.
Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution can be considered only a smaller side project, as it has taken a back seat to Tomas Kalnoky’s main focus, Streetlight Manifesto
. A few of BOTAR’s members belong to Streetlight Manifesto. As of late 2003, BOTAR has been placed on hiatus while Streetlight Manifesto tours, but there are plans for future recordings. Both bands are members of The RISC Group.
They have two LPs that have been in the works since 2001: 99 Songs of Revolution
and an as yet untitled album. 99 Songs is to be a wide-ranging 8-record collection of covers, with only two of the records done by BOTAR (two others will be produced by Streetlight Manifesto
and four will be performed by two Streetlight Manifesto-related projects, with two for each group). The untitled album is planned to be original material.
Tomas said, in an October 8, 2006 interview, that 30 songs are written and expected to be released by BOTAR. That interview with TopWelt! can be found here
On March 1, the revamped website went online with a link to the original EP on iTunes and a site called Pentimento Music Company. This new site is set up in the same style as the RISC Group’s current site, in that it is a logo over a minimalistic background.
According to an update on March 16, the next album would hopefully be released around the time of or after Streetlight Manifesto’s next release, which was released on November 13, 2007. However, the update also states, “But we're dealing with you-know-who here so expect it sometime before the end of our current decade.” The update also contained a recruitment statement for musicians of certain instruments who live in the Los Angeles area. To form a West Coast Division, the band wants skilled musicians for recording and hopefully touring. Also in the update was information about Pentimento Music Company, stating that it is a small label that will be releasing the group’s future albums and that its website is soon to be running. The update also stated that both BOTAR and Streetlight Manifesto have recruited people to start helping with updates to the websites.
An April 3, 2009 update to their website states
On the November 17th 2009 update to the Streetlight Manifesto website, the band writes "we will be heading into the studio soon (as is a particular electricity deficient collective..)," implying that Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution will begin recording their first full-length album (part of the 99 Songs of Revolution project) in the near future.
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
, punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, and eastern European music, entirely in an acoustic format. It is composed of former Catch 22
Catch 22 (band)
Catch 22 is an American ska punk band from East Brunswick Township, New Jersey.The band was formed by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Tomas Kalnoky and drummer Chris Greer who recruited trumpeter Kevin Gunther, who was working in a local record store...
members Tomas Kalnoky
Tomas Kalnoky
Tomas Kalnoky is a Czech-born American musician. He is the lead singer/guitarist and songwriter of the bands Streetlight Manifesto and Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution, and goes by the pseudonym Toh Kay as a solo performer...
and Jamie Egan, in addition to Nick Afflitto, Marcy Ciuffreda, Rachel Goldstein, Layton Hayes, John Paul Jones, Achilles Kalnoky, Paul Lowndes, Chris Paszik, Mark Rendeiro, Dan Ross, Pete Sibilia, Shane Thomson, and Natalia Ushak.
Career
They self-released their first recording, an EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
entitled A Call to Arms, in late 2001. Among its five songs was a new arrangement of the Catch 22 song “Dear Sergio”, originally written by Tomas Kalnoky, which included a new verse and a minor renaming to “Hey Sergio:”. They quickly sold out of their self-produced album, deciding to then offer it on their homepage for free. The EP has since been re-released in CD-DA format.
Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution can be considered only a smaller side project, as it has taken a back seat to Tomas Kalnoky’s main focus, Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight Manifesto is an American punk band with many influences from different genres including ska, from New Brunswick, New Jersey fronted by Tomas Kalnoky....
. A few of BOTAR’s members belong to Streetlight Manifesto. As of late 2003, BOTAR has been placed on hiatus while Streetlight Manifesto tours, but there are plans for future recordings. Both bands are members of The RISC Group.
They have two LPs that have been in the works since 2001: 99 Songs of Revolution
99 Songs of Revolution
99 Songs of Revolution: Vol. 1 is the fourth studio album by the American ska punk band Streetlight Manifesto, released March 16, 2010. It is part of a multi-album cover songs project by several associated acts including Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution....
and an as yet untitled album. 99 Songs is to be a wide-ranging 8-record collection of covers, with only two of the records done by BOTAR (two others will be produced by Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight Manifesto is an American punk band with many influences from different genres including ska, from New Brunswick, New Jersey fronted by Tomas Kalnoky....
and four will be performed by two Streetlight Manifesto-related projects, with two for each group). The untitled album is planned to be original material.
Tomas said, in an October 8, 2006 interview, that 30 songs are written and expected to be released by BOTAR. That interview with TopWelt! can be found here
On March 1, the revamped website went online with a link to the original EP on iTunes and a site called Pentimento Music Company. This new site is set up in the same style as the RISC Group’s current site, in that it is a logo over a minimalistic background.
According to an update on March 16, the next album would hopefully be released around the time of or after Streetlight Manifesto’s next release, which was released on November 13, 2007. However, the update also states, “But we're dealing with you-know-who here so expect it sometime before the end of our current decade.” The update also contained a recruitment statement for musicians of certain instruments who live in the Los Angeles area. To form a West Coast Division, the band wants skilled musicians for recording and hopefully touring. Also in the update was information about Pentimento Music Company, stating that it is a small label that will be releasing the group’s future albums and that its website is soon to be running. The update also stated that both BOTAR and Streetlight Manifesto have recruited people to start helping with updates to the websites.
"The 99 Songs of Revolution Project will consist of 8 full length records. Two from SM, two from BOTAR, and two each from two other SM related groups. Yes, this is indeed the record that Victory mistakenly posted as coming out in Oct of 08. Not sure how they got that date, but it was never even a possibility. The first SM record for 99SOR will be out March 16, 2010, simultaneously with another of the 8 CDs (no, not the BOTAR one). Victory will be putting out the CDs and mp3s and Pentimento will be releasing and distributing the vinyl. We are aware of our reputation to take forever to release records and miss our self imposed deadlines, so we are not giving anyone solid dates, not even our labels. Early 09 release, that's it. We are, though, working hard on it. The demos are all but done and we head into the studio to begin tracking in October. Our upcoming tour schedule, as you know, is borderline impossible/insane, so cut us some slack."
An April 3, 2009 update to their website states
"As for 99 Songs, sit tight a tiny bit longer. The record is out of our hands now, in terms of recording, so we're all waiting at this point. We'll be posting a track list on the site very soon."
On the November 17th 2009 update to the Streetlight Manifesto website, the band writes "we will be heading into the studio soon (as is a particular electricity deficient collective..)," implying that Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution will begin recording their first full-length album (part of the 99 Songs of Revolution project) in the near future.
Members
- Tomas KalnokyTomas KalnokyTomas Kalnoky is a Czech-born American musician. He is the lead singer/guitarist and songwriter of the bands Streetlight Manifesto and Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution, and goes by the pseudonym Toh Kay as a solo performer...
(guitar, vocalsHuman voiceThe human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
, songwriter) - Jamie EganJamie EganJames "Jamie" Egan is a high school band teacher and professional musician who resides in New Jersey. He has taught at Spotswood High School and E.R. Appleby Elementary School in Spotswood. He currently teaches at North Brunswick Township High School, in North Brunswick, New Jersey...
(tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
) - Nick Afflitto (trumpet)
- Marcy Ciuffreda (celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
) - Rachel Goldstein (violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, vocals) - Layton Hayes (piano)
- John Paul Jones (trumpet)
- Achilles Kalnoky (violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
) - Paul Lowndes (drums)
- Chris Paszik (double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
) - Mark Rendeiro (hornHorn (instrument)The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
) - Dan Ross (baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
, alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
) - Pete Sibilia (tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
) - Shane Thompson (congaCongaThe conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
s, timbalesTimbalesTimbales are shallow single-headed drums with metal casing, invented in Cuba. They are shallower in shape than single-headed tom-toms, and usually much higher tuned...
) - Natalia Ushak (vocals)
See also
- Gimp
- Streetlight ManifestoStreetlight ManifestoStreetlight Manifesto is an American punk band with many influences from different genres including ska, from New Brunswick, New Jersey fronted by Tomas Kalnoky....
- The RISC Group
- Catch 22 (band)Catch 22 (band)Catch 22 is an American ska punk band from East Brunswick Township, New Jersey.The band was formed by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Tomas Kalnoky and drummer Chris Greer who recruited trumpeter Kevin Gunther, who was working in a local record store...