Music of Long Island
Encyclopedia
The music of Long Island has a long history, as the island
has long been part of US history and is near the second most populous city in North America
, yet is located in the suburb
s and as such is strongly influenced by youth culture. Psychedelic rock
was widely popular in the 1960s as flocks of disaffected youth travelled to NYC to participate in protest and the culture of the time. R & B also has a history in Long Island, especially in Nassau County, where population is denser and more closely influenced by New York City (Queens and Brooklyn). Long Island has more recently been known for its association with indie music as well as punk rock
.
was born and raised in Huntington
in Suffolk County. R&B singer Ashanti grew up in Glen Cove
, Paris-based singer-songwriter
Elliott Murphy
was raised in Garden City
(the song "Garden City" describing his teenage years is included in the album Murph the Surf) and Billy Joel
is from Hicksville
in Nassau County.
Billy Joel's debut solo album, Cold Spring Harbor
, was a reference to the Long Island village
of the same name. Many compositions by Billy Joel pertain to life on Long Island, particularly his youth. Examples include the songs "Keepin' The Faith", "Captain Jack
", "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" and most notably "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
", which names local eateries and hangouts. The restaurant itself is Christiano's in Syosset, New York
. Also, the song "Movin' Out" is a highly identifiable song for Long Islanders. Its commiseration of the increasing cost for living on Long Island has its protagonists working too hard just to "move up", all too familiar to this island's inhabitants. The songs "No Man's Land" and "Downeaster Alexa" lament the increasing development of the island, the latter song specifically referring to the eastern island and its effect on the fishing industry.
Hall Of Fame Songwriter Ellie Greenwich
was raised in Levittown, and is responsible for some of the most recognized songs in history (Be My Baby, Chapel Of Love, Doo Wah Diddy, Leader Of the Pack to name a few). Widely regarded as the driving force behind the 'Girl Group' movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Ms. Greenwich's accomplishments and accolades are too numerous to mention, but include: she has received 19 BMI awards, 25 Gold & Platinum albums, her songs have sold over 40 million copies worldwide, and she was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall Of Fame in 1991. Ellie Greenwich Official Website
/psychedelic rock
group Blue Öyster Cult
came together around Stony Brook University, releasing hits such as "(Don't Fear) The Reaper
", "Astronomy
", and "Godzilla". Pioneering technical death metal
band Suffocation
come from the Coram
area in Suffolk County. Bleach Eater, an experimental grindcore
band, are from Rocky Point in Suffolk County. Eddie Money
was a graduate of Island Trees High School
in Levittown
. In addition, the progressive metal
band Dream Theater
has most of its members stemming from Long Island, including John Petrucci
, John Myung
, and Mike Portnoy
. World-known drummer John Miceli
, who plays with Meat Loaf
, and formerly with Blue Oyster Cult, is from Port Jefferson
. He currently resides in St. James
, which is the hometown of singer/songwriter Axella Johannesson. Television and film composer Roy Harter
currently resides in Manhasset
. Leslie Wunderman of Baldwin
, better known as the diva
Taylor Dayne
, had an abundance of hits in the late 1980s and in the early 1990s. Some of the members of The Good Rats
and Dee Snider
, the lead singer of Twisted Sister
, hail from Baldwin. Four-time Grammy Award winner, Pat Benatar
, grew up in Lindenhurst
. Brian Setzer
(Stray Cats
, The Brian Setzer Orchestra
), and Lee Rocker (Stray Cats) hail from Massapequa
, where Stanley Drucker
(principal clarinetist, New York Philharmonic
) resides with his wife, clarinetist Naomi Drucker. Harry Chapin
lived in Huntington until his death in a car accident on the Long Island Expressway, and was active in numerous local charities such as Long Island Cares.
(Dave, Posdnuos, Masseo) came from the East Massapequa / Amityville
area, ADHD, Public Enemy and Flava Flav from Roosevelt
. The Hip Hop, Soul, and Rock fusion band Guitars N Bandanaz from Hempstead
and Freeport
, Leaders of the New School
(Busta Rhymes
, Charlie Brown
, Dinco D, Cut Monitor Milo) from Uniondale
, underground rapper Aesop Rock
from Northport, All Business Records (Sense Wondah [Lindenhurst], Artifakt [Brentwood], & Stryke [Lindenhurst]), Punk Barbarians from Freeport, EPMD
(Erick Sermon
and Parrish Smith), Brentwood, NY Keith Murray
,Central Islip, NY -Hard 2 Obtain from Lakeview, Bad Boy
-associated acts Black Rob
and Craig Mack
grew up in Brentwood
, producer Prince Paul
, Goretex from Non Phixion and Supercoven R.A. The Rugged Man
, Rakim
from the Eric B. & Rakim
rap duo hails from Wyandanch
and King Myers also from Wyandanch
. Saint (Producer/Emcee,The Good People) from Garden City Park, Method Man
From Hempstead.
scene continues to grow. It has been felt nationally by the moderate success of local bands such as The Dawning
, Enraged, Glassjaw
, Head Automatica
, Silent Majority, Taking Back Sunday
, Brand New
, Straylight Run
, The Movielife
, Nightmare of You
, I Am the Avalanche
From Autumn to Ashes
, Edison Glass
, Purple Gravity, and Corey Teich selling Gold albums nationwide. Many churches and synagogues, as well as VFW Halls and community centers constantly house underground shows, affording cheap entertainment and an underlying sense of "scene community". Pop punk bands also have an impressive following, with bands like Patent Pending, Jeff Orlick's Ex-Planets, SGT, topping the list of crowd pleasers. It is a self-serving "business", so to speak, and most bands that are known on the island spill over into adjoining regions such as New Jersey
and Connecticut
. Rising bands Envy On The Coast
, Paint the Target, Tomahawk Chop, Stereo Skyline
, Greyscale, and Bayside
also hail from Long Island. The emerging awk-rock collective Nondance Records calls Roslyn its home. R22
, Bela Kiss
, The Resurrection, Anterrabae, They Fall to Pieces,The Ambition, The World We Knew
, This Is Hell, Crime In Stereo
, Idala, The Partisan Turbine, Two Will Witness, Sown In Tears, From The Pawn, Figure Without Form, Only Tomorrow Tells, After Chidori, and the late Skycamefalling
are also frequent contributors to the LI hardcore/metalcore scene. Moreover, another hardcore band made headway in the late 1990s;Overthrow. They released a full-length CD on Triple Crown Records and disbanded in 2001. Outsider punk-experimentalist bassist/flutist Steve Lieberman
The Gangsta Rabbi from Freeport has played many of the largest Long Island venues as the Crazy Donkey http://clubloaded.com/posters/15large.jpg, the Downtown and the Islip Pavilion, taking advantage of the "pay to play" system by purchasing all the tickets himself and distributing them to fans for free to build his audience. This helped him to be noticed by JDub Records
who signed him in December, 2009 http://www.punknews.org/article/36497?anchor=0#1409568.
However, the Islip Pavilion is no longer in existence, and the Downtown is now the VP.
often hold ska-oriented concerts. The long-disbanded Edna's Goldfish
, whose trombonist Ian McKenzie has gone on to join famed ska punk band Catch 22
, were one of the dominant bands in the late nineties music scene on Long Island. The late High School Football Heroes
also hails from LI. The experimental jazz and skacore band The Vagabonds as well as The Watergate Brigade from East Islip also calls Long Island home. The Arrogant Sons of Bitches
came out of Baldwin
in the mid-nineties. Though the group has since disbanded, several members continue to participate in frontman Jeff Rosenstock's current project, Bomb the Music Industry!
. Groove rock band Stealing Jane
is frequently found in ska lineups to their ska influences and their origins in the scene. Huntington based band Young Rebel Goombas, with their ska influenced trop-rock sound, has also found an international audience.The Scofflaws
, a 1980s ska band out of Huntington, still play shows together.
scene on Long Island, as elsewhere, is struggling to find its audience in the modern world of MP3 players and brief attention spans. Despite this, several groups operate on Long Island, to varying degrees of success. Among them are:
There is also a documentary about underground mess bands: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429655/plotsummary
is a popular place to view summer concerts, with new as well as classic artists performing there during the summer months at its outdoor venue. It hosts a large Fourth of July fireworks show every year, and the stands are filled. People park cars along the highway leading to the show, and others watch from the nearby beaches.
In 2003, a group of local business people/music lovers began meeting to create a Long Island Music Hall of Fame
. The organization was incorporated as a not for profit corporation in July 2005. It held its first inauguration ceremony in October 2006, inducting prominent musical Long Islanders from various genres and eras. Plans for the future include the creation of a physical space for a museum of Long Island music history that will also serve as a multimedia resource center, an educational facility and outreach program, and a venue for musical performance.
Long Island is also known for its schools' music programs. Many schools in Suffolk County have distinguished music programs, with high numbers of students who are accepted into the state-wide All-State music groups, or even the National All-Eastern Coast music groups. Both the Suffolk County and Nassau County Music Educator's Associations are both recognized by MENC, and host numerous events, competitions, and other music-related activities. Many schools are also well-recognized for their rich music programs, such as Stony Brook University and Long Island High School for the Arts.
Online, the nonprofit Long Island Musicians Network http://www.meetup.com/Long-Island-Musicians-Network/ enables area musicians to easily find other players to jam with and perform. The heart of the free online venue is its members domain, where musicians can post detailed info about themselves, a photo, their musical tastes and preferences, and info about the kind of musicians they're looking to get together with. Members communicate via the Web site's free email service.
With the rise of DIY and Noise
related tape culture, Long Island too saw the rise of underground noise & diy scenes which included bands such as Insect, Jazz Became Elevator Music, United States, Megerk, amongst others. The DIY co-operative also booked shows around the NYC and surrounding areas showcasing Long Island's underground.
Another DIY faction, The Long Island Alternative Music Association, interviewed various artists bringing attention to the lack of venues opening their doors to independent Long Island artists. LIAMA, as they are commonly referred to, often book shows at the Plainview Old-Bethpage Public Library, to help to alleviate the problems created in local scenes form the shortage of underground supportive venues and booking agencies.
Employment for musicians has always been a challenging pursuit on Long Island, which is largely considered to be a overly saturated competition pool. The Advent of talent directories has helped stream line the relationships between venue owners and the bands that seek to play them. The days of mailing unwanted and unsolicited demos and flyers to venue owners are fast becoming a thing of the past. The reason is simple to understand when you consider the range of choices a single internet search can bring. Entire musical programs can be created and booked in less time than it takes to open and discard an unsolicited and often innapropriate demo mailing. There are many talent search engines that operate on a national platform and feature searches by region. The problem with these search engines is that they often return results based on a geographic net-throw. This usually means that a search for something local, especially on Long Island, can return results for band located in Connecticut and New England if it happens to be placed within 50 – 100 miles. There are some quality local search engines like Local Band For Hire.com http://www.localbandforhire.com
who specialize in entertainment local only to Long Island and Metro NY.
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
has long been part of US history and is near the second most populous city in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, yet is located in the suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s and as such is strongly influenced by youth culture. Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
was widely popular in the 1960s as flocks of disaffected youth travelled to NYC to participate in protest and the culture of the time. R & B also has a history in Long Island, especially in Nassau County, where population is denser and more closely influenced by New York City (Queens and Brooklyn). Long Island has more recently been known for its association with indie music as well as punk rock
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...
.
Musical artists from Long Island
Notable musicians of the Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk County) music scene include;- Mariah CareyMariah CareyMariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
- Billy JoelBilly JoelWilliam Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
- Pat BenatarPat BenatarPat Benatar is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States...
- Lou ReedLou ReedLewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
- Paul SimonPaul SimonPaul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
- Johnny RamoneJohnny RamoneJohn William Cummings , better known by his stage name Johnny Ramone, was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known for being the guitarist for the punk rock band the Ramones. He was a founding member of the band, and remained a member throughout the band's entire career...
- Dream TheaterDream TheaterDream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
- Debbie Gibson
- Eddie MoneyEddie MoneyEddie Money is an American rock guitarist, saxophonist and singer-songwriter who found success in the 1970s and 1980s with a string of Top 40 hits and platinum albums...
- Chieli MinucciChieli MinucciChieli Minucci is an American contemporary jazz guitarist, composer, music producer, and arranger of Italian descent.Minucci was born in New York City and is primarily known as the leader of the Grammy-nominated contemporary jazz group Special EFX...
- John TeshJohn TeshJohn Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
- Public Enemy
- Busta RhymesBusta RhymesTrevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
- ShaggyShaggy (musician)Orville Richard Burrell , better known by his stage name Shaggy, is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and rapper. He is perhaps best known for his 1995 single "Boombastic" and 2000 single "It Wasn't Me"...
- Oscar BrandOscar BrandOscar Brand is a folk singer, songwriter, and author. In his career, spanning over 60 years, he has composed at least 300 songs and released nearly 100 albums, among them Canadian and American patriotic songs...
- Harry ChapinHarry ChapinHarry Forster Chapin was an American singer-songwriter best known in particular for his folk rock songs including "Taxi", "W*O*L*D", and the number-one hit "Cat's in the Cradle". Chapin was also a dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger; he was a key player in the creation of the...
- De La SoulDe La SoulDe La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
- The ScofflawsThe ScofflawsThe Scofflaws are a Huntington, Long Island, New York-based third wave ska band that debuted in 1988. Known for their rambunctious live shows, technically proficient horn solos and tight arrangements, The Scofflaws were one of the top third wave ska acts of the '90s and one of the most beloved...
- Brooklyn BridgeBrooklyn BridgeThe Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
- Ashanti
- Dee SniderDee SniderDaniel "Dee" Snider is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor. Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister...
- Art GarfunkelArt GarfunkelArthur Ira "Art" Garfunkel is an American singer-songwriter, poet, and actor, best known as being a member of the folk duo Simon & Garfunkel...
- Lindsay LohanLindsay LohanLindsay Lohan is an American actress, pop singer and model. She began her career as a child fashion model before making her motion picture debut in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap at the age of 11...
- Stereo SkylineStereo SkylineStereo Skyline is an American pop punk band from East Meadow, New York, which formed in 2006.The group has played at The Bamboozle 2007, The Bamboozle Left 2009, The Bamboozle 2009, The 2010 Take Action Tour, The Bamboozle Roadshow 2010, released two EPs, and released their debut album Stuck On...
- SuffocationSuffocation (band)Suffocation is an American death metal band that was formed in 1989 in Long Island, New York. The band comprises vocalist Frank Mullen, guitarists Terrance Hobbs and Guy Marchais, drummer Mike Smith and bassist Derek Boyer. Suffocation rose to prominence of death metal and created a blueprint for...
- Only Tomorrow Tells
- Chuck DChuck DCarlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s as the leader of the rap group Public Enemy.- Early life :Ridenhour was born in Queens, New York...
, - Flavor FlavFlavor FlavWilliam Jonathan Drayton, Jr. , better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an American rapper and television personality who rose to prominence as a member of the rap group Public Enemy...
, - EPMDEPMDEPMD is an American hip hop group from Brentwood, New York. The group's name is a concatenation of the members' name "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referencing its members, emcees Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith...
, - RakimRakimWilliam Michael Griffin Jr. , known by his stage names Rakim , Rakim Allah, R.A.K.I.M., and The Master, is an American rapper. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled emcees of all time. Eric B...
, - Zen TrickstersZen TrickstersThe Zen Tricksters are an American Grateful Dead cover band.For almost thirty years, the Zen Tricksters have been playing Grateful Dead covers and jam band music, as well as derivative original songs.. The band started out as the Volunteers, playing small venues around New York's Long Island...
- Blue Öyster CultBlue Öyster CultBlue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
, - Stray CatsStray CatsStray Cats are an American Rockabilly band formed in 1980 by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer , upright bassist Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, New York. The group had numerous hit singles in the UK, Australia and the U.S...
, - Nine DaysNine DaysNine Days is an American rock band who were popular in the early 2000s. Formed in Oyster Bay by frontman John Hampson and Brian Desveaux, they released three independent albums in the 1990s before their mainstream debut album, The Madding Crowd, released in 2000...
, - Vanilla FudgeVanilla FudgeVanilla Fudge is an American rock band. The band's original lineup – vocalist/organist Mark Stein, bassist/vocalist Tim Bogert, lead guitarist/vocalist Vince Martell, and drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice – recorded five albums during the years 1966–69, before disbanding in 1970...
, - Marty BellerMarty BellerMarty Beller is the drummer for They Might Be Giants. He has two solo albums. He also wrote and sang songs from TMBG's albums, Here Come the ABCs: "Alphabet Lost And Found", Here Come the 123s: "High Five!" and Here Comes Science: "Speed and Velocity".Beller became the full time drummer for the...
- Danny WeinkaufDanny WeinkaufDanny Weinkauf is a New York based musician and composer who is a member of They Might Be Giants , a band which won a best children's album Grammy award for the album Here Come the 123s. He has been TMBG's bassist since the late 90s. He previously performed in a band called Lincoln along with Dan...
- GlassjawGlassjawGlassjaw is a four-piece rock band from Long Island, New York. The band is fronted by vocalist Daryl Palumbo and guitarist Justin Beck, and have undergone numerous line-up changes since their inception...
, - Immanuel Shalev,(Maccabeats),
- Envy On The CoastEnvy On The CoastEnvy on the Coast was an alternative rock band from Long Island, New York. They released their second album Lowcountry in March 2010.-History:...
, - Taking Back SundayTaking Back SundayTaking Back Sunday is a rock band from Long Island, NY, formed in 1999 by guitarist Eddie Reyes. Current members of the band are Adam Lazzara , John Nolan , Eddie Reyes , Shaun Cooper and Mark O'Connell ....
, - Sam "Bluzman" Taylor
- Straylight RunStraylight RunStraylight Run was an indie rock band based in Baldwin, New York. Two of the members, Nolan and Cooper, had been members of Taking Back Sunday and have now rejoined that band. Their final releases are the EPs About Time and Un Mas Dos, preceded by the full-length album entitled The Needles The...
, - Patent PendingPatent Pending (band)Patent Pending is an American pop punk band consisting of vocalist Joe Ragosta, drummer Anthony Mingoia, guitarist Marc Kantor, guitarist Joshua Dicker, guitarist/vocalist Rob Felicetti, and bassist Travis McGee. They are from Mount Sinai, New York...
, - Nightmare of YouNightmare of YouNightmare of You is an American indie-rock band from New York City. Formed in 2004, the band currently consists of original founder vocalist Brandon Reilly, guitarist Joseph McCaffrey, and drummer Michael Fleischmann....
, - LattermanLattermanLatterman was a four-piece punk rock band from Huntington, New York. They played a style of melodic punk rock with shouted dual-vocals by Phil Douglas and Matt Canino, and their songs often contain political and/or socially conscious lyrics...
, - From Autumn to AshesFrom Autumn to AshesFrom Autumn to Ashes was a NY melodic hardcore band that formed in Long Island in 2000. While the band had gone through many line-up changes, the members include Francis Mark , Scott Gross , Benjamin Perri , Brian Deneeve , Mike Pilato , Rob Lauritsen , and Jeff Gretz From Autumn to Ashes was a NY...
, - Brand NewBrand NewBrand New is an American rock band from Long Island, New York. Formed in 2000, the band currently consists of vocalist/guitarist/lyricist Jesse Lacey, guitarist/vocalist/lyricist Vincent Accardi, bassist Garrett Tierney, drummer Brian Lane, and guitarist/keyboardist Derrick Sherman.In the late...
, - BaysideBayside (band)Bayside is an American punk rock band from Queens which formed in the winter of 2000. The band has released five full length albums since signing to Victory Records...
, - The SleepingThe SleepingThe Sleeping is an American rock band from Long Island, New York, formed in 2003. The band was founded by Cameron Keym, Sal Mignano, and Joe Zizzo from the remains of Skycamefalling, after auditioning twenty-two potential singers, they came across Doug Robinson, former singer/guitarist of the band...
, - The Infidelities,
- They Fall To Pieces,
- The Bash (band),
- The MovielifeThe MovielifeThe Movielife was a Long Island Melodic hardcore band, composed of vocalist Vinnie Caruana, bassist Phil Navetta, guitarist Brandon Reilly, drummer Evan Baken, and guitarist Alex Amiruddin, until 2001 when Alex Amiruddin left and was replaced by Dan Navetta....
, - Testing for Echo,
- Steve VaiSteve VaiSteven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....
, - Stereo SkylineStereo SkylineStereo Skyline is an American pop punk band from East Meadow, New York, which formed in 2006.The group has played at The Bamboozle 2007, The Bamboozle Left 2009, The Bamboozle 2009, The 2010 Take Action Tour, The Bamboozle Roadshow 2010, released two EPs, and released their debut album Stuck On...
- Joe SatrianiJoe SatrianiJoseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
, - Lee RanaldoLee RanaldoLee M. Ranaldo is an American singer, guitarist, writer, record producer, and visual artist, best known as a co-founder of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth...
, - Family Lumber,
- Gabriel the MarineGabriel the MarineGabriel the Marine is an American rock band from Long Island, New York. The band is currently composed of guitarist and vocalist Mike Desmond, violinist, pianist and vocalist Dylan Ebrahimian, guitarist Dominick D'Agostino, bassist Tom Costa, and drummer Tom Davis...
, - Overthrow,
- NGHBRS
- Steve LiebermanSteve LiebermanSteve Lieberman is a Jewish-American punk rock singer, musician, composer and producer residing in Long Island, New York...
the Gangsta Rabbi - MF DoomMF DoomDaniel Dumile is a hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably MF DOOM, where the "MF" stands for metal face, and for tracks he has produced, metal fingers...
.
Pop
Famous musical artists have roots in Long Island. For example, superstar diva Mariah CareyMariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
was born and raised in Huntington
Huntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
in Suffolk County. R&B singer Ashanti grew up in Glen Cove
Glen Cove, New York
Glen Cove is a city in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 26,964....
, Paris-based singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Elliott Murphy
Elliott Murphy
Elliott James Murphy is an American rock singer-songwriter, novelist, producer and journalist living in Paris.-Biography:Elliott James Murphy, Jr. was born in Rockville Centre, New York to a show business family...
was raised in Garden City
Garden City, New York
Garden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of...
(the song "Garden City" describing his teenage years is included in the album Murph the Surf) and Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
is from Hicksville
Hicksville, New York
Hicksville is a hamlet and census-designated place located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 41,547 at the 2010 census...
in Nassau County.
Billy Joel's debut solo album, Cold Spring Harbor
Cold Spring Harbor (album)
Cold Spring Harbor was Billy Joel's first solo album, and was released in 1971. He had already released several albums as a member of the bands The Hassles and Attila...
, was a reference to the Long Island village
Cold Spring Harbor, New York
Cold Spring Harbor is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 4,975.Cold Spring Harbor is in the Town of Huntington.-History:...
of the same name. Many compositions by Billy Joel pertain to life on Long Island, particularly his youth. Examples include the songs "Keepin' The Faith", "Captain Jack
Captain Jack (song)
"Captain Jack" is a song by Billy Joel featured on his 1973 album Piano Man with a live version on his 1981 album Songs in the Attic. Joel originally wrote the song, an anti-drug song, in 1971, while observing some people from his window obtaining drugs from a dealer named "Captain Jack".It is the...
", "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" and most notably "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" is a song from Billy Joel's 1977 album The Stranger.Although never released as a single, it has become one of Joel's most celebrated compositions among fans, appearing on most of his compilation albums. The song is effectively a medley of three individual songs...
", which names local eateries and hangouts. The restaurant itself is Christiano's in Syosset, New York
Syosset, New York
Syosset is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, in the northeastern section of Town of Oyster Bay near the North Shore of Long Island. The population was 18,829 at the 2010 census...
. Also, the song "Movin' Out" is a highly identifiable song for Long Islanders. Its commiseration of the increasing cost for living on Long Island has its protagonists working too hard just to "move up", all too familiar to this island's inhabitants. The songs "No Man's Land" and "Downeaster Alexa" lament the increasing development of the island, the latter song specifically referring to the eastern island and its effect on the fishing industry.
Hall Of Fame Songwriter Ellie Greenwich
Ellie Greenwich
Eleanor Louise "Ellie" Greenwich was an American pop music singer, songwriter, and record producer. She wrote or co-wrote "Be My Baby", "Christmas ", "Da Doo Ron Ron", "Leader of the Pack", "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", and "River Deep, Mountain High", among many others...
was raised in Levittown, and is responsible for some of the most recognized songs in history (Be My Baby, Chapel Of Love, Doo Wah Diddy, Leader Of the Pack to name a few). Widely regarded as the driving force behind the 'Girl Group' movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Ms. Greenwich's accomplishments and accolades are too numerous to mention, but include: she has received 19 BMI awards, 25 Gold & Platinum albums, her songs have sold over 40 million copies worldwide, and she was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall Of Fame in 1991. Ellie Greenwich Official Website
Heavy metal
The pioneering heavy metalHeavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
/psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
group Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
came together around Stony Brook University, releasing hits such as "(Don't Fear) The Reaper
(Don't Fear) The Reaper
" The Reaper" is a song by the rock band Blue Öyster Cult from their 1976 album, Agents of Fortune. It was written and sung by the band's lead guitarist, Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser and was produced by David Lucas, Murray Krugman, and Sandy Pearlman. It is built around Dharma's guitar riff that...
", "Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
", and "Godzilla". Pioneering technical death metal
Technical death metal
Technical death metal is a musical subgenre of death metal that focuses on complex rhythms, riffs and song structures. Technical experimentation in death metal began in the late '80s and early '90s by bands such as Death, Atheist and Cynic...
band Suffocation
Suffocation (band)
Suffocation is an American death metal band that was formed in 1989 in Long Island, New York. The band comprises vocalist Frank Mullen, guitarists Terrance Hobbs and Guy Marchais, drummer Mike Smith and bassist Derek Boyer. Suffocation rose to prominence of death metal and created a blueprint for...
come from the Coram
Coram, New York
As of the 2000 census, 34,923 people, 12,530 households, and 9,121 families resided in the CDP. The population density was 2,532.1 per square mile . There were 12,880 housing units at an average density of 933.9/sq mi...
area in Suffolk County. Bleach Eater, an experimental grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
band, are from Rocky Point in Suffolk County. Eddie Money
Eddie Money
Eddie Money is an American rock guitarist, saxophonist and singer-songwriter who found success in the 1970s and 1980s with a string of Top 40 hits and platinum albums...
was a graduate of Island Trees High School
Island Trees High School
The Island Trees High School is a coeducational 9-12 high school located at 59 Straight Lane, Levittown, New York, 11756 on Long Island. It is a part of the Island Trees Union Free School District, 31.0 miles east of Manhattan. The school offers various clubs, electives, and AP courses.The Island...
in Levittown
Levittown, New York
Levittown is a hamlet in the Town of Hempstead located on Long Island in Nassau County, New York. Levittown is midway between the villages of Hempstead and Farmingdale. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 51,881....
. In addition, the progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
has most of its members stemming from Long Island, including John Petrucci
John Petrucci
John Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory...
, John Myung
John Myung
John Ro Myung is an American bassist, Chapman Stick player and a founding member of the progressive metal group Dream Theater. He is considered a virtuoso player who is widely recognized for his technical proficiency....
, and Mike Portnoy
Mike Portnoy
Michael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
. World-known drummer John Miceli
John Miceli
John Miceli is the current drummer for Meat Loaf's backing band, the Neverland Express.-Meat Loaf:Miceli began touring with Meat Loaf in 1991, and was a part of the Neverland Express when Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell took off, launching a major industry comeback for Meat Loaf...
, who plays with Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
, and formerly with Blue Oyster Cult, is from Port Jefferson
Port Jefferson, New York
The Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson is located in the town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the 2000 United States Census, the village population was 7,837...
. He currently resides in St. James
St. James, New York
St. James is a census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 13,268 at the 2000 census. St. James is part of the Town of Smithtown, New York, located on the North Shore of Long Island. The zip code is 11780....
, which is the hometown of singer/songwriter Axella Johannesson. Television and film composer Roy Harter
Roy Harter
Roy Harter is a New York Emmy award-winning, sound designer and audio mixer, best known for his work in television and film. He is also a multi-instrumentalist for various performing and recording artists...
currently resides in Manhasset
Manhasset, New York
Manhasset is a hamlet and neighborhood in Nassau County, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 8,080....
. Leslie Wunderman of Baldwin
Baldwin, Nassau County, New York
Baldwin is a hamlet located in the town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 24,033 at the 2010 census.Baldwin is also a station on the Babylon Branch of the Long Island Rail Road....
, better known as the diva
Diva
A diva is a celebrated female singer. The term is used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, and, by extension, in theatre, cinema and popular music. The meaning of diva is closely related to that of "prima donna"....
Taylor Dayne
Taylor Dayne
Taylor Dayne was born Leslie Wunderman on March 7, 1962 before later adopting her current stage name. She is an American pop vocalist, songwriter, and dance artist. Overall, she has had eighteen individual hit songs reach the top ten in Billboard magazine...
, had an abundance of hits in the late 1980s and in the early 1990s. Some of the members of The Good Rats
The Good Rats
The Good Rats are a rock band from Long Island, New York. Their music mixes elements of rock with blues and pop. Although they have had some success both nationally and internationally, it's on their native Long Island that they have always been best known....
and Dee Snider
Dee Snider
Daniel "Dee" Snider is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor. Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister...
, the lead singer of Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister is an American heavy metal band from Long Island. Musically, the band implements elements of traditional heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, along with a style that is similar to early glam metal bands...
, hail from Baldwin. Four-time Grammy Award winner, Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States...
, grew up in Lindenhurst
Lindenhurst, New York
Lindenhurst is a village in Suffolk County, New York, on the southern shore of Long Island in the Town of Babylon. The population was 27,819 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lindenhurst is located at ....
. Brian Setzer
Brian Setzer
Brian Setzer is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He first found widespread success in the early 1980s with the 1950s-style rockabilly revival group The Stray Cats, and revitalized his career in the late 1990s with a jazz-oriented big band.-Career:Setzer was born in Massapequa, New York...
(Stray Cats
Stray Cats
Stray Cats are an American Rockabilly band formed in 1980 by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer , upright bassist Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, New York. The group had numerous hit singles in the UK, Australia and the U.S...
, The Brian Setzer Orchestra
The Brian Setzer Orchestra
The Brian Setzer Orchestra is a swing and jump blues band formed in 1990 by Stray Cats frontman Brian Setzer. The group had success covering Louis Prima's "Jump Jive an' Wail", which appeared on Prima's 1957 album The Wildest!...
), and Lee Rocker (Stray Cats) hail from Massapequa
Massapequa, New York
Massapequa is a hamlet located in the suburban Nassau County, New York. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 21,685.Massapequa is located on the South Shore of Long Island....
, where Stanley Drucker
Stanley Drucker
Stanley Drucker is an American clarinetist. Of Ukrainian ancestry, he began clarinet studies at age ten with Leon Russianoff, and remained his student for five years. He attended the High School of Music & Art...
(principal clarinetist, New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
) resides with his wife, clarinetist Naomi Drucker. Harry Chapin
Harry Chapin
Harry Forster Chapin was an American singer-songwriter best known in particular for his folk rock songs including "Taxi", "W*O*L*D", and the number-one hit "Cat's in the Cradle". Chapin was also a dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger; he was a key player in the creation of the...
lived in Huntington until his death in a car accident on the Long Island Expressway, and was active in numerous local charities such as Long Island Cares.
Rap and hip-hop
Long Island is known for producing some of the most popular acts in hip-hop and rap music. Grammy winning rap group De La SoulDe La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
(Dave, Posdnuos, Masseo) came from the East Massapequa / Amityville
Amityville, New York
Amityville is a village in the town of Babylon in Suffolk County, New York, in the United States. The population was 9,441 at the 2000 census.-History:...
area, ADHD, Public Enemy and Flava Flav from Roosevelt
Roosevelt, New York
Roosevelt is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 16,258 at the 2010 census.Roosevelt is in the town of Hempstead.-Geography:Roosevelt is located at ....
. The Hip Hop, Soul, and Rock fusion band Guitars N Bandanaz from Hempstead
Hempstead
Hempstead may refer to:PlacesIn England:*Hempstead, Essex*Hempstead, Kent*Hempstead, near Holt, Norfolk*Hempstead, near Stalham, Norfolk*Hemel Hempstead, HertfordshireIn the United States:*Hempstead County, Arkansas...
and Freeport
Freeport
-Place names:Bahamas*Freeport, BahamasCanada*Freeport, Nova ScotiaHaiti*Freeport TortugaUnited States*Freeport, California*Freeport, Florida*Freeport, Illinois*Freeport, Kansas*Freeport, Maine*Freeport, Michigan*Freeport, Minnesota*Freeport, New York...
, Leaders of the New School
Leaders of the New School
Leaders of the New School was a Long Island, New York-based hip hop crew.-History:The crew was composed of Uniondale, New York, natives Charlie Brown and Dinco D ; North Amityville, New York native Cut Monitor Milo ; and Busta Rhymes , who was originally from Brooklyn, New York but later moved to...
(Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
, Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown
Charles "Charlie" Brown is the protagonist in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.Charlie Brown and his creator have a common connection in that they are both the sons of barbers, but whereas Schulz's work is described as the "most shining example of the American success story", Charlie...
, Dinco D, Cut Monitor Milo) from Uniondale
Uniondale, New York
Uniondale is a hamlet as well as a suburb of New York City in Nassau County, New York, United States, on Long Island, in the Town of Hempstead. The population was 24,759 at the 2010 United States Census.-Geography:...
, underground rapper Aesop Rock
Aesop Rock
Ian Matthias Bavitz , better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American hip hop artist and producer. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was signed to El-P's Definitive Jux label until it...
from Northport, All Business Records (Sense Wondah [Lindenhurst], Artifakt [Brentwood], & Stryke [Lindenhurst]), Punk Barbarians from Freeport, EPMD
EPMD
EPMD is an American hip hop group from Brentwood, New York. The group's name is a concatenation of the members' name "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referencing its members, emcees Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith...
(Erick Sermon
Erick Sermon
Erick Sermon , in Bay Shore, New York is an American rapper, musician, and producer.Sermon is best known as half of late-1980s/1990s hip hop group EPMD and for production work. He currently resides in Islandia, New York.- Career :...
and Parrish Smith), Brentwood, NY Keith Murray
Keith Murray (rapper)
Keith Murray is an American rapper and a member of the rap trio Def Squad, which includes fellow rappers Redman and Erick Sermon.-Music career:...
,Central Islip, NY -Hard 2 Obtain from Lakeview, Bad Boy
Bad Boy Records
Bad Boy Records is a record label founded in 1993 by producer/rapper/entrepreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records.-Beginnings:...
-associated acts Black Rob
Black Rob
Black Rob is a rapper who was formerly signed to Bad Boy Records.-Music career:Black Rob began associating with the label as early as 1996, appearing on the Bad Boy remix to 112's "Come See Me"...
and Craig Mack
Craig Mack
Craig Mack is an American Grammy nominated rapper, who gained fame on Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Entertainment record label in the 1990s. Although his first single was released under the name MC EZ in 1988, he is best known for his 1994 hit single "Flava In Ya Ear", which was released under his real name...
grew up in Brentwood
Brentwood, New York
Brentwood is a hamlet of the Town of Islip in Suffolk County, New York. According to the 2000 Census, the population of Brentwood is 53,917.The colony was established on March 21, 1851, on 750 acres of land on Long Island, New York, by Josiah Warren and Stephen Pearl Andrews...
, producer Prince Paul
Prince Paul
Paul Huston, better known by the stage name Prince Paul, is an American disc jockey and hip-hop record producer. He was also a founding member of the Gravediggaz where he used the name The Undertaker.- Biography :...
, Goretex from Non Phixion and Supercoven R.A. The Rugged Man
R.A. The Rugged Man
R. A. Thorburn, better known as R.A. the Rugged Man, is an emcee from Suffolk County, Long Island, New York.-Career:At 18, R.A. signed with Jive Records and then in the mid-1990s signed with Priority Records/EMI. His contract was later absorbed by Capitol Records but he began recording...
, Rakim
Rakim
William Michael Griffin Jr. , known by his stage names Rakim , Rakim Allah, R.A.K.I.M., and The Master, is an American rapper. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled emcees of all time. Eric B...
from the Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim were a hip-hop duo composed of DJ Eric Barrier and MC Rakim .Hailing from Long Island, New York, the pair are generally considered by hip hop enthusiasts to be one of the most influential and innovative groups in the genre...
rap duo hails from Wyandanch
Wyandanch, New York
Wyandanch is a hamlet and census-designated place in the town of Babylon in Suffolk County, New York. The population was 10,546 at the 2000 census.-History:...
and King Myers also from Wyandanch
Wyandanch, New York
Wyandanch is a hamlet and census-designated place in the town of Babylon in Suffolk County, New York. The population was 10,546 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. Saint (Producer/Emcee,The Good People) from Garden City Park, Method Man
Method Man
Clifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man...
From Hempstead.
Alternative/Indie
Modern music in Long Island includes indie music, which has rapidly grown in popularity, particularly in Suffolk County where the local emo and hardcore punkHardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
scene continues to grow. It has been felt nationally by the moderate success of local bands such as The Dawning
The Dawning
The Dawning is a 1988 British film, based on Jennifer Johnston's novel, The Old Jest which depicts the Irish War of Independence through the eyes of the Anglo-Irish landlord class...
, Enraged, Glassjaw
Glassjaw
Glassjaw is a four-piece rock band from Long Island, New York. The band is fronted by vocalist Daryl Palumbo and guitarist Justin Beck, and have undergone numerous line-up changes since their inception...
, Head Automatica
Head Automatica
Head Automatica is a Dance Rock band, formed by Glassjaw frontman Daryl Palumbo with Jarvis Holden, formerly of Give Up the Ghost or American Nightmare, Jim Greer, and Brandon Arnovick.-History:...
, Silent Majority, Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday is a rock band from Long Island, NY, formed in 1999 by guitarist Eddie Reyes. Current members of the band are Adam Lazzara , John Nolan , Eddie Reyes , Shaun Cooper and Mark O'Connell ....
, Brand New
Brand New
Brand New is an American rock band from Long Island, New York. Formed in 2000, the band currently consists of vocalist/guitarist/lyricist Jesse Lacey, guitarist/vocalist/lyricist Vincent Accardi, bassist Garrett Tierney, drummer Brian Lane, and guitarist/keyboardist Derrick Sherman.In the late...
, Straylight Run
Straylight Run
Straylight Run was an indie rock band based in Baldwin, New York. Two of the members, Nolan and Cooper, had been members of Taking Back Sunday and have now rejoined that band. Their final releases are the EPs About Time and Un Mas Dos, preceded by the full-length album entitled The Needles The...
, The Movielife
The Movielife
The Movielife was a Long Island Melodic hardcore band, composed of vocalist Vinnie Caruana, bassist Phil Navetta, guitarist Brandon Reilly, drummer Evan Baken, and guitarist Alex Amiruddin, until 2001 when Alex Amiruddin left and was replaced by Dan Navetta....
, Nightmare of You
Nightmare of You
Nightmare of You is an American indie-rock band from New York City. Formed in 2004, the band currently consists of original founder vocalist Brandon Reilly, guitarist Joseph McCaffrey, and drummer Michael Fleischmann....
, I Am the Avalanche
I Am the Avalanche
-History:I Am the Avalanche was formed by vocalist Vinnie Caruana after the break-up of his previous band The Movielife, and followed his short stint playing in Head Automatica....
From Autumn to Ashes
From Autumn to Ashes
From Autumn to Ashes was a NY melodic hardcore band that formed in Long Island in 2000. While the band had gone through many line-up changes, the members include Francis Mark , Scott Gross , Benjamin Perri , Brian Deneeve , Mike Pilato , Rob Lauritsen , and Jeff Gretz From Autumn to Ashes was a NY...
, Edison Glass
Edison Glass
Edison Glass is an American indie rock band from Coram, Long Island, New York. The group consists of four members: Joshua Silverberg , Josh "Mountain" Morin , Joe Morin , and James Usher...
, Purple Gravity, and Corey Teich selling Gold albums nationwide. Many churches and synagogues, as well as VFW Halls and community centers constantly house underground shows, affording cheap entertainment and an underlying sense of "scene community". Pop punk bands also have an impressive following, with bands like Patent Pending, Jeff Orlick's Ex-Planets, SGT, topping the list of crowd pleasers. It is a self-serving "business", so to speak, and most bands that are known on the island spill over into adjoining regions such as New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Rising bands Envy On The Coast
Envy On The Coast
Envy on the Coast was an alternative rock band from Long Island, New York. They released their second album Lowcountry in March 2010.-History:...
, Paint the Target, Tomahawk Chop, Stereo Skyline
Stereo Skyline
Stereo Skyline is an American pop punk band from East Meadow, New York, which formed in 2006.The group has played at The Bamboozle 2007, The Bamboozle Left 2009, The Bamboozle 2009, The 2010 Take Action Tour, The Bamboozle Roadshow 2010, released two EPs, and released their debut album Stuck On...
, Greyscale, and Bayside
Bayside (band)
Bayside is an American punk rock band from Queens which formed in the winter of 2000. The band has released five full length albums since signing to Victory Records...
also hail from Long Island. The emerging awk-rock collective Nondance Records calls Roslyn its home. R22
R22 (band)
R-22 is also a type of freon gas used as a refrigerant.R22 was a metalcore/hard rock band from Long Island, New York.R22 was formed by Dan Barton and Rob Tramontano in 1994 after they both left their former death metal band, Salvation's End...
, Bela Kiss
Béla Kiss
Béla Kiss was a Hungarian serial killer. He is thought to have murdered at least 24 young women and attempted to pickle them in giant metal drums that he kept on his property.-Life:...
, The Resurrection, Anterrabae, They Fall to Pieces,The Ambition, The World We Knew
The World We Knew
The World We Knew is a 1967 studio album by American singer Frank Sinatra.The title track reached #30 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1967, while the Frank/Nancy Sinatra duet "Somethin' Stupid" reached #1 on both charts.-Reception:The Allmusic review by...
, This Is Hell, Crime In Stereo
Crime In Stereo
Crime in Stereo was a Long Island-based melodic hardcore band. Comparable to Dag Nasty, Brand New, and Lifetime, the band released their debut, a split with New York's Kill Your Idols, in 2003 on hardcore label Blackout! Records...
, Idala, The Partisan Turbine, Two Will Witness, Sown In Tears, From The Pawn, Figure Without Form, Only Tomorrow Tells, After Chidori, and the late Skycamefalling
Skycamefalling
Skycamefalling are a metalcore band from Long Island, New York, USA. Formed in 1996, the band released three EPs and one full-length album from 1996-2003. After going through several lineup changes , the band eventually split up in 2003...
are also frequent contributors to the LI hardcore/metalcore scene. Moreover, another hardcore band made headway in the late 1990s;Overthrow. They released a full-length CD on Triple Crown Records and disbanded in 2001. Outsider punk-experimentalist bassist/flutist Steve Lieberman
Steve Lieberman
Steve Lieberman is a Jewish-American punk rock singer, musician, composer and producer residing in Long Island, New York...
The Gangsta Rabbi from Freeport has played many of the largest Long Island venues as the Crazy Donkey http://clubloaded.com/posters/15large.jpg, the Downtown and the Islip Pavilion, taking advantage of the "pay to play" system by purchasing all the tickets himself and distributing them to fans for free to build his audience. This helped him to be noticed by JDub Records
JDub Records
JDub Records is a non-profit record and event production company striving to build community through new and innovative Jewish music and cross cultural musical dialogue.-History:...
who signed him in December, 2009 http://www.punknews.org/article/36497?anchor=0#1409568.
However, the Islip Pavilion is no longer in existence, and the Downtown is now the VP.
Ska
Long Island's ska scene has also garnered an impressive following. Many local venues, such as the Crazy Donkey, The Broadway Bar (The Village Pub South), and the late DowntownThe Downtown
The Downtown was a music venue in Farmingdale, New York. The venue opened on December 21, 2001.On September 19, 2005, the Downtown sent an email to their mailing list announcing their closing, thanking the fans and bands for support, and offering refunds for the upcoming shows. No reason was cited...
often hold ska-oriented concerts. The long-disbanded Edna's Goldfish
Edna's Goldfish
Edna's Goldfish was a ska punk band from Long Island.Together from 1997 to 2000, their studio albums include Before You Knew Better and "The Elements of Transition" , both released on Moon Ska Records. The video for their song "Veronica Sawyer" received some airplay on the MTV show 120 Minutes...
, whose trombonist Ian McKenzie has gone on to join famed ska punk band 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...
, were one of the dominant bands in the late nineties music scene on Long Island. The late High School Football Heroes
High School Football Heroes
High School Football Heroes were a ska punk band from Long Island, New York. HSFH blended the sound of 3rd wave ska with indie rock, drawing comparisons to acts such as Less Than Jake, Taking Back Sunday and Sublime. The band released two records with Asbestos Records and Orange Peel Distribution...
also hails from LI. The experimental jazz and skacore band The Vagabonds as well as The Watergate Brigade from East Islip also calls Long Island home. The Arrogant Sons of Bitches
The Arrogant Sons of Bitches
The Arrogant Sons of Bitches was a 6-piece ska punk band from Long Island and Baldwin, New York. The band was known for its strong DIY punk roots, self-releasing two albums and two EPs...
came out of Baldwin
Baldwin, Nassau County, New York
Baldwin is a hamlet located in the town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 24,033 at the 2010 census.Baldwin is also a station on the Babylon Branch of the Long Island Rail Road....
in the mid-nineties. Though the group has since disbanded, several members continue to participate in frontman Jeff Rosenstock's current project, Bomb the Music Industry!
Bomb The Music Industry!
Bomb the Music Industry! is band from Baldwin, Nassau County, New York. They write, produce, record, and distribute all of their music under the leadership of songwriter and producer Jeff Rosenstock....
. Groove rock band Stealing Jane
Stealing Jane
Stealing Jane is an eight piece band from New York. They formed in the year 2001 under the name of HyJinX, and changed their name to "Stealing Jane" in 2007...
is frequently found in ska lineups to their ska influences and their origins in the scene. Huntington based band Young Rebel Goombas, with their ska influenced trop-rock sound, has also found an international audience.The Scofflaws
The Scofflaws
The Scofflaws are a Huntington, Long Island, New York-based third wave ska band that debuted in 1988. Known for their rambunctious live shows, technically proficient horn solos and tight arrangements, The Scofflaws were one of the top third wave ska acts of the '90s and one of the most beloved...
, a 1980s ska band out of Huntington, still play shows together.
Classical
The classical musicClassical 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...
scene on Long Island, as elsewhere, is struggling to find its audience in the modern world of MP3 players and brief attention spans. Despite this, several groups operate on Long Island, to varying degrees of success. Among them are:
- The Long Island PhilharmonicLong Island PhilharmonicThe Long Island Philharmonic, based in Melville, New York was founded in 1979 by folk singer Harry Chapin, Maestro Christopher Keene, and a group of Long Island's major community and business leaders...
- The Nassau Pops
- The Huntington Choral Society
- The Long Island Masterworks
- The West Islip Symphony Orchestra
Other Music on Long Island
Long Island has a meager Bluegrass scene spearheaded by Buddy Meriam and Backroads Bluegrass.There is also a documentary about underground mess bands: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429655/plotsummary
Labels
Huntington based Paradiddle Records is very active promoting original Long Island music. In addition to the artists signed to their label they distribute music of any Long island based musician on their web site http://www.paradiddlerecords.com. They are very active promoting live original music including Live in the Lobby at the Patchogue Theatre. They also release a series of cover CDs that feature Long Island artists covering the music of such artists as Bob Dylan and the Kinks.Venues and music education
The Nassau Coliseum has been the indoor arena used by national touring acts to stage concerts. Jones Beach State ParkJones Beach State Park
Jones Beach State Park is a state park of the U.S. state of New York. It is located in southern Nassau County, in the hamlet of Wantagh, on Jones Beach Island, a barrier island linked to Long Island by the Meadowbrook State Parkway, Wantagh State Parkway and Ocean Parkway .The park is renowned for...
is a popular place to view summer concerts, with new as well as classic artists performing there during the summer months at its outdoor venue. It hosts a large Fourth of July fireworks show every year, and the stands are filled. People park cars along the highway leading to the show, and others watch from the nearby beaches.
In 2003, a group of local business people/music lovers began meeting to create a Long Island Music Hall of Fame
Long Island Music Hall of Fame
The Long Island Music Hall of Fame is an organization whose office is located in Port Jefferson, New York. It was incorporated in July 2005 under the New York State Board of Regents as a non profit organization and holds a provisional charter to operate as a museum in the state of New York...
. The organization was incorporated as a not for profit corporation in July 2005. It held its first inauguration ceremony in October 2006, inducting prominent musical Long Islanders from various genres and eras. Plans for the future include the creation of a physical space for a museum of Long Island music history that will also serve as a multimedia resource center, an educational facility and outreach program, and a venue for musical performance.
Long Island is also known for its schools' music programs. Many schools in Suffolk County have distinguished music programs, with high numbers of students who are accepted into the state-wide All-State music groups, or even the National All-Eastern Coast music groups. Both the Suffolk County and Nassau County Music Educator's Associations are both recognized by MENC, and host numerous events, competitions, and other music-related activities. Many schools are also well-recognized for their rich music programs, such as Stony Brook University and Long Island High School for the Arts.
Online, the nonprofit Long Island Musicians Network http://www.meetup.com/Long-Island-Musicians-Network/ enables area musicians to easily find other players to jam with and perform. The heart of the free online venue is its members domain, where musicians can post detailed info about themselves, a photo, their musical tastes and preferences, and info about the kind of musicians they're looking to get together with. Members communicate via the Web site's free email service.
With the rise of DIY and Noise
Noise
In common use, the word noise means any unwanted sound. In both analog and digital electronics, noise is random unwanted perturbation to a wanted signal; it is called noise as a generalisation of the acoustic noise heard when listening to a weak radio transmission with significant electrical noise...
related tape culture, Long Island too saw the rise of underground noise & diy scenes which included bands such as Insect, Jazz Became Elevator Music, United States, Megerk, amongst others. The DIY co-operative also booked shows around the NYC and surrounding areas showcasing Long Island's underground.
Another DIY faction, The Long Island Alternative Music Association, interviewed various artists bringing attention to the lack of venues opening their doors to independent Long Island artists. LIAMA, as they are commonly referred to, often book shows at the Plainview Old-Bethpage Public Library, to help to alleviate the problems created in local scenes form the shortage of underground supportive venues and booking agencies.
Employment for musicians has always been a challenging pursuit on Long Island, which is largely considered to be a overly saturated competition pool. The Advent of talent directories has helped stream line the relationships between venue owners and the bands that seek to play them. The days of mailing unwanted and unsolicited demos and flyers to venue owners are fast becoming a thing of the past. The reason is simple to understand when you consider the range of choices a single internet search can bring. Entire musical programs can be created and booked in less time than it takes to open and discard an unsolicited and often innapropriate demo mailing. There are many talent search engines that operate on a national platform and feature searches by region. The problem with these search engines is that they often return results based on a geographic net-throw. This usually means that a search for something local, especially on Long Island, can return results for band located in Connecticut and New England if it happens to be placed within 50 – 100 miles. There are some quality local search engines like Local Band For Hire.com http://www.localbandforhire.com
who specialize in entertainment local only to Long Island and Metro NY.
See also
- Long Island Music Hall of FameLong Island Music Hall of FameThe Long Island Music Hall of Fame is an organization whose office is located in Port Jefferson, New York. It was incorporated in July 2005 under the New York State Board of Regents as a non profit organization and holds a provisional charter to operate as a museum in the state of New York...
- Music of New York CityMusic of New York CityThe music of New York City is a diverse and important field in the world of music. It has long been a thriving home for jazz, rock and the blues...
- Paradiddle Records
- Live Music Calendar: Long Island