Artist description Together since 1996, Slightly Ripe has been writing, recording, and playing musicthat makes those listening take notice; keeps club patrons dancing and clubowners happy; has potential in the recording industry; and satisfies the creativespirit of the band. Slightly Ripe plays pop rock with depth - songs peppered withpercussive rhythms, bluesy moodiness, insightful lyrics, and traditional"turn-up-the-radio" hooks.

Music Style Alternative/Pop/Blues Rock

Musical Influences Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Blues Traveler, Dave Matthews Band, Kiss, Rush, Frank Sinatra, Matthew Sweet, The Kinks, U2, Bare Naked Ladies

Similar Artists Toad the Wet Sprocket, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Dishwalla

Artist History Slightly Ripe was selected from over 130 entries to showcase at the NACA North Convention at Lafayette College in 1999.In 1997, the song "It Never Rains" appeared on the soundtrack to the Zeke Zelker film "Affairs" which is currently under contract with Miramax Films. Slightly Ripe has produced three CDs in their home studio, Studio K, and has worked with Joe Mattis with King Biscuit Records (formally with Island records), whose credits include major recording artists U2, Melissa Etheridge and The Who...

Group Members Sean Blackburn- guitar, vocals ; Bryan Kershner- drums ; Kevin Kershner- percussion ; Mark Piedmonte-Silvoy- bass

Instruments guitar, bass guitar, drums, auxiliary percussion, Hammond organ, trumpet, trombone, flugelhorn, flute, harmonica, sax,

Albums Last Exit Before Toll (new album), New Places..., Slightly Ripe (self-titled), A Rockin' Ripe Christmas, Some New Language, More Than A Groove

Press Reviews January 10, 1998SLIGHTLY RIPE IN BLOOM WITH TWO NEW DISCS by STEPHEN PARRISH, The Morning Call, Allentown, PASlightly Ripe is a Lehigh Valley band intent on building a bridge between classic garage sounds, folk pop and distended psychedelic jams. These stylings alone make for a mighty contribution to the local scene, particularly since the band does it well. But Slightly Ripe is doing more for the scene than merely making music. For example, the band spearheaded last May's "Lehigh Valley Uncovered," a showcase at Allentown's Pioneer Club that displayed the talents of not only Slightly Ripe, but also local luminaries Waiting For Rain and Kutztown pop-punkers Grieving Eucalyptus. Slightly Ripe also contributed the track "It Never Rains" to the soundtrack of Zeke Zelker's independent, locally filmed "Affairs." Plans are, the band reports, for the movie to be refilmed on a bigger budget, in color. Slightly Ripe's continued participation in the project has been welcomed. "We support things local," says Slightly Ripe singer-guitarist Sean Blackburn of Allentown. "We continue to support local original music, and we and other bands are always going out to see one another." Appropriately, when it came time to record its new, six-song self-titled EP, Slightly Ripe got a boost of sorts from another regional name. Frank Phobia, ringleader of the Reading hardcore act Anthrophobia, passed a Slightly Ripe tune over to a deejay pal at Reading's Y-102 FM, who in turn hooked the band up with mixer Joe Mattis, whose credits include U2, Melissa Etheridge and the Kinks. Mattis agreed to mix the EP, one of two discs that will be toasted tonight at a record release party at The Funhouse in Bethlehem, and the band couldn't be happier. "He was real excited, yet laid-back," said Blackburn of Mattis. "It was a step up for us to work with someone like that." (The second disc, "Some New Language," is a collection of live tracks and outtakes.) The "Slightly Ripe" EP runs the gamut from garage rockers amped by Hammond contributions from Blackburn to crunchier, tangential jams, which feature Blackburn harmonica turns. "We have a catalog of 50 to 60 songs that cross different lines and styles," said Blackburn. "Some are melodic, some are outright rocking. But the six that were picked progress in such a way that together, the appeal is in the flow of the disc from start to finish." (And speaking of finish, stick around for the final "hidden" track on the EP, which serves up random outtakes and interview sound bites.) Ironically, since adopting the Slightly Ripe moniker in 1996, the trio, which also includes drummer Bryan Kershner of Whitehall Township and bassist Mark Piedmonte-Silvoy of Bethlehem, has been plugging away at playing the Philadelphia-Manayunk circuit as much as local venues, finding greater success out of the area. Unfortunately, many of the Philly-area clubs Slightly Ripe calls home are closing their doors because, say band members, of a prejudice against original music. "It's very discouraging, this lack of interest," said Piedmonte-Silvoy over the telephone from a Whitehall Township studio. "If we as a band can encourage each other and other bands to keep it going here at home, then the musicianship can take you where you want to go. You don't have to constantly be worrying about how you're going to be breaking out of the area." If you go see Slightly Ripe live, the band encourages you bring a percussion instrument, as audience participation is always welcome. Slightly Ripe, which released its first disc, "More Than A Groove," last year, will be the first act to occupy The Funhouse stage after the final local appearance of that most revered of Valley bands, The Original Sins. It will be a homecoming of sorts, since the band debuted at The Funhouse years ago billed as Nastorieum. Nastorieum? "I saw the flower nasturtium on a Burpee seed packet and thought it would make a cool name," Blackburn recalled. "But it was spelled one way on The Funhouse door, a different way in the paper, and a different way inside The Funhouse, and finally, we just said, `You know, it's just not a marketable name.' "January 17, 1998SLIGHTLY RIPE KEEPS ITS MUSICAL LANGUAGE VARIEDby DAVE HOWELL (A free-lance story for The Morning Call) Allentown, PA Although The Original Sins have played together for the last time, the Bethlehem rock 'n' roll band's influence lives on in the Lehigh Valley's many garage and punk bands. In fact, Slightly Ripe, one of the Sins' successors, were the first to play at The Funhouse after the Sins made their final Lehigh Valley appearance there last weekend. Slightly Ripe's show at the South Side Bethlehem bar last Saturday night drew about 90 people to celebrate the release of two new CDs, a six-song EP, "Slightly Ripe," and the full-length "Some New Language," a collection of live tracks and studio outtakes. A weakness of garage rock is that with stripped down instrumentals and simple chords, the music can sound monotonously the same. But this wasn't a problem with Slightly Ripe's songs, which ranged from the rocking "Spoiled" to the pop-flavored "Show Me Mary" to the introspective "Steady Line of Traffic" and "Star." The best songs were the slower ones with haunting melodies, although in true rock tradition, many of Sean Blackburn's vocals couldn't be understood. The lyrics were more distinguishable on the show's few familiar covers, including Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side" and Billy Joel's (!) "You May Be Right." Slightly Ripe sounded better live than on record. Mark Piedmonte-Silvoy's solid bass dominated Blackburn's guitar, giving the trio a smooth sound without a jangly guitar harshness. Bryan Kershner's staccato drumming at times sounded like he was part of a different band. But his off-the-beat, rat-a-tat style added personality to a band that, even at this early point in its career, has a sound that might best be described as fully ripe.

Additional Info Slightly Ripe T-Shirts are available

Location Allentown, PA - USA

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