Artist description Crabapple is a "countryish" rock and roll band. "The writing on the wall today is just a montage of corporate names...and all the shit on the radio sounds the same."

Music Style Original modern American rock (with an Americana twist)

Musical Influences Crabapple's influences are too numerous to list. They range from great country singer/songwriters like Johnny Cash and Jim Lauderdale to the "classic" and "punk" rock we grew up with.

Similar Artists If the Velvet Underground married Neil Young and Crazy Horse...then got run over by Gram Parsons in a pick-up, you'd have something close to Crabapple.

Artist History Crabapple sprouted out of Albany, NY in September 1998. Geoff Ryan and Don Bazley met while attending college at SUNY Plattsburgh in 1985. They would get together with their friend Kevin Quinn and play music in the basement of the dorms. Mostly the Kinks and the Velvet Underground. After graduation, Don's friend Nicole moved to Albany, NY. She sent Don a post card saying that she was enjoying Albany...that it's not the "Big Apple" but the "Crabapple". Don decided that if he ever lived in Albany and started a band it would be called Crabapple. Several years later Don and Geoff found themselves in Albany. John Pawhida of the local band the Staziaks introduced the two to Phil Lanz who was a great drummer. The songs came together fairly quickly. After several times playing together Phil suggested the band go into his friends studio and record a demo tape for booking gigs at clubs. It was only about the 5th time the band played together. That recording session eventually became the band's debut CD "Keeping Up With My Joneses". Crabapple played their first gig on September 15th, 1998, warming up for the Staziaks at Pauly's Hotel in Albany. After about a year Phil became too busy to play with the band and Don's brother Doug took over on drums. The two have played together their entire lives so it was an easy transition. Also around this time, the band was playing at a benefit and friend Larry Winchester..who plays guitar with local band Coal Palace KIngs ended up picking up his guitar (at Don's suggestion) and playing with the band. Larry ended up joining the band. After a while, Larry became too busy to play in both bands so he left. At that point Geoff's friend Pat Neary joined. Don Bazley has written almost all of the songs Crabapple plays. In addition to originals, the band always enjoys throwing some obscure covers into their live sets. The covers can range from Johnny Cash or Neil Young to CCR or Donna The Buffalo. As time went on Don started to allow the some of the country influences he grew up with to seep into the songs. One night Don was playing a tribute to Neil Young at the chapel at Union College. At that gig he met Pedal Steel player Rick Morse who asked if he could play along with the tunes Don was playing. Don agreed and loved what he heard...later joking that he was surprised when he heard "the voice of God coming from stage right". Rick caught the band at a gig soon after that and eventually asked if he could play with the band. This took the band another step in the "countryish" direction. In January of 2002, Crabapple returned to DMS Studios with Arthur Scott Verner to record the bands latest CD "Heaven And Hell On Earth". The CD is dedicated to Chris Ryan...bassist Geoff's brother and Crabapple's band artist. Chris was murdered in Washington Park in Albany while walking home from a show at a local club he attended with Don. Chris attended every Crabapple show and often recorded the gigs. He always offered the band advice and guidance. He was a very talented artist...he painted the oil painting on the cover of the band's debut CD. All that Crabapple does is dedicated to Chris Ryan (1965-1999).

Group Members Don Bazley - Guitar/vocals Geoff Ryan - Bass/vocals Doug Bazley - Drums Rick Morse - Pedal Steel Guitar Pat Neary - Guitar

Instruments Yes please... it helps.

Albums Keeping Up With My Joneses (Batter Up 1999) Heaven And Hell On Earth (Batter Up 2002)

Press Reviews Keeping Up With My Joneses "...melds pop and rock styles of the past four decades into a pleasing, cohesive whole." Metroland (Albany, NY) One of the areas best new acts (Albany Times Union- 12/98) -

Location Albany, NY - USA

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