Artist description First off, before this bio begins, let's get a few words out of the way: "fresh", "new", "sound", "blend", "of", "innovative", "captivating", "The Beatles", "influenced", "by", "eclectic", "mix", "quickly", "proving", "to", "be", "rising", "star". Much better. Sometimes these biographical things get a little wooden and stale, you know? Full of adjectives thrown hapharzadly around, like a blind man playing darts. They never seem to accurately potray how this performer or this band sounds like. Yes, I've read a lot of these things. Or thrown them away, in any case. I'm not in the band, but I'm in the lead singer's apartment right now typing this up on his computer. He's behind me in this recliner that takes up half the place, flipping through cable channels and pausing for black-and-white movies and particularly de-robed shots of Britney Spears. And that's the kind of personal touch you can expect from the band. Well, actually, not really. But what is a band bio without awkward, uninspiring segues? If you were to place the band in a particular musical genre bin, they'd probably feel right at home in the power pop case. Some people say they're indie rock. Some people say completely different things, but they're not writing this. *I* am and *I* say they're power pop. Watch this paragraph get edited out by Jason. The indie rock label pops up sometime because the band's songs don't really rely on harmonies and would rather choose to really rock it around the stage. The power pop part comes in because of the super-powerful hooks given full purchase and the lyrics that could be talking about anyone yet somehow they relate to your life. So...I guess they're indie pop? Power indie? Pop rocks? The Kinks, The Jam and Elvis Costello and the Attractions, besides being bands that any one of the Frills would love to be in, have also been bandied about in conjunction with descriptions of the band's sound. Mostly in the sense of, "Boy, The Kinks were great. Why aren't The Frills?" I'm kidding, of course, put down that sandwich and keep reading, please. The band's dynamic is fun to watch on stage, in any case. (Now that they're "big" enough for a press bio, words like "everyday demeanor" change to "dynamic" and "moody fuck" turns to "edgy and original.) You wouldn't really feel it, hanging out with them before their sets, but they got rounds of casual funny to offload into the audience throughout their rock numbers. Friendly and non-threatening seems to be their chosen edge. But it's still cool, you know? In that "they're not trying hard to shock or stand out and that's exactly why they do" kind of way. Just guys who don't feel like being dicks on stage. The material is too smart for shit like that. There are accolades, we tell you...accolades! Accomplishments and such: They have been written up in the New Haven Advocate several times. Several equaling fourteen times in one year, including a feature on them and reviews of both their discs. Their two CD’s both have received college and Internet airplay. Also, 2001 saw the Frills (then the Sarcastics) mentioned as one of the best new groups in the Advocate's Grand Band Slam issue. However, none of this press attention has done anything to alleviate the hostile glares this one waitress at the diner gives us. I mean, geez, just because you're unhappy with your life this means we don't get our buffalo wings? Jason and Bob also stole a Wurlitzer organ from their school one time. Well it was going to be thrown out anyway! A great many live favorites are lined up to make the Frills next release as official and ear-ringing as possible. This forthcoming EP, produced by Mike Arafeh, is to be released this summer in conjunction with a small east coast tour. Currently the Frills are playing clubs, coffee houses, bars and open mics in and around Connecticut.

Music Style power pop, britpop and a bit of rock for good measure

Musical Influences The Kinks, Elvis Costello, The Who, The Clash, Ray Davies, The Velvet Underground, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, The Blues Brothers

Similar Artists The Kinks, Elvis Costello, The Replacements

Artist History The history of the Frills lies within a smalltown Connecticut band called The Poorboys. The Poorboys featured current Frills members and songwriters Jason Mazzotta and Bj Murphy. For about four years the Poorboys played in and around Connecticut, rocking venues like the El N' Gee club along the way. They even recorded and released a full-length album at one point. The Poorboys were a bit unbalanced though and sadly broke up by the end of the nineties. Meanwhile, in another part of the state, a drummer by the name of Bob Breychak was just getting his feet wet in a neo-grunge/punk band called the Hot Buttered Elves. The Elves too rocked for a few years but never rivaled the success of the Poorboys and broke up in a shorter time. Moving on from the Elves, Bob joined a New Haven based blues band called CROSSROADS in 1999. Although the Roads were a bit more successful, they too couldn't hold things together and broke up in 2000. By this point Jason and BJ had already started up another band together which they called the Sarcastics. Through mutual friends, Bob met up with Jason and BJ at a local open mic and soon jammed. Along with bassist and former HBE/CROSSROADS member Sam Jungeblut, the Sarcastics set out to conquer southern Connecticut. In early 2001 the quartet received rave reviews in local press, prompting them to release their debut e.p. 'Sarcasm.' Following the release of Sarcasm, the band continued to play shows around Connecticut and southern Massachusetts. Following the departure of Jungeblut in mid-'01, the band met up with Biartz/Wrench In the Works bassist Jeff Brown. Jeff had long been a friend of the band and seemed a perfect fit for the group. Revitalized, the group played shows throughout the rest of 2001, releasing their debut album '2001: A Sarcastic Odyssey' that December. In early 2002, the band decided an image makeover was in need and re-christened themselves The Frills. Without even missing a step, the band played a series of successful shows in Spring. Currently the band is working on a new e.p. with producer Mike Arafeh.

Group Members Jason Mazzotta: vocals, guitar, keyboards BJ Murphy: lead guitar, vocals Jeff Brown: bass guitar Bob Breychak: drums

Instruments guitars, keyboards, bass guitar, drums

Albums Sarcasm (2001), 2001: A Sarcastic Odyssey (2001), Diggin' That Radio Sound (coming 2002)

Press Reviews "[The Frills] recreate one of the rarest, coolest strains of '60s British pop, a precocious blend of sing-songy rhymes and intellectual wisecracking," "[The Frills'] embracing of old-school Britpop of the Kinks/Pretty Things variety makes the band timeless" - Christopher Arnott, New Haven Advocate "I like The Frills a lot, they remind me a lot of a younger Kinks infused with the spirit of the Replacements. It's just great straight-ahead intelligent pop and if you ask me, we could use a bit more of that these days." - Chris Buskey, New Haven Advocate "The Frills maintain that you don't need to be completely aloof, angry, pretentious, loud or serious to put on a good rock show" - Chris Lough, New Haven Advocate

Location Hamden, Connecticut - USA

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