Rocket Transfer Warehouse
Encyclopedia
Rocket Transfer Warehouse is a rock band formed in Baltimore, Maryland
, United States
. The group has been active since 1997 and currently has three albums released.
Sometime around 1994 Buscemi left the group causing a splinter effect. Shadis, Beall and Buscemi later formed Another Tricky Day which in turn became Barfly Celebrity minus Buscemi. Buscemi then went on to form All Fall Down with Another Tricky Day vocalist Joe Petri, guitarist Rich Bialek and drummer Ron O' Mally, only after turning down Maragos' invitation to continue RTW with the addition of drummer John Boozio as a trio.
In 1996, Maragos however persisted with RTW for a time enlisting musicians from Salisbury, Maryland
for version #2 to record Grand Opening. Grand Opening was full of the do-it-yourself production and alternative leanings of many 1990s bar bands. The album featured two vocalists, a formula which Maragos would explore with more detail on the next album. The real charm came from the almost innocent, naive directness of the performances and recording. Toad the Wet Sprocket
and The Lemonheads
come to mind but certainly not rock 'n' roll or pop.
Upon receiving an invitation to perform at the first International Pop Overthrow
in Los Angeles, California
, it was decided by Gary and the musicians he was currently playing with brother Greg Maragos (bass guitar and vocals) and Mike Ward (guitar and keyboards) to keep the RTW name and develop new material. Dave Buckner (drums) was added just before the band recorded a four song demo tape which was followed up with the Arrival album. Harmony vocals and lush sound textures are what drive the album as well as generally more adventurous arrangements. The group was most active both live and on record during this period. During this time, singing and songwriting was split between Greg and Gary.
After meeting at an RTW show at the 8x10 Club, Shadis, Maragos and Buscemi stayed in touch. Beall was present, but showed little interest in reforming. Maragos decided to ask Shadis and Buscemi to help record as RTW with the addition of Mike Ward from version number 3 and Pete Kuhn from The Beltways on drums, resulting with Band with the Golden Arm, bringing the group in almost full circle.
Band with the Golden Arm was for Maragos a second go at making Arrival, however the chemistry of this unit was to yield more tension and an edgy sound not heard before on record. The disc is stripped of all Arrival's production and very brief. This album seemed to be more guitar driven and at least as far, as RTW is concerned more rock and roll. The harmony vocals are gone, and the instrumental mix is up front and dry, almost raw compared to Arrival. The feel is somehow intimate like Grand Opening, a quality that Arrival lacked all together but no less polished.
An appearance at the 2005 International Pop Overthrow festival in Chicago
later followed.
Maragos and Shadis persisted as an acoustic duo live but RTW activity has been rare.
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The group has been active since 1997 and currently has three albums released.
History
Originally formed as a covers band, Gary Maragos (guitar and vocals), Aaron Shadis (guitar), Mario Buscemi (bass guitar) and Chris Beall (drums) first came together in 1991. The group played in and around the Fells Point area of Baltimore and Towson State University during the early 1990s doing mostly college radio favorites and some classic rock. It did at one point perform some original material live but never recorded anything from this period. The group was fairly well received as a live act but showed little signs of longevity or creativity.Sometime around 1994 Buscemi left the group causing a splinter effect. Shadis, Beall and Buscemi later formed Another Tricky Day which in turn became Barfly Celebrity minus Buscemi. Buscemi then went on to form All Fall Down with Another Tricky Day vocalist Joe Petri, guitarist Rich Bialek and drummer Ron O' Mally, only after turning down Maragos' invitation to continue RTW with the addition of drummer John Boozio as a trio.
In 1996, Maragos however persisted with RTW for a time enlisting musicians from Salisbury, Maryland
Salisbury, Maryland
-Demographics:Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury-Ocean Pines CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Salisbury metropolitan area and the Ocean Pines micropolitan area , which had a combined population of 176,657 at the 2010 census.As of the census of 2000, there were...
for version #2 to record Grand Opening. Grand Opening was full of the do-it-yourself production and alternative leanings of many 1990s bar bands. The album featured two vocalists, a formula which Maragos would explore with more detail on the next album. The real charm came from the almost innocent, naive directness of the performances and recording. Toad the Wet Sprocket
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Toad the Wet Sprocket is an American alternative rock band formed in 1986. The band consists of singer/guitarist Glen Phillips, guitarist Todd Nichols, bassist Dean Dinning, and drummer Randy Guss. The band enjoyed chart success in the 1990s with the singles "Walk on the Ocean," "All I Want,"...
and The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band first formed in 1986 by Evan Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz. Dando has remained the band's only constant member....
come to mind but certainly not rock 'n' roll or pop.
Upon receiving an invitation to perform at the first International Pop Overthrow
International Pop Overthrow
The International Pop Overthrow is an American-originated music festival devoted to power pop music and related genres.Taking its name from Material Issue's 1991 album of the same name, the festival began in 1998, and has been held annually in the LA area since then...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, it was decided by Gary and the musicians he was currently playing with brother Greg Maragos (bass guitar and vocals) and Mike Ward (guitar and keyboards) to keep the RTW name and develop new material. Dave Buckner (drums) was added just before the band recorded a four song demo tape which was followed up with the Arrival album. Harmony vocals and lush sound textures are what drive the album as well as generally more adventurous arrangements. The group was most active both live and on record during this period. During this time, singing and songwriting was split between Greg and Gary.
After meeting at an RTW show at the 8x10 Club, Shadis, Maragos and Buscemi stayed in touch. Beall was present, but showed little interest in reforming. Maragos decided to ask Shadis and Buscemi to help record as RTW with the addition of Mike Ward from version number 3 and Pete Kuhn from The Beltways on drums, resulting with Band with the Golden Arm, bringing the group in almost full circle.
Band with the Golden Arm was for Maragos a second go at making Arrival, however the chemistry of this unit was to yield more tension and an edgy sound not heard before on record. The disc is stripped of all Arrival's production and very brief. This album seemed to be more guitar driven and at least as far, as RTW is concerned more rock and roll. The harmony vocals are gone, and the instrumental mix is up front and dry, almost raw compared to Arrival. The feel is somehow intimate like Grand Opening, a quality that Arrival lacked all together but no less polished.
An appearance at the 2005 International Pop Overthrow festival in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
later followed.
Maragos and Shadis persisted as an acoustic duo live but RTW activity has been rare.
Discography
- Grand Opening (19971997 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
) - ArrivalArrival (Rocket Transfer Warehouse album)Arrival is the second official album by pop/rock band Rocket Transfer Warehouse, released in 2000.-Track listing:# Hey, Let's Go! – 0:11# Something Out of Nothing – 2:53# Almost Breaking Down – 3:31# Alex – 3:11...
(20002000 in musicSee also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
) - The Band With The Golden Arm (20042004 in musicSee also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
)
External links
- [ Rocket Transfer Warehouse at Allmusic]