ROCK

by Jake Cline

The 18 Wheelers

members: Paul Feltman (guitar, vocals), Colin Kenny (guitar, vocals), Pat Donovan (fiddle, vocals), Chris DeAngelis (upright bass, vocals), Robert Slade LaMont (drums, vocals).

comments: By DeAngelis’ estimation, The 18 Wheelers are "probably the only country band in Miami-Dade County, which I suppose is both a blessing and a curse." DeAngelis, who also leads the alternative-rock band The Avenging Lawnmowers of Justice, formed The 18 Wheelers a few years ago as an outlet to express his appreciation for vintage country stars such as Gram Parsons, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash and the like. "But absolutely no contemporary country," DeAngelis promises. "That stuff sucks." One of the original Wheelers, banjo player Ben Peeler, moved to California and now tours with The Wallflowers. But The 18 Wheelers still have plenty of down-home grit, especially in recent addition Kenny, a hellacious guitar player with roots so deep they pull up magma. While DeAngelis says the band’s song list is so rich they can play all night, the group also has written about an hour’s worth of original material, which they hope to set down on CD next year.

contact: 305/662-1424.

members: Robert Interian (vocals, guitar), Wally Valencia (guitar), Roger Houdaille (bass), Bill Gato (drums).

omments: Self-described "romantics at heart," Miami’s 100 Fires aims for the lyrical relevance of Bruce Springsteen and John Lennon while maintaining the uncomplicated pop appeal of the Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox 20. Last year, 100 Fires released its debut album, By Reason or By Scorn, which the group’s bio proclaims "deals poetically with relationships, personal crises, mankind’s search for spiritual truth and other sociopolitical themes" — you know, the small stuff. The quartet is currently recording a followup called Chameleon Songs.

contact: 305/227-3254.

members: Charlie Gonzales (vocals, bass), Steve Siciliano (guitar, vocals), Chris Peet (drums).

comments: Gonzales is still a member of The Dillengers, the weekend house band at Elwood’s in Delray Beach for five years, and brought in 301 East (the address at Elwood’s) when The Dillengers vacated their throne. The new house act plays a bit more rock and less surf-oriented material, with guitarist Siciliano’s sizzling playing at the forefront. Drummer Peet provides a youthful anchor for his guitarist-uncle, and the manic Gonzales is even more in the spotlight now as the primary vocalist. Elwood’s built a stage on its open-air patio this year, from which 301 East entertains audiences with tunes by James Brown, Los Lobos, Eric Clapton and ZZ Top.

contact: 561/279-4864 or sisco1955@aol.com.

Bandit

members: Jeff Perkins (vocals, guitar), Pete Werneken (keyboards, vocals), Peyton White (bass), Peter Cussell (guitar), Barry McCann (drums), Bob Wlos (pedal steel).

comments: A few years ago, this longtime South Florida rock band ventured down a country road headed for Flying Burrito Brothers territory, resulting in the well-received CD Unstable. Since then, however, Bandit has returned to its rock ’n’ roll roots while not entirely forsaking its country past (note the continued presence of pedal-steel genius Wlos). "We’ve been just trying to record the new CD," Werneken says. "It’s a little more rock, with a little of the country and a harder edge." Bandit doesn’t perform that often because, well, not many rock clubs cotton to the band’s twangy accents. "The Metal Factory called me," Werneken says. "They’d only heard our first CD and I had to explain to them that that’s not what we do anymore. We just wouldn’t fit." Bandit recently welcomed back to the fold guitarist Cussell, who last played with the band in 1990. Other than that bit of news, "We’re just trying to keep going like everybody else," Werneken says.

contact: 954/942-1542.

B.O.B.

members: Alex Munoz (vocals, guitar), Sheryl Munoz (vocals, percussion), Paul Waxman (vocals, guitar), Jim Hibble (bass), Mark Lori (drums).

comments: Begun six years ago as a Grateful Dead/Beatles cover band, B.O.B. (which initially stood for Britain on the Bay but everyone now just calls them "Bob") has evolved into a jam-rock band heavy on originals though still prone to covering Jerry and the boys. "We do a lot of jamming," Sheryl Munoz says, "a lot of improv." Regulars at the Hollywood watering hole Sneakers, B.O.B. ventured south to Miami this year to open for the Lovin’ Spoonful on Lincoln Road. The group also completed work on a CD that will focus on its original material while occasionally giving in to the urge to jam.

contact: 954/925-9228.

members: Bryce Rutkowski (vocals, percussion), Matt Cahur (guitar), Eli McDonald (guitar), Jay Foster (bass), Pat Boggs (drums).

comments: Named for a tree native to the Florida Panhandle, Boxelder is anything but a static unit. Combining the slap-happy funk of the Red Hot Chili Peppers with the spiritual uplift of Caribbean music, especially reggae, Boxelder is always moving. This year, the group embarked on their so-called "Florida Slow Motion Tour 2001," an apparently successful attempt to play outside of their Jupiter hometown every weekend. When they weren’t on the road, Boxelder was in the studio recording their third album, Love Light Affection, with producers Sean "Birdman" Gould of Miami rockers Clambake and reggae artist Willie Lindo. What’s more, the band runs its own label, Roots Music Inc., contributes music to NRG surfing videos and has been featured on ESPN2’s X-Games.

contact: 561/747-6908.

members: Derek Cintron (vocals, guitar, drums), Tony Medina (guitar, vocals), Fernando Perdomo (bass, keyboards, vocals).

comments: Bandleader-songwriter Cintron is a classic-rock fan who refuses to live in the past. With an obvious appreciation for the hammer-of-the-gods power of The Who and Led Zeppelin, as well as a kinship with such modern-rockers as the Foo Fighters and Everclear, Cintron makes his own bid for radio immortality with arena-size guitars, monster-truck hooks and melodies that cling to you like sticky burrs. "I’ve got music that has to be heard, that has to be performed," Cintron says, "and I’m not going to sit around waiting for something to happen. I’m not above trying to make it happen." To that end, Cintron and his band spent the past year relentlessly gigging throughout the state in support of Oh ... the Drama, a CD Cintron wrote, produced and performed all by himself. (We liked it so much we named it Best Rock Album in our Best of 2001 issue.) Cintron recently left the alternative-rock band Humbert, for which he wrote, played guitar and sang, to devote himself full-time to his solo project, although he still makes time to perform with other groups, including the theatrical Noodles on Jupiter and rockers Done, led by the ubiquitous Perdomo. For more, log onto www.derekcintron.com.

contact: http://www.dc3.cc.

Clambake

members: Sean "Birdman" Gould (vocals, guitar), John Falcone (bass, vocals), Ari "Boo Boo" Schantz (drums).

comments: It’s been three years since Clambake got even the most sedentary rumps shakin’ with their deliriously funky debut CD, ¡Oye Mamacita!, and the long-awaited followup has met delay after delay after delay. No more, says bandleader/soul-stirrer "Birdman," who last month finally unleashed Shooting Star, a party-ready blender of Memphis R&B, James Brown funk, SoCal punk and, of course, the breezy, good-life charm the South Carolina native has soaked up on the beaches of Miami. The album did encounter one final obstacle, however, when the manufacturing company had to reschedule its print run around Britney Spears’ new album. "If I’m gonna get bumped," Gould says, "I’d rather get bumped by Britney." Songs on the new album should be familiar to anyone who’s caught a Clambake show in the past two years: "Crack Rocker," "Chill Pill," "Modern Girls," the WVUM and Zeta favorite "Heather’s on Fire" and the forgivably self-referential "Callin’ the Birdman." As a producer in demand, Gould’s name has appeared on a number of local releases, including recent efforts by Hashbrown and Boxelder. For those who need an immediate taste of Clambake, log onto the Web site www.oyemamacita.com.

contact: 305/438-0095 or 305/757-7086.

Code 55

members: Steve Simpson (vocals, guitar, Russian lute), Craig Delio (guitar, vocals, keyboards), Ian Bird (bass, keyboards), Steve Hatker (drums, saxophone).

comments: Claiming to hold attendance records at the Hard Rock Cafe in Sunrise, the Sawgrass Tavern and the Shipwreck Lounge, as well as being the proud recipients of a "full feature article and photo" in the Davie Times, Code 55 plays melodic power-rock in the style of Coldplay and the Foo Fighters, with emotional, introspective lyrics by 17-year-old Simpson. The band’s bio, however, seems to aim more for the TRL demographic: "At 6-foot-6, Steve [Simpson] has model good looks that assure he is always the center of attention. ... Craig Delio: The quiet, strong type that comes to life during shows. Tall, dark and handsome at 6-foot-5. ... Ian brings energy to shows and a measured sense of maturity and reserve. A ladies’ man." For Steve Hatker, "The picture says it all." Young women in need of prom dates are advised to call the number below.

contact: 954/217-9061.

The Dharma Bomb

members: Todd Thompson (vocals, piano, guitar), Sean Edelson (guitar, vocals), Brad Berman (bass), Ari Schantz (drums).

comments: Founded by singer-songwriter Thompson, The Dharma Bomb has of late wandered into the alternative-country milieu occupied by bands like Wilco and Son Volt. "It’s more true to where we are at this moment, just focusing on simple stuff — universal themes, how life affects you after you turn 30," Thompson says. "It’s still rockin’ but definitely more melancholy and realistic about getting beat up a little bit. After the last record, my mom died, and it just sobers you up." Following a much-needed getaway to Vietnam last December, Thompson returned home and threw himself into his music once again. In addition to writing and recording material for a new album, Bull’s-eye, Thompson and the Bomb played a weekend of shows in Los Angeles, performed at the House of Blues in New Orleans and opened for bayou-rockers The Radiators at the Chili Pepper in Fort Lauderdale. Thompson also contributed to new CDs by Shufly and Clambake and reacquainted himself with his childhood Steinway, a grand piano built in 1936 that his mother left him. "It takes up half my living room," Thompson says. "It’s as tall as I am — 6-foot-4."

contact: 305/858-3864.

members: Barbara Lang (vocals), Fernando Perdomo (guitar, vocals), Michael Contreras (bass, guitar), Derek Cintron (drums).

comments: With a set list including more than 35 original songs, Miami’s Done claims an appreciation for many styles of music, including Latin, jazz, folk, country and blues. "[Our] music lends itself to classic-rock influences, but has an innovative need to not sound like just one band or style," says Lang of the band that also features the multitasking Perdomo and Cintron. Look for Done at Tobacco Road and Titanic Brewery.

contact: barbalootz@aol.com.

members: Daniel de Vise (vocals, guitar), Neil Santaniello (guitar), Skip Sheffield (vocals, bass), Scott Cooper (drums).

comments: Featuring three local newspaper journalists and the husband of another (drummer Cooper is married to the Sun-Sentinel’s Shana Gruskin), The Dropheads have been playing well past their deadlines for more than four years at venues like Cheers and Mangos in Fort Lauderdale, Clamster’s in Deerfield Beach and Club Java in Coral Springs. De Vise (of The Miami Herald) and Sheffield (of The Boca Raton News) write all the material — although presumably not using the inverted pyramid approach.

contact: 954/321-3639.

members: Chris Clark (bass, vocals), Joey (drums, vocals), Christian (guitar, vocals).

comments: Originally, Fishbutt was the name of a folk group bassist Clark performed in from Broward to the Keys. But when that group split up, Clark decided to keep the name, as well as the boxes of T-shirts bearing the Fishbutt moniker, for future endeavors. So, this year, Fishbutt reappeared as, according to Clark, a "funk-rock, Red Hot Chili Peppers-type of band." Clark met guitarist Christian and drummer Joey four years ago at a Halloween party, where the three musicians immediately launched into a completely improvised set. They repeated the gig every Halloween since before deciding to make the band a full-time project. "We try to keep things real cutting-edge," Clark avers, "real interesting." Fishbutt now performs often at venues such as The Culture Room and Club M, and recently opened for a Red Hot Chili Peppers cover band at The Factory.

contact: 954/249-8144.

members: Christine Stay (vocals, bass), Aidan Quinn (guitar, vocals), Timothy Moss (drums).

comments: "We’re one small happy family," admits vocalist Stay, who’s seen her band go through no less than 12 drummers before reuniting this year with original Friction Farm timekeeper Moss. This modest, radio-friendly trio recently released its third album, Choose Red for the Sky, which it plans to promote through "lots of shows, lots of time in the van all over Florida and out of state." Friction Farm is no stranger to festivals (Moonfest, SunFest) nor classic-rock crowds, as the band recently opened for Bad Company. The group also opened for an Epic Records band called Nine Days (yeah, we slept through their 15 minutes, too), who Stay admits were "great guys but way more serious than I expected."

contact: 561/694-9574.

Hashbrown

members: Clarence "Jay" Spencer (vocals, bass), Duncan Cameron (guitar), DJ Boogie Waters (turntables, vocals), Rick Kanner (drums).

comments: Hashbrown’s new CD is called Miles to Go, but in many ways, this "funkcore" outfit has already arrived. Featuring the deeply soulful vocals of bassist Spencer, the prodigious guitar-playing of Cameron, the fat-bottomed beats provided by Kanner and the compelling scratches and sound effects produced by DJ Waters’ turntables, Miles to Go follows through on the advice given to the band by the one-and-only Mr. Dynamite, James Brown: "Keep funkin’." Heeding the example set forth by such pioneers as the Godfather, Curtis Mayfield and Bootsy Collins, Hashbrown also maintains a contemporary vibe throughout the album and in its always-enthusiastic performances, which have worn deep grooves in stages from Miami to West Palm Beach.

contact: 954/415-0143 or axisbold@bellsouth.net.

Haze

members: Gordon Campbell (vocals), Billy Bowin (guitar), Savio (turntables), Brad Stratford (bass), Jeff Strutz (drums).

comments: Based in Hollywood, this hip-hop-influenced rock band aligns itself with such bands as Limp Bizkit and Rage Against the Machine. A familiar sight on the sidewalk in front of the raw bar Shuckums, Haze also has been in the studio recording an album with neighborhood producer Cliff Rawlings. Strutz says the album will be mixed by "a friend of Cliff’s. I don’t know his last name, but his first is Eddie and he mastered Hotel California" — which just confirms Don Henley’s assertion that you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.

contact: 954/240-8171 or jeffreybrendon@aol.com.

members: Chris Alvy (vocals, guitar), Vic Brates (guitar), Darrell Killingsworth (bass), Todd Taulbee (drums).

comments: Taking a cue from such unabashedly melodic groups as Weezer and Fountains of Wayne, Hi-Fi Sister makes simple, harmony-rich songs that practically drop on bended knee and beg you to sing along. Minus guitarist Brates, all the members of Hi-Fi Sister performed in Beyond Salvation, a group that sounded not unlike their new band. Hi-Fi Sister debuted this year with the 10-song CD Pop Trash, a smiley-faced collection of upbeat rockers like "Asleep at the Wheel," "I’m Going to California" and "Feel Like Superman." If you haven’t yet heard the band, you’ll get plenty of chances, as Hi-Fi Sister plans to knock off 150 shows in the coming year.

contact: 305/228-6822.

Jerrods Door

members: Jeffrey (didgeridoo, percussion, vocals), Cris Monteleone (guitar), Kevin (guitar), Michelle Chandler (bass), Dave Klein (percussion), Andrew Martin (percussion), The Bear (percussion), Geo (drums).

comments: This self-labeled "psychedelic tribal music" outfit grew out of the local drum circle scene, adding a bit of structure to its music while not letting go of its freeform approach. Given the open nature of the group, Jerrods Door has seen a bit of turnover in its lineup since it formed three years ago, but Jeffrey says the current lineup has been in place for over a year. As always, the band encourages its audience to participate in its shows, whether that means dancing along to music inspired by the indigenous cultures of Africa and Australia or showing up to a gig with your own drum or didgeridoo. This summer, the group completed its second tour of the East Coast, which began in Maine and finished a month later back home. Jerrods Door performs often at The Culture Room, Tobacco Road and The Poor House as well as jam-friendly venues in Melbourne and Tampa, where Jeffrey says they’ve established quite a following. "As long as the people keep dancing, we’ll keep going," Jeffrey promises. For updates on the band’s forthcoming studio and live CDs, log onto www.jerrodsdoor.com.

contact: 954/522-8778.

members: Barry Belanger (vocals, guitar), Russell Gazzana (guitar), Jay Presti (guitar), Dennis Belanger (bass), Mike Nasti (drums).

comments: "The name is merely an expression of how we feel when we perform together," says guitarist Gazzana of Lucky Duck, a new band composed of childhood friends. The group’s music is, according to Gazzana, "quite hard to categorize" although he will allow that it "ranges from hard to soft and both sincere and explosive." As if that’s not clear enough, he adds, "All five members have come close to exploding into tiny pieces." Let’s just hope they don’t get any gore on the Duck Heads, the term of endearment the band has given to its fans.

contact: 954/614-8057.

Martini Band

members: Paul Martini (vocals, keyboards), Autumn Martini (bass, vocals), Brian Cooney (guitar, vocals), Jeff Heinz (drums).

comments: You might be tempted to check your calendar after finding out that the Martini Band opened for Jefferson Starship and White Lion this year. But that’s indeed the case for this ’80s-inspired puff-rock quartet. Ironically, the band’s song "Lost in Time" was recently featured in an independent film called Mergers & Acquisitions starring Brian Vander Ark of The Verve Pipe, another band ignorant of the word "zeitgeist." The Martini Band has completed a new eight-track, as-yet-untitled album that the group recorded at its own studio using Pro Tools technology (so you know they’re not entirely on a nostalgia trip). You can download the band’s music at www.martiniband.com, where you can also watch "Martoonies," animated shorts written and produced by the band members themselves.

contact: 954/584-6079 or ibenez@aol.com.

members: Paolo Gregoletto (vocals, bass), Chris Reiser (guitar), Mike Alber (guitar), Nick Augusto (drums).

comments: With members ranging in age from 15 to 18, Metal Militia is the boy band from hell. Trading speed-metal guitar licks with satanic imagery (although the devil portrayed on their CD cover looks more like a mutant lobster), this black-clad army of darkness wants to spread the word that the world is a terrible place to be a suburban white male, striking a pose as serious as a PSAT proctor on songs like "Darkest Days," "Evil Inside You," "Slave of Darkness" and "Sick of It All," which we presume is about locker-room wedgies.

contact: 954/785-6258.

members: Charles Phebus (vocals), Stephen Carroll (guitar), Dimitri Proano (bass), Joseph Martin (drums).

comments: Milhouse is a name that’s served both United States presidents and Simpsons characters well, and now it’s up to these four rockers to protect its, um, dignity. Featuring former members of early ’90s grunge rockers Love Canal, Milhouse has been writing and recording new material that Phebus says, "rocks pretty hard at times, but runs the gamut between a whisper and a scream. Just not as much screaming now." The band is hoping to release an independently produced CD in the near future. As for Love Canal’s legacy as an architect of the local rock scene, Phebus says, "We never wrote a timely, postgrunge rock ballad like Creed or Staind, nor do we plan to. We never tried to chase a trend, but looking back, I think it’s safe to say we were sometimes a couple of years ahead of one or two."

contact: 561/243-3297.

members: Kevin Westberry (vocals, guitar), John Kaiser (guitar, vocals), Michael Green (keyboards, vocals), Mark Green (bass, vocals), Mark Ayers (drums).

comments: Short for New Conservatives, Neo-con posits itself as the anti-Rage Against the Machine, attempting to prove that the GOP’s ability to rock didn’t die with Lee Atwater. These budding Tucker Carlsons can be found flapping their right wings at clubs like The Culture Room, Sloppy Joe’s and the Hard Rock Cafe, and on the 2000 album, Pax-Americana (a nod to ultra-conservative PAX TV founder Bud Paxson perhaps?), which can be purchased online at Amazon.com and CDNow.com.

contact: 954/288-6620 or neo-con@mindspring.com.

members: Chris Korzen (guitar, vocals, keyboards).

comments: Nezrok is the stage name of singer-songwriter Chris Korzen, who claims to be "an alternative to a lot of what’s out there." Responsible for such songs as "Boca Bitch" and "Under the Influence," Nezrok has released two CDs, Nezrok/Broken Sound and Sandbox Thesis, and is recording a third that features Atomic Cowboy Bob Wlos on pedal steel, The Avenging Lawnmowers of Justice’s Chris DeAngelis on bass and Larry Dinan on drums. Nezrok also has posted a free MP3 of his cover of the Ozark Mountain Daredevil’s "It Couldn’t Be Better" on www.slipstreampresents.com.

contact: 954/428-2641.

Nothing Rhymes With Orange

members: Carl Coccaro (vocals), Rich Coccaro (guitar), Dave Laber (bass), Jay Giorlando (keyboards), Brian Chilluffo (drums).

comments: The synthesizer- and guitar-driven Nothing Rhymes With Orange performs "Euro-style pop-rock that’s kind of like U2 meets New Order," according to vocalist Coccaro, who adds that the band’s music is "very song-oriented." The band frequents such venues as Tobacco Road, Respectable Street and The Culture Room and has opened for the likes of Spacehog, Modern English and Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger. Last year, NRWO released a four-song EP called Soho. See the band’s Web sites at www.nrwo.net and http://nrwo.iuma.com.

contact: 954/929-0580.

members: Phil Gordon (vocals), Jim Dix (trumpet, vocals), Greg Kokus (guitar), Mark Doyle (keyboards), Dave Tomasello (bass), Chris Peet (drums).

comments: This summer, bandleader Gordon assembled a Palm Beach County all-star group (including members of Joe Noto’s Jazz Stream, 301 East, Cous Cous and Paul Chafin’s Hot Four) to back him at Roxy’s in West Palm Beach. By the fall, the group was playing there every Thursday night. The charismatic Gordon sings an assortment of rock and R&B covers (including Bobby Caldwell’s "What You Won’t Do for Love" and — go figure — Wilson Pickett’s "Mustang Sally"), but the perils of having an all-star assemblage are already showing. Roxy’s recently moved the band’s gig to Fridays, but since most of the musicians have other seasonal commitments on weekends, expect to see a different lineup from week to week.

contact: 561/889-5916.

Phil T. Rich and the Fornicators

members: Phil T. Rich (vocals, guitar), Bob Gomez (guitar), Domenic Trotto (bass), Paul Blanchard (drums).

comments: "Not for the weak of heart or tight of sphincter" is the warning accompanying the Fornicators’ new CD, Welcome to Miami. It’s not a warning to be taken lightly, either, as the filthy Rich and his cohorts extol the virtues of porno actresses and sex with pygmies, among other questionable acts. They also reveal "Santa’s Little Secret" and engage in some anti-Hispanic hysteria on the title track, both of which may have led a local Web site to ban the Fornicators for "expression of racist views and otherwise generally offensive lyrics, including homophobia." So, considering the band members actually live in Miami, they’re either really brave or really stupid. You decide.

contact: 305/653-7388.

members: J. Christ (vocals, guitar), Max Pluto (vocals, bass), Lucy Rex (drums).

comments: Humor, volume and productivity are just a few of this Miami hard-rock trio’s assets. Humor because Plutonium Pie want their listeners to have as much fun as they do, whether this means breaking it down metalbilly style on the theme song "Chicken Fried Pie," titling a CD Nuclear Pussy and laughing as naysayers cluck their tongues or playing a wicked game of "Let’s See How Many People Will Still Be Standing at the End of Our Loudest Set Ever." Plutonium Pie averages two new CDs a year, and 2001 was no different with the release of the aforementioned Nuclear Pussy and the seven-song EP Nutrition Facts. "The material just doesn’t stop coming," admits guitarist J. Christ, who shares songwriting credit with girlfriend Pluto and sister Rex. "This CD is actually kind of crazy," he adds, citing a computer-only bonus song and another track recorded live at New York City’s punk-rock landmark CBGB.

contact: 305/893-9111 or pie@plutoniumpie.com.

Project-C

members: Jennifer Bickhardt (vocals, flute, percussion), Stephen Bickhardt (guitar), Mike Powers (bass), Chris Ouellette (drums).

comments: The C stands for cranberry juice, because that’s about as stiff a drink as the kids in this Palm Beach County band are allowed to enjoy at their gigs at the Kravis Center and festivals such as Clematis 500 Fest and Abacoa Concerts on the Green. With band members ranging in age from 13 (Jennifer Bickhardt) to 17 (Stephen Bickhardt), Project-C plays with "jazz, blues and rock overtones with a few covers thrown in." With Jennifer Bickhardt on flute, chances are good Project-C has thrown in "Stairway to Heaven" and "Aqualung" at least once — but only to please their parents, of course.

contact: 561/795-9456.

Psycho Daisies

members: John Salton (vocals, guitar), Jill Kahn (bass), Billy Ritchie (keyboards), Bobby "Boom Boom" Gold (drums).

comments: Something of a buried treasure in South Florida, Salton has been throwing down ragged, blues-rock guitar licks à la Keith Richards and Neil Young for many years, both as a member of veteran roots-rockers Charlie Pickett and the Eggs and as the leader of this band, which he founded at the beginning of the 1990s. While you’re unlikely to find the Psycho Daisies outside of Churchill’s, which simply was built for groups like this, the band this year released the CD It’s No Fun to Be Paranoid, featuring original material by Salton and Kahn as well as a Stones-like cover of Son House’s "Death Letter."

contact: 305/891-7833.

Rhett and the Pawnshop Drunks

members: Rhett (vocals, guitar), Tony Medina (guitar, vocals), Ryan Sambrook (keyboards), Roly Lugo (drums), Tony Suarez (percussion).

comments: Other than the departure of their bassist this year, this Hialeah-based, Stones-y outfit’s lineup has remained solid for two years now. An accomplishment, keyboardist Sambrook says, that has led to a more cohesive sound. "We’re a tighter band," Sambrook says. "Thank God." Rhett and the Pawnshop Drunks are currently working on their second full-length album, which Sambrook says is "a little more fleshed-out than the initial record, which we kind of rushed out. We think we have a good record on our hands." The group most often can be found close to home at The Culture Room, Tobacco Road and Churchill’s, but this year they also played a "hole-in-the-wall" in Orlando and a showcase gig in New York.

contact: 954/522-8670 or 305/458-7660.

Matthew Sabatella

members: Matthew Sabatella (vocals, guitar, keyboards).

comments: While he’s been getting much attention as of late for his Web site SlipstreamPresents.com, which distributes music from regional as well as national acts, Sabatella is first and foremost a songwriter and musician. Radio-ready without being radio-lame, Sabatella’s songs don’t shy from the clingy hook or the subtle melody, recalling the work of such all-stars as Matthew Sweet, Ben Folds and Liz Phair. The deep-voiced, acoustic guitar-playing Sabatella can be disarmingly personal, but he’s also quite willing to rock out, as evidenced by his dynamic new CD, A Walk in the Park, which features bassist Debbie Duke and drummers Gary Norton and Mitchell Gurdjian. The CD, of course, is available at SlipstreamPresents.com, where you also can find Sabatella’s first solo album, 1997’s Where the Hell Am I?, as well as work by many of his collaborators, including The Curious Hair, Mary Karlzen, Diane Ward and Amanda Green.

contact: 305/949-1246.

members: Richard Sheffield (vocals, guitar), Skip Sheffield (vocals, bass), Mark Winans (piano), John Sheffield (drums).

comments: Apparently having a thing for New Jersey legends, the Sheffields are known for their Frank Sinatra and Bruce Springsteen covers, as well as their upbeat originals. When not playing with his brothers and pianist Winans, Skip Sheffield performs in the acoustic duo Dos Gringos and the all-journalist rock group The Dropheads at various charity events, nightclubs and parties. Sheffield Brothers performances have been infrequent, although the band will play "one of their biggest gigs in years" on Dec. 16 at the Meyer Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach.

contact: 561/893-6620 or 561/395-6403.

members: Alex Tavares (vocals, guitar), Alex Mirones (keyboard, vocals), Uned Correa (bass), Mike Abay (drums).

comments: Shellshock comprises veteran cover band performers who, according to their bio, "were becoming increasingly disillusioned by the loud rock and cover bands that seemed to dominate South Florida’s music environment." Their solution to this problem? Seek inspiration from Depeche Mode, The Cure and U2 while Tavares utilized — and this is no joke — "vocals resembling Dave Matthews and Peter Murphy." With this unholy union of goth and frat rock consummated, Shellshock "provides music lovers who may feel like they are drowning in a sea of punk rock and cover bands with a quality entertainment alternative." Under the table and dreaming, indeed.

contact: 954/290-2644 or shellshock@music.com.

members: Eric Knight (vocals, guitar), R.J. Ronquillo (guitar), David Poole (bass, vocals), Jwani (drums).

comments: His lite-metal days in the power ballad-prone outfit Vandal long behind him (well, at least seven years anyway), Knight is now chasing rock gold with Soundsystem, which until this year was going by the modest moniker The Eric Knight Band. No longer enticing listeners to flick their Bics, Knight aims to reach sensitive males more prone to cry along with the Foo Fighters’ "Hero" than Mariah Carey’s song of the same name. Still, Knight continues to protect his rock cred by gigging at places like The Factory and making Creed-worthy pronouncements such as "everything is not what it seems" in reference to Soundsystem’s forthcoming album, Fractured Fairy Tales.

contact: 305/829-8142.

members: Nelg Nella (vocals), Alfredo Barranco (harp), Anton Solar (bass), Michael Wolman (drums).

comments: Despite the four-piece lineup, Space Hippie is really vocalist-resident alien Glen Allen (a.k.a. Nelg Nella), who’s led this group through numerous personnel and musical adjustments over the past decade. Today, combining a flair for Beatlesque pop with Syd Barrett-like weirdness, Space Hippie is a regular on the statewide festival circuit (Lovefest, Tampa Hempfest) and the local club scene. In fact, a dispute over money with one area club recently landed both Allen and the venue’s owner on television’s The People’s Court. The verdict? Not guilty by reason of inanity.

contact: spacehippie@hotmail.com.

Raiford Starke

members: Raiford Starke (vocals, guitar, harmonica, bass, accordion), Vinnie Fontana (bass), Del Marvin (guitar), Stuart Jean (drums).

comments: Taking his name from the Northern Florida towns that house two of our toughest prisons, Raiford Starke is himself something of a musical outlaw, his sharp-as-razor-wire playing drawing inspiration from such country and rock rebels as Merle Haggard, Evan Johns and Hank Williams. Starke’s roots indeed run deep, especially in Florida, as evidenced by his 1999 swamp-rock CD, Speak Me, and his tenure in Seminole Chief James Billie’s rock band. Starke (real name: Colin Kenny) recently joined the Miami roots-country band The 18 Wheelers (see above listing) as well as the Lakeland-based Bounty Hunter, a Southern-rock band whose approximations of Lynyrd Skynyrd earned it a gig at the Freebird Cafe in Jacksonville Beach on Oct. 24, the anniversary of the plane crash that killed several members of the legendary redneck rockers. Starke also performs on occasion with Pete Gallagher, his former editor at The Seminole Tribune ("he’s riding my coattails," Starke jokes) and with Native American songwriter Keith Secola, a Neil Young-inspired Arizonan known for the song "Indian Car and Fry Bread." Find Starke solo or with his many collaborators at venues such as the Bamboo Room in Lake Worth or Tobacco Road in Miami.

contact: 954/893-7232.

members: Randi Fishenfeld (violin), Rick Bauer (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Brad Winokur (guitar), Pete Sebastian (bass, vocals), Jonathan Joseph (drums, vocals).

comments: Violinist Fishenfeld and drummer Joseph put together Strange Daze to replace their previous weekend house band (Blue Fire) at the A Train Blues & Jazz Cafe in Delray Beach. Fishenfeld tours with Clarence Clemons’ Band of Faith, and Joseph’s world-class drumming has earned him work with Pat Metheny, David Sanborn, Al Jarreau and even Ricky Martin. He and bassist Sebastian comprise a fiery and airtight rhythm section. Bauer and Winokur add ample melodic and vocal components, and this relatively new band is adding originals to a song list featuring artists like the Dave Matthews Band, The Cure and INXS.

contact: 561/585-8334 or jpjsjo1@attglobal.net.

Strych-Nine

members: Heath Alex (vocals, guitar), Justin "J-Bone" Michael (guitar), Stevie G. (bass), Juanita (vocals), Russ Lange (drums).

comments: Strych-Nine has been playing poisonous, guitar-crazed heavy metal for 10 years now. Recently, the band recorded its fourth album, The Fastest Spoke Lines and Years of Rotten Youth, and released the single "Anthem/Better Than That." Strych-Nine often appears at The Factory, where the group has opened for fellow metal holdovers Firehouse and Enuff Z Nuff. With its Web site (www.strych-nine.com), the group has literally gone global, recently adding a Spanish-language home page and planning Japanese and Thai pages, as well.

contact: 954/941-9077 or strychnine@juno.com.

members: Richard Schmidt (vocals, guitar), Theresa Schmidt (vocals, keyboards), "Delta" Nick Colabella (guitar, vocals), Dave Martin (bass), Jim Lassier (drums), Stu Kociol (percussion).

comments: Husband-and-wife Richard and Theresa Schmidt play a mix of blues and classic rock. Primarily booked at City Limits in Delray Beach and Fisherman’s Wharf in Pompano Beach, The Symbollix derived their name from the mix of "symbiotic" and "bollocks," the moderately profane British slang term. The band has a new live CD, recorded at City Limits, that contains no Sex Pistols material or references but instead features tunes by Cream, War, Van Morrison and Jethro Tull.

contact: 561/642-4857.

members: Trish Paul (vocals, guitar), Clint Casey (guitar, vocals), Doug Lindsay (bass, vocals), Chris Burgiel (keyboards), Bill Meredith (drums, vocals).

comments: Paul has been active in both the South Florida music and theater scenes for more than 20 years. Her backing band also has a storied history, as Casey, Lindsay, Burgiel and Meredith formed 13th Floor, the house band at Jalapeno Harry’s (now Primo’s Pizza) in Wellington in the mid-’90s. All are now active with other bands, in which case Paul brings in substitutes like keyboardist Scott Gardner, bassists Randy Ward or Marc Brooks and drummer Larry Rudda. The Treblemakers play everything from R&B and rock to jazz and blues, and are in the regular rotation at Cobblestones in Wellington.

contact: 561/790-4009 or trishtreblemaker@aol.com.

members: Brian Franklin (vocals, guitar, piano), Jack Shawde (guitar), Sierra Brown (guitar), Diane Ward (organ, percussion, vocals), Russ Rogers (bass), Chris Sheldon (drums).

comments: Tumbleman boasts an impressive collection of songwriters and local music scene veterans. Franklin, who writes all the songs, Ward, Shawde and Sheldon are longtime collaborators in each others’ bands, and bassist Rogers is better-known as the frontman for gloomy alt-rockers Dot Fash. Guitarist Brown is the band’s newest addition, and Franklin says he’s still hoping to find a second keyboard player. "Despite the size of the band," Franklin says, "the sound is very stripped-down, percussive and raw." Tumbleman continues to work on its debut album, which is being produced by Oz Fritz, who’s manned the boards for the likes of Tom Waits and John Hammond. Those who can’t wait for the album’s release can download the band’s songs at www.tumbleman.com.

contact: 954/915-0903.

members: Jay Whetsel (vocals, guitar), Jonah Goldberg (guitar), Tony Smith (bass), John Presti Jr. (drums).

comments: Aiming to fill the void left by Hootie and the Blowfish and 7 Mary 3 (yeah, we know those groups are still together but what have they done for you lately), the four earnest young men of Tweed have had their eyes on the golf-buddy and soccer-mom demographic for five years now. And truth be told, they know to whom they market, as the band’s latest CD, Coffee Beans & Tea Leaves, is a well-played collection of sensitive guy fare with titles such as "To Be Free" and "Dream Yourself Away." Hell, they even sound like The Eagles at times, with vocalist Whetsel doing a nice Don Henley impression on "Take Me Back to Fall" and the band sidling up to urban-country fans with the slightly twangy "Two Feet." For show updates and free downloads, visit www.tweed-online.com.

contact: 954/560-5656.

members: Richard Schmidt (vocals, guitar), Theresa Schmidt (vocals, keyboards), Kevin Sorber (trumpet), Pete Scofield (saxophone), Jim Jones (bass), Pete Noble (drums), Stu Kociol (percussion).

comments: The husband-and-wife Schmidts play together as a duo at places like the Bamboo Room in Lake Worth, as a trio with percussionist Kociol and as a septet at clubs like City Limits in Delray Beach. They play original music, but their set list mostly comprises covers of rock bands like the Rolling Stones as well as blues and R&B songs. "We love the B-sides," Theresa Schmidt says. The Boynton Beach-based act also plays on occasional Thursdays at Clamster’s in Deerfield Beach, Saturdays and Sundays at Fisherman’s Wharf in Pompano Beach, and Saturdays and Sundays at the Aruba Beach Cafe in Fort Lauderdale. Every Friday, the Schmidts and Kociol play 5-8 p.m. on the venue’s outdoor stage, take a dinner break and then play inside as a full band from 10 p.m. to closing.

contact: 561/642-4857.

members: Jack Coffelt (vocals, guitar), Rik Shafer (guitar, vocals), Jim Hennigan (percussion, vocals.)

comments: Specializing in "rear-end-wiggling music that appeals to an older crowd," Uncharted Waters fits the ideal of a South Florida happy-hour band. "People ask us to play the blues," Coffelt says. "I tell them we spend too much time at the beach to have the blues." The ocean indeed has an effect on Uncharted Waters’ music, which the band has dubbed "Calypso-billy" and often includes guest musicians sitting in on mandolin, accordion and fiddle. The group has, in fact, entertained the Wednesday and Friday happy-hour crowd at Fitzwilly’s in Fort Lauderdale for five years. "It’s more of a fun kind of music," Coffelt offers. "Like The Monkees."

contact: 954/784-7882.

members: Kelly Christy (vocals, guitar), Lisanne Cattoretti (guitar), Kristi Boswell (bass, piano, vocals), Carolyn Colachicco (drums, vocals).

comments: For a band that’s gone on its share of hiatuses, Vesper Sparrow claims to seek permanence in its music. "I’d like to think that a song written today or years ago would still hold up tomorrow because it’s simply a good song," says vocalist Christy in a press release. That claim will be put to the test next year, when the band releases its "much-anticipated independent release" full of "thought-provoking lyrics and catchy pop harmony hooks."

contact: vespersparrow@worldnet.att.net.

members: Mike Hernandez (vocals), Jason Henshaw (guitar), Lance Piper (guitar), Nick Tobolski (bass), Matt Goldberg (drums).

comments: In their endlessly quotable band bio, Wallop claim their intention is "to create a versatile, mutant breed of mathematically engineered songwriting." Pretty funny, huh? Well, they’re not kidding. To quote their bio once again, Wallop’s CDs are "precisely performed studio recordings," although their lyrics are "open to interpretation." Fans of Tool and Creed should gobble this stuff up, especially Wallop’s latest album, The Johari Window, "named after a psychological test used to determine the knowledge of the self both internally and externally ... fitting for an album designed to take the listener on a journey within." Hail, hail rock ’n’ roll.

contact: 954/491-4538.

members: Diane Ward (vocals, guitar, drums).

comments: Whether in an acoustic setting with guitarist Jack Shawde or backed by her explosive rock band, Ward always impresses with her fathoms-deep songs about being a modern woman in a not-always-modern world. When not performing everywhere from Hollywood’s Chat Room Cafe to Miami’s Tobacco Road and Churchill’s (where she also can be found playing drums with Irish-rockers The Volunteers), Ward is working on the double-CD followup to her 2000 album, Move. Featuring fellow songwriters and musicians such as Shawde, Brian Franklin, Mitch Mestel, Pete Solley and Chris Sheldon, among others, the album will, Ward says, "house a combination of band and acoustic presentations." She’s hoping to release the album in the spring and promote it with a national tour.

contact: 305/826-4516.

members: Jim Wurster (vocals, guitar), Bob Wlos (steel guitar, guitar, mandolin, banjo, vocals), Gary Proses (bass, vocals), Frank Binger (drums).

comments: Performing superb roots-rock in the tradition of Neil Young, the Flying Burrito Brothers and John Prine, and composed of scene vets from some of South Florida’s all-time greatest bands (Black Janet, Roosterhead), the Atomic Cowboys embrace the rich heritage of country, rockabilly, honky-tonk, mountain music and, of course, rock ’n’ roll. Led by songwriter Wurster, whose dark, woodsy voice adds a timeless element to their music, the Atomic Cowboys have recorded two albums (their self-titled 1998 debut and 1999’s Dangerous Men) and are currently working on a third. Performances are sadly infrequent (few local clubs are cool enough to book them), but this year, the group released the CD single "She’s My Lovin’ Machine/Maybe Baby," and the Cowboys’ side project The Binger-Thompson Band debuted with the Wurster-penned (and -sung) single "Time for You."

contact: 954/384-7961.

— additional listings by Bill Meredith