Philly People Online article -- Familiar 48 Fans Forum

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Date Posted: 17:16:09 09/05/02 Thu
Author: Beej
Author Host/IP: st140089.ithaca.edu / 147.129.140.89
Subject:

Philly People Online article

I'm gonna repost the Philly People Online article I found. They just need to correct a few facts :)
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The Answer to "The Question"
Familiar 48 wants you to know what it's all about
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Local band Familiar 48 has a lot vested in the success of their music, often on tour and away from family and friends for up to six weeks at a time. Other bands may have wondered if it was all worth it, but if Familiar 48 had any doubts, they were answered with the February release of their aptly-titled single, "The Question."

Soon after hitting the airwaves in 15 cities across the U.S., it became one of the top-most-requested songs on Philly stations Y-100 and 94WYSP.

Formerly Bonehead, this group was the hottest cover band in the Philadelphia area. Best known for their first original song, "Fade," this energetic foursome packed Philly and Jersey nightclubs every weekend for over five years. But playing music by other artists like Creed, Lifehouse and Pearl Jam began to take a toll on the group.

After just two years of playing the cover scene, the band decided they needed something more. So Bonehead, with the support of their management company, ventured out of the usual cover philosophy.

Continually being compared to the sound of Pearl Jam, Bonehead was searching for their musical identity. "We don't compare ourselves to anyone," says Jayy Mannon, front man for the group. In order to find a niche in the mainstream, the group decided to begin work on their own sound, and in 1998,

Bonehead released an album of just five songs with the help of a local production company, Vulgar Entertainment. By 1999, their single, "Fade," was being played on 94 WYSP as part of the radio station's effort to get local bands some airtime during the summer months. Thinking this was the break they needed, Bonehead began getting calls from promotion companies, but with no luck. According to Mannon, "It was very frustrating."

Bonehead continued to play their usual sets while still recording and trying to push their own sound at their cover shows. Bill McGathy of McGathy Promotions, the largest promotions company in the United States, spotted the band at the Trocadaro in the summer of 2000. By that fall, McGathy had signed the group.

About a year later, the band performed live at Brownies 23 East, Y100's Tuesday night music club that showcases local bands. To the surprise of the guys in the band, Don Gehman of MCA Records, who has worked with such artists as John Mellencamp, R.E.M. and Hootie and the Blowfish, had flown out from L.A. to see them perform.

Under the wing of McGathy, the band played the next week at CBGB's in New York City's Greenwich Village, a historic club where many bands get their start. It would prove a lucky night for Bonehead. Once the band finished their set, Gehman approached Mannon about producing the record. They signed a couple of months after that. Mannon says it's all been "very exciting."

The hardest part for the group so far has been waiting to get on the road. Before they could perform, deals needed to be made and an agenda needed to be set. "It [was] like winning the lottery and waiting to collect your money," says Scott Stanley, bass player.

Meanwhile, the band continued with their shows for almost a year, playing mostly their own songs and tirelessly pushing their single, "The Question," as much as they could before its release.

All the pushing paid off, and "The Question" shot to the top of the charts, leaving the rest of us wondering what's next for Familiar 48. This local band will undoubtedly be a part of the Philly music family far into the future.

Writer: Vanessa Saylor

Photographer: Vanessa Saylor

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Replies:

Re: Philly People Online article -- FamiliarChick, 21:44:23 09/05/02 Thu