The Press Tones - Minus Tony Brown!
Appearing at the Scorgies Reunion: The Press Tones
THESE ROCHESTER ROCKERS AIM TO BREAK THE BIG-TIME SOON.
But not before they find money to feed the dog.
By MARSHALL FINE
Times-Union March 10th, 1983
Buddy the dog needs a meal. The Press Tones are trying to scrape up cash for a bag of dogfood for the enthusiastic German Shepherd that guards their rehearsal space. “We really should get Buddy some food,” says Dave Devoe, the band’s 24-year-old bassist. “Where’s the $25 left from Casablanca?” “I spent it,” drummer John Schwittek, 22, says sheepishly. “Hey, I’ll make it up.”
More haggling and scrounging ensue before the money is collected. The odoriferous Buddy — rescued by lead singer B.B. Lummocks (Scott Weichman), 23, from a fatal trip to doggie death row — wags his tail and the Rochester rock band turns its attention to rehearsal.
But not before someone asks, “Did you pay the rent on this place for this month?”
“No, not yet,” says Peter Presstone, 23, the group’s leader, founder and writer. “Not enough money in the account.”
HE SURVEYS THE practice space, a room with the distinct aroma of Buddy. It’s a study in modern musical equipment set amidst ancient, abused furniture and accumulated refuse, wedged between warehouses on Central Avenue. Presstone pulls a long, lank lock of hair from his eyes and chuckles.
“Our” biggest problem right now is the monetary situation,” he says. “We want to make an album, once we get enough capital together.”
The Press Tones, together in various forms since 1980, are looking for a financial angel. In the meantime, the group’s members — which also include lead guitarist Simon Ribas, 22 — are working their day jobs. They reserve weekend evenings for cranking out their distinctive brand of music in clubs from Buffalo to Syracuse, looking for the break that will take them out of upstate New York. The band will play at 11:30 p.m. tomorrow at Scorgie’s, 150 Andrews St.
THE BAND WAS formed in 1980 by Presstone: “I’d been writing songs for quite a few years and I needed a vehicle to get my songs across,” he says. “This is my vehicle.” He smiles at drummer Schwittek. “John’s the trunk in the vehicle.”
When he started the band, Presstone says, “we were labeled as being a punk group, then new-wave. I’d say we were more new-wave than punk.”
“All the punkers moved to Buffalo,” Lummocks puts in.
How does the band refer to its music?
“How about pop-rock?” ‘Devoe asks.
“I’d say danceable power-pop,” Lummocks says.
“I’ve always hated that term,” Devoe replies.
“I think that’s what we try for: British power-pop,” Presstone says with a smile, he adds, “Power-pop always sounded to me like a brand of shady soda.”
The band’s music has evolved from a sparer punk sound to its current state: a blend of urgent rhythms and frequently melodic tunes built around Presstone’s lyrics about survival in the sexual war zone: “We’re concentrating OK production more, on sounding more commercial,” Presstone says.
BUT NOT TOO commercial. The band’s chief stumbling block its members say, is its insistence on playing its own songs, rather than someone else’s.
“People find it hard to accept the original rock’n’roll we do,” Presstone says. “Our hardcore fans are really into it. We could play Top 40 and get away with it. But we’re going about it the hard way.”
“We could go out and be commercial and play the Holiday Inn circuit,” Devoe says. “And we could achieve a certain level of success. The stuff we’re doing is not as readily acceptable as Top 40. We think it will pay off in the long run. What it will take is a good recording contract.”
“Yeah,” says Presstone. “What we need is to play a club with a big recording executive in the audience
who has a few drinks in him who will jump at the chance to sign us.”
In the meantime, the band is assaying the recording scene on its own. It released its own single — featuring Presstone’s songs Passion or the Pain and Treat It Like a Scar — in November; the record is selling “moderately,” Presstone says.
BUT THERE’S STILL the question of an album.
“We need megabucks for that,” Presstone says.
“You’ve got to make the album and still have the right marketing and promotion.”
Adds Lummocks, “Hopefully we can work ourselves to be good enough that somebody will offer us a contract Probably we’ll make an EP with five songs on it.”
“We’re looking for someone to front us a lot of money,” Presstone says. “Recording time really costs.”
Meanwhile, the band scrambles, working during the off week, playing on the weekends, looking for that
magic moment and concentrating on day-to-day survival.
“Actually, I’d say we are full-time at this now,” says Presstone, the only member of the group without an outside job. “We’re just working weekends but we usually make ends meet.”
Schwittek snorts with laughter. “Well, we make enough to buy dog food,” he says. “The ends haven’t met in a long time.”
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Kudos to Jeff Laben for saving this article.
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I was wondering where my credit was.
That’ll be one ticket, please. -
If you go to google and hit maps, and type in “central ave, rochester ny” you’ll see the building where we used to practice. It is now green, with two garage doors, looking much better than it used to back in the day. We were on the right side, and I think for a while the Bowery Boys were on the left.
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Do we have to?
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For a while during the ’90s that building served as an AA meeting house. Let that be a lesson to all of you.
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Hey Jeff… you’re next! Thanks for all of the emphemera, more articles to come! The Laben Wing of the Scorgies Hall of Fame is almost finished. It’s right next to the R Wing where I’ll be headed, sooner than you think!
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Hall of Fame??? I’ll get to work on my speech right away.
I’m still wondering why I have so much Presstones stuff in my “box of Scorgies memorabilia “. I think I saved more stuff than Simon and Peter did.
For Sale: One copy of “Passion or the Pain” 45.
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Thanks for allowing me to check out your package! And so we’re off! See Cliches article, folks. Written by Mike Cidoni. Whatever became of Mike? Okay, I see he’s done fairly well! Hi Mike!
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There’s plenty more where THIS one came from…I sent Stan a package.
A HEAVY package. -
Omg!! What the hell ever did happen to that lovely big ear dog??? Jesus yall…in new orleans. I saw this and almost cried…man we had fun..and DAM THAT PLACE STANK!! LOL. JEFF…YOU WERE THE ONE THAT MADE ME FIND MY FIRST LOVE…man ..I have never forgotten my past! Xxoo. Erin. Ps..peter karen. Or my first love..GET IN TOUCH…I GOT PICS…AND BARS!!!!!!
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P.s HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOTTY!! ERIN
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