Sweet Cyanide is a Vaudevillian laced blend of David Bowie glam meets Guns N Roses grit. The band cites the aforementioned artists as major influences and undoubtedly encompass the sleazy, aggressive yet theatrical characteristics of classic rock that reigned within the timeframe of these super star acts, except with a modern flair.
Although a new act, Sweet Cyanide are no strangers to the bomb scorched indie music landscape and have a sensible grip on how to succeed there, especially in terms of promotion, marketing and publicity. The band plans to cultivate its fan base through an energetic, engaging live show. Nonetheless, this is a fan base whose foundation has technically already been established from the natural evolution that occurs when two bands marry.
Sweet Cyanide is the combined effort of members of two NYC based bands well recognized on the regional scene, Crashbox and Moment Theory. Sal Scoca (Vocals/ Guitar) and Angelo Fariello(Bass), both from Crashbox developed a solid bond with Mike Bambace(Drums) and Joe Salvatore(Guitar) from Moment Theory. This bond led the two bands to tour regionally together and eventually evolved them into Sweet Cyanide. The lineup tops off with vivacious female vocalist Lindsay Benjamin which gives the band switch-hitting vocal ability, a quality virtually non-existent in commercial music today.
Froman: Which of your songs would make for a good porn soundtrack?
Sweet Cyanide (Sal Scoca): Being huge fans of Japanese porn, we coulddefinitely see "SLM" or "Crash theory" being a great soundtrack...it would start playing right as they stop the dialogue and start the heavy humpin'!
Froman: Is it true for the guitarist if the audience can't see your c*ck it isn't rock?
SC: The guitar is definitely an extension of the "penis" or as you put it The "Cock" (hate that word) and rule # 227 from the Rock n' Roll Handbook does state: "If one attempts to rock in front of a live audience, one must ALWAYS display the cock"
Froman: If you could add one member from any band who would it be?
SC: Gustov Kletscky from "The Rusty Trombone 5". He was a great horn player who eventually went insane and murdered the rest of his quintet with a spatula and a lead pencil...pretty amazing if you ask me.
Froman: Drum solos...only good for other drummers or audience pleasing?
SC: Only when the drummer is Mike Bambace!
Froman: Record companies. Need them or want them?
SC: Don't Need Them, Don't Want Them; They just need to keep fuckin' things up so us indie's can keep growing... sorry David!
Froman: Do you all have equal say in songwriting?
SC: Sometimes- depends on the direction we want the song to take...
Froman: Strangest thing you've snorted?
SC: Crushed Aspirin, X, and Baby powder...out of a chick's butt
Froman: What band/artist would you like to beat up?
SC: Sweet Cyanide! Hate that bass-player, Angelo Fariello...what a cocky prick!
Froman: Ever play a concert where you were almost too fucked up to go on stage?
SC: Joe Salvatore's rule of live gigging: Don't ever show up to a gig fucked up...We have ALL challenged that rule...including Joe Salvatore!
Froman: What's the creepiest venue you've ever played? Ever fear for your life on stage?
SC: We played to a pack of wild hillbilly's down south with 12 teeth amongst the 40 of them...nice folks though...if you can get over tooth thing!
Froman: Is there anyone in the band that you have to dress b/c he's embarrassing?
SC: Joe is always trying to wear Lindsay's clothes on stage...FREAK!
Froman: Describe your sex: light some candles or lay down the tarp?
SC: We all have different sex habits but speaking for myself, i like to wear my giant squirrel costume and and play "Find my nuts before the winter comes"...girls ALWAYS love to find my nuts...salted or so they tell me!
Froman: Who gets the most groupies? Or at least give us a best groupie story?
SC: Due to the sensitive nature of this question, we'll just say if groupies were chocolate, Angelo would be a big, fat, pimple-headed Bass player! Leave it at that!
Froman: Aquanet or paul mitchell?
SC: Aqua-what and Paul- Who????
Froman: What's the most ridiculous thing you've seen requested for backstage (aside from 1000 brown M&Ms to fill a brandy glass)?
SC: A vibrator on a stick
Froman: A 17 yr old gorgeous little groupie comes in thru the bathroom window…play ball?
SC: I would have to say "come back when your 18 because Sal does NOT wanna spend the rest of his good years in prison".
Froman: Any spinal tap moments?
SC: We played an outdoor festival once and we had to walk through this bizarre senior citizen's center to get to the stage area...Grandma was never quite the same after that one!
Froman: The day your band dies, what would u like its epitaph to read?
SC: Roses are red
my balls are Blue
here lies the Baddest Band
The world EVER knew!
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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: THE DEAR HUNTER CLICK PIC FOR INTERVIEW
September Concert Calendar
Manhattan/Brooklyn
9/04: Mavado / Bounty Killer / Beenie Man /
Serani @ Hammerstein Ballroom
9/06: Benny Page / LionDub / Starkey
@ Public Assembly: BK
9/06: Irie Jamboree @ York College: Jamaica
9/08: Rubblebucket @ Brooklyn Bowl: BK
9/08: The Roots @ Highline Ballroom
9/11: John Brown's Body / The Black Seeds
@ Bowery Ballroom
9/12: Bill Laswell Presents: Method of Defiance
@ Bowery Ballroom
9/17: Face To Face / Pegboy @ Gramercy Theatre
9/18: Groundation @ BB King Blues Club
9/18: Dub War / Mary Anne Hobbs @ Love
9/19: Skream / Benga / Drop The Lime @
Le Poisson Rouge
9/20: Thursday @ Bowery Ballroom
9/22: Face To Face / Pegboy @ Irving Plaza
9/25: The Pimps Of Joytime @ Brooklyn Bowl: BK
9/26: Dub Trio @ Knitting Factory: BK
9/26: Brothers Past @ Bowery Ballroom
9/27: Sunny Day Real Estate @ Terminal 5
New Jersey
9/04: Last Days Of Empire / The Casting Out / Chambers /
Stay Gold @ Court Tavern: New Brunswick
9/09: The Janks / Magic Hat #9 Party @
The Saint: Asbury Park
9/11: Westbound Train / Hub City Stompers @
Asbury Lanes: Asbury Park
9/18: Youth Brigade / The Casualties @ Asbury Lanes:
Asbury Park
9/20: Little Joy @ Maxwell's: Hoboken
9/24: Rorschach @ Asbury Lanes: Asbury Park
Philadelphia & PA.
9/04: Rubblebucket @ World Cafe Live
9/05: Dopapod / Turkuaz / Josh Phillips @ The Fire
9/18: Immortal Technique @ Trocadero
9/18: Thursday @ First Unitarian Church
9/19: Mary Anne Hobbs @ SubDivision: Pittsburgh
9/20: Face To Face @ Trocadero
9/21: Face To Face @ Mr. Smalls: Pittsburgh
9/30: Immortal Technique @ Altar Bar: Pittsburgh
9/30: Mike Gordon @ Mr. Smalls: Pittsburgh
Washington DC.
9/05: !!! / Pivot @ Black Cat
9/06: DJ Jerome Baker III / DJ Tom Lim @ Studio 10
9/08: Motorhead @ 9:30 Club
9/17: Yo La Tengo @ 9:30 Club
9/25: Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ 9:30 Club
9/29: BLK JKS / Laughing Man @ Black Cat
9/30: Sunny Day Real Estate @ 9:30 Club
Baltimore & MD.
9/04: Ruiner / Pulling Teeth / Sick Fix @
Talking Head Club
9/06: Medeski Martin & Wood / Karl Denson's
Tiny Universe/ Dumpstaphunk / Traffic Jam @ Sonar
9/08: Down / Melvins @ Sonar
9/10: Akron/Family @ Talking Head Club
9/11: Naked Raygun / Paint It Black / Shot Baker
@ Ottobar
9/16: Mos Def / Talib Kweli @ Sonar
9/17: Matt and Kim / Amanda Blank @ Sonar
9/18: Busdriver / Mickey Free @ Talking Head Club
9/19: Face To Face / Pegboy @ Sonar
9/19: Immortal Technique @ Recher Theatre
9/20: Appomattox @ Talking Head Club
9/21: People Under The Stairs @ Ottobar
9/25: Ponytail / Crazy Dreams Band @ Ottobar
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