If New Jersey’s first rock and roll couple is Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa then next in line must be Frankie and Kelly McGrath of the North Jersey based band Maybe Pete. The two met in high school and are now leading one of the most exciting bands in the local scene.
Formed in 2000, Maybe Pete has become one of the latest “adopted sons” of the Jersey Shore music scene. They have been building a solid fan base through incredible live shows at places like the Saint and the Stone Pony in Asbury Park. Their music bridges the gap between the classic “Asbury Sound” and the alternative rock and roll world of the New York Dolls and the Clash. If there is one band out there that might be able to win over the Springsteen die-hards that don’t usually stray far from E Street, it’s Maybe Pete.
The band gets their name from the line in “Almost Famous” where we’re told that nobody can really explain rock and roll except for maybe Pete Townsend. This is more than just a cool saying to Frankie McGrath – it’s basically his mantra and the way he describes the band’s sound.
“You don’t want to just focus on one angle,” explains McGrath. “The way I look at it is you want to take a little of all of your influences and throw them all into the pot and see what comes out.”
Maybe Pete consists of Frankie and Kelly McGrath on guitars, Marc Gambino on bass, and Drew Pompey on drums. The band will be taking most of July off to finish recording their first full-length CD, but they will be making a return July 2004 appearance at the Saint in Asbury Park on July 10th along with Joe D’Urso and Stone Caravan, and the Commons. The new record will feature about 11 original tunes and should be out sometime later in the year.
“I guess we’re trying to take it in somewhat more of a different direction,” said McGrath. “I definitely want to sound current. For me, personally, most of my influences are old school but, at the same time, kids are the ones who buy records. You still want to sound as fresh as you possibly can so that’s the way I’ve looked at it. I hope that the record can appeal to both older people and younger people.”
This record is a long time coming. The band has been handing out their original EP for so long that Frankie jokes it’s about time to “retire” the disc. Baby steps is the way he describes the plan for the band. “That’s way I try to approach everything,” he says. “As much as I know it’s a tough business, people shoot for the stars right out of the gate. I’d rather pace ourselves and see what happens as we go.”
This approach makes sense when you learn where Frankie and his band members have come from. Frankie has played in Bruce Tunkel’s band for years. Bruce was one of the members of the popular 80s Jersey Shore band, Red House, who became very cynical about the record industry based on their experiences with the major labels. Likewise, Marc Gambino was once in a popular 80s metal band called Concrete Jungle that couldn’t carry their success in Europe to the states and eventually broke up. These past experiences allow Maybe Pete to take their time and grow as a band without setting specific goals or a timeframe for success.
In fact, when you see a Maybe Pete show you’ll instantly notice just how much fun Frankie McGrath has on stage and that transcends on to the crowd. Ironically, Maybe Pete is equally comfortable playing in front of the alternative crowds at the Saint as they are playing in front of the traditional Asbury music fans of the Stone Pony. It bears comparison to another 80s Jersey Shore band called James Deely & the Valiants who were able to straddle the line between the classic Green Parrot alternative rock world and the Stone Pony.
Few bands have ever been able to bridge the two worlds as well as Maybe Pete. This ability may come from the influences they have from living five minutes away from New York City yet spending much of their time along the Jersey Shore.
“I feel our sound is a product of where we’re from,” adds McGrath. “We’re close enough to the Shore where some of that can rub off on us, but we’re close enough to the city and – as much as I love all the Asbury stuff – I still love a lot of that New York 70s stuff too. Whatever edge we have comes from that aspect of it.
“I’m really proud to be from North Jersey. When we first put the band together I always said I wanted to be like the Sopranos with electric guitars... If that makes any sense.”
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