Brian Marchese has a long and illustrious history as a rock/pop drummer in the Valley, with a resumé that includes time playing with The Figments, The Aloha Steamtrain, The Fawns, Lo Fine and School for the Dead. His curly mop of hair, usually placed atop a wide-collared shirt, recalls '60s icons like Ginger Baker and Mitch Mitchell, and the sensitive, deft style he's cultivated over the last 10 years betrays at least a few listens to jazz phenomenons like Max Roach or Buddy Rich.
Exposure to so many talented songwriters seems to have roused Brian's own muse. Forging into the realms of composing, band-leading and upside-down guitar playing, his nascent solo project Sitting Next To Brian retains a spirit of adventure akin to letting your 10-year-old drive you home from the bar.
Polite, SNTB's sophomore effort, is set to be released Nov. 2 at The Elevens in Northampton. Pop-psychedelia reigns supreme on the album, though you can also picture '70s Van Morrison-style, swaying-in-sync horn players on tunes like "Skipping to the End" (listen at www.myspace.com/sittingnexttobrian).
We caught up with Brian at a bikini wax he claimed was "prescribed by his primary care physician."
Advocate: I assume you've heard the joke, "What's the last thing the drummer said before they kicked him out of the band?"
Marchese: The punchline is, "Dudes, I just wrote a song." Well, that mentality was somewhat ingrained in my psyche at one point, especially after a good stretch where amazing new songs by Thane Thomsen, Henning Ohlenbusch, Lord Russ, Ari Vais and Tony Westcott were being thrown at me on an almost daily basis. I mean, how did Ringo feel in the 70's hanging out with Lennon, Nilsson, Bolan, Bowie, etc.? I don't think he felt much in those days, actually. But instead of poisoning my diminished self-esteem away, I remembered, "Damn it—before all this, I was writing songs in high school and college. Let's see if I still got it." And so, starting around 1998, I began quietly writing and compiling songs and sheepishly playing the cassettes for my bandmates—always with the intention that they were destined for my own project (thus, I was never kicked out of any bands). And they all said, "Nice!" However, come to think of it, all the bands I've played in have allowed me to come up with my own drum parts and suggest arrangement ideas. Conversely, in SNTB, I rule with a recycled aluminum fist—strong, but politically correct.
You've been prolific, with two albums in just over two years. What is the inspiration?
Actually, I'm a little scared of what I write about next, because on this album, the lyrics dictated my future. A few break-up songs and then my engagement breaks up. A song that mentions things going up in flames and then my apartment burns up. Perhaps I should write some song about how I discovered a trunk full of money in my basement and another about how I wrote the song that made the whole world sing.
Who are the guest stars on Polite?
Henning Ohlenbusch, Ken Maiuri, Trace Meek, Lesa Bezo, Rick Murnane, Dennis Crommett, Kevin O'Rourke and Jason Bourgeois.
Do you have a best "tour memory?"
The Aloha Steamtrain on tour—just the core trio—was like a comedy troupe on wheels. Lo Fine on tour was great, but eventually I had to come out as a bagel eater, not a biscuits and gravy guy. They accepted it, and saluted my courage. I'm being clean here, because of course I'm not going to tell you my fondest memory.
