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Times Advocate, 1999-09-22, Page 3Wednesday,Septen 6e 't2, i`99� `�►�r � 3 No dummies in local band called Knucklehead By Craig Bradford TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER — The band may have shortened its name but it hasn't shortened the fun. Knucklehead, better known to Exeter area music fans as Stu McCann and the Blaring Knuckleheads, has cranked out a 13 -song CD featuring their best original songs. A grand helping of good old Canadian rock and roll with a pop and alternative touch, the almost 45 minute long disc focuses on the rock basics of driving guitar and drum beats while the lyrics talk about the love of a woman, having a few beers and other wonders of every- day life. The band describes their sound as "party music. The band, singer Darryl 'Stu' McCann, guitarists Chris Mittelholtz and his brother Jeff, bassist Brian McDonald and drummer Billy Wallace, made the decision to shorten its name because the old moniker was just too long for people to remember. The guys in Knucklehead, all Exeter natives though some have moved to London, decided to put out a CD not to conquer the world but just to have a memento of their time together. , "Just because we had the tunes and some money," Chris Mittelholtz said when asked'why they decided to put out a CD. "We're just doing this for fun," McCann piped in. Knucklehead will unleash their CD to their hometown fans at a CD release party at Murphy's Pub & Eatery on Sept. 25 starting at 9 p.m. There's no cover charge and CDs will be available for pur- chase (no price announced) with limited quantities. The dream of making it big with million dollar record contracts and groupies hang- ing off them is a distant memory for the band. They've settled down with wives and kids and day jobs. McCann and Chris Mittelholtz are electricians (McCann also moonlights with his Dr. Darryl's D.J. Service), Jeff Mittelholtz works in con- struction, McDonald is self- employed and Wallace works in a restaurant. Chris and Jeff tasted a bit of stardom with their band Positively Stompin'. Started as a Stompin' Toni Connors tribute band, Positively Stompin' worked the local and Toronto music scene and opened for Blue Rodeo and other well known acts. The band put out a CD about five ye4rs ago that was raved about by Now Magazine and other Toronto music critics. Interest was shown by Polygram Records, but the album didn't find commercial success and the band fizzled. McCann and Jeff Mittelholtz have been in a band together since they were kids. The two hooked up while Precious Blood School stu- dents. Jeff heard McCann sing in a school play, liked what he heard and asked McCann to join his band called Three Nations. The Blaring Knuckleheads evolved over time to its cur- rent lineup that has been together for two years. Though you can get a taste of what Knucklehead is about from the self -titled CD, you won't really know the band till you hear them live. The boys have played the London circuit of the Brunswick, The Wick, Call The Office and The Embassy while not neglecting the hometown crowd with sever- al dates at Murphy's and Gar's. They've also been known to provide the night time entertainment after slo- pitch tournaments. During the live show is when you can hear Knucklehehad's infamous twisted cover tunes. They put a new • spin on Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline, Joni ' Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi, Andy Kim's Rock Me Gently, Bill Aimesbury's Virginia and Canada's own 'Songbird' Anne Murray's Danny's Song. "People like the cheese," McCann grinned. The band also covers some of their favourite bands like Sloan, the Tragically Hip and Green Day: McCann and •Chris ngsters. ris " itte o tz, e , an . ' arry to " c ann are two-fifths of Knucklehead.The band is celebrating the release o its first CD at Murphy's on Sept.•25 starting at 9 p.m. Mittelholtz list the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Neil Young as early influences. You can hear a little bit of those influ- ences as well as Sloan and the Hip on the CD that was recorded and mixed at London's Studio 107 and pro- duced by Paul Venesoen and Knucklehead themselves. The tracks were laid down • pwrluovit04444447 0,4 over about a month in the fall of '98. "We didn't want to overpro-''' duce it," Chris said. "Most of it was done (live) off the floor." Jeff Mittelholtz is credited with most of the songwriting though the rest of the band puts in their two cents worth on several of the tracks. 0 WAYS TO START TO ENJOY INCREDIBLEe; SATELLITE TELEVISION . Choose the one that applies to you Bring in your obsolete Grey Market satellite system, C band receiver or Starchoice receiver andet a Bell Expressvu 2700 receiver and possiblyan 18" Dish* g P And for a limited tie only RECEIVE A $50. programming credit. IFIRI 3• NC CABLE BILL... N© PRQBLEN Sign up for 12 months of our Biggest Programing . 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