THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 5, 1995 TAG: 9511020202
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Beach Beat
SOURCE: John Harper
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
Lockjaw may be the Albemarle's best-kept secret.
Sonic Records, a North Carolina-based independent label, has inked the area's heavy alternative band (three band members live on the Outer Banks, one member lives in Elizabeth City) to a record deal.
Who is this band? And how was the deal done?
About a year ago, drummer Jason Hurdle and lead guitarist John Thurston, who played together in another band, were joined by singer Chris Lyster and bassist Dave Wright for an informal jam session at Thurston's house in Kill Devil Hills.
``We all threw in a few riffs,'' Thurston says. ``The chemistry was there.''
Within a month, the band had a name and had signed on with Elizabeth City-based Carolina Coast Productions, a music management agency headed by Terry Blucker.
``I knew a couple of the guys from other bands,'' Blucker says. ``When I heard the tape of the original material, I knew these guys deserved a look from record labels.''
Blucker devised a strategic marketing plan for the group, a plan that has kept the band with a decidely low profile.
``We hand-pick gigs,'' he says. ``Each gig was targeted for the band's chosen audience.''
The band opened for national recording artists Egypt and Sea of Souls for concerts in Norfolk. It also opened and closed the 1995 Project Voice summer concert series at Hobbs Park in Elizabeth City.
``Playing nightclubs is not what we want to do,'' Thurston says.
So for the last year, the boys in the band have been working on songs. Each is a group effort. And we're not talking about traditional boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl kind of songs. There's a message in the music.
Lockjaw's crunchy, passionate music is aimed squarely at the high school and college crowd.
``We don't write love songs,'' Thurston says. ``It's such a cliche thing. Everybody does it.''
So far, the band has about 20 quality originals. One of the songs is ``Bloody Glove,'' inspired in part by the O.J. Simpson trial.
``It's about how we convict people before we hear all the evidence,'' Thurston says.
``Tabloid TV'' has a similar theme.
``Everything is sensationalized,'' Thurston says. ``It can get out of control.''
The band has written songs about violence and abuse. Lead singer Lyster sings or - if it seems fit - screams the songs.
In about two weeks, the band hopes to translate its social conscience to tape.
``We want to give the music a commercial feel,'' says producer Lonnie Napier, ``without losing its integrity.''
Napier spent 25 years working as the late Wolfman Jack's manager. Before that, he worked in the recording industry, both as a performer and in promotion. Napier recently formed his own music management company, Lonnie Tunes, in Hertford.
He works closely with Sonic Records, an independent that currently carries a roster of 10 diverse artists and is looking to expand.
``We want to make this the biggest indie on the East Coast,'' Napier says.
The self-titled Lockjaw album will be recorded at Star Trek Studios in Washington, N.C., with Grammy-nominated engineer Blake Scott at the control board.
``I've worked in studios in Los Angeles and New York,'' Napier says. ``This is one of the nicest.''
The actual recording process should take about a week. In 4-6 weeks, the manufacturer will deliver the CDs and cassettes.
``That's when we'll tour,'' manager Blucker says. ``There will be an audience that has heard the music.''
And are the band members, all of whom have day jobs, ready?
``The recording deal was definitely quicker than we thought it would be,'' Thurston says. ``But all of us have been ready for this since we started playing music.'' MEMO: Lockjaw will sign with Sonic Records on Saturday, Nov. 4. WERX will host
a party at Kelly's Restaurant in Nags Head at 10 p.m.
ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Members of Lockjaw are, clockwise from top left, John Thurston,
Chris Lyster, Dave Wright and Jace Hurdle.
by CNB