
DATE: Saturday, November 15, 1997           TAG: 9711140042

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY SUE VanHECKE, CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:   72 lines

HOLLOWBODIES ARE SCALING MUSICAL HEIGHTS

HOW DOES A young band go from gigging at the Oceanfront to recording for the worldwide Polydor Records?

Ask the Hollowbodies, the formerly Virginia Beach-based alterna-pop trio whose second album for the mega-label, ``Viva Le Dregs,'' is slated for spring release.

``Moving to New York, it just increased our odds,'' said guitarist/vocalist Phil Roebuck from a tour stop in Chapel Hill, N.C. ``We were doing really well (in Virginia Beach) before we moved, so we had to really look at the big picture. We get to New York and we're broke and nobody knows who we are. But we got up there and kind of stuck it out for awhile.''

Persistence eventually paid off for the Hollowbodies as the odd show here and there turned into a weekly, audience-blooming gig at a popular New York City nightclub.

Luck played a part too one wintry day when the band's future manager literally stumbled across them busking for burger money in a midtown Manhattan subway station.

``All the stories we'd heard about street people, we were a little hesitant to jump into anything,'' Roebuck remembers of the initial, inauspicious meeting. ``But basically, he fronted all the money for `Lame,' '' the group's 1996 album debut, recorded for their own label and licensed to Polydor.

``Lame'' was generally well-received by critics - garnering comparisons to everyone from U2 to the Replacements - and Polydor asked for another, teaming the band up with veteran producer Don Smith, who's helmed projects for Tom Petty, the Rolling Stones and Cracker, among others.

After two months in the studio, the band emerged with the new disc, which ``sounds like the same band,'' Roebuck says, ``but we've got some new directions in there, just went some really new places for us. It sounds like the Hollowbodies, but it's definitely a growth.''

The group got a chance to sharpen their own production skills, as well, when, after working with Smith, ``all this time went by and we had some new songs, so we went in and recorded them, no producer, just did them ourselves,'' Roebuck recalled. ``We were very excited about them, so we sent them to the label. They really liked them and put two more songs on the record. So it's got 14 songs now.''

With their major-label contract now secured, the Hollowbodies are geographically far-flung these days, with Roebuck's cousin Shea Roebuck, the bassist, once again residing in Virginia Beach; drummer Anthony Smedile, ex- of Dig, calling Southern California home; and the guitarist holding down the fort in Brooklyn.

``We just have to be a little more organized, I guess,'' Roebuck said of the arrangement. ``When it's time to do something, we have to get together a little early and start getting warmed up for it.''

So would the Hollowbodies recommend the New York move to other young Hampton Roads musicians?

``It really depends on what the band wants, '' Roebuck advises. ``It doesn't matter where you are if you want to handle things yourself, save money from shows and make records, sell them and sell your T-shirts, develop a fan base and tour a little bit too.

``But if somebody wants to be on MTV or compete on a bigger level, then, yeah, a band needs to go to L.A. or New York to start having a presence where the industry people are.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

KAM SANGHA / Polydor

The Hollowbodies, from left, Anthony Smedile and Shea and Phil

Roebuck.

Graphic

WANT TO GO?

Who: Tonic with the Hollowbodies and Jeremy Toback

When: 8 p.m. Sunday

Where: The Boathouse, Norfolk

Tickets: $10 plus service charge; 671-8100