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"From the first throat-clearing blast of guitars, to the last fade of feedback, Axminster means what they play." ----Metronome Magazine. It all started in the winter of 1983 when Singer and guitarist Steve Sera, drummer Mike Lamm, bassist Jeff Callan and guitarist Mike Mosca, four guys from the suburbs of Boston, first joined forces. The foursome, who was raised on a steady ear diet of Aerosmith, Led Zepplin, The Sweet and Grand Funk Railroad, fired up their Marshall Stacks and Axminster was born. "We gigged anywhere and everywhere. Anytime they let us play our own songs we took the gig," laughs Sera. On a hot August night in 1984, while playing a show at the legendary Rathskellar, the band met producer and former New England drummer Hirsh Gardner. "It was a magical night. I was blown away by the energy of the band and wanted to produce them immediately," notes Gardner. "I felt if I could capture their energy on tape we would have something really special." With Gardner at the helm, the band began pre-production for their first recording sessions and in late 1984 Axminster emerged from the studio with their debut single, Teenage Livin' b/w Rock And Roll Infection. The band was making records while most groups were making demos and everyone seemed to notice. Teenage Livin' rocketed to Number One on the WBCN local charts before being added to regular rotation on the 50,000 watt powerhouse, previously unheard of for an unsigned act. While ripping up the stages of Boston, WAAF in Worcester, MA began playing Rock And Roll Infection. The band became so heavily requested that WAAF broadcast Axminster's sold-out shows live over the air. Major newspapers such as The Boston Herald and The Boston Globe were writing feature articles on the band and the groundswell of support for Axminster began to spread throughout the northeast. In early 1985 the band decided their sound needed even more punch and added guitarist Benny Farentino to the line-up. "He had lightning riffs and his style matched our sound perfectly," notes Sera. Only A Stranger was Axminster's next release and it became the group's third Number One regional hit. The video for the song aired on numerous Boston TV stations and even made its way onto MTV. Danny Callan took over for brother Jeff on bass and the band pressed on, scoring dates with Metallica, Twisted Sister and Lita Ford. After a grueling tour Sera met songwriter/guitarist Peter Skaltsis and the duo began writing songs for Axminster's upcoming sessions. "They hit the studio and cranked out some rev-up and go rockers that you could kick your feet to..." --Screamer Magazine. By the early 90s melodic rock was all but banished from the airwaves in favor of the Seattle sound and Axminster went on hiatus. "We all went on with our lives at did various projects but we never lost the fire for Axminster," notes Lamm. One day in early 1999 Sera began to get calls that the band's music was being played on the radio again and that got the members talking. As a vehicle to renew their friendship and see each other again, the band thought it would be fun to play a reunion show. The response was so overwhelming that the nearly original roster of Sera, Lamm, Farentino & Danny Callan decided to reform Axminster. "The millenium is here and it's a new start for the band," says Sera. "It's great to know that honest, emotional music always comes back in style." This CD spans from the group's formative years in the mid-eighties to the present day. While the songs were recorded over many years, the aggressive melodic sound that became Axminster's trademark is present throughout this 12 song disc. The music sounds as fresh today as it did on that hot summer night in 1984. Gary Borress, CEO GB Music Ltd. Check out the artist's website: http://www.gbmusic.com Track List: 1. All Tied Up 2. Only A Stranger 3. Love's For Suckers 4. Life's A Knockout 5. Hold Me Closer 6. Shame 7. Eye On You 8. Chack And A Shotgun 9. Teenage Livin' 10. Dirty Magazines 11. She Got Money 12. Rock And Roll Infection Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
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