what they've written...

Article appearing in Rochester Democrat & Chonicle- April 14, 2005:

Provided by Uncle Plum
Mike Gladstone, left, Elvio Fernandes, Joe Lana and Paul Akers.
Rochester's most popular band has a new CD

Jeff Spevak
Staff music critic

(April 14, 2005) — Elvio Fernandes was a keyboardist who sang maybe one song a night in the Rochester cover band East Coast Connection. So some guy sees them playing in Toronto and tells Fernandes he has connections over in Japan and can make him a pop star over there.

"I was 25. I didn't known any better," Fernandes says. "It was like a fictional life. They paid me stupid money, like $1,400 a week, all expenses paid, gave me a car, a condo overlooking the ocean."

After a year, Fernandes ended his Japanese pop-star career. His benefactor got ill, and Fernandes missed his friends and family.

And "I could see where it was heading," he says. "Enrique Iglesias, zero credibility."

Now, for five years, Fernandes has been the lead singer of Rochester's most popular club band, Uncle Plum. The question still? Credibility.

"Whether they say we're selling out or whatever, we did it backward," Fernandes says. "We came out as a cover band first. That's where you run into trouble. You get labeled as a non-original band."

Three of the guys in the band — guitarist Mike Gladstone, bassist Paul Akers and drummer Joe Lana — have been in bands that played original music. Uncle Plum's self-titled CD is almost all original music, slickly played. And next week, they're playing a showcase in New York City for a couple of label execs.

But what fills the local clubs? Red Hot Chili Peppers and matchbox twenty songs. Whatever happened to our bands?

"Hard Rain did it in the '90s," Fernandes says. "Officer Friendly. It just seemed like the scene was cool, then all of a sudden it just disappeared."

The problem? "Local radio," Fernandes says. "No one will get behind local bands."

For more on the band, check http://www.uncleplum.com/.

Part of the local music scene? Tell Jeff Spevak about CD releases, performances and more. Send details to jspevak@DemocratandChronicle.com.

 

Article appearing in Messenger Post Newspapers - January 5, 2005:

Freetime's review of the Uncle Plum CD:

 

(June 23, 2004)

Uncle Plum
(self-released)

By Michelle Picardo

Most every era in Rochester's thriving music scene has produced that one particular band that keeps audiences coming back again and again and again. Today, Uncle Plum is that guarantee draw, and the band most club owners would pick to play their establishments on any given day of the week. Since forming in late 1999, the band has continued to gain new fans at every turn, building on their great live reputation, as well as each member's individual pedigrees with previous bands like Hard Rain, East Coast Connection, Exploding Boy, Cosco, Gladstone & Cosco, Cheater and more. But the one thing that has been a question mark for Uncle Plum is if they could pull it off on record, and if so, would their original songs be as strong as what audiences have come to expect from the band. The release of their self-titled debut answers both these questions with a resounding yes, as Uncle Plum quells the skeptics and rewards the fans!

Perhaps sensing they had something to prove, Uncle Plum went full tilt with their debut, acquiring the production skills of nationally noted fusion guitarist Greg Howe and enlisting leading engineer, Howie Weinberg (Nirvana, Beastie Boys, Oasis, Sheryl Crow) to take on mastering duties. The professional quality of the disc is foremost upon first listen, making the band highly accessible for radio play, surely appealing to modern rock stations and Top 40 formats as well.

A grand mix of melodic rockers, heartfelt ballads, and a Bread cover thrown in for good measure (the excellent "Everything I Own"), Uncle Plum's head vox, Elvio Fernandes sounds like an intoxicating blend of Goo Goo Dolls' Johnny Rzeznik and Matchbox 20's Rob Thomas. Pop gems like "Any Sound" and "Ghost" are especially hook-laden, and will be swirling in your head for days. Mike Gladstone's guitar work is also front and center in the Plum experience, adding to the assertive nature of the band's musical approach (check out the smokin' solo on "Shine On"). And not to forget the vital bass and drum combo of Paul Akers and Joe Lana, which is equally important here, perfectly illustrating that Uncle Plum certainly knows how to use the sum of all its talented parts in creating Rochester's hottest band.

Check out the the RNews interview with the band:

(June 23, 2004)

Uncle Plum Goes On Record
by Sally Cohen
photo by Brian Housand
Published Jun 23, 2004

'Uncle Plum' releases its first all-original CD this weekend.

Five years ago, Rochester cover bands were playing Top 40 dance music, and Uncle Plum was just a plan.

"I...thought there was really a need for a band that played current stuff, played it well, played with a lot of energy, and created a rock-concert atmosphere," says lead vocalist, Elvio Fernandes.

His plan worked. Strictly a cover band at first, Uncle Plum added remakes and originals while gaining fans--an unusual feat. Encouraged by this, the band recorded its first CD this past year, produced by internationally-acclaimed guitarist, Greg Howe.

"He saw a lot of things that we just didn't see," says lead guitarist, Mike Gladstone. "And once he pointed them out, we were like, 'Oh..OK!"

The result is radio-friendly, pop/rock from some local veteran musicians, including drummer Joe Lana.

"We are four guys that like pop music, grew up listening to pop music, and we make no apologies for that," says bass player, Paul Akers.

They make no apologies for being so popular either. But they don't take their many fans for granted.

"I love the people who come see us," says Paul. "We're really lucky dumb rock guys."

Gladstone agrees. "Success and money--that would all be wonderful. That would all be the icing on the cake. But the best thing is just to play and make music and enjoy ourselves and make people happy. And we love doing that."

Celebrate Uncle Plum's CD release at 'Plum Fest' at The Jam Room on Buffalo Rd. The $10 admission also includes a CD. Click on the link below to find out more. 

The Democrat and Chronicle's Jeff Spevak put us on the cover the weekend section - Jan '02.
Here are excerpts:

 

(January 10, 2002)

R-E-C-Y-C-L-E. The local band scene is full-contact Scrabble these days. Everyone's scrambling for the right pieces. And we'll award you a triple-word score if you can name who's got the most points:

U-N-C-L-E P-L-U-M. That's right, Uncle Plum -- the town's premier cover band -- is playing to win. Give the crowd what it wants, balance it with what the band wants, spill a little blood.

''We had a plan from the beginning to get in front of a lot of people,'' Uncle Plum guitarist Mike Gladstone concedes. ''We have confidence in our performing ability, in our writing ability. We knew we could win them over with our original material, but it just might take a while.''

The first part of the plan appears to be working marvelously.

''The Tripping Billies probably draw more,'' Milestones owner Michael O'Leary says of the local Dave Matthews Band tribute. ''But they only play every six to eight weeks in town, whereas Uncle Plum plays every Friday and Saturday night in town.''

C-R-O-W-D-S. ''I can't think of another band in town, a local band, that can guarantee me 200 people,'' O'Leary says. ''They give the crowd what they want to hear. The Kid Rocks . . . all the modern-rock stuff.''  Recently, Uncle Plum pulled off the impossible by selling out Water Street Music hall with over 1000 people through the door. 

A night with Uncle Plum is Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Staind, Limp Bizkit, and of course Uncle Plum originals.  ''The energy is there,'' he says. ''It's very energetic stuff, very physical. I still like to sit down on my stool and play Dead on my acoustic guitar but. . . .''

But that's not gonna bring in the crowds. Uncle Plum is a real miracle these days: a working band, with at least one gig every weekend. Not too many bands are pulling that off these nights.

In fact, ''I don't think they come to hear the music as much as they come to hear the band,'' Gladstone says of the typical Uncle Plum audience.

C-H-E-E-S-E. You want Neil Diamond's ''Love on the Rocks?'' Uncle Plum serves that one up like cheese on a platter. ''We do it tongue-in-cheek, a joke,'' Gladstone says. ''Between us, we know so many songs.''

''This band's got chemistry,'' Gladstone says. ''It's got a thing onstage.''

It's a chemistry that Akers remembers from his days in the mid-'90s with Hard Rain, perhaps the last local band that could fill a big club.

''It's very similar as far as the energy level is concerned, similar as far as the level of musicianship onstage, and similar in the connection with the
audience,'' Akers says. ''There are no walls between the audience and this band. Something we always say is, 'Everybody's welcome to an Uncle Plum show,' and it sounds kinda corny, but it's true. We're there to please.''

B-L-O-O-D. But chemistry can be dangerous. Uncle Plum's most infamous moment occurred a few weeks ago at Spenders on Dewey Avenue, with about 300 people looking on. ''We were kind of moshing at the front of the stage, and Akers' head met with my Les Paul,'' Gladstone says. ''He stood up, his eyes rolled back in his head and blood started squirting from between his eyes. He started to fall over but, fortunately, I caught him.''

Akers is still alive. The lineup remains the same as the night the group debuted in November 1999, at Slammers on Dewey Avenue, taking its name from a real Uncle Plum related to Gladstone's mother-in-law. The band's repertoire -- as it is today -- was pretty much originals and modern rock.

Neil Diamond aside, Uncle Plum generally takes other people's songs seriously. Songs such as Tom Petty's ''American Girl,'' which Uncle Plum used to open a recent set. ''We'd never done that before,'' he says, ''but we rehearsed it for an hour in sound check and it went real, real well.''

So, why see Uncle Plum, and not one of the dozens of other bands that know the words to the Red Hot Chili Peppers' ''Give It Away?''

''They're all great musicians,'' says April Laragy. She's a musician herself and a friend of a couple of the band members. But while April Laragy and the Atomic Swindlers play mostly original songs, she sees no problem with Uncle Plum's cover versions.

''People mainly go out to hear cover bands because they want to hear songs they remember,'' Laragy says. ''They're all fun guys -- I'm sure that's a lot of the appeal onstage. It's not like watching a wedding band, where they're all standing around.

''They're having fun doing it, they play the songs great, plus they're really cute.''

That plays in nicely with the first part of the band's plan, to play familiar songs that'll draw crowds. Phase II of the plan was quietly launched six months into the band's career, when Uncle Plum dared play one of its own songs for a live audience.

That was ''Stephanie,'' which you can hear on the band's Web site: It has the upbeat pop sound associated with the '80s, accented with the kind of '70s-rock guitars that were reinvented in the '90s. Uncle Plum plays about five originals now over the course of an evening and the response is great with the crowd usually singing along.

''I remember seeing them at Velocity a year or so ago,'' O'Leary says. ''They said up onstage that they were gonna do some original tunes. And they damn near got booed off the stage. But they were here a few weeks ago and mentioned they were going to play an original tune, and the crowd went absolutely crazy."

S-O-N-G-W-R-I-T-I-N-G. That's something Akers experienced all of the time with the all-original Hard Rain. ''Seeing people saying our words back to us, that's a great feeling,'' he says. ''We have people at shows now who sing the whole song.''

Gladstone points out that the band sold 500 copies of its all-original CD in just two weeks. ''I think people really want us to cross over as an original band.''

Most local bands aren't going to sell 500 CDs. They'll sit in cartons in the garage, like all of those high-point tiles you're left holding after the new Scrabble champ goes out at the end of the game.

''It's really tough to start with just originals, and get yourself heard by a lot of people,'' Gladstone admits. ''There are not a lot of forums for original music in this town.''

But Gladstone insists on finding creative outlets. ''Sure, I would much rather be playing my own material. But I'm stubborn enough that I'm gonna play a song my own way, not the way I hear it on the radio.

''A lot of young guys kinda stake their lives on making it in the music business. The quicker you realize that making music is more important than "making it", the happier you're gonna be.''

 
Here is our press release from Freetime Magazine from December '99:

    Uncle Plum
    (Rochester, New York)

    Q: Why would the cream of the crop of Rochester area musicians gather at a club on a cold weekday night in November?
    A: To witness the debut performance of the most anticipated new modern rock band in the city – Uncle Plum! Never before in Rochester has a new band caused such a "buzz" without even playing a gig.

    Needless to say, attendees at this and subsequent Uncle Plum shows were not disappointed. The band combines years of live and studio experience with a huge "in your face" show rarely seen anymore on the Rochester music scene.

    Uncle Plum is Elvio Fernandes on guitar, keys and vocal, Mike Gladstone on guitar and vocals, Paul Akers on bass and vocals, and Joe Lana on drums.
    The band's resume includes: Hard Rain, Lou Gramm, East Coast Connection, Exploding Boy, High Wire, Cosco, Gladstone and Cosco, Smokin' HoHo's, Cheater, Jeff Cosco & Times Square, Woody Dodge and Unzipped.

    With club dates booked out to the end of 2000, apparently word is spreading fast. I know, you've heard the claim before, this band is gonna take this city by the %#lls? – the difference is, Uncle Plum will.

Email from some of our "Plumheads":

    "God has given you guys a great talent! You must be very thankful. When did you start this band? It seems as though you've been playing together for years. Anyways, I just wanted you all to know that you're definately better than any other local band, and I hope that all goes well for you in the future. Rochester needs to be put on the map the way Goo Goo Dolls put Buffalo on the map. I'll do my part by telling all of my friends about you guys. I'd really like to see you go somewhere. You've got what it takes- the instrumental quality, the vocal abilities, and most importantly ( although, quite sad) the looks. All you really need to start doing is writing and singing more of your own music. I really think that you're good enough where people would accept that. Although, I know that many bands are not. Know what I mean? Find the time... there's more than just a few people that believe in you."

    "I saw your band at The Spur once and at 10 Ugly Men. You blew me away! I used to like CENSORED but got kind of bored with the type of music they played, I really enjoy seeing you guys out. 10 Ugly Men was a blast, I've never been there before. I'm definately there next year."

    "Anyways, I liked the original song you did "Stephanie", do you guys have a CD out and why don't you do more originals? I know people like to hear something they know, but if you throw out more songs like "Stephanie" everyone would love it! (And no my name isn't Stephanie- it was just really a cool song!) I really enjoy listening to bands- and you guys are my current favorite local band. I'm telling everyone, and I do mean everyone to see you guys."

    "I just wanted to let you guys know that your show at High Falls was awesome! It was the first time I heard you guys play and it was very intense. All my friends that were with me thought the same thing. Great show!"

    "Great job guys! I just saw you play for the first time at the new festival site.... you were great!! I was particularly impressed by two songs, Never There by Cake and Give it Away by The Chili Peppers. You did an amazing job, and they are songs you NEVER hear covered. I thought your own two songs were very good.... looking forward to hear more!"

    "You guys are great singers and performers, and you looked so comfortable on stage. It must be great to be able to perform like you do."

    "Saw you guys at The Spur Saturday night for the first time, and you guys are VERY talented and gifted!!!! I will definitely be back for another show, KEEP ROCKIN' BABY!!!!!! Cool web site too, glad my friends turned me onto you, always looking for good music.Take care and see ya soon!!!"

    "I would like to say great show last night! I showed up there by accident. We were actually at water Street but the show there was canceled. You have 5 new fans as of now! I look forward to seeing you again soon!"

    "I just wanted to pass along a compliment and tell you all that you are probably one of the best bands I have ever heard in a long time. I want to say that your performance at Center's was out of this world. I am a huge Creed fan, and when you all covered Higher, I went crazy. That is my fiancee and my song. We absolutely loved it."

    "Hey, guys, fantastic show on Friday. I'm more impressed everytime i see you guys. I'm glad to see you are doing orig. material. Listen i've been around, and invoved with the local music scene for almost 20 years,I know a good thing when I hear it,you've got it. I'd like to see you expand your fan base out towards Buffalo ,Syracuse and possibly Niagara Falls areas. You've got a large following here(which I call "PLUM HEADS"). Look this is not a piece of fluff mail,you guys have the sound and the energy to take you places. I'm a supporter who would like to a Rochester band get what they deserve."

    "I saw you open for one of my favorate bands Great Big Sea. I remember you being very lucky and catching the sun while GBS never even got to perform. While I was admittedly disappointed by that I had a great time watching you. You were the best opening band I have ever seen. I liked your original stuff too and was wondering if you are going to release an album soon.
    I don't know if you realise this but there were a lot of people form Buffalo and Canada who had come to see GBS so you're already being spred."

    "these guys are the best. I went to go see these guys in concert no fooling around they are definatly one of the best groups out there. If you havent gone out to see them yet i say you go. They give the crowd so much energy and they play with such enthusiasm that it makes you want to go crazy! The lead singer elvio i think his name is can give any famous singer a run for his money. The rest of the group is quite amazing as well. This group needs to be found by a music label and get picked up! Watch em! 

home | news | bios | pix | press | schedule
 stuff | mullets | sounds | links