Bluesuedegroove

With so many different bands scattered around State College, it is hard to distinguish between who's who and who's any good. Seeing cover bands all the time can be tiring and seeing original bands can be risky. However, Bluesuedegroove has solved this problem by adding the best of both worlds to their live show, giving the crowd an energetic and riveting performance.

Starting out in the summer of 1996, Bluesuedegroove, who consists of Nate Walker, Jason Spiewak, Art Armani, Stephen Bentz, and Rich Smalley, has gone through many member changes, with Jason Spiewak being their only original member. Most recently, the band's former drummer, Rich Pohlidal, left the group on friendly terms due to creative differences. Rich Smalley has taken Pohlidal's place as drummer.

"Rich and the rest of the band were having a musical conflict so we decided to depart," said Bentz, guitar player for the band. "I don't want people thinking that we kicked him out because it wasn't like that."

Although, Bluesuedegroove plays many cover songs, including songs by Grateful Dead and Billy Joel, it is their original songs they prefer to play. If they had it their way, they would only play their original songs. However, they all realize that they have to play some cover songs to get recognized in State College.

"It's too hard not to play covers. People like them," said Bentz.

"In this town, people love covers," said Spiewak. "People come out to drink and want to hear something they know."

Even though they would rather stay away from cover songs, they know they can't afford to. "We have to pay rent," said Bentz.

Bluesuedegroove is quick to point out, however, that they have no ill will against bands that play strictly cover songs. "We have complete respect for everybody," said Bentz.

To make sure they don't play only cover songs, the band creates many new songs to add to their set every once in a while. The writing process for their songs always runs long because the band has a tendency to pick their songs apart until they can get it right. When writing a song, someone on the band will come up with an idea and the rest of the members will add their own distinct part to it. Each idea from each person is very different. "It's a collective thing," said Bentz. "We're all different musically."

This musical difference within the band is what makes Bluesuedegroove popular. The band intends to take this popularity to the next level. Over Christmas break, the band plans to record their debut CD. The band had already released two previous demo tapes in the past year. The band is paying for the production of the CD on their own and hopes to release it sometime in early 1998 on their own independent label. To coincide with the release of the CD, the band plans to have a CD release party at the Crowbar.

With a fan base that is quickly growing, Bluesuedegroove hopes to keep the fans coming. The band will play anything that a fan requests and if they don't know it, they will try to learn it for later. "We can pretty much play anything. If one knows it, others can bang it out," said Bentz. "We like to make people happy. That's what it's about."

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