New Jersey is an undeniable music state, and for those of us lucky enough to work and play in Asbury Park — we see a living, breathing, exciting music scene every single day. However, like I said in last week’s column — sometimes we’re naive to other burgeoning scenes in the state. One of them is the SoMa (South Orange Maplewood) scene. It’s a region that not only produces a killer outdoor fest every year (Maplewoodstock), and houses the iconic 89.5 WSOU — but it also produces bands like Thrill Ride.
We caught up with the band to get to know them a little better as they get set to perform at Happy Mondays at Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, NJ tonight.
Thrill Ride is (Members of the Band & Instruments They Play): Paul J. Haley (Guitar/Vocals), Will Kramer (Drums), John Ramsburg (Bass/Vocals).
Year We Formed In: 2017
We’re Based Out of: Maplewood, NJ / SoMa, NJ.
Story Behind Our Name: Our friend Kirsten “Kiry” Widmer came up with it by accident. Paul made a joke about Kiry’s mundane weekend plans while at their kids soccer pictures, when she said something to the effect of, “Yup, I am living such a thrill ride of an existence this weekend.” Voila.
You’ve Seen Us in Other Bands Before Like: The three of us were in another SoMa band, Dollar Store Riot. John joined the band after original bass player Brian Boehm broke his bass a la Simonon style on the Maplewoodstock 2016 stage and resigned. DSR lead singer/guitarist Thea Kearney, finally wised up to our junior high school boy humor and took a break. A reunion show is in the works for Fall 2019 though.
Famous/Cool Bands We’ve Shared the Stage With: Nobody super famous, or even remotely famous, but every band we have shared the stage with are famous and cool in their own, unique way — especially our friends in other local SoMa bands. SoMa has a fantastic music scene that has been, some say, audaciously compared to the New Brunswick scene — just so many good bands and new ones coming together all the time.
Maplewood also has its own radio station, Bone Pool Radio (BPR), that is a great supporter of the local bands and music scene. They sponsor and broadcast live shows, do interviews, etc.
Our Sound Has to Be Compared To: Buffalo Tom, Dinosaur Jr., Social Distortion
What’s been one of the most important things you’ve learned as band since you first formed?
That a band is just another (dysfunctional family), with its ups and downs, success and failures. Most of the time you like each other, other times you want to strangle one other. But the familial type bond is pretty solid and hard to break — all in the name of and the sake for the pure and utter love of music.
If someone was checking the band out for the first time what song would you recommend they listen to fully understand what Thrill Ride is all about?
We just self-released an EP, Inappropriate Love Songs a few weeks ago that can be found on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Bandcamp, etc. I think all six songs give a great snapshot what the band is about. The song, “Chill Out,” has been getting a very positive response with John’s sexy, Bowie-ish vocals over layers of guitars. “Let’s Go Get Him (Punks & Pans)” made BPR’s best of 2018 list. Punk ‘n’ Roll at its finest.
What’s one of the wildest moments you’ve had as a band — one that’s indelibly marked on your souls forever?
It definitely had to be that Southeast Asia tour with Motley Crue….
What is it about this band that you love?
Just playing with such cool guys and friends for as long as we have. We all have families, mortgages, professional lives and kid’s sport schedules to contend with, but it is the love of creating and playing music that bonds us together and gets us to practices, recording studios and the stage.
What are you most excited for in 2019?
A lot of shows booked or in the works, new songs, new recordings. Lots of big things for Thrill Ride to come.
Thrill Ride performs at Happy Mondays at The Wonder Bar tonight in Asbury Park, NJ along with The Minettes and The Rites of Springfield. There’s no cover, must be 21 to enter.
