A little time off can be a good thing.
Morningside Lane, who performs at Happy Mondays at Wonder Bar tonight, made their return to live music scene nearly one year to the day (August 3 at The Scarlet Pub in New Brunswick), after an extended hiatus.
The time away allowed the band to refocus, regroup, and set forth on a new path. The new path includes two new members (Brandon Broderick and Frankie Prendergast), and their first full-length album, which is currently being recorded.
We caught up with the band to talk about how important that time off was, their new music, their new members, and more.
Morningside Lane Is: (Band Members & Instruments They Play): Marc Del Giudice – Lead Vocals/Guitar, Brandon Broderick – Guitar, Brian Morelli – Drums, Frankie Prendergast – Bass.
We’re Based Out Of: Based across the state of New Jersey.
Story Behind Our Name: Our name is inspired by a street in Fort Lee, NJ and Palisades Park, NJ (our singer’s hometown). It is a very quiet, discreet, but beautiful street. We feel it represents not only our music, but where we’re from & where we’re going.
Our Sound Has Been Likened To: Our sound has been compared to a number of different artists that we’re hugely inspired by; The Gaslight Anthem, Against Me!, Bruce Springsteen, & The Killers just to name a few. You’ll also hear a bit of a Motown influence in our sound as well.
Cool/Awesome Bands We Share The Stage With: We’ve opened for and played side stages for a bunch of amazing bands: Blink-182, My Chemical Romance, Weezer, The Story So Far, Turnover, Basement, and American Authors.
The band has been reunited for a roughly a year now. How do you feel that time off benefitted you guys?
We reunited in 2018 after a brief hiatus. It was a much-needed break that allowed us to pause, and hit the reset button. Life got in the way for a little bit, but we’re back and stronger than ever! Doing this really allowed us to start fresh and learn a lot about ourselves. Since this reunion, we’ve continued to grow as musicians and people.
And how has the band evolved since you guys reunited last year?
In the last year, we replaced our guitarist and bass player who left to pursue other opportunities. Both of whom we are still incredibly close friends with and we wish nothing but the best for them.
You added two new members, including veteran solo artist Brandon Broderick, how has their addition impacted your sound?
Adding Brandon (guitar) and Frankie (bass) provides us with a fresh sound that shifts us from punk rock, to a more modern, clean sound. These two guys are incredible musicians, and even better people. We couldn’t be happier to have them on-board.
You guys are in studio creating a new album — how do you feel this will stand out from previous recordings?
Well, first off, this will be our first ever full-length album! It is being recorded at the legendary Lakehouse Recording Studios in Asbury Park. We’re currently putting the finishing touches on the record, and we’re hoping to release it in early 2020. This new record will serve as a clear indication that we have evolved into a contemporary rock ‘n roll band. We are beyond stoked about how the album is coming together. We can’t wait to share it with everyone!
What’s been one of the most awesome moments Morningside Lane has had as a band?
There are countless memories/moments we can ramble-on forever about. From playing a packed Starland Ballroom opening for The Story So Far, to playing at Red Bull arena for a playoff game last season — we’re always having a blast. However, right now we’re focused on the road ahead; releasing this new record & touring as much as possible.
What are you most excited for in 2019?
Our goals for 2019 are to finalize the new record while continuing to play shows and gain traction. As you can tell, we’re all-in on this album and we cannot wait for the world to hear it.
Morningside Lane performs tonight at Happy Mondays at Wonder Bar with Matt Dubrow, Nightfires, and Sir Cadian Rhythm. There is no cover.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz4dwGuNlAw
