Tune In, Turn On
Regular readers of this column know we’re very supportive of the local independent music scene here. When Anchor Rock Club head honcho Greg Mungan alerted us to a cool upcoming triple bill featuring Sage Thomas, Lilies of David and Johnny Zarfati this Friday, Oct. 10, we were only too happy to write about the show.
An uptempo rock song called “Tangled Up” by Lilies of David really caught our ear; we decided to chat with the NJ sextet. The band consists of Jeremy Rotolo (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dierdra McGrath (lead vocals), Emily Alcaide (vocals, rhythm guitar), Michael Pulice (lead guitar), Matt Sonzogni (bass), and Derek Arnheiter (drums). Here’s how the interview went:
DD: When did Lilies of David form, and where in New Jersey is the band from?
LOD (replies by Jeremy Rotolo): Lilies of David originally formed as a pop duo between Dierdra and myself during the pandemic. We’re really just fans of music. We organically began writing music together and found something meaningful. We went on to refine our sound and add the remaining band members to the project. We released our first single, “Skin & Bones,” this past February.
DD: What would you describe your band’s style of music as, genre-wise?
LOD: Lilies of David’s blending of genres and versatility has really been a staple of our band’s sound – all the way from Bossanova-style pop to commercial pop. While it’s hard to put LOD into a single genre category, we mostly fall into the modern alt-pop/rock genre.
DD: What bands/artists do you cite as LOD’s influences?
LOD: We find inspiration everywhere. Our musical influences are all over the board, but a common theme seems to be catchy melodic artists such as: The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Nirvana, Paramore, Fleet Foxes, Radiohead, and Billie Eilish to name a few. We really love all different styles of music.
DD: Love your song, “Tangled Up.” Tell us about how you came about writing that tune?
LOD: Our fourth single, “Tangled Up,” will always be a special song to us. The song was ultimately written about confusion and indecision when facing extremely emotional moments of your life. Sonically, the song uses contrast to differentiate between the verses and the chorus. The verses are more internal and vulnerable, with the chorus being bigger, more aggressive, and external with the emotion. The bridge ultimately serves as a reminder to not rush anything, to have a sense of peace, knowing that while time on this earth is limited, it’s still on your side as a sort of teacher, and to have faith in the future.
DD: What does LOD’s future look like, touring, recording, etc?
LOD: We have two more singles coming out this year, our next being “119” coming out Oct. 9. Lots of upcoming shows in the Tri-State area, and our first album coming out next February on Notes From The Underground Records. You can pre-save “119” on all platforms here: https://orcd.co/119; and find out when we’re playing live next on our website: www.liliesofdavid.org.
Tune-Ups
WLFR’s 91.7, Stockton University’s radio station, will celebrate its 41st anniversary 5-10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, at their Coffee Campus Center in Pomona, with a full roster of live music (bands TBA). We know for sure that rock accordionist Malcolm Tent and 1adam12 (Adam Berardo) will perform. More details coming next week.
Doug is the owner/operator of Doug Deutsch Publicity Services, which since 1995 has been servicing nationally touring acts, and working record release campaigns for clients. Doug can be reached at ShoreLocalDoug@gmail.com
