Our next featured band, SugarBad, is about to release their new EP titled Up In The Clouds. I got a chance to take a listen and have already fallen in love with it and their blend of rock, soul and funk. They immediately reminded me of another one of my favorite bands called Tedeschi Trucks but with a heavier rock influence. The band is fairly large and consists of Lisa Ramey (vocals), Nicholas Myers (saxophone), Aaron Rockers (trumpet), Frank Cogliano (guitar), Dave Mainella (organ), and Isaac Jaffe (bass). They’re based in New York but have been on tour all over Italy. They’ve also performed in local renowned venues such as The Bowery Electric and Rockwood Music Hall. I sent over some fill in the blanks to find out more about SugarBad and what they have planned for the future. Make sure to check out their single “Just Can’t Stop” and the album preview below for a taste of their new record.
The meaning behind the name SugarBad is….It’s like the James Brown song “Super Bad,” except we’re sweeter. It’s like how Chakka Khan could be kind of sweet, but, at the same time, we’re bad – like Jimi Hendrix.
We met each other….Most of us met at NYU when we were going to college. Later, we met Lisa as she was singing backup in another group. “Backup!? No way!” we said.
The pickiest eater is….Well, Isaac is a vegetarian, so by default he eats less “variety” then the rest of the band.
The most OCD member is….Nick is the most OCD member… not really that OCD, but he is by far the most.
For fun we like to….Isaac likes to run and teach. Aaron and Lisa like to bike. Dave makes his own pizza dough from scratch, even growing his own yeast! Nick likes to tear apart electronics and put them back together, and Frank mixes songs. When we all get together we have fun writing and playing music.
We’re currently listening to….Prince. He has so much out there and it is all really diverse. We’re also excited for George Clinton’s new album coming out soon; I heard it has Sly Stone on a few tracks.
The first song we wrote together was…. “Can’t Get Enough”
We find inspiration from….Everywhere. Inspiration is all around you!!
Something we want you to remember while listening to our music is…. To “Like” us on Facebook and follow our social media!!! Also, tip your bartender. Some of us have worked service jobs.
Up In The Clouds was recorded in… June of 2014. We mixed, mastered, and produced it in the following few months, and we’re excited to release it!
It’s different from our 2013 release, First Cut, because…. It has a more contemporary feel. Our music has grown up since then.
Our craziest or most memorable gig was…. Well, this year we played in downtown Brooklyn, which was really something. Everyone was outside, the weather was perfect and the music was so good! Everything just lined up for us, and that’s always so cool when it happens.
The furthest we’ve ever traveled for a gig was…. We once traveled to a ski lodge in Italy for a gig. I seem to remember it taking days to get there from New York. We drove over some crazy mountains and ended up taking a gondola – with all of our gear – for the last leg.
Our last meals would be….
Nick: Chicken and Waffles, or Carbonara.
Lisa: Carbs
Frank: Frank eats every meal like it’s his last.
Aaron: ?
Dave: Homemade pizza
Isaac: 100 year old bottle of scotch, aged since the 1980s.
– Victoria
Kryptonite Music Magazine 