Album Notes

Southern Crush:

Southern Crush is “In Your Face Rock with a Southern Backbone!” and no apologies for it.
The band was formed in Huntington Beach California in early 2003 by Rhonda Giarraffa/Lead Vocals and Rhythm Guitar, Louis Giarraffa (AKA”Gyro)/Drums, Jeff “The Face” Bennett/Bass and Zack Echelman/Lead Guitar. If you’ve ever caught a S.C. show, you already know what to expect. If not and your planning to, be prepared to get screwed with by Rhonda. “When we say in your face we mean it.” Notes Gyro. Although there is a reputation that follows the band of beating up the decibels, it is controlled by the musicianship. This is not a sloppy band. Aggressive? Definitely! It’s all about the show and giving the crowd what they want. No complacent cover band here, The S.C. shows are more like mini concerts. Southern Crush takes the stage in any situations and kicks it in the ass.
The “Marking Time” CD, is one that the band is really proud of. “We took a good look at who we are and what we stand for before choosing the originals that made it on this particular project. The only song on the CD that is not an original is “Diamonds and Rust” an original written by Joan Baez. We crushed it out to fit our sound and style. Sort of Judas Priest meets Joan. I guess it’s somewhere in between.” states Jeff “The Face” of S.C. As for the originals, you can sense the #%*^ you backlash that comes from real life situations that Rhonda writes about. Her singing style is all her own with change ups from soft and eerie to the big belt it out rasp, but has been compared to artist such as Chrissie Hyndes, Melissa Etheridge, and Pat Benatar. Drummer “Gyro” and bassist Jeff Bennett are so close in sync with each other on this CD that it melts you from the inside out. The mood “Did Ja Think” and “Thank You Goodbye” are dictated by these guys with the way they play off each other. The guitar riffs performed by former member Zach Echelman are incredible. Echelman really bites in hard and gives no mercy on every song. “Martini Blues” is my personal favorite piece of work of Zach’s. He kept the nature and feeling of the song true and clean. Even though he has gone on to other projects, he is my soul mate with that song.” Raves Rhonda. After Zach left the band in late 2004, Southern Crush went through quite a few auditions and stand-ins’ before finding the guitar guru of Orange County. Brian Waterbury was exactly what S.C. was hoping for. Brian a natural talent with a Pit Bull in his pocket catapulted Southern Crush into the club scene even harder than before. A Take no prisoners approach on lead with the attitude to go along with it was just the ticket. As the band geared up to increase their number of shows for the Orange County circuit, fate stepped in and relocated Gyro and Rhonda to the South. This was a difficult decision to make but one that would prove to be the right move. While Southern Crush is now based in Atlanta with original members Gyro and Rhonda and new bassist Mitch Marcello, there is still a close tie between the best of friends that made the band what it is. The Orange County chapter of Southern Crush still lives on. Maybe you can catch the surprise performances at one of the local clubs in O.C. You have to be at the right place and right time to catch them though. Any show they do is planned approximately 24 hours before they get on a stage.
“The south is exactly where Southern Crush was destined to land. Rhonda’s roots come from the south and it is all over in the music she wrote for the next CD “Twice as Hard” scheduled for release by December of 2006.