Album Notes

'New Jersey - It's 2 am. The stage is drenched with sweat. The music bounces around the club with a mission to seduce the innocent ears that will never be the same again. The crowd, in their hypnotic trance, takes no heed to the "last call" alert. It's not important at the moment because Subcommittee is in full swing with one of their high octane ass-shakin' sets and there's nothing holding them back. Just when you think it's over...SLAM! The band turns it up another notch, twisting and fondling their instruments into one giant musical orgasm. Bringing the noise since 1995, the original line up of Bo Bailey (vocals, trombone, keyboards, percussion & the occasional 2nd guitar), Doug Pearsall (bass & backups), John Scherer (drums & backups), Shannon Woods (guitar), and Alex Zox (sax, vocals, percussion) have taken on the music world and have broken down the music barriers that once separated us. If you were ever skeptical about brass and congas with your rock and roll, don't fret. Subcommittee can pack a mean punch harder than most rock bands. So whether it's pushing the Latin Jazz envelope or tempting the temptress with American Soul and Swing, Subcommittee plays it with more positive vengeance than anyone. '
-Dennis King, Pissing in the Passaic

A musical combination of funk, punk, jazz, Latin, reggae and visceral rock and roll, Subcommittee have been active players in the Northern New Jersey underground for the last 10 years. Subcommittee have set themselves apart by creating daring, yet danceable music, incorporating sharp horn arrangements, sparring vocals and intricate guitar driven melodic structures to create a sound that is distinctly unique. Subcommittee emphasizes unity, progressive insight and collaboration in the scene as a whole, regardless of current trends, switching seamlessly from bossa nova to straight funk to dada-inspired tirades-- holding tight to notions of insight, intellectual risk, and visionary idealism while trying to retain sincerity and accessibility.

Since their inception, Subcommittee have been a favorite in many New York City, New Jersey and Pennsylvania clubs, including CBGB, Webster Hall, The Lion's Den, Maxwell's, Loop Lounge, The Whiskey, Havana, Abilene, and The Wobbly Barn in Killington, Vermont. Recently they have found a home base in the legendary blues club, The Stanhope House in Stanhope, New Jersey where they host regular shows, networking with national acts and bringing out of state talent to the New Jersey locale. They've been the featured act at many outdoor music festivals in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maine, including Rampage on the River, The Bongo Bash, The Big Bandingo, The Hoboken Italian Festival, and the WDHA Clam 'n' Jam.

Playing in their current 5-piece lineup since 1995, Subcommittee recorded two 4-song demos between 1995 and 1997, contributing tracks to a handful of independent compilations (Black Pumpkin 4x4 series, Showercap Records sampler). Subcommittee released their first LP, 'Machito's Wonder' in 1998 on Hi-Test Records, a cooperative record label co-founded with producer/engineer Mike Ward of Big Blue Meenie Studios in Jersey City, NJ. Hi-Test was distributed internationally by Black Pumpkin Records, and the album was promoted independently, performing frequently between the Tri-State area and New England between 1998-1999.

While remaining wholly dedicated to Subcommittee's project, the members have also taken time individually to collaborate and play with other upcoming NYC metro bands over the years. Bo Bailey (vocals, trombone, and keys) joined Roadrunner recording artists' The Step Kings as guitarist from 2000-2001. Bo and Alex Zox (vocals, alto saxophone) toured Europe with Dog Eat Dog co-founder Dan Nastasi in 1996. John Scherer (drums) recorded and toured as singer of legendary NYC/NJ metal-core bands Deathrash and Caligula from 1986-1990. Shannon Woods (vocals, guitar) and Bo Bailey have both been active in side projects Tang! and Sweat over the last two years. Doug Pearsall (bass), while remaining solid in his support of his bandmates' projects and his dedication to the music of Subcommittee has also supported and performed at various local and community theaters..

While Bailey took leave to tour with The Step Kings in 2000, guitarist Shannon Woods honed his singing and songwriting skills during this period as Subcommittee continued to create vibrant new songs, making multiple New York City club appearances at venues such as Arlene Grocery and The Sidewalk Café. After Bailey's reemergence, in 2002, Subcommittee decided to reinvest energy in their original lineup, continuing to write new material, booking a heavy schedule through S.T.A.R.S. Productions, and joining forces with producer Charles Johnson (Kool & The Gang, Lauren Hill) to record their second LP, 'What Goes Wrong'. Through their sponsorship with Budweiser True Music, Subcommittee has had the opportunity to expand their fan base on the East Coast, playing along the I-95 corridor in Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and the Jersey Shore for the last year and a half. Subcommittee played to a sold-out crowd at the grand opening of Lincoln Financial Stadium in Philadelphia in July 2003, and has performed at Giants' Stadium, opening for New York Jets home games. They have also been a featured act at The Borgata Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

'What Goes Wrong' will be available in record stores throughout the region on May 1, 2004, with a CD release party at The Stanhope House and Abilene in Philadelphia to follow, both sponsored by Budweiser True Music. The band is planning an aggressive live performance schedule to promote 'What Goes Wrong', and to spread their music to new and old fans by networking with other independent artists and promoters both nationally and internationally.