60’s GARAGE ROCK N ROLL WITH SPOOKABILLY TWIST
Garage Rock from Nashville never sounded so good when you tune into the Serpenteens–a two piece band that deliver a sonic blast from the past and make fill it with a sound that is updated for the future described by one radio DJ as ‘spookabilly surf rock’. The Serpenteens evolved out of the Tenders band who originally formed in the end of 2017 in New York City as a three piece and moved ahead as a two piece featuring the pounding drums or Tracy Jean and the reverb soaked guitar of Marco Argiro and vocals. The Tenders formed with Ariel Isa on bass when the band members who were all bar tenders used the name for their initial band The Tenders before evolving as the Serpenteens and relocating to Nashville.
“The Tenders were our first band together along with our bassist, Ariel. We, Tracy Jean, myself (Marco Argiro) were a garage/surf style trio with a very theatrical performance that lasted around 2 ½ years. The Serpenteens are an evolution of where we started as that band, only now carrying on as a two piece this time around, and being more open to explore new sonic terrain, and not afraid to get a bit heavy at the same time.”
“For starters, the three of us all worked at the same restaurant together in East Nashville and collectively wanted to make a project that was more fun and light hearted then a lot of the overly serious Americana, and country music that seemed to have oversaturated the scene at the time. We figured someone needed to shake things up a bit and add some style, glamor and fun into the mix. The Tenders came together rather quickly and organically, just at the right time with play at the hear of the concept.”
The Serpenteens came about with the fate of the pandemic and change in lineup. “How did things develop and transition to the Serpenteens? As bands grow and continue to be inspired by other styles, so did our writing for The Tenders. There were already seeds of what eventually would grow to become Serpenteens tunes, but artistic differences and a looming global pandemic forced the hand of the band’s collective fate. Early 2020 would see some of our last public appearances as Tenders. Our final, being a live radio broadcast on ACME radio here in Nashville, as our DRKMTTR performance was ultimately cancelled due to the growing risk of the Corona virus.”
As for influences Agriro said, “Rockabilly, Surf Rock, and punk rock backgrounds. We were all Bar “tenders” again, at the same place. So we thought that was a funny concept and also, captured the gum drop-esque concept and time we were trying to evoke stylistically. We were also heavily influenced by vaudeville and burlesque culture, hence the wigs and custom designed costumes designed and created by Tracy Jean & Ariel Isa.”
The evolution of the Serpenteens was carried over from the Tenders however with a difference according to Agriro. “A lot of the same influences carried over to this project but we were also interested in exploring more world music, beats, sounds, etc. w/ a heavier approach. We still wanted this project to remain playful and open, but leaning in more on the darker aesthetics, and tones. We thought The Serpenteens captured the playful and dark nature of the new duo. Obviously Tracy and I are not still Teenagers, but we plan on living forever and hopefully helping to inspire the youth to not only have fun but have some substance in there lives.” He added, “We’ve gotten a bit heavier, and gone to making music as a duo, yet still playing through the amount of on stage gear that a 4 or 5 piece band would use. We’ve opened doors that would’ve been closed off for the niche audience that some musicians tend to get stuck in. In short, The Serpenteens are a genre fluid rock act.
The Serpenteens released their debut Revolution last year on Outright Rock Records featuring the single Strut. “We were inspired by the world around us, the loneliness brought on by the pandemic, the corrupt state of the US govt, and the political movements happening not only in our country, but around the globe. We wanted to have a voice within the chaos, but at the same time creating an escape for our peers and loved ones. So without jamming our message down our listeners throats, we used story telling and our artistic output as beacons of hope amidst the doom and gloom. Strut is a song about personal empowerment, being who you are and not giving a fuck what anyone else has to say about it. We tried to flip the script on the classic notion of a “walk of shame”, for the Serpenteens audience it’s now a “Stride of Pride”
The Serpenteens plan on supporting their release and working on new material this year. Agriro Said, “Release more videos, Write new songs, and continue to be inspired by this precious life we’ve been given. Explore, grow and play our part in making this planet a better place for all people, but especially the youth!”
While the Serpenteens put together some very intense videos you can also expect the same intensity in the live performance. “Very cinematic, A good time, something different, a soundtrack, a loud wall of sound surprisingly coming from just two people.”
As for relocation to Nashville from New York Argiro said, “I had been coming to Nashville on various tours with other projects for years and was witnessing the growth of not only the city, but the music and art community at large. After being in New York city for many years, it was finally time for a change. I honestly felt like I had squeezed all the juice out of that Big apple I could at that point, but now I longed to be a part of a music scene again and start a new chapter,”
The Serpenteens are all about rock n roll and high energy with plenty of delicious sounding guitars and a band you need to taste live and through your media. Argiro says, “Live is short. Make the most out of every day and never wait until it’s too late! Long live rock ‘n’roll!!”
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The Serpenteens | The Serpenteens Official Website
