Photo Coverage: The Metromen Reunite At The Barn In Egremont
By: Stephen Sorokoff Sep. 07, 2016
The Metromen were a New York City-based rock group of the late 1970s, early 1980s, that created their own brand of punk/rock music aiming to combine sophistication and humor. They recently re-united and performed at a new venue, THE BARN at The Egremont Village Inn in Egremont, MA. The Metromen rose out of the new wave period which was typified at the time by acts such as Joe Jackson, The Police and Elvis Costello, all of which were a large influence on the music and style of the band.
In late 1979 singer-songwriter Tom Teeley teamed up with longtime collaborator Russ Velazquez to start writing pared-down songs for a new project, bassist Bill Teeley joined, and finally multi-instrumentalist-drummer-songwriter Bob Miller was brought in to replace the first drummer Bennet Gale, thus creating 'The Metromen'. Miller, Velazquez and Tom Teeley had worked together previously in 1975-1976 as part of a five-piece pop-fusion band Jester, which emulated the more complex musical acts of the day such as Gentile Giant, Frank Zappa and Mahavishnu Orchestra Little of the fusion roots carried over into the new project, but the Zappa-style humor was kept intact. Shortly after their formation, the band signed a recording contract with Genya Raven, most well known for her late 60's band Ten Wheel Drive. Ravan was starting an independent record label called Polish Records [as in polish the car]. The label would feature other up-and-coming NYC-based new wave bands, as well as perennials such as Ronnie Spector, who was also signed to the fledgling label.
Photo Credit: Stephen Sorokoff
Russ Velazquez,Bill Miller, Bill Teeley, Tom Teeley, The Metromen
The Metromen
The Metromen
The Barn
The Barn at The Egremont Village Inn
The Barn
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