Primo
Rewind to 2001.
The internet was still a mysterious beast, social media was a distant dream, and finding like-minded musicians was more a stroke of luck than a strategic endeavor. Especially if your musical heart was tuned to the sun-soaked frequencies of Southern California, but you found yourself stuck in the usually grey and brisk upstate New York.
Enter Primo.
Born out of parental connections and old-school “musicians wanted” ads, Primo was the musical styles of a few teenagers who should’ve been born near a beach, but somehow ended up in Albany. It all started with Kyle on guitar and vocals, John on bass (who was still kicking it through high school), and Lou on drums. Kyle and Lou had just graduated from completely different high schools, but somehow, by the grace of “stylee” , the universe brought them together.
Sublime was their common ground. The trio bonded over the rhythm and rhymes of Bradley Nowell, Eric Wilson, and Bud Gaugh. Sublime covers were the set lists of their early jam sessions, which were held in a dark, cold barn in Clifton Park, NY, or a basement in Castleton, or a garage, or whatever friend's house was brave enough to host them. The sessions were an homage to the legends, where they freestyled and riffed their way through Sublime’s catalog, dabbling in the sounds of Slightly Stoopid, Tenor Saw, Yellowman, and Barrington Levy along the way.
Kyle, the mastermind with a knack for original tunes, brought tracks like “Lizzard Fund,” “My Own,” “Rubadub Rebel,” and later, “Enemy” and “Sub Dubbin G” to the table. It became clear that Primo had stumbled upon a sound that was inspired but theirs. This was pre-Sublime tribute band era, pre-reggae rock scene, pre-“Cali vibes,” or whatever the kids are calling it these days. Primo was doing it before it was cool -playing parties, local venues, public access TV, and even opening for Long Beach Shortbus when they rolled through Albany in the early 2000s (yep, that show is recorded).
They also found themselves sharing the stage with acts like Antigone Rising, opening for Authority Zero, and catching a ride on Josh Todd’s (yes, Buckcherry’s Josh Todd) solo tour. They recorded wherever they could-at Roger Sharp’s place, Dave Tyo’s studio, or just live shows. Kyle, ever the DIY enthusiast, captured much of it on his trusty Tascam Portastudio, a multi-track analog recorder that hummed with the magic of those early years.
But as the years passed, life happened. College, other bands, and the general drift of time eventually led to Primo sputtering out. John and Lou briefly found their way into another band, Skadee, while Kyle dived deeper into production and other musical ventures. It’s hard to pin down exactly how long Primo was around-let’s call it 2001 to 2005, but who’s really counting?
For all the friends, family, venues, chalupas and inspirations along the way, Primo thanks you. And as for the music? Well, that speaks for itself. Primo!
11 сен 2024
