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By Tiffany Razzano
Ryan Foster, one of the band's guitarists, admits that The Beatles are one of the band's biggest influences. "They define every quality in a band," he said. "There's definitely a little emulation. It's admiration more than anything."
And much like Beatlemania, the group has been turning heads all over Long Island, adding to their fan base with each show. In fact, to meet their fans' demands, the group has gone back into the studio. Until now The Blue Scene has only released a three-song EP, leaving fans impatient for more.
The Blue Scene is currently working on a six-song EP that will include Etched in Skyline and New Wave Girls. They're working with producer Alan Plotkin at the Music Palace in Garden City. Though the group originally laid the basic tracks last year, they're hoping Plotkin can help them take a fresh look at their old songs. "Now there's a producer in the mix, honing the sound," Foster said. "We're refining our sound now and redoing the recordings."
The five members of the group - Foster, Gary Norton (drums), Luke Daniels (vocals, bass), Matt Czerniawski (guitar, vocals), and Dev Gupta (keyboards) - got their start while they were still in middle school, playing in a variety bands and line-ups throughout middle and high school. Point Blank, a ska band formed while they attended Sayville high school, was the closest to today's Blue Scene line-up.
Wanting to take their potential music career more seriously, the group dropped the horn section, whose members didn't take the band seriously enough, and switched to a more rock-oriented format. "We've gone through different phases, and we're constantly evolving and changing," Foster said. "We're always trying to outdo ourselves."
This was when the group adopted their retro look. "We want to entertain rather than just play music," said Foster. "We want it to be an experience more than a show."
About a year and a half ago The Blue Scene shot a video for New Wave Girls. This video, along with a documentary, featuring commentary from the band and some live footage, was put on rotation on Public Access. It can still be caught on the air really late at night.
This video was sent out to labels, with Virgin Records taking the bait and expressing an interest in the young band. This opportunity turned out to be a reality check for them. They were sent into the studio to write and record five songs but were unable to come up with anything new and never recorded anything. This was when they pledged to take the band even more seriously so as not to waste any more time or money.
Their new EP will be sent out to labels across the country. The band also has some promising connections with some European labels. They hope to be on a label by this time next year.
They've also taken another big step, moving on to frequent venues in Manhattan such as CBGB's and The Bitter End. In fact, the group rarely plays at places on Long Island these days, though they do have several shows coming up here, including a huge show on July 30 at the Brookhaven Amphitheater, where they'll open for Sugar Cult and Saves the Day. The move to New York City venues was an obvious one as it "is the cultural epicenter for music," said Foster.
The Blue Scene is well on its way to realizing its plan of "go[ing] all the way."
"We don't care if we're labeled as pop or a sell-out," Foster said. "Pop is the greatest music there is."
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ooking rather dapper and youthful in their matching suits, with their moppish hair, The Blue Scene garners comparisons to The Beatles even before they start playing the melodic pop-rock they've become known for.
