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442


Band:

442

Members: Jordan Abel, vocals; Ken Boden, guitar; Adam Carn, guitar; Michael Iwancio, bass; Chris Pierich, drums

Who we talked to: Carn, 35

How did you guys meet/how long have you been performing together? I actually joined them. (442) had been around for about a year and a half in the Southern York area. I played out in bands for eight years (in the York, Lancaster, and Harrisburg areas). I just put my ad up on Craigslist, believe it or not, and they recruited me that way. I joined in December, (and) we've booked about 25 shows since. We're pretty booked up for the summer.

Did your bandmates fill you in on where the name comes from? Actually, it's named after our guitarist's car that he restored (an Oldsmobile 442). Sometimes, numbers are hard with band names. You see it on a marquee, you don't know if it's the time. Now we're starting to get recognition, so we can't change it anyway.

Describe your sound/style: We're a rock cover band. We do anything from the '80s to the present. On top of the older stuff, we put a little bit of a rock twist to it. (It's) a little bit heavier but still crowd-friendly (so) we can still get into the clubs that we play. Right now . . . we're still getting our three sets down so we can do a full night. Usually, a good 100 songs is what (we shoot) for. We do songs that people can sing back. They're not . . . just going to sit there.

How did you get into music? I . . . took piano for about 15 years growing up and then I (got) into guitar. I've always been in, like, the (Manheim Central High School) band and talent shows . . . growing up. Around 2003 or 2004 is when I really started playing out and making money for what I like to do. I can't stop that. (Laughs)

Who were your influences? Guns N' Roses until . . . the alternative scene hit (with) Nirvana and Soundgarden. I kind of put all that hard rock away, (but) I picked up my guitar because of watching (Guns N' Roses) on TV.

You've been booking a lot of gigs. Are you playing anywhere in the area? We play Fat Daddy's . . . The Westgate (Restaurant and Lounge and Granfalloons). We're playing a couple Clipper (Magazine) Stadium gigs for the (Lancaster) Barnstormers games coming up. We (opened) for Seven Mary Three (March 25) up in Allentown at Crocodile Rock (Café).

What is you biggest challenge as a band? The most important part is that we're having fun. We all have daytime jobs. We all have the chemistry to come together on the weekend and make music. It's a great stress reliever at the end of the week. We're not looking to do it for a living. We're not going to be rock stars, here. If it gets to be too much business or too much time playing out, it wears and tears on you. I'm kind of keeping it to four to six shows a month. We come from . . . all different areas. My singer's from Wrightsville. The drummer's from York. I'm from Lancaster. The guitarist is from Maryland, and the bassist is from Delaware. Craigslist brings you together. Southern York is where we practice . . . so most of the traveling comes from (getting to shows).

What are your thoughts about the local scene? If we were doing all originals, (it would be harder to play out). Eventually, down the road, we do want to write original songs. That is one of our biggest goals. Once we start writing, we'll probably sneak in one or two or three originals into our cover sets and just drill into the people. Hopefully, they'll start liking it and, you know, cross over eventually.

Any idea what sound you'd be going for with your original tunes? Not really, considering all five of us are different ages and stuff. It will be interesting to see what we come up with. (We'll) probably keep it mostly modernized.

Have you heard any other bands in the area that you like? The bigger ones are Emily's Toybox, Lucky You (and) Green Eggs. Negative Space is a huge influence.

Anything you learned along the way so far to pass onto other musicians? Just be friendly. Help out . . . other bands that are starting out. Give them the chance to open for you or network with them. It's not a competition. We're no better than anybody else. We're here to help people.

- ERIN McCRACKEN, FLIPSIDE STAFF

If you go

See 442 perform with Random Allies at 10 p.m. Friday at Fat Daddy's, 2510 E. Market St., Springettsbury Township. For details, visit www.fatdaddys.com.

On the Web

For details about 442, visit www.myspace.com/band442rocks.

To listen to the interview, visit www.flipsidepa.com.

To read more meet-the-artist interviews, visit www.flipsidepa.com/musicdirectory.