©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Mt. Airy duo, making beautiful music, appear bound for stardom
by JEROME O’NEILL

Singer/bass player Jamie Campbell, seen here playing at The Rusty Nail in Ardmore, says, “It’s exciting. I’m going to turn on the radio and hear myself.”

“Hey there pretty darling, do you want to go for a ride?”

A local band, Seizure 17, appears poised to take fans on an exciting ride with the release of their self-produced album Too Pretty for a Riot. The opening lyric, from the lead song sharing the album’s name, takes listeners on a trip through haunting melodies blended with dissonant guitar riffs and crunchy, aggressive verses. It’s a complex brew that delivers a very satisfying sound.

“That’s our favorite recording on the album,” stated 24-year-old Colin McLaughlin-Alcock, the lead singer, guitarist, and producer of the album. McLaughlin-Alcock, a Mount Airy native and graduate of the High School for Creative and Performing Arts in Philadelphia, has returned this year in hopes of promoting Seizure 17 through live shows, radio play and hard work. “It’s more work than creation right now, but we’re really excited.” (Colin McLaughlin-Alcock attended an overseas study program called “College of World Studies” which is no longer in existence.)

Jamie Campbell, 27, McLaughlin-Alcock’s counterpart, bass guitarist, and fellow singer, agrees. “I’m really optimistic and looking forward to shows.” said Campbell, who is from the small New York town of Lyndonville on Lake Ontario, and experiencing her first taste of Philadelphia.

Lead singer/guitar player Colin McLaughlin-Alcock of Mt. Airy says that Seizure 17 has a modern sound influenced by proto-punk and grunge music.

The story behind the name Seizure 17 is simple. It is the title of a Scott Novak story as well as a legal term. However, McLaughlin-Alcock created the name while sitting on a bench in Alaska searching for words that flow well together. This flow offers a glimpse into the two artists and their music.

The duo along with a drum machine named Stan have developed their sound through travel and experience. While studying abroad after high school, McLaughlin-Alcock gathered influences from such far away places as China, Egypt, Ireland and England. “Syria and Turkey in particular were very friendly places,” he reflected. “People there are eager to expose you to what’s going on.”

During his travels, McLaughlin-Alcock met Jamie Campbell in California, and the two began playing small shows before deciding to move north together into the vast openness of Alaska. There, on a park bench, Seizure 17 was officially formed, and the duo worked to raise money to produce their album while continuing to be inspired by their experiences.

“Last summer, we were living in a tent and playing in Skagway, which is a town of about 500 people,” said Campbell. “Then we moved to take care of sled-dogs in Fairbanks.” This was done in hopes of returning to Philadelphia with enough money to produce and promote Too Pretty for a Riot.

Deeply influenced by the environment and the relations of people within these communities, Seizure 17 arrived in Mount Airy with a sound and style that helps them stand out in a heavily saturated local market. Their strong chemistry is apparent.

“Ego can really hurt songs,” said McLaughlin-Alcock. “We let the song be the focal point and place ourselves in the background.”

“We have remarkably similar influences, too.” added Campbell. Influences which include a myriad of artists from Iggy Pop, The Smashing Pumpkins and David Bowie to jazz great Miles Davis and classical guitarists Fernando Sor and Francisco Tarrega. This complex formula is further enhanced by the perfect timing of Stan the drum machine. Stan is actually an Alesis SR-16 bit stereo drum machine which helps streamline this two-piece band.

“It was weird at first,” said McLaughlin-Alcock. “Because Stan’s in perfect time, I’m forced to be exact, but I think it’s made me better.”

“Time is so important in music,” Campbell added, “and another benefit is that we don’t have to carry a drum set around.”

Thus far, the new band in town is making positive noise. They recently were featured on New York and California radio specialty shows, and are in rotation on various radio stations in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Philadelphia. To their delight, they recently did their first “station identification” for an Allentown station. In an odd twist, a Trenton disc jockey discovered Too Pretty for a Riot on a website in Denmark and added it to the play list.

Seizure 17 has found an audience through live shows as well. Recent appearances at the Rusty Nail Tavern in Ardmore and The Fire in Northern Liberties were well received. Currently, they are scheduled to appear at Club 218 at 218 South St. for a 9 p.m. performance on July 11 and at the Rusty Nail on August 11.

“Their creative lyrics drew enthusiasm and cheering from the large audience.” said Chris Braccili, owner of the Rusty Nail. The album, Too Pretty for a Riot, was also featured on the “Live at the Nail” radio show, which promotes new, local talent.

Boredom was a subject McLaughlin-Alcock examined in the great unpopulated expanse of Alaska. “I generally start with a ‘hook’ which will suggest a feel that usually brings the lyrics,” stated the songwriter. Philadelphia, however, is providing everything but boredom.

“Philadelphia is so central, with so many cities in between,” Campbell said. “We want to keep doing shows here, and there are so many colleges within a day’s drive where we have an opportunity to go play.”

They recently finished promoting their album directly to stations throughout the area, and are just beginning to receive feedback. With the momentum they have already established, Colin McLaughlin-Alcock, Jamie Campbell and Stan the drum machine will be on their own very busy ride bringing Seizure 17’s blend of haunting melodies and aggressive riffs to local listeners throughout our area.