When it comes to necessary evils, in the realm of creative lifestyles there is no bane more malicious and insidious than the day job.
In a society that rarely harbors complete subservience to one’s artistic leanings, it is a truly exemplary creator who can withstand the dehumanizing grind and tear of regular employment.
It would seem, however, that This Radiant Boy is one group with enough reserve and ambition to survive the horrors of a wage-hungry existence.
“Basically, we have a full time job, and the band’s another full time job on top of that,” singer/guitarist Mike Guggino said about the This Radiant Boy’s work ethic.
While the idea of a full-time job is enough to spook even the most hardened of rock fans, it would seem that This Radiant Boy does not carry its work load lightly. In what might be the strongest campaign for the title of “Hardest Working Band in the World,”
This Radiant Boy has filled its calendar with more than most bands could handle. They have two area shows this week alone, (Friday, Feb. 20 at the North Star Bar, and Monday, Feb. 23, at the Owl Cove in Temple University’s Mitten Hall), constant practice, continual writingand are finishing up their soon-to-be-released EP, Shakedown at the Russian Disco. That’s not all the band has planned in coming months.
“We’re also starting our own label,” Guggino said lightly, as if creating a company is something a bands do everyday. Tentatively named Put Out Records, the label was formed by necessity, rather than what would seem like This Radiant Boy’s urge to work every angle.
“Basically what happened was, our old label folded,” Guggino said. “We’d been recording, and doing stuff, and trying to figure out if we should put it out on a label.”
Not sure of how to go about getting their newly recorded music on the streets, the band decided to start self-releasing material when they discovered they still had a decent distribution deal.
“There aren’t really any Philly labels right now,” he said, “So we thought it would be cool to have our own label, if not just to put out our own music and get it heard.”
But for fans planning to absorb some radiance this week, don’t worry. All these extracurricular band activities haven’t steered This Radiant Boy away from what they love to do, and that’s playing music.
“We try to make as hot a sound as we can, as energetic as we possibly can,” Guggino said. “Super kick ass.”
While there are some lighter popish leanings in the band’s sound, This Radiant Boy still knows how to ruffle some feathers.
“We like to really rock out,” he said, explaining that at their shows, This Radiant Boy like to work the audience into a punky danced up freak out. “We like everyone kinda going crazy. We encourage people to heckle us.”
It’s this sort of hands-on rock out vibe that the band hopes to get across at Temple this week.
“We like Temple. The kids there are always cool,” Guggino said. Hopefully the self described, “heavy twee,” This Radiant Boy will be able to bring that vibe to the Owl Cove.
“A real party vibe,” is what Guggino said he hopes the band will be able to get across this Monday. “Dyonissen, I guess.”
Robert James Algeo can be reached at rjalgeo@temple.edu
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