A four-piece reggae-punk band from North Reading, Massachusetts, Wax On, plans to release a new album this fall.
Members of the band include Dan Cady on guitar and vocals, Luke Pelletier on guitar, Mike Colucci on drums and Nick Capezzuto on bass.
Originally, the band formed eight years ago and only consisted of Cady and Capezzuto, who went to the same high school. When Cady came to The University of Rhode Island, he met Colucci, a junior writing and rhetoric major, and his cousin, Pelletier, a sophomore history and sociology major, who joined the band two years ago. Each member has different musical influences ranging from bands like Green Day to classic crooners like Frank Sinatra, and even more abstract artists such as The Mars Volta and Anthony Green. Since their tastes vary, the band is still looking for what their sound will ultimately be.
“We’ve played in a way where we are seen as the summer reggae group, then we’ve played in a way where it’s not as core to the set, or we will play one or two reggae songs,†Cady said. “We are still finding that niche.
Cady insisted the name is not a reference to Karate Kid, despite what people often think. Instead, the name is based off of the original concept of this band, whose sound was initially surf rock reggae. The band has since changed, however, and has evolved into a genre more complex than their early days of reggae and punk.
“Our music is like wax,†Colucci said. “You can make anything out of it.â€
The band said that the University of Rhode Island’s fraternity AEPI was a huge help in making their music possible, letting them record in their basement. Recently, Wax On has released these recorded songs onto Bandcamp, which are available for download. The chapter also helped the band establish itself on campus by allowing Wax On to play live shows in the basement on occasion. This has allowed the band to network with other local groups and get their name out to other people who enjoy similar music.
Since booking shows in Rhode Island can be challenging, the band often plays near Amherst, Massachusetts, where Capezzuto lives. Cady explained how they were inspired by many local bands in that area and are looking to bring shows to Rhode Island. Â He said that they love being able to travel to new places to play shows and would love to be able to do that in Rhode Island as well. Eventually, they would like to bring shows to local places in Narragansett and surrounding towns.
The band has already recorded a few songs for an LP, and have many ideas for the future. They are going into the studio in mid-October, and plan to release an album by the end of the month. In addition, the band is continuing to add new songs on Bandcamp.
Wax On will be playing a show on October 10 at Bill Ash’s Lounge in Revere, Massachusetts. For more information, visit their Facebook and Bandcamp for more information on upcoming shows.