Bouncing to Their Own Beat

New Paltz prides itself as a center for different kinds of art. Bounce Method, a new band sweeping over the town’s music scene, takes this idea further by incorporating multiple genres and backgrounds to create a unique sound.

Third-year media management major Luke DiCola (vocals/guitar), fourth-year contemporary music major Guy Piaquadio (bass), third-year jazz performance theory & composition major Matthew Hunter (vocals/guitar) and third-year pre-finance major Jason Greenspan (drums) make up the four-piece group and each add a unique flavor of music to their band, setting them apart from many others.

While the band said merging their different styles is the hallmark of their ensemble, they also expressed a difficulty in finding a middle ground.

“There’s a hard line to cross between friends and bandmates,” DiCola said.

However, in the end, the band said fans are appreciative of the many influences of funk, reggae, hip-hop, alternative and classic rock present in their music.

The four members started playing together two years ago, stemming from a jazz band that two of the band mates were a part of.

“Jason and myself were in the same jazz band, and he and I jammed and even played a party or two together. I knew Luke from Male Call and Jason knew Guy from the gym, and we came together around April of 2010,” Hunter said.

After forming, the need for a name became apparent. Their name originated from a phrase Greenspan’s former roommate, Matthew D’Agostino used frequently, the band said.

“Whenever he would leave the room he’d say, ‘OK guys I’m out, bounce method.’ Bounce method was sort of a descriptive statement for what was going on,” said Greenspan.

According to DiCola, they began “bouncing around” College Hall and after a while, they began to flow.

Bounce Method started their journey by performing at local parties and have since had shows at many venues outside of New Paltz.

On Oct. 1 they played at the Psychedelic Zombie Barbeque in Newburgh and  they said one of their favorite shows was at the Nikon Theatre at Jones Beach, when they opened for Journey and Foreigner.

Locally they have played at New Paltz’s Oasis, (now closed) Mahoney’s and Grimaldi’s.

Bounce Method also works closely with former student and up-and-coming artist Sam Lachow.

DiCola played on Lachow’s recently released album Brand New Bike, and Bounce Method and Lachow performed together at Grimaldi’s on Tuesday,
Nov. 15.

Aside from a series of live performances, Bounce Method is also hoping to release a CD in the coming months.

Piaquadio said the main objective is to continue building their fanbase by playing more shows and mixing covers with their original songs.

“We’ve covered Sublime, Incubus, Blink-182, Sum 41, Destiny’s Child, Taking Back Sunday, Weezer, Bon Jovi, Beastie Boys and Sugar Ray. We like to stick with mostly ‘90s pop/hip hop/rock, but we try to include a few throwbacks,” Greenspan said.

With seven songs in the making, the band members are looking forward to release of their album, Characters.  The album will be about people subconsciousness, hence the name, Hunter said.

Despite the demands of school and work obligations, Bounce Method is practicing and recording three to four times a week and are highly committed to making their band a success.

“The band takes precedence over everything else,” Greenspan said.

While Piaquadio will be graduating a semester before the rest of the band, he also lives only 20 minutes from New Paltz, so the band isn’t too worried about staying together in the coming year, they said.

“If things start to take off, we hope that Guy will hang around and see where it takes the four of us. I think he’ll be down for that,” Greenspan said.