Random Legacy
by Andrew Nelson
Website Exclusive, 2005
Random Legacy is the best local band you've never heard of. Period. And I'm not the only one that thinks that. Bands like the Youth Ahead, Wakefield, and Skyline have all proclaimed digging RL's music. So did some random guy from a label in Nebraska who e-mailed Dan because he was floored by their song on mp3.com and wanted it on his comp. The name for these guys is slowly growing - go to any show they play and you're likely to hear quite a few people say that they were the best band to play. They've managed to get about 200 copies of their completely DIY "In the Basement" EP out there so far, along with countless samplers handed out at Birch and Krome.
Let's introduce the guys. On the drums is Matt Reardon. You may remember him from A Storybook Ending (RIP). He is, without question, one of the craziest people on the face of the earth. His beats are absolutely jaw dropping and his stage presence is unmatched by most drummers. Next, we have Frank Balsamello from Old Bridge on bass. Frank's been the workhorse on the business side of the band, taking care of all of their bookings, arranging time in the studio, and meeting important people like Richard from Drive-Thru. On lead guitar is Marlboro's own Shawn Mason. Shawn's tastes are probably the most eclectic in the band, ranging from Metallica and Tool to Yellowcard and The Starting Line. This shows through in his leads, which have a different feel to them that you won't find in most pop punk. Lastly, on rhythm guitar and vocals is Dan Iorizzo from Old Bridge. He handles a majority of the song writing (although Shawn does a lot as well) and has an awesome voice that lends itself perfectly to Random Legacy's music.
How do you describe this band? Let's say Midtown meets Hidden in Plain View meets some other band that hasn't been invented yet. But you NEED to check these guys out. Go to randomlegacy.com immediately, listen to their mp3, and find out when their next show is, because you won't want to miss it. The band is always willing to drive around to people's houses or mail tickets or CD's, so if you want one, just e-mail them and they can work something out. If you like the mp3.com song, definitely e-mail the band and get the "In the Basement" EP - you won't regret it. How much does it cost? $3. You can't beat that.