It’s been just more than two years since Gaslight Anthem’s inception, but the New Brunswick-based foursome—front man Brian Fallon, bassist Alex Levine, guitarist Alex Rosamilia, and drummer Benny Horowitz—has emerged from punk’s underground scene to become a well-known band that is making strides and capturing hearts of mainstream fans and Indie lovers alike.
Rosamilia characterizes the group’s sound as “honest and high energy.” And in 2007, the group amped up their energy to put together their debut album, Sink or Swim, in less than two weeks. While touring with underground favorites such as Against Me!, the Loved Ones, and the Bouncing Souls, the group began garnering a strong following of its own, with punk message boards spurring their popularity even further.
By the summer of 2008, TGA was back in the studio recording the thirteen-track album The ’59 Sound, which was released by SideOneDummy Records in August. This time, the band spent six weeks in the studio and worked with producer, Ted Hutt, the former guitarist of Flogging Molly. “We all write everything, no one steps on toes, but it was nice to have input from Ted,” says Rosamilia.
“The name is about harking back to the beginning of rock,” says Rosamilia of the album, which includes upbeat tunes and personal ballads about life, love, and common struggles. TGA credits Bruce Springsteen along with Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Tom Petty, and Sam Cooke as influences, but Rosamilia says “I wouldn’t put us in a genre, mainly because I think music should be about what you make of it, instead of trying to pigeonhole yourself before you even get started.”
No worries, there. With their second album still fresh, the band has already earned appearances on Conan O’Brien and David Letterman, and is currently winding up a European tour (with UK’s Frank Turner and the Polar Bear Club) that included the U.K., Germany, and Sweden. “Europe has been amazing,” says Rosamilia.
TGA will be revving up for their first United States/Canada tour March 18. For more information on the band visit thegaslightanthem.com or myspace.com/thegaslightanthem.