Gramsci gives Pittsburgh a new melody

With a genre of music that no one can describe and a name few can pronounce on the first try,… With a genre of music that no one can describe and a name few can pronounce on the first try, Gramsci Melodic is making its mark on the Pittsburgh music scene. Gramsci Melodic’s curious name (pronounced ‘Grom-She’) came from Italian socialist Antonio Gramsci, according to the band’s founder Martin Rubeo.’ ‘I chose ‘Gramsci’ because of my experiences as an undergraduate student studying political theory at Bucknell. Apart from the actual philosophy behind his writing, I was drawn to his personal story of sacrifice and commitment. He was arrested [because of] his political stance. He was committed to an idea and was willing to essentially give his life for that idea,’ said Rubeo. But the band’s name isn’t the only unusual thing about this local upstart. Gramsci Melodic combines retro psychedelic and new wave electronica sounds with a grungy, late-’90s touch to fall into the genre of an art-pop rock band. Rubeo formed Gramsci Melodic in 2006 by bringing together a group of very different musicians. Trained jazz percussionist and drummer Sean Rayl joined Rubeo in 2006, bringing a history of live performances in a speed metal band. He and Rubeo became the hosts of Gramsci Melodic’s auditions. Tony Willoe, Gramsci Melodic’s bass player, began playing music as a child and discovered a talent for any instrument with strings. They then picked up keyboardist Gregory Haduch, who taught himself how to play the piano/keyboard without being able to read the music. As a teenager, he began to compose hip-hop beats for other artists in his neighborhood. Joel ‘The Duke’ York arrived last from England, and after influence from Rubeo he began to find he had an ear for synthesized tones, digitized beats and quadraphonic arpeggios and began working synthesizers for the band.’ The mixture of Gramsci Melodic impresses even Rubeo. ‘I think you would be hard-pressed to find a band with such different members in terms of personality. I think it’s fair to say that if we weren’t in a band together, we probably wouldn’t be in the same social circles.’ But the differences among the band’s members serve it well, according to Rubeo. ‘I write all of the music and lyrics, but it doesn’t really become a Gramsci song until everyone adds his own touch,’ he explained. ‘Sometimes this involves subtle changes, and other times it involves an overhaul of the song. There is a respect that we have for each other that has been crafted from spending multiple hours per week for two years in each other’s company.’ ‘The support [of the band] has been fantastic and unexpected, especially since this project was never meant to be much more than me recording songs in my living room to share with friends,’ said Rubeo. Gramsci Melodic’s support and dedication paid off this year when the group won the 2008 Pittsburgh Rock Off, a play-off judged by music industry professionals. Still, the group faces the challenges presented by Pittsburgh’s music scene. ‘There is not much of an emphasis put on local music by the city,’ said Rubeo. ‘On one hand, that hurts a band [that] is trying to make a name for [itself]. However, it also provides a gut check for the bands … and fosters a close band-fan relationship.’ Rubeo explained that the scene also encourages bands to work hard to set their own terms on scene. ‘I think too many people complain about the scene without doing anything to change it. Also, just because there is more coverage given to local music in cities like Minneapolis and Columbus doesn’t mean that any band can achieve success by simply booking a show at the local bar. Sure, there are things I would like to see change about the local music scene, but I would rather try to change them than simply complain about them.’