The Taste is rock ’n’ roll. From the band members’ thrift store looks, passionate stage presence and fun-loving mentality to their tour transportation — a Chevy conversion van called the Taste Mobile — these young musicians live rock.
The band includes Luke Kameroski, 18, on vocals, Brian Davis, 20, on drums, Neil Thenier, 20, on guitar and Sean Hetsko, 20 on bass. All four members are Abington Heights High School graduates who now attend Pennsylvania universities.
The band is gearing up for its first tour, a 12-stop summer trip with shows in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. For the first show, The Taste will join The Sw!ms and The Spinto Band at Eleanor Rigby’s in Mayfield on Sunday, June 19. Other area dates include June 23 at the Vintage Theater in Scranton and Aug. 7 back at Eleanor Rigby’s.
The Taste’s music is a concerted effort to be original artists and avoid the simplicity of pop music.
“We’re trying to bring back old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll and bring back actual talent and stuff instead of just playing three chords,” said Hetsko.
They are also old fashioned rockers when it comes to their intent.
“I just want to get some girls,” Davis said with a laugh.
Girls have proven to be the driving force behind some of the band’s early songs. Davis joked that Thenier’s ex-girlfriend is the and’s inspiration. In actuality, the music covers a range of topics from politics to the different shades of love. Thenier often starts the creative process by bringing a riff to the group. Kameroski usually builds lyrics around the music.
“I take what (Thenier) played with music and try to tell a story with it,” said Kameroski. “Sean and B. Davis are like the backbone of it.”
With three or four unfinished tracks on the table, The Taste works tirelessly on each aspect of a song before calling it complete.
“Writing a song is like the most painful feeling in the world, but once it’s done it feels so good. The payoff is amazing,” said Thenier.
The Taste plans to record a five-song demo after the tour, but for now it relies heavily on its live show.
“Every time we play live it’s a different attitude every night because you feed off the energy around you,” said Thenier. “I feel like the crowd definitely connects to us and we get down.”
The energy of the performance manifests differently in each band member. Kameroski passionately belts the lyrics with a closed-eyes intensity that is balanced by the band’s relaxed and psychedelic riffs. Hetsko assumes a strong bassist pose as Davis and Thenier jam on their respective instruments. The Taste’s style makes the band appealing to all ages, according to Thenier.
“It’s the perfect mix of the old mixed with the new,” said Thenier. “That’s why people from our generation really like us and older generations can get into us.”
With 12 original tunes and a collection of covers with a new flavor, the two-year-old lineup offers a mixed catalog. “Helter Skelter” by the Beatles is a notable cover, and the band also delves into Jimi Hendrix, The Doors and Muse. This tour allows the band, which has until now been very local, to be seen by people who aren’t familiar with it.
“In this area it’s kind of hard because a lot of times people go to shows to enjoy themselves, but when you go to New York people go to shows to really listen to the music and really listen to performers,” said Kameroski.
All four members are ready to see what other people think.
“It’s like going to the major leagues and seeing how your fastball is,” said Kameroski. w
For more information on The Taste visit myspace.com/tastemycake.
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