Phil Bensen

New Jersey native Phil Bensen mixes originals with classics from Marvin Gaye and The Temptations, creating quite a stir with a booming, Motown-influenced voice. “People have come up to me and said, ‘I can’t believe you pulled it off’,” says Bensen. When people see him live they are bound to remember that voice. It’s got the timeless quality that the best Motown songs have; hearing it just seems to take you back to memories long since forgotten. Bensen recognizes that his voice will be what takes him places, but wants to make sure he’s viewed as a complete songwriter as well. “Vocally, I’ve always loved Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, and newer guys like Gavin DeGraw and Jason Mraz. I just want to always get that smooth but powerful… and believability when I sing.”

A Love Like Pi

A quartet featuring bass, drums, guitar/vocals and a keyboardist who uses several different synths, Red Bank, N.J.-based A Love Like Pi plays extremely danceable electronic pop with the energy and attack of punk rock. Lead singer Lief explodes all over the stage with a contagious emotive force, and their self-titled three song EP does a commendable job of capturing that energy. It’s a fantastic progressive, electronic-tinged emo debut that will undoubtedly turn many heads; they’ll soon be giving the Yeah Yeah Yeahs a run for their money.

Stab the Matador

Stab the Matador was formed in 2005 during their high school senior year by Luke Brandfon (guitar), Graham Watson (drums), Corey Cavagnolo (vocals, keyboard), and James DeVito (bass). Jumpstarted with a clear ambition to create energetic rock with an affinity for infectious dance beats, the Westchester, N.Y., quartet dedicated all their time to writing, rehearsing and performing. They are described as a band that “clutches that human desire to just go crazy and dance.” Since debuting at the Knitting Factory in NYC in early 2006, the band has performed with such groups as Snowden, Under the Influence of Giants, ImaRobot and Matchbook Romance, and have been compared to pioneering artists such as Gang of Four and Joy Division, as well as contemporary bands such as The Rapture and Les Savy Fav.

BMI’s Ben Tischker, Samantha Cox and June Neira get caught on camera with Derek, Justin, Casey and Aaron from Throne, and attorney Jeremy Rosen

Indie rock trio Throne features 18-year-old singer/songwriter and bassist Derek Trafton, his brother, 15-year-old drummer Casey Trafton, and their cousin, 18-year-old guitarist/keyboardist Justin Millar. For the last five years, the band has been drawing large crowds to their shows, opening for such heavy-hitters as Green Day, Good Charlotte, Blink 182 and Sum 41. Voted “Best New Band” by the Hartford (Conn.) Advocate in 2001, Throne spent most of 2006 writing and recording in the studio with Billy Martin of Good Charlotte, who co-produced a few songs.

Among the music industry panelists are:

Pop

• Jimmy Landry - A&R, Virgin Records/producer
  
• Jamie Sampson - Manager, A Fein Martini Management (My Morning Jacket, Good Charlotte)
  
• Ali Buttars - A&R consultant

Rock

• Holly Schomann - A&R, Warner Brothers Records
• Jon Gottlieb - A&R, Sony ATV Publishing
• Matthew Gordner - A&R, Icon Music Entertainment Services
• Vinny Caruso - A&R, Epic Records

BMI's Demo Dash offers up-and-coming songwriters who feel their music is ready to go to the next level an exciting chance to interact directly with music industry executives. Participants will get direct feedback from key industry players at record labels, management and publishing companies.]]> 2006-07-09T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/entry/234065 Artists, Good Charlotte, Musical Styles, Pop, Rock, Musicworld, Feature In a punk-rock field crowded with lookalikes and soundalikes, Maryland's Good Charlotte has displayed a genre-bending charm that has resulted in massive record sales and sold-out concert performances. Though critics and fans have employed terms like "emo," "punk-pop" and "post-grunge" to describe the band, such well-meaning phrases ultimately fail to capture the musical essence of "GC" (as the quintet is affectionately known to their fans).

Just how does one describe a group that combines the hard-charging fury of skate-punk, the melodiousness of pop, and the spooky, mascara-smeared sensibilities of ’80s goth?

While Good Charlotte may defy description, the band's appeal hasn't eluded record buyers. Their latest Epic album, The Young and the Hopeless, has been certified platinum on the strength of singles like "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" and "Anthem." Fronted by vocalist Joel Madden and twin brother guitarist Benji, The Young and the Hopeless finds GC weighing in on classic pop topics like relationships ("Wondering," "Say Anything") and alienation ("The Young and the Hopeless," "Emotionless"). There's even a horror homage in the form of the good-humored "My Bloody Valentine."

But accessible songs are just part of Good Charlotte's appeal. Not long after the release of their 2000 debut album, the Madden brothers became de facto symbols of the pop-inflected punk sound known as "emo." When MTV enlisted Joel and Benji to host the MTV show "All Things Rock" in 2002, the Maddens became the first family of contemporary punk — a scruffier sort of rock royalty.

Hailing from Waldorf, Maryland, the Madden twins began co-writing songs at age 16. Equally influenced by mainstream corporate rock and latter-day punk (think Rancid and Green Day), the enterprising Maddens cut a demo. Upon their 1997 high school graduation, the siblings relocated to the same Berkeley, CA breeding ground that spawned Green Day. However, the Madden's Berkeley plans didn't pan out, and the undaunted twins returned to Maryland to regroup.

Recruiting second guitarist William "Billy" Martin and bassist Paul Thomas, Good Charlotte proceeded to make a name around the Washington, D.C. area, playing the WHFS annual rock show in 1998 and 1999.

By 2000, the buzz surrounding Good Charlotte was too loud to ignore. The quintet signed with Epic Records and issued their self-titled debut album the same year. Touring in support of the disc, GC built a following opening shows for MxPx, as well as performing on the punk-intensive 2001 Warped Tour.

With Good Charlotte having successfully made the transformation from underground sensations to bona fide rock icons, song titles like "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" now seem ironic.