We are on hiatus

Hey ya'll, sorry we've been quiet lately. We have been busy working hard in our day jobs to support ourselves and our families. We don't want to half-ass anything, so we've taken a break from the label and blog until we can put 100% in. We're excited about all the new music we've been getting emails about and hope to share some of it with you soon. Not sure when we will be active again but stay tuned. We apologize if you have emailed us and haven't heard back. We've been swamped and are trying to get things together. 

Check out http://www.starbeatmusic.net/p/music.html to stream music from our previous releases we put out last year! Very proud of this music and hope you find something cool. xo, Star and Jeff

Bern & the Brights to play 2nd to last Maxwell's show on 7/29 w/ Val Emmich, Secret Islands

It's exciting to announce that Bern & the Brights will grace the Maxwell's stage one last time before it closes. They are bringing Val Emmich and Secret Islands. Emmich is a Manalapan boring musician and actor who you may recognize from 30 Rock and Ugly Betty. Secret Islands is a collective of musicians from Old Wives, Defending Champions, Waking Lights and other bands. Tickets are $10, and all ages, as always. Yes, it's a Monday, but who said you can't rock out on this day? Tickets can be purchased here.

Pt. 1: The Story of Cakeboy (formerly of Murder 1)

The two worlds of a man caught between history teacher and punk rock singer: The uncut story of Cakeboy (of Murder 1 fame) along with his thoughts and advice to bands and the NJ scene.

By Margarita Morales

Murder 1 used to be at the top of the New Jersey music scene and the whole music scene in general for that matter. Back in 1999 Murder 1 played with the biggest bands in the modern rock world, recorded a song with Kid Rock, released their second album "American Junkie," were getting played on commercial and college radio stations, and were destroying the clubs they played at with their antics and blend of aggressively, fun punk metal style. Murder 1 seemed to have it all. Then, one day in 2000 it all seemed to fall apart. How does a band with such a high stature lose it all and then have to rebuild themselves, and why is this coming up now you may ask? Well, after a stirring interview regarding the band, advice to other bands, and the music scene, all the answers were finally unveiled in a personal, uncensored interview with the former frontman of Murder 1, Cakeboy.

Having formed in 1995 as a blues/grunge band with original lead singer, DW Lee Fontan, Murder 1 later changed into a punk/metal band after Cakeboy joined. Despite his lack of singing experience, he managed to score the position as the bands vocalist while simultaneously teaching full-time. With Cakeboy's presence in the band it was necessary for them to change their sound from light and depressing to aggressive and fun in order to suit his different vocal style. To compensate for his lack of singing ability, Cakeboy would would perform various antics on stage - some which included burning posters, stage diving, decimating property, throwing smoke bombs, and lewd acts - that got the band in serious trouble and banned from several clubs.

As their priorities, music, and chemistry started changing, Murder 1 soon saw themselves headed for another turn. With these changes Cakeboy was enjoying the band less and less, especially after guitarist G-Money left the band. Although Cakeboy was trying to work on his various side projects, one of which included The Cakeboys, things still didn't work out and he left music altogether, making teaching his main priority. Murder 1 then went on without him, getting a new vocalist, changing members and making a genre change yet again to psychedelic-progressive rock.

Even though Cakeboy was a teacher before he joined Murder 1, he wants bands to understand that they should have a backup plan. Bands cannot expect to start a band with the idea of success on their minds, says Cakeboy. It is imperative that musicians have a backup plan just in case the band breaks up or it isn't enough to pay the bills. For Cakeboy he could have very easily quit teaching and stayed in Murder 1, but he chose what he says was "the harder path"- teaching, which he said he was more passionate about anyway.

As a former student of Cakeboy's I have been able to witness first hand his antics, passion, and incites in the classroom. Out of my four years in high school I had him for three years and throughout that time there was not a day that went by in which he wasn’t pulling a prank, telling a joke, making people laugh, or getting in trouble with administration to benefit his students. He worked in Newark, where he could help students and provide a fresh point-of-view to better the education system. He could very easily crack a joke, but when necessary he was very serious and strove to maintain order. To the Murder 1 fan, Cakeboy may have been seen as "this off the wall" rocker, but to the history student he is a rather interesting teacher whose aim is for his kids to be successful and who mixes his fun nature in to provide a comfortable learning environment.

He is not only a musician who stayed after shows to sign autographs and give advice to bands musically, but a teacher who stays after school in the homework lab and helps his students with work and gives them advice educationally. Having been able to balance being both a teacher and singer, Cakeboy is a testament that one can handle what they truly want to. The passion he had shown with his band correlates with his passion for educating his students. Cakeboy, stresses the importance of sticking to ones roots and oral communication in a technology advanced, money-driven world.

Having left the band arbitrarily, the story of Cakeboy never came out. At the end of my senior year I felt that it would be appropriate to interview Cakeboy, so his story was finally told, truthfully. Headed towards his forties and married, this once infamous singer reveals why he left music, lends his thoughts about the music scene, and the origins of his stage name and also the big one: he reveals his real name.

Pt. 2 Coming Soon

Those Mockingbirds Summer 2013 Tour Dates

Those Mockingbirds will be tearing it up on the northeast from Maine to DC. If you haven't been able to catch them and you're nearby, then this is your chance. The band will be bringing their new songs from their forthcoming album for you to soak up + copies of their Fa Sol La 12'' and not to forget to mention, their sexy, badass selves. 

7/10 Ladies on the Mic @ Groove on Grove (Jersey City)

Are you ready to rock? The Historic Downtown Special Improvement District presents another exciting year of live music, food, and friends down at the Grove Street PATH.

6pm | Aster Pheonyx Project
7pm | Plastiq Passion
8pm | Devi
Grove PATH Plaza, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302

SBM Best of 2013 (So Far)

Boxed Wine - Cheap, Fun

Dancey goodness.

http://boxedwine.bandcamp.com/

Clutch - Earth Rocker

It’s Clutch. Nuff said. 

Gatherer - Caught Between A Rock and A Sad Place

Emotive post-hardcore with lyrics that make you think. Incredible from top to bottom.

http://gatherernj.bandcamp.com/

Heliotropes - A Constant Sea
Badass hard rockin' tunes from a multi-ethnic group of ladies. It's refreshing. 
http://www.spin.com/articles/heliotropes-a-constant-sea-album-stream-manimal-vinyl/

This Old Ghost - Family Room

Folk album I came across by chance that is quite lovely.

http://thisoldghost.bandcamp.com/

4Knots Festival Schedule

Wicked good, free, heavy rock show today at South Street Seaport. Here is the schedule:

Pier 17 Stage:

Steve Gunn 1:00
Hunters 2:00
White Lung 3:00
Parquet Courts 4:00
The Men 5:00
Reigning Sound 6:00
Kurt Vile & the Violators 7:00

Pier 16 Stage

Heliotropes 1:30
Fat Tony 2:30
The Babies 3:30
Marnie Stern 4:30

Punk Island 2013 in Staten Island on June 22nd

http://punkislandnyc.org/

Over 90 punk bands will unite over 7 stages on Saturday, June 22nd for a free, all ages event at Staten Islands pier 1 from 10am-10pm.

From the about us:

We are all about OUR community DOING IT OURSELVES so, spread the word, take this event into your hands, and let's build a PUNK COMMUNITY we are proud to be apart of.
free punk///free people. liberate the ears///liberate the mind, out of the mainstream - and into the underground!
ALL AGES///ALL FREE///DIY///NYC
Power to the Punks!

Check out the schedule: http://punkislandnyc.org/stages.html

The Starland Ballroom to reopen in September

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2013/06/starland_ballroom_reopening_in.html

After 10 months since The Starland Ballroom was forced to close its doors due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy, the venue will finally reopen this September. Upcoming shows include two nights of Taking Back Sunday, Hatebreed, Saves the Day, two nights of Streelight Manifesto and Clutch.

Hoboken's staple venue Maxwell's to close in July

NJ.com has reported that Maxwell's is closing come the end of July. I've had the pleasure of seeing some wonderful acts there like Screaming Females, Ted Leo, Kevin Devine, Manchester Orchestra, mewithoutYou, Bern & the Brights, As Tall As Lions, An Horse, Melissa Ferrick, Old Wives, Folly and Los Campesinos.  The little 200-capacity hole in the wall, is a memorable place, that will be dearly missed among many show goers near and far. 

There's plenty of shows to get to before it closes. Just check the website at http://maxwellsnj.com/

Of particular note we have: 

Sun. 6/23 Tiny Giant Summer Bummer: Morning/Reese Van Riper/Pour The Pirate Sherry/France 7 p.m. $8

Thurs. 6/27 Those Mockingbirds/A Balance Between/Ace Reporter/Fairmont/Tom Barrett 8 p.m. $10

7/12 The Everymen/Life Eaters/Black Wine $10