Melissa & Paul join the Star Beat Music family, Live Hard EP out April 21

Melissa & Paul 'Live Hard' tape cover

I'm pleased to announce our second label release will be NJ's duo Melissa & Paul's new EP 'Live Hard' on white limited edition, hand-numbered cassette tape, out Record Store Day, April 21st. They'll also release a 10'' vinyl on Bedside Manner and Gruff Beard Records. 

“We thought it would be cool to have a limited edition of tapes and think that tapes are more valuable than cd's,” said drummer Paul.  

The band mesh blues, garage, and punk rock for a dynamic sound that is moving and full. I first heard about the band through my friend Kristia, who plays in Dead Ringer. She said I would love them, since I enjoyed Screaming Females so much. I was drawn to the band's sound that's reminiscent of Patti Smith and Jimi Hendrix but with punk beats.

Here are some words from my label partner Jeff Lambert:

For anyone who is following what we are doing with this label…thank you…it means the world to me that people are noticing the bands that Star and I care about and nonetheless are supporting the cause. So for those of you who care this is what's up at Star Beat Music.

This release we're doing is our second and rightly so, a tape suits well as the follow-up to our vinyl release of Those Mockingbirds' 'Fa Sol La'.  Melissa & Paul's 'Live Hard' is a refresher for punk and blues fans alike. This 6-song EP captures the raw energy of their live show and their D.I.Y ethos is prevalent across Sides A/B.

For me this project has been so much more laid back in many ways…I'll start off by saying tapes are cheaper than vinyls….by A LOT!! One thing that's been really special about this release is that it has been a great way to not only meet but work with some of the other labels in the area. Labels I admire because they are following that D.I.Y. mentality, pushing the bands they love, giving us all hope to chase this dream of finding that community of people that think and feel just like me and you. This has been a great experience for me so far working on this tape release. I feel like everyday I learn something new by doing this label and that I have the chance to meet and work with incredible people and music. One little thing I learned is that the tape inserts are called J-Cards. I know it may sound minuscule to most, but I went to school for music and that's just one of the things no one mentions to you until you're fully immersed with the medium. The EP is a co-release with Gruff Beard Records and Bedside Manner Collective. It's an honor to work together on this release and it's great to see two other labels on board with this incredible 2-piece rock act.

I agree, cassette tape is the right format for these six raw, bluesy punk songs. The vocals have emotion and energy. Melissa knows how to hold notes in the right places and has that extra “oomph” in her voice similar to Patti Smith.

Some of my first cassette tapes were Nirvana's “In Utero,” and Skid Row's “self titled.” I used to constantly listen to the radio with my double deck cassette player and record songs off the radio and then make mixes tapes. Cassette tape has that little crackle that makes the music feel so much closer, like you're hearing it live. It was pretty much all I listened to until I got a record player. I'm excited to be releasing a cassette tape for them. So, rock'n'roll fans rejoice because, Live Hard will soon be owning your car cassette decks or portable cassette players! 

Tracklisting:

01.Oh My
02. Yeah, I'm Alive
03. Ready to Die
04. 30 Days
05. Lazy Man
06. Try Hard (Everyday) 

Upcoming Shows:

Friday, 4/13: Vinyl Release TBA, Near Vernon, NY w/ Boy Things, Keith Kenny and Jessica Joyce

Saturday, 4/21: Tape Release @ Hell's Kitchen, Newark, NJ w/ The Naked Heroes