Idle Threats Is Serious About Making Good On `Promises'
THIS WEEKEND
February 23, 1990|by JEFF ZEIGLER, The Morning Call
Life has been a learning experience lately for Lehigh Valley rock band Idle Threats.
For example, last week, the band was notified it was among nine finalists in Philadelphia radio station WMMR's "Street Beat's Ready For Vinyl II" competition.
The contest winner, which will come from a field of more than 100 regional acts, will get 40 hours of studio time to make a recording in the hopes of landing a contract with a major label. According to WMMR's promotion manager, Ray Koob, the champ will also get 500 cassettes, 112 vinyl pressings, 50 press kits and a record release party at The Barn in Bensalem. Idle Threats, the only Lehigh Valley finalist, will perform in the semifinals on March 14 at The Barn.
The prospect of winning may have the members of the five-year-old band fantasizing about signing on the dotted line, enabling them to give up their day jobs as electronics specialist, computer dispatcher, drugstore delivery person, inside sales contractor and software consultant.
But walking off with the top prize doesn't guarantee a thing. Just ask last year's winner, The Stand. The band recorded a handful of songs, but is still floundering around the Philadelphia area, said Koob.
Then there's Idle Threats' "Unkept Promises," a locally produced (at Quakertown's Signal Sound Studios) tape released a few months ago. The tape was band-financed and cost $8,000. According to 24-year-old guitarist Mark Klotz of Whitehall, "Unkept Promises" taught Idle Threats the necessity of perseverance.
"The whole (recording) process (was) almost like giving birth," Klotz said. "The whole thing was a complete mess. We went into the studio in spurts, three different times because of our schedule. We went through three different pictures on the cover and two cover art reworks. We also had to put all the inserts in the tape cases, and they were already wrapped!"
"Promises" is Idle Threats' first serious attempt at songwriting. The majority of the 10 original songs (including three that were sent to WMMR) are about a timeworn rock 'n' roll topic -- trouble with women. The band seems to realize how this could limit its appeal and intends to do something about it. "I don't want this to sound bad, but it was something safe to write about," said 25-year-old lead vocalist and chief lyricist Randy Millheim of Catasauqua. "I'm trying to break out of that (topic) for the next effort."
The band also is struggling with pleasing a radio audience and maintaining artistic integrity. Millheim, Klotz and their band mates -- guitarist Chris Capozza of Easton, 27, bassist Ernie Kortvely of Whitehall, 30, and new drummer Scott Williams of Allentown, 23 -- may be prepared to strike out in new directions. But manager T. Scott Curt believes that if Idle Threats is going to land a major-label recording contract, the group should purposely write songs in the FM-rock radio mold.
"There's gotta be money in the bank," said Curt, who often jumps in to answer questions directed at the band. "These are the '90s and overhead is incredible. Once you have money in the bank, then you can have your artistic album. The first thing is financial security. You work so you can play."
"Unkept Promises" is inconsistent, perhaps reflecting the on-again, off-again recording process. "Tell It To Her Heart," "Little Persuasion" and "In Her Eyes" are the best tunes. Their polish and sound recall the catchiness and muscularity of '70s hard-rock acts like early Foreigner without the keyboards. On the other hand, "What's On Your Mind" and "Get What's Mine" are very simplistic, even wimpy, with annoying choruses a la The Little River Band.
At last Friday night's show at D.J.'s Pub in Bethlehem, a crowd of 100 people, most in their early 20s, reacted courteously to Idle Threats' modest stage antics, light show and smoke machine. The band's cover versions, including "Cult of Personality," "Rock In a Hard Place" and "Love In an Elevator," were no better than average. However, the original songs came to life; they had a rougher edge and were less glossy than on "Unkept Promises." So why does Idle Threats' set still consist of two-thirds cover material?
Curt rushed in with the answer. "It's a matter of finances. There's no other way," he said. "It's a Catch-22. You don't want to play someone else's music, but around here, you can't make any money if you don't. It has a lot do with MTV and radio. People want to see that kind of stuff."
Idle Threats plays tomorrow night at DJ Bananas, Whitehall. For information, call 865-0615.
Idle Threats also is scheduled to be featured on "WZZO's Backyard Bands" radio show at 11 p.m. March 4.
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