While Rockland County in the late 80’s and early 90’s was clearly overrun with hordes of angry, young punk and metal bands, all trying to out “aggro” each other, there was another scene going on…..one that was built on many of the same “aggro” roots, but that had clearly embraced a different aesthetic altogether. An aesthetic that was a bit more refined, and “artsy”….and was clearly paralleling the emerging “college rock” or “indie” sound that was fast becoming quite popular. While not a huge scene in Rockland….it did have it’s following that revolved around two central venues…Blondies in Nyack and Mr Rip’s in Valley Cottage. The band that best exemplified this nascent scene, and sound was the wonderful, and engaging Naked Statue.Naked Statue was Ben Voss ( Guitar / Vocals ), Seth Delia (Bass ) and Jeff Spindel (Drums). Naked Statue had a sound that was very unique at the time of their existence……part Replacements, part Husker Du, part Neil Young, part Gram Parsons…all these parts would later be identified with the Alt Country scene in the 1990’s, but in late 80’s Rockland County….this was quite unique! Ben Voss’s melancholy lyrics and vocals added an air of intense beauty and sincerity to Naked Statue’s open chord charge of volume, and his shy on-stage delivery hid an actual biting wit and charm that few Rockland performers had, or had the balls to embrace. He could most surely be described as Rockland’s answer to J.Mascis. Naked Statue’s talent and originality was starting to blossom by 1989 and they quickly became noticed, and championed by Jack Rabid of the legendary fanzine “The Big Takeover” ,and under his tutelage….Naked Statue broke out of Rockland and started playing legendary NYC venues like CBGB’s w/ Jack’s band Springhouse.
I can safely say that there we’re a large amount of us in Rockland at the time Naked Statue was functional that were sure that this very unique and talented band was going to be THE band that made Rockland proud, and went on to success and acclaim outside of our little podunk local scene. We we’re fans….and we we’re proud!
Naked Statue unfortunately came to an end sometime in the early 90’s , and each member moved on to other projects both musical and personal (Seth Delia played with a band called DOSE that had an early 90’s release on Caroline Records, and Jeff Spindel became a very sought after session musician around Rockland). Ben Voss continued making music with a burgeoning solo career, and some of his post Naked Statue solo work is quite simply the most beautiful, striking and realized work he ever did! Sadly….Rockland County lost one of it’s most talented and promising musicians in 1999. Ben Voss lost his very brave battle with Leukemia, and most certainly left a huge void in the sound and hearts of all the Rockland bands, musicians and friends who knew him and his music.
Please enjoy these Naked Statue tracks from their 1989 demo tape….as much as we all did!
Chris Skelly – January 9th, 2012.
Songs:
Running Away
Talking To Myself
New Rose (Damned cover)
Good stuff. I definitely get a Husker Du vibe on these.
ReplyDeleteI am deeply honored by this review. I know Ben would be very moved that you have taken the time to keep our very heart felt approach to creating music alive. Naked Statue was and still is an extremely personal band. We were all close friends and although Ben was by far the lyrical and musical force of Naked Statue, Seth and I contributed to the writing of music and lyrics as well. Most of all Naked Statue was about a chemistry that existed between the three of us that I simply can't explain.
ReplyDeleteI can only hope that listening to our music affects people as much as it did for us playing it.
I still listen to our recordings and it leaves me proud, happy, and also very sad. Having lost Ben to Leukemia at such a young age is something I will never be comfortable with. Ben was a wise, brilliant, loving talented friend and band mate. I miss him very much and listening to the recording can be devastating at times.
So many friendships were made through the rockland county punk scene and those memories also shine when I listen to our recordings.
Bands and people like Springhouse, Jack Rabid, Dahlia Seed, Underdog, Geek Attack, The Van Go's, The New York Ruffians, Chappaquidick Plus Five, Wahoo, Any project Ricky Dobblear was in, (including his Cover of Naked Statue's song Meet Me Half Way). I know there are so many other bands that I would love to pay tribute to but these are the ones that are closest to me.
A band can only be as good as the people that connect with it.
"Meet me half way, I'll be in the middle." -Ben Voss-
On behalf of Ben Voss, Seth Delia, and myself Thank you Chris Skelly for our diligent work making music and keep what Naked Statue did alive !!!
I am truly moved Chris.
Rock on,
Jeff Spindel
I just had a flashback about the band and came across this hoping to find something. I had the demo and used to see them at Mr rips for rock and underage drinking( I was in high school in the late 80's) thanks for the article and tracks
ReplyDelete