The Grip Weeds, Vegas with Randolph, The Anderson Council, Eric Barao, London Egg

“Sparkling, insanely catchy psyche-pop”: The Grip Weeds are a critically acclaimed Psychedelic Rock /Power Pop quartet consisting of brothers Kurt and Rick Reil (on drums and guitar respectively), Kristin Pinell (guitar) and Michael Kelly (bass). Surrounded by their vintage equipment, this talented four-piece band records slices of perfect, radio-friendly guitar-pop, psychedelic enough to appeal to record junkies and Sixties-retro fans, but edgy enough to fit into a modern rock set.

Strange Change Machine, the new Grip Weeds double CD/LP, is a 24-song tour de force that sees the band perfecting their classic sound while also diving into uncharted musical territory. While the debate regarding the validity of the double album continues, the format has allowed the Grip Weeds to deliver the boldest recording of their career with their fifth full length release. Strange Change Machine was written and recorded while the band was ensconced in reissue projects (2007’s reworking of their debut House Of Vibes Revisited, and the 2008 Little Steven Van Zandt-sponsored compilation Infinite Soul: The Best Of The Grip Weeds) and outside studio production jobs (Singer/Drummer Kurt Reil recorded three albums with the legendary Smithereens, as well as three solo projects by Smithereens lead singer Pat Dinizio, among his other studio work).

Restoring belief in guitar rock, guitarists Kristin Pinell and Rick Reil turn in career-defining performances, while drummer Kurt Reil's controlled chaos is the perfect foil for Michael Kelly's aggressive yet melodic bass work. The other major weapon in The Grip Weeds utility belt is their vocal harmonies. Whether the band is belting out intergalactic rock ('Speed Of Life'), a lilting west coast groove ('Be Here Now') or a folk ballad that fuses the Peter Green and Lindsey Buckingham eras of Fleetwood Mac ('Mistress Forest'), the vocal harmonies add an emotional depth to the already warm tones and catchy hooks. Whether it’s the brutal Garage Rock of 'Don't You Believe It', the Manchester Beat tale of a bridge jumper 'Mr. X', or acoustic guitar/flute instrumental 'Love In Transition', the band deftly jumps from style to style without losing their identity or giving the listener whiplash. The Grip Weeds have also reinvented the Todd Rundgren classic 'Hello It's Me'. While the original is a much-loved 1970s classic, The Grip Weeds replace the song's slicker elements with Nuggets-style grit.

Meanwhile, The Grip Weeds lead the D.I.Y./indie rebellion on Strange Change Machine with every inch of this album- from the writing and performing down to the recording, engineering and artwork - created by The Grip Weeds and The Grip Weeds alone. With Strange Change Machine, The Grip Weeds have aimed their vision for rock and roll beyond the reach of the telescopes, so grab hold and enjoy the ride.

"We like to mix it up in Jersey and The Grip Weeds are a great example. A touch of John Lennon (and an appropriation of his character's name in "How I Won The War"), a bit of The Byrds, A dash of The Kinks, pinch of The Who, and a dallop of more muscular Zombies and you get something quite original actually. And quite cool." -Little Steven


Here’s what music critics are saying about The Grip Weeds:.

“Bursting with terrific songs.” - USA Today.

“The natural progression from the Who to the Jam to Oasis” - Village Voice.

A Grip Weeds song is so distinctive and unique that it obliterates most pop pretenders, retro-mongers, and fetishists.” – All Music Guide.

“If you prefer out-of-tune guitars and adenoidal vocals or retro punk, the Grip Weeds will simply annoy. For everyone else, fall down and worship.” –Harp.

“Glistening harmonies, deliciously jangly guitars and tightly constructed songs make [The Grip Weeds] the genuine article in a crowded field of power pop wannabes.” –Pop Culture Press.

"It is easier to describe this band-- which gets its name from Private Grip Weed, John Lennon's character in the film How I Won The War-- as being on a mission to capture what is best about '60s group music for a new audience in the coming millennium." – Goldmine .


2001 Saw the release of their debut CD "Coloursound" which received airplay across the US and Canada on Little Steven's Underground Garage. "Sitting on a Cloud" was chosen by Little Steven to be the "Coolest Song in the world" in April of 2002. Coloursound has been out of print, but has been sent back to the "duplication house" for the creation of a limited pressing.

In 2006 the band released their second full length CD "The Fall Parade" (Groove Disques). The First single off of the album "Pinkerton's Assorted Colours" entered the Billboard Garage Rock singles chart at number one on July 23rd, and the album entered at #9 on the Billboard Garage Rock album chart. Little Steven featured "Pinkerton's Assorted Colours" as the Coolest Song in the World that same week. Ths single and album stayed in the top ten for three months. In the fall the band played to sold out crowds at Irving Plaza in NYC w/ The Zombies , The Woggles and The Mooney Suzuki, and The Borgata in Atlantic City, NJ with The Charms and The Romantics. The Second Single - "Strawberry Smell" has been well received and is getting airplay from The Underground Garage and college radio, "Strawberry Smell" was on the soundtrack to the film "I'm Reed Fish".

2012 saw the band FINALLY complete and release their 3rd full length album, "Looking At The Stars". Reviews have been favorable and the video for the single and lead off track "Don't You Think" has been getting lots of views on YouTube!

Key Selling Points

* Our second LP - The Fall Parade and the first single "Pinkerton's Assorted Colours" spent 3 months in the Billboard Top Ten Garage Rock album/singles charts. The second single "Strawberry Smell" was placed onto the soundtrack to the film "I'm Reed Fish".
* Steven Van Zandt's syndicated radio program and satellite radio channel "Little Steven's Underground Garage" has been very kind to The Anderson Council - spinning tracks off of Coloursound and The Fall Parade on his program which is heard all over the world. The band receives approx 20-30 spins per day on the satellite radio channel.
* The second single off of The Fall Parade, "Strawberry Smell" - has been included on the soundtrack to the film "I'm Reed Fish", which was released on June 1st, 2007 across the US and Canada.
* Little Steven referenced the band in the same sentence as The White Stripes and The Hives in the March 2003 issue of Magnet.
* The Anderson Council has shared the stage with The Zombies, The Pretty Things, Chris Butler, Jim Babjak, Jason Falkner, Glenn Tillbrook, The Mooney Suzuki and have received great responses from crowds in California, Chicago, Chapel Hill, New Jersey and New York.

* Their music will appeal to fans of: Early Who, The Jam, The Kinks, XTC, SLOAN, Elvis Costello and The Attractions. and the Beatles.


If you take The Beatles message of love and spirituality, The Stones sexual bravado, pair that up with The Who's musical forcefulness and DRAG IT THRU THE STREETS OF NEW YORK, that's pretty much the London Egg story.

"Mod Rocker Brothers with the "Brit-York Sound". After being hatched in their native NYC, the two brothers spent their early years playing in various rock bands individually and being influenced predominantly by 60's and 70's Classic British Bands (Beatles, The Who, The Stones, Kinks, Bowie amongst others). In 2004, they started writing songs together and found a unique sound emerging that contained musical elements both old and new. This is how they came to create their Mod Rocking, "Brit-York Sound". Recently adding Boston native Chris Paine on 2nd guitar and vocals has solidified London Egg's musical attack.