Grand Rapids rock/pop band The Campanellis: Inspired by The Ramones and wired to write ‘catchy, fast songs’

The fun-loving bunch plays two high-profile shows this week, starting with Founders Brewing tonight, and has its sights set on releasing its sophomore album next year. (Story, video, podcast)

 

Singer Joel Gilbert and guitarist Paul R Jaissie profess to be the biggest Ramones fans to ever come out of Traverse City.

Actually, the Traverse City Central High School grads boldly declare they may be the biggest Ramones fans on the planet, though plenty of other punk rock devotees might challenge that notion.

“There’s no physical evidence to suggest the level of our fandom except maybe our worn out cassette copies of ‘Ramones Mania,’ ” says Jaissie, “but I doubt many other kids spent every lunch period debating the merits of ‘Rock and Roll High School.’ ”

Regardless, the high school pals who attended Grand Valley State University eventually parlayed their love of the legendary New York punk band – and of The Replacements, The Cars and pop-flavored groups such as The Raspberries, Rockpile and Shoes – into their own Grand Rapids-based rock/pop outfit, The Campanellis, which also features Jaissie’s bass-playing brother, Keith, and a pair of well-traveled and well-known West Michigan musicians: guitarist Dan Fisher and drummer Jon Pataky.

“We always talked about being in a band, and eventually we hit age 30 and decided it was about time to do it,” quips Jaissie.

Not surprisingly, these rockers still embrace the same songwriting approach as their heroes, The Ramones.

“We just wanted to write catchy, fast fun songs that everyone would want to hear,” says Gilbert.

KEEPING IT SIMPLE WITH A ‘FIVE-MINUTE WRITING PROCESS’

So far, they’ve done just that as evidenced by the infectious, pop-hued gems on their first studio recording, 2013’s “Camp Optimist,” (later released on cassette by Third Estate Records) and in the songs they’re currently writing for a follow-up album they hope to release next spring or summer.

The mantra, says Jaissie, is “keep it simple.”

“We’re masters of the five-minute writing process,” says Pataky, who’s played in a variety of bands over the years, including one-time Local Spin of the Year award winner The Mighty Narwhale, “where Paul and Joel will bring a song in and we’ll try this out and five minutes later it’s like, it’s done. That song is done. Don’t touch it anymore, it’s completely finished, it’s on the album. That’s our writing process: Don’t overthink it.”

On Wednesday, Jaissie, Gilbert and Pataky trotted out one of those songs in the studios of News Talk 1340 AM (WJRW) for Local Spins Live, performing a rare acoustic rendition of “It’s You,” from their debut album. Listen to a podcast of the show here, with a video below of that in-studio performance.

More than anything, band members say, this is a musical endeavor based on friendship and fun.

“We just kind of got together. We knew a lot of cool people in the Grand Rapids music scene and it’s got a lot of great places to play,” Gilbert says of forming the band in 2011 with fellow GVSU alums Pataky and Fisher, who plays guitar in a “million” other local rock bands.

“We try to have a party every time we play. Just have fun: That’s what music’s all about. Getting together with people you love and having a good time.”

It helps, too, they say that West Michigan’s music scene is so supportive, with so many musicians willing to promote each other’s projects.

“I feel like there’s a lot of great bands and they all play together,” Jaissie says, “and it’s all about supporting the local scene rather than individual bands.”

This week, The Campanellis are playing two high-profile gigs, each with a much different vibe.

Tonight (Thursday), they headline a 9:30 p.m. rock ‘n’ roll show at Founders Brewing Co., with “some our favorite bands” – Hollywood Makeout, Trophy and Away Game. Admission is free.

On Sunday, they’ll play the Witch House as part of the three-day Lamp Light Music Festival in Grand Rapids’ Eastown neighborhood, a unique series of house concerts featuring more than 40 acts. Read more about Lamp Light and its diverse lineup in this Local Spins feature.

Copyright 2014, Spins on Music LLC