(lower quality video for mobile viewing)
What started out as just a random rehearsal spawned into a childhood dream becoming reality. Since they were kids Gangstroph The Baptist (Kwame Wiafe-Akenten Jr.) hoped one day he could share a stage with his BF4Ls, Joey Eppard and Josh Eppard. Stemming as far back as 1986 Josh & Kwam were recording songs together, but those songs never left the Eppards’ basement. In 2002 Josh & Kwam began to tour the world with Coheed and Cambria and G.T.B. became a staple at the shows, selling merch. From then until late 2007 you could always count on seeing Kwam’s friendly face and shootin’ the shit with him. Hell, on the Live at the Starland Ballroom DVD and in the In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 liner notes he’s even credited as being a band member with the position of “Merch Master.” In December 2004 Kwam’s dream half came true as he toured with Josh, but this time performed beside his homie as sort-of his straight-man for a few Weerd Science shows (with support from an unknown group at the time, Geneva’s Gym Class Heroes). March 22, 2005 they saw the first official release of their work. Equal Vision Records / Super Rap put out Friends and Nervous Breakdowns. Weerd Science toured again in May 2005 supporting Bane (on the run for The Note). I got the chance to really meet the guys during their stop at the infamous CBGBs in NYC and conducted an interview along with Nathan Rosenquist for the website we worked with, Cobalt and Calcium, backstage. Just before their third album, Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume 1: From Fear Through The Eyes of Madness (September 20, 2005) was released, Wavis (David Parker) joined Kwam & Josh on tour as Coheed and Cambria’s first live keyboardist (and (only) third guitarist). Wavis stayed with Co&Ca until late 2007. Anyway, the rainy 4/20 last year was a dream come true. With DJ Dirty Ern, Joey Eppard, Gartdrumm (Josh’s drum mentor and replacement in 3), Ant Masington (WS live guitarist, Josh & Wavis’ Mours co-writer, Session 606) and Daniel Grimsland (3’s bassist)- the epic day at the local art gallery had to be captured somehow. Wavis ran over to Salvin and grabbed some microphones and lighting. He set up a make-shift recording rig and Jackie was called over to videotape (he also recorded the Sick Kids Applehead Studio video). He captured organic performances of 3 songs off Weerd Science’s forthcoming Equal Vision / Super Rap Records release, Sick Kids. The artwork on the walls of that room in Cornell Street Studios were Amy Ackerman originals. This whole thing was truly a different animal. You could call it acoustic, but I like to refer to these performances as the first Weerd Science UnRapped session (the term “unrapped” was initially coined by Ern during a conversation with Wavis and I outside Mariner’s Harbor). Absolutely beautiful. I love the 8 piece ensemble’s interpretation of the hip hop songs! The multiple vocalists, Josh on guitar… This shit is just way too cool. Many thanks to CJB (Chris Bittner) for making the audio files sound as good as they do! I included the mp3 of “Dear S.A.M.” in my first digital compilation, Butterflies and Butcher Knives (along with 18 other amazing songs from the Hudson Valley, NY region).
Happy 42(1)0! Stay safe
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