The Farewell Effect
The Farewell Effect is a Long Island-based alternative rock band that formed in 2004, under the name "Local Embarrassment". When the lineup was changed in 2006, so did the name.
Biography
Early career and Local Embarrassment (2004-2006)
The Farewell Effect is an alternative rock band that started in 2004 in Manhassett. Lead guitarist and vocalist, Nicky Ferra and his neighbor and best friend, bassist Chris Dorgoff wanted to start a band and recruited a guitarist from their school, Mark Herburger after seeing him perform at a show at their school. They then recruited Buddy McGrath on drums and their first lineup was complete. They began writing songs, and Mark brought in Ryan Waldorf, his best friend on keyboards and they played a few very local shows. The band eventually broke up due to disputes, however, Mark wanted to continue making music.
He recruited his best friend, Michael Richter as a lead singer and a rhythm guitarist, Ritchie Tortora as a keyboardist, and Travis Crippen as The New drummer. The band wrote three songs and also played a few venues before the group once again went through a lineup change. Ritchie and Travis left the band for good, however, Michael said that he would stay in the band until he could find a suitable replacement. Mark agreed to it, and in the meanwhile he got a new drummer, Ian Browne, a childhood friend, and the trio recorded a three-song demo which included the tracks, "The Petros Song", "The Airport", "Sweet Brew Jam" (Cream cover) and "Just Bang 'Em". The group decided not to release the demo because they were unhappy with the results.
Finally, in late 2005, Michael Richter told Mark of a friend he met through skateboarding in downtown Glen Cove, on Long Island. His name was Craig Kleila and he played guitar. He also said that Craig could get two other members to join the band, one being his best friend who he'd been in every MusicAL act with (Dylan Ebrahimian), and another good friend who played guitar and sang (Elliott Park).
The band formed, and created a five song lineup in just a few short weeks. However, on SUPER Bowl Sunday, Ian Browne officially quit the band because he wanted to start his own metal band, and he couldn't stand Elliott.
The band had a dilemma, however, Dylan Ebrahimian brought in his good friend, John Leibold and the band was set. The band played local venues with this lineup for six months, and recorded four different eps.
Early recordings
The first demo was called "Gasping For Attention" and was scheduled to be recorded in April 2006. However, the band felt that they had moved on from these songs and had made better music and decided not to release it. At the same time, they made an untitled sampler for the demo that also remained unreleased titled "Untitled Acoustic Covers EP".
Then, a month later in May the band recorded "A Night in Casablanca EP". It was in circulation for a month before the band took it back to add new tracks to it. However, the band wouldn't have time to do this.
In June, they had recorded their self-titled EP which included four tracks, and was scheduled for release in July. However, during the night of the Long Island Revival Show, the band mutually broke up with Elliott after watching another local band their age whose talent was far greater than there own. Both EPs were put on a halt, and Dylan Ebrahimian became the singer. Dylan stated that he was supposed to only be the temporary singer, until a new lead singer could be found, however, the band liked his voice, so they stuck With It.
The band spent the summer learning and perfecting songs, and by August, their first song "It's Not Death I'm Afraid Of...", originally to be released on the self-titled EP was re-learned, re-done, and recorded. It got much fan acclaim, and is the first track on their demo, Apologies Aren't Bandages, which was released in February, 2007. The band went to Rock It! Studios in Brookville, New York, who had recorded The Dear Hunter, Patent Pending, and many others. They did most of the drum tracks here, but recorded two other drum tracks at a house studio in Levittown. The majority of recording, however, is done at Nick Zinnanti's home studio.
The band recorded an acoustic song in November with Gregory Raposo, formally of the hit boy band Dream Street, for an acoustic compilation. Raposo had recorded many compilations for local Long Island bands including The Reunion show. The compilation was titled "In the Study with the Candlestick, Volume One", and was released in December.
In the summer of 2007, the band started on their next five song EP, being produced by Robbie Hassett, a former member of Guilt like Gravity, (formely known as The Prize Fighter; Antonio Longo's old band), as well as a current member of his self-titled solo project.
Apologies Aren't Bandages
The demo was self released in March 2007 and was produced and mastered by Nick Zinnanti and Robbie Hassett. Pre-production for the demo was done by Nick Zinnanti, Jay from Days on End, Chris from Kirk Fogg's African Adventure, and Robbie Hassett. The album was considered Noise Pop, the band cited bands like Brand New and Archers of Loaf as major influences for the demo. The demo helped raise band funds for future endeavors.
Goodbye ____, It's The Last Night Inside of my Body
Is the next EP to be released by The Farewell Effect. The band has stated on Myspace that it is to be released in the fall/winter of 2007, and will be followed by a national tour in the Summer of 2007. The EP has four tracks On It:
1. The Battle of Shaker Heights
2. Disappear (Hearts Living and Dying)
3. April Showers
4. White Heat
Former members
- Nicky Ferra (Lead vocals, lead guitarist)
- Chris Dorgoff (Bass guitar)
- Buddy McGrath (Drums)
- Ryan Waldorf (Keyboardist)
- Michael Richter (Lead vocals, rhythm guitarist)
- Travis Crippen (Drums)
- Ritchie Tortora (Keyboardist)
- Ian Browne (Drums)
- Jon Kurmanchik (Bass)
- Elliott Park (Lead Vocals and Guitar (2005-2006), Bass guitar and backup vocals (2007))
Discography
- Local Embarrassment, self-titled demo (as Local Embarrassment) (2005)
- Gasping for Attention EP (2006)
- Untitled Acoustic Covers EP (2006)
- A Night in Casablanca EP (2006)
- The Farewell Effect EP (aka Self-Titled EP) (2006)
- In the Study With the Candlestick Volume One (2006)
- Apologies Aren't Bandages EP (2007)
- Goodbye, ____ It's the Last Night Inside of My Body (2007)
Related bands
- Local Embarrassment (2004-2006) (continued as "The Farewell Effect")
- Late Night Arrival (2004)
- Botanica (2004)
- Rated R (2004)
- Yesterday's Hope (aka: Last Summer's Obsession, The Last Scene) (2005)
- Chances FADE (2005)
- The Prehistorics (2005-2006)
- Hope Drive (2005-)
- The Getaway (2006)
- The Elliott Park Christian Group(2006)
- The February Beatdown Story (2006)
- The Clap Track (2007-)
- How I Got My Stripe (2007-)
- Death Within the Hour (2004-2007)
- Casari (2007-)