The Parlor Mob

Red Bank, New Jersey's the Parlor Mob arose out of the ashes of an earlier, short-lived band named What About Frank, circa 2004, and quickly attracted a small following in local clubs. Comprised of vocalist Mark Melicia, guitarists Dave Rosen and Paul Ritchie, bassist Nick Villapiano, and drummer Sam Bey, the group also earned much critical praise for their captivating translation of classic '70s rock devices (think Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Captain Beyond, Granicus, etc.) into modern indie rock aesthetics. Inspired live performances and songwriting sessions continued apace and, before long, the Parlor Mob had scored a development deal with Capitol Records. But, just as the band's eponymous, four-track EP was headed for release in early 2007, the Parlor Mob became embroiled in the messy merger between Capitol and Virgin Records, watched most of their on-staff supporters laid off, and thus decided to part company with the label rather than cope with any additional fallout. Good for them, as they soon found a new home with Roadrunner Records later that summer, and immediately set about preparing their debut full-length, And You Were a Crow, for an early 2008 release. After touring for the album, the band settled in to work on new material, but tensions within the band resulted in the departure of Nick Villapiano, who was replaced by Anthony Chick. The Parlor Mob eventually followed up in 2011 with Dogs. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, Rovi