Smash Palace (rock band)
Encyclopedia
Smash Palace are a power pop
rock band
currently based out of Southern New Jersey
.
-power pop
band called Quincy. The band recorded an LP for Columbia Records in 1980 and began to tour, but their momentum was curtailed when producer/performer Quincy Jones saw the name "Quincy" on the marquee at the Whiskey A Go-Go in Los Angeles, CA. He sent the band a trademark infringement "cease-and-desist" order and "Quincy" were no longer allowed to use the name and broke up soon afterward. "Quincy" did record one more EP for Columbia records but under the new name " Lulu Temple". Stephen and Brian became unhappy with the direction that the band was taking and quit while the record was being recorded. The "Lulu Temple" EP was released in 1983.
The band's first self-titled LP was released in the fall of 1985 along with an MTV video of the first single " Living On The Borderline" (directed by Nigel Dick).
Smash Palace toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada with Mr. Mister and the Cruzados. Greg DiDonato (Keyboards) joined the lineup for the tour. When Smash Palace's A&R man, Dick Wingate, left Epic Records in 1985 he asked the band to come on over to his new label, Polygram Records. Unfortunately, once the band left Epic, the offer from Polygram melted away.
. This has been a lasting relationship that Stephen has maintained for the past 10 years and he has produced the most recent Mary Lee's Corvette CD " Love, Loss and Lunacy" which was released in 2006.
The first single "Another Man" was a top 100 rock radio track for the summer of 1999. Smash Palace then re-formed to play out live with a new line up which included Stephen Butler (lead vocals and lead guitar), Brian Butler (drums and vocals), DyAnne DiSalvo (rhythm guitar and vocals), Phil Rizzo (bass guitar) and Greg DiDonato (keyboards).
Anthony Bezich took over drumming for the band in 2004 with the retirement from live performing by Brian Butler. Brian is still active in the writing and recording aspects but spends his time these days pursuing other passions such as art and photography.
Smash Palace have currently been touring the east coast of the United States and also the United Kingdom. Their newest CD " Everybody Comes and Goes" was released in January 2008.
1999 Line-Up
2004 Line-Up
Current 2008 Line-Up
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
currently based out of Southern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Pre-Smash Palace
Brothers Stephen and Brian Butler originally led a new waveNew Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
-power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
band called Quincy. The band recorded an LP for Columbia Records in 1980 and began to tour, but their momentum was curtailed when producer/performer Quincy Jones saw the name "Quincy" on the marquee at the Whiskey A Go-Go in Los Angeles, CA. He sent the band a trademark infringement "cease-and-desist" order and "Quincy" were no longer allowed to use the name and broke up soon afterward. "Quincy" did record one more EP for Columbia records but under the new name " Lulu Temple". Stephen and Brian became unhappy with the direction that the band was taking and quit while the record was being recorded. The "Lulu Temple" EP was released in 1983.
Smash Palace
The Butler brothers quickly formed a new band called "Smash Palace" and signed with Epic Records in 1985. The new line-up included Brian Butler (lead vocals), Stephen Butler (lead guitar and vocals), Phil Rizzo (bass guitar), Harry Lewis (drums) and Greg Persun (rhythm guitar).The band's first self-titled LP was released in the fall of 1985 along with an MTV video of the first single " Living On The Borderline" (directed by Nigel Dick).
Smash Palace toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada with Mr. Mister and the Cruzados. Greg DiDonato (Keyboards) joined the lineup for the tour. When Smash Palace's A&R man, Dick Wingate, left Epic Records in 1985 he asked the band to come on over to his new label, Polygram Records. Unfortunately, once the band left Epic, the offer from Polygram melted away.
Inactive Years
Disillusioned and broke, Stephen and Brian took staff song writer jobs at CBS Songs, EMI, and then with BMG. Greg DiDonato remained active with Brian and Steve in the studio providing Keys, Drums, and later... engineering services. Not finding much happiness or success in the hit song writing business, the brothers left the music business altogether for a while. Stephen was the first to return in 1997, working as a co-writer and guitarist with the band Mary Lee's CorvetteMary Lee's Corvette
Mary Lee's Corvette is a New York-based band led by Michigan-born singer-songwriter Mary Lee Kortes. They have recorded five albums, notably 2002's song-for-song cover of Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, recorded live in New York....
. This has been a lasting relationship that Stephen has maintained for the past 10 years and he has produced the most recent Mary Lee's Corvette CD " Love, Loss and Lunacy" which was released in 2006.
Fast, Long, Loud
In 1999 the Butler Brothers reunited to record a new Smash Palace CD "Fast, Long, Loud"; the follow-up recording to their 1985 LP with a 14 year gap in between. The new CD was recorded by just the brothers themselves at Stephen's house using recording equipment he had just recently purchased. Once the tracks were completed, Smash Palace signed with the indie label "Imagine Records".The first single "Another Man" was a top 100 rock radio track for the summer of 1999. Smash Palace then re-formed to play out live with a new line up which included Stephen Butler (lead vocals and lead guitar), Brian Butler (drums and vocals), DyAnne DiSalvo (rhythm guitar and vocals), Phil Rizzo (bass guitar) and Greg DiDonato (keyboards).
Unlocked, Over the Top, and more
In 2001 the next Smash Palace CD released was titled "Unlocked" and followed by 2004's "Over The Top". "Best Of 99-06" came out in 2006 on Zip Records.Anthony Bezich took over drumming for the band in 2004 with the retirement from live performing by Brian Butler. Brian is still active in the writing and recording aspects but spends his time these days pursuing other passions such as art and photography.
Smash Palace have currently been touring the east coast of the United States and also the United Kingdom. Their newest CD " Everybody Comes and Goes" was released in January 2008.
Smash Palace - Band Line-Ups
Original 1985 Line-Up- Brian Butler - Lead Vocals
- Stephen Butler - Lead Guitar & Vocals
- Greg Persun - Rhythm Guitar
- Phil Rizzo - Bass Guitar
- Harry Lewis - Drums
1999 Line-Up
- Stephen Butler - Lead Vocals & Lead Guitar
- Brian Butler - Drums & Vocals
- DyAnne DiSalvo - Rhythm Guitar & Vocals
- Phil Rizzo - Bass Guitar
- Greg DiDonato - Keyboards
2004 Line-Up
- Stephen Butler - Lead Vocals & Lead Guitar
- Anthony Bezich - Drums
- DyAnne DiSalvo - Rhythm Guitar & Vocals
- Phil Rizzo - Bass Guitar
- Greg DiDonato - Keyboards
Current 2008 Line-Up
- Stephen Butler - Lead Vocals & Guitar
- DyAnne DiSalvo - Rhythm Guitar
- Phil Rizzo - Bass Guitar
- Greg Didonato - Drums
- Wally Smith - Keyboards
Smash Palace - Discography
- Smash Palace - "Smash Palace" (Self-Titled) (1985 - Epic Records) Note: This album was never released on CD / Only LP & Cassette Tape.
- Smash Palace - "Fast, Long, Loud" (1999 - Imagine Records)
- Smash Palace - "Unlocked" (2001 - Back Porch Records)
- Smash Palace - "Over The Top" (2004 - Smash Palace Studios)
- Smash Palace - "The Best Of '99-06" (2006 - Zip Records)
- Smash Palace - "Everybody Comes And Goes" (2008 - Zip Records)
- Smash Palace "7" ( 2010 Zip Records)
