A DAY IN THE LIFE

By Kevin McGeogh

New York City buzzes steadfastly at a million miles an hour on New York Bay and is the inlet to the infamous Hudson River. The island that never sinks cradles the weight of the city that never sleeps. On this day, a deceitful wind passes almost mockingly (yes, even the breezes make their own sounds there) at chin level to remind all who is boss, by serving a healthy dose of gelid discomfort. Initially, one gets the feeling that there exists an absence of authority, and the chilling thought passes between both cold ears that the next step you take could most definitely be your last. Of course, this is just smaller city under-intelligence speaking and soon the reality sets in that this town runs more efficiently than a Swiss (army knife???) clock.

It happens to be home to Broadway, Madison Square Garden and The David Letterman Show. CBGB's and The Bitter End. Lenny Bruce and Bob Dylan cast long shadows many moons ago on a once thriving MacDougal arts scene. Kerouac stumbled out of its watering holes and Leonard Bernstein raised its roofs. Louis Armstrong lived there. John Lennon died there.

Truly, there is only one way to experience the crown jewel of America's teratogenic masterpiece. Double march on its paved arteries and joy ride its subways. That is precisely what I did when I was on loan to that city in the second month of this year. My tour guide was the most alluring fellow with an encyclopedic knowledge for every shortcut imaginable to what seemed like a never ending en masse. He swung to the unsteady rhythm of Manhattan's D train like he was standing in a bed of stiff macadam, hardly ever bothering to hold onto the post which is so graciously provided to weary travelers to keep them safely vertical.

As I followed him breathlessly (I've never seen anyone walk so quickly) to East Side/West Side errands, I suddenly realized why I'd taken to this guy Michael Mazzarella, and his vastly underrated band The Rooks. He is as focused in his daily projects, no matter how boring or routine, as he is with the bigger picture that envelopes his life which is, composing music and crafting some of the finest pop this side of 1965. If he is THIS dedicated to the procuring of guitar picks at a local guitar store (I know it's a necessary tool, but does he have to finger what seems to be every color, shape and gauge?), imagine what the scene must be like when he and his band of pop merry makers are left to create in a recording studio.

The Rooks continue to amaze. In the Spring of 1994, an 11 song sound design was released with the running threads forming a pattern of perfection (The Rooks /Guardian Records). It was ear-marked for greatness at about the point where the guitar solo kicks in on the album's opening lightning bolt "Love Said To Me." A born skeptic, I was almost sure that the band's next release would be a mediocre let- down like so many groups before them have proven on sophomore tries. I couldn't have missed my predicted mark by more. A Double Dose Of Pop (Not Lame, 1995), although not a full length album (6 new songs and three remixes, shared this CD with an LA band Twenty Cent Crush), it still had more than enough pop amplitude to make me chew on the proverbial crow. Fast forward to the holiday season of 1995 as pop fanatics were treated to an early Christmas gift in the form of a new 5 song EP Chimes . Stunning quality from a band who remains undiscovered outside of immediate pop circles. The musical maturity level grows in leaps and bounds with the romping "It's A Crying Shame," the haunting "House Of Fortune" and the dark, classically inspired War. Let us do the math shall we? Three releases adding up to 22 songs in all without one cranky lemon among them. Talk about more for your dollar! Did The Beatles even do that?

This lot may be one of the most unique pop bands of all time as two women play major roles in the sound of The Rooks. Kristin Pinell is pop's ace lead guitarist whose stylings are the perfect marriage between sweet pop riffs and downright rock and roll muscle. A Double Dose Of Pop's track "Glitter Best" boasts one of the most bitter-sweet introductions, right up there with Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" guitar ingression. There is also that wonderfully airy flute on "Music Sound Sensation." A pop guitarist who plays flute? Well alright then! Anne Benkovitz is the band's four string maven with a knack for rhythmic, off-beat timings and not a bad background vocalist to boot. Dave Edmunds meets Robin Williams look-a-like Patrick Yourell pounds out steady beats that keeps the band's vehicle driving down that classic pop motorway. Pat's drumming on Colors might possibly be his piece de resistance. Collectively they are The Rooks and together they are easily one of pop's best bands anywhere.

Back to our story. . . it is now early 1997 and I prepare to leave frost bitten Rhode Island for even colder (if you know what I mean) New York City. A freelance writer's life can place one anywhere at any time and I was really not up to having a taste of the biggest apple in gloomy February. We've all been in a situation where we attend a party that we really don't want to go to, and only after arriving do you realize that it's one of the best outtings you've been to in a long time. Enter Michael Mazzarella's party. More crow please. I've got to learn to hone better judgment. The head Rook from NYC showed me the time of my recent life. . . we don't get out much in Providence.

"Just do your thing," I tell Mazzarella as we stroll through the lower part of Manhattan on a very frigid afternoon. "What kind of story will that make?" he asks, never looking in my direction, paying more attention to the flow of foot traffic as we shuffle around a group of NYU students. "Don't you want to ask questions?" "We'll get to that, I just want to hang for a while. Pretend I'm not here." "I can do that," is his laconic reply.

Following this Rook around town was not a premeditated plan, but I had not been to New York in a long time and hoped to become reacquainted with a feel for the city. He seemed to be in a distracted mood while shooting from place to place. Every once in a while Michael perfunctorily pointed out some relevant landmark. "That used to be The Pool Bar, a room the early Rooks often played. They changed their name to The Underworld and then closed. Another notch in the belt against performing musicians of New York." Mazzarella maintains an amusingly droll monotone almost as if talking to himself.

"I'd like to see the studio where you record" I ask. "Do you think we could stop there for a quick visit?" I didn't realize until moments later that The Rooks are now working in a new facility. Apparently, the place where all their music had been recorded to date has gone out of business. Michael retorts with a hesitated, almost Woody Allen-ish nervousness, "Ahhh. . . we lost that six months ago, forget it." The air is suddenly filled with an obvious discomfiture.

The Rooks are putting the finishing touches on their album called A Wishing Well. Mazzarella's lack of enthusiasm on the topic makes me reshuffle my thoughts as I scribble a line through a question or two off of my notepad. As we dine in a quaint eatery, I begin our interview toward the end of our meal. Michael appears to be elsewhere and I sense that something is weighing heavily on his mind. I resign myself to the fact that I probably won't get a lot out of this appointment, but as the first question rolls off my tongue, he switches on.

KM: Do you remember the first piece of music you ever heard?

MM: My father used to sing "Old Man River" to me when I was very small. I have a vivid recollection from a number of different locations. You know, different houses that we lived in. After that, probably Harry Belafonte or Jackie Wilson. . . The Del Vikings. And lots of ethnic music.

KM: What prompted you to pick up the guitar originally?

MM: Playing the guitar was a progression out of my love for writing. I traded in my original tools of pen/paper for the guitar and that's when prose metamorphosed into melody. I wanted to be a Beatle and Johnny Ramone all wrapped in one, with our common interest being the guitar.

KM: Did you begin writing songs immediately?

MM: I tried writing on guitar before I actually knew three chords. I would work out phrases and melody lines using one string, as the concept of combining different strings to form variations had yet to come my way. I literally tried to run before I could even stand. I was never keen on learning other people's music. I was determined to use the guitar as a vehicle for composition. To this day, I barely know other songs from other writers. . . I can fake my way through them.

KM: Do you mean you can't figure out songs off of CD's or the radio?

MM: No. . . no. . .that's very easy to do. The point is I never take the time to do that. If The Rooks want to do a cover song, which we rarely do anyway, I could certainly work out the (chord) changes. I've always turned my attention to writing my own work, that's all I'm saying.

KM: How well known are The Rooks? Do you play outside of New York much?

MM: We've just returned from the West Coast where we played as part of the second annual Poptopia Festival. Poptopia is a week long affair that features pop acts from across the country and abroad. January of 1996 was the first one and we played that as well, with dates in San Diego included. We have also toured in Europe. The Rooks are well known enough in the minds of pop fans to be able to make another record. We seem to be doing nicely in Sweden, London and so on. There's a European tour slated with the release of our next record, which is half-finished.

KM: The reviews for your three releases have been unbelievable. Your press package was impressive to read. I get a lot of those things shoved my way and it's usually a local band with not much more than polite mentions in their hometown rags, but your band has been in some very prestigious trades. The reviews you've gotten and the interviews that have been conducted really threw me for a loop. I thought I was in a pretty small company of pop fans who knew of you.

MM: Surprise (laughter!!!). The press have been very kind. . . yes.

KM: Let's talk about The Rooks as individuals. I know there have been changes in the band over the years, but I''d like to focus on Rooks 1997. Kristin is hands down a great guitar player. Her vision seems to be as clear as yours when contributing to the music.

MM: I can't say enough about her. I've been blessed to have Kristin, as well as Patrick and Anne. She and I have been through high floods and long droughts together. I think we have an unspoken bond because of all the adversity we've had to endure. Bandmates have come and gone and there have been a lot of lousy shows where we almost outnumbered the audiences. There have been promises and let-downs. We have lived through all of this and somehow we've managed to survive and still make records and mature musically together. We have developed in front of each other. A lot of the fun for me comes when I present a new song to the band and get to see how Kristin's starting point blossoms into great guitar sections. I am as impressed with my bandmates from the inside as anyone looking in from afar. I think The Rooks have reached a level of communication when it comes to the music that only a small ration of bands achieve. The musical chemistry blooms from rehearsal to rehearsal and from show to show.

KM: What happens in a typical band rehearsal?

MM: (Sarcastically) We rehearse.

KM: (Laughing) Ok, I can see your attention span has fallen. No really, I am a fly on the wall at your next band practice. What do I see?

MM: We either go over certain songs once to keep them sharp or we work on newer material to try and make it presentable to the public. Often, Anne and Kristin tidy-up their vocal background bits. I want the band to start performing more songs that have been recorded but have also been neglected in the live sets.

KM: Which ones?

MM: "Music Sound Sensation". . . "House Of Fortune". . . I don't feel we do "Better Start Right Now" often enough. These are all on top of trying to grasp songs from the next album. I imagine our rehearsal sessions are no different from any other group's. I don't know what you would hope to see other than musicians trying to get the music fit for shows. You would probably be bored to your last breath after a half hour.

KM: That I doubt very much. I think I would find it to be one of the more interesting situations I could ever be in.

MM: Well. . . (smiling) I guess you're easy to please. . . I don't know. I mean, we are not working on a secret formula that's going to save the world. I think. . .

KM: No, but you are musicians in the process of creating something that has the potential to bring happiness to many people. For me, to able to witness that process would be very interesting.

MM: I guess so. For myself, it's not as exciting as you would imagine. It can become very boring at the start of The Rooks working on a new song. At times, it can fall into dissonant cacophony. It becomes tedious when you have to retrace your steps over and over again without covering much ground. And suddenly, for some reason, the song begins to open its eyes to see the light of day for the first time. . . but it can also need a lot of incubation time before that happens.

KM: I would love to see something like that formulate.

MM: Masochist! (smiling).

KM: Which song came together the easiest for the band?

MM: "Sometimes" (from the forthcoming A Wishing Well album). Very fast. Very tight from the start.

KM: You record for a label in Denver, the Not Lame Recording Company. What is your relationship with them and are there any major label dealings in the works?

MM: Bruce Brodeen is the chairman of the label. Our relationship with him couldn't be better. We're in safe hands and I work very closely with Bruce on all our projects. He won''t allow himself to get in the way of our sound and long time goals. There is nothing happening at this stage on the major label playing field, but we're not so concerned with that. . . we're on Not Lame.

KM: Prior to The Rooks, you played in a band with Patrick and called yourselves The Broken Hearts. I remember picking up your album (Want One?/Scarlett Records) at a great record store in New Haven, Connecticut called Cutler''s. Patrick has been in your musical life for a long time too. That must be satisfying, especially when the make-up of many bands seem to be very fragile frameworks that can crumble at any time.

MM: We've been through everything. My history with Patrick is even longer than with Kristin. That speaks volumes for their characters and their perseverance and dedication to what we set out to do.

KM: Earlier today I asked you what you did for a living and your one word answer was "musician." I didn't realize that you were able to do this full-time.

MM: (In bored tone) Yeah. . .

KM: How do you survive as a musician?

MM: I don't survive by being a musician. . . I just survive.

KM: How? Do you have a money tree?

MM: No, I have a survival tree. I do what I can to live. Sometimes I produce small projects for new artists and often I have to sell personal belongings to afford my rent. . . whatever it takes to carry on without breaking any laws (chuckles), I do. Some days I starve and many times I get my telephone switched off because I'm late in payments. I used to own a large collection of music but a lot of that has been sold in order to live.

KM: Do you get called upon to do a lot of production work?

MM: Not really. Bands on this level have very little money for recording quests, so the work comes only every so often.

KM: I read a great review somewhere of The Mockers album that you produced. Is it fun for you producing a record? It must be satisfying to step aside and see something like that get good press.

MM: In the case for The Mockers. . . that particular album was long in happening and I took a lot of time to try and get things right. It pleases me when I see good reviews for their record. I get as much happiness reading favorable reviews for them as I do with our own work.

KM: Do you enjoy producing other artists?

MM: Yes and no. . . it depends on the bands. There are some people that I just like being around. There's a New York group called Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan. I love Joe and would do anything for him. We have a great time in the recording studio and the people he surrounds himself with are the most professional people I have worked with. Nobody works harder than those guys. The Mockers album was a good project to work on, but a lot of work went into that and. . . I think it shows in the finished form. I've also been involved with projects that become tedious and a bit of a chore. Sometimes it comes down more to the individuals you are dealing with than the music itself. Although, it's a fun challenge to sometimes work outside of the pop idiom. It's almost like learning a foreign language.

KM: I cannot get over the consistency in your song writing and then, the constant ability of your band to make it work every time. I made a cassette compilation of The Rooks for my car a while ago, and one day on a long drive it hit me that I had just listened to a 90 minute tape, and everything on it was great! That CAN''T be just luck.

MM: It's not. I edit myself very carefully and try to select what I think is credible music. It's not like every song that's written is brought into the rehearsals. I have a lot of songs. Many are very good, some are ok and some are wank. That's the luxury of having a large back catalog of work. I never have to worry to come up with music, because I am forever composing. If I write ten songs and two are worthy, then we're in the game. That''s two more songs for our listeners and eight that probably fall by the wayside. . . that you'll never hear, and there's a reason for that. . . they're junk (laughing).

KM: Which famous artist would you like to produce?

MM: Paul McCartney.

KM: That was a quick answer. You didn't hesitate for a second.

MM: You asked me a question and I answered you.

KM: Why McCartney?

MM: Because I love him and I feel that the latter part of his career has been more of a footnote than a chapter in a great novel. I think I could edit his material very confidently as I feel I do my own. Paul McCartney knows more about producing a record than anyone alive. Sometimes he makes very ridiculous decisions concerning his career and in the songs in which he chooses to record. I think I could help direct him to an avenue that would lead him to a very strong album. . . but . . . he should always produce himself anyway, I feel. I'll help him with the songs which should be recorded. What an insane conversation this has turned into. Edit this bit out.

KM: Would you like to become one of these MTV bands who are played every hour but become synonymous with middle America tastes?

MM: Do you mean would we like to be a successful band? MTV is a necessary evil but it is also a springboard for becoming known internationally. I am not an advocate for Music Television and I can quickly think of a number of reasons why I dislike it. I feel it's a tool that has fallen into the hands of sloppy carpenters. Of course, The Rooks would welcome an opportunity to produce a video for our fans and have it placed into heavy rotation. That's not a bad thing. You make it sound like a sell-out.

KM: It just seems that a lot of bands lose their focus and conform to the corporate side of the industry, which waters down their music and the videos they make seem to pander to major label meanderings.

MM: Well. . . maybe a lot of these artists are just not as talented as you thought. Maybe a lot of these people only DO have one good record in them. Maybe they need to be led to water and when they are, the industry throws them into it and they drown. I don't want some idiot from MTV or an A & R jerk telling me what to do with our band. We have come too far for that to happen. We have proven that we don't need a babysitter. You would be surprised how naive a lot of these artists are. They are short on talent and lack long-time vision. Having a video played hourly on MTV is not synonymous with middle American tastes. How can you be so general in your statement?

KM: Most of what I see on MTV is so sub-par and I really do believe that this is the music that is accepted throughout most of the country outside of larger cities like New York and Los Angeles.

MM: It may be accepted, because that's all that is offered to them. It starts with the major labels and the people who are letting these groups place their names on the dotted lines. It CAN'T get to MTV unless it goes through the major labels first. The majors just don't give enough hard working bands with songwriting talent a chance. The fashion show still parades down Main Street and they would rather sell a pretty face than push a band of pocked-faced kids with real songs. It's gotten better recently, but still accounts for some pretty awful. . . and laughable music. You can't say that every band or artist on MTV sells out. That's like saying that every indie band who has ever gone on to have major label success has sold out.

KM: But most times that's when their music starts on a rapid decline.

MM: But that's the band's fault! You can't squeeze water from a stone. If they don't have it, they don't have it. Did REM sell out? Did Nirvana? Those bands refused to be pushed around! They also had songwriting talents to sustain careers that became larger than life. If given the chance yes, the majors can do grave injustices to a lot of artists, but the blame still has to be placed on the shoulders of those artists themselves. I am not a fan of MTV but you can't scourge them for everything.

KM: If you could achieve one goal and one goal only with The Rooks, what would that be?

MM: A number one record. I'm not afraid to admit that.

KM: That over leaving a string of great albums that don't necessarily break into the mainstream but leaves you being respected by your peers and fans?

MM: Well if you're going to get so technical (laughter). I don't know. I just want to be heard. If it happens on the wave of a number one record then that's what I want. If it happens through a snowballing effect then. . . every artist wants his or her work to reach the highest floor. Some elevators run faster than others. If it happens tomorrow or after we release a number of albums. . . it's the spreading of the music that is important to me. I aspire to write "Good Vibrations" or "Hey Jude." Something on a level that shakes the world.

KM: Do you think you have a smash like that in you?

MM: Yeah. . . everyone who writes has a chance at creating something on that level provided they work hard and long enough at their passion. If you dig a hole deep enough, you are bound to find gold or water or a rare fossil or a diamond or SOMETHING! The point is to keep going. Dylan couldn't have written "Tangled Up In Blue" if he didn't write "Motorpsycho Nitemare" first. You start with a dull blade, and with every song you compose, your sword gets sharper.

KM: In your opinion, what is the greatest pop song ever written? (Iasked this question because the topic came up in casual conversation earlier in the day. I thought it would be interesting to work it into my interview).

MM: "Wouldn't It Be Nice" or "Penny Lane." You CANNOT do better than those when it comes to the perfect pop song, to my mind.

KM: What about "Go All The Way" or "September Gurls?"

MM: You're joking. . . not even in the same world. "Penny Lane" or "Wouldn't It Be Nice."

KM: Are the other Rooks aware of how certain pop fans feel about their contributions toward keeping the pop flame burning brightly?

MM: We are all aware of it through the reactions of others. Feed-back from strangers who have nothing to gain by praising you is always a good measuring stick in regard to whether you're getting it right. I think the others are aware of the fact that we have some people out there who appreciate what we do. I mean, yes, they read the reviews. They acknowledge what has been written and said. That still won't buy us a beer at the bar. We don't sit around obsessing over our own press. We understand that some people like the music we make. The Rooks also live with the battle of doing this without the luxury of gaining any financial reward for it, which is always a personal struggle for each of us. We don''t do this for the money, but it would be nice to be able to pay our rents for our efforts. To make a short story long, we are very aware of the world around us and we appreciate anyone who supports anything that we do.

KM: What music are you listening to these days?

MM: Harry Nilsson, Sandy Denny, Simon & Garfunkel and Paul McCartney.

KM: Really? Any particular albums?

MM: Well, what I do most times is put together compilations for myself of what I feel are their greatest works, so the tapes span their entire careers. It happens that the McCartney, Nilsson and Simon & Garfunkel music is spread out over numerous tapes.

KM: Who are some of your favorite contemporaries?

MM: . . . I don't know. . . I like them all. Most of them are my friends. Who do you like?

KM: I think it's more interesting if I ask the questions. I am looking at my notes and see that earlier today I crossed out a few questions about your new album because I got the feeling that you weren't up to talking about it for some reason, but now as we're here. . .

MM: Whatever. . . I mean, there's really not a lot to say on the subject except that the album. . . or the recording of the album has stalled.

KM: I think it may be of some interest to your fans who await the next release.

MM: Sure. We are temporarily budget deficient. It's happened before on our earlier records, only now the pressure is a bit heavier because more people want to hear this one. We were supposed to hand it over in September of 1996 and now it's late February and still no Rooks record. What's worse, the press have reported in various articles that it will soon be delivered. Also. . . (very long pause). . . I have just learned that my friend and engineer Gary (Wade) has fallen ill and may not be available to us for a while. Even if I had money now I'd rather wait for him because we have a great working relationship together in the recording studio. (almost whispered) My loyalty is with him. . . so there are a number of forces working against the completion of this record but we WILL finish it. This wait may be a blessing in disguise. People may just have to hang on a bit longer, that's all.

I''d really blown it now. The next five minutes and several questions were met with half-hearted small talk from what was, just moments ago a nicely flowing interview. What I thought was distraction earlier in the day from Michael was probably, in truth, a depressed mood for his friend. It was only the day before our interview that he learned the news that Gary Wade has leukemia. We order another beer and after some light chatter Mazzarella seems to awaken from his daze.

KM: The Rooks are on a new tribute to Badfinger (Come And Get It-A Tribute To Badfinger/Copper Records). What song did you record for it and is it available yet?

MM: It's out now. . . if you can find it. We did "Get Away. It was rushed. We were informed that the person responsible for the compilation wanted us to be a part of it. The trouble was, we only had about a week to learn, rehearse, record and mix it, and that was all in the middle of A Wishing Well sessions. I am happy with it though. We did our best on short notice and I think it's a fine tribute record.

KM: Your Christmas song ("Christmas") is great. I always thought that anyone who tries to write one has guts to tread on such sanctified soil, but you pulled it off. Will there be another?

MM: I doubt it. We wouldn't want to sort of overstay our welcome. We got lucky with the first one, why push it?

KM: Who is your favorite songwriter ever?

MM: Lennon-McCartney.

KM: That's two songwriters!

MM: No it's not (grinning)!

KM: I''m with you. . . do you ever co-write songs with anybody?

MM: I have not so much co-written with someone rather than finish something that has already been started.

KM: Would you like to write with another person? I see that all Rooks songs are solely written by yourself.

MM: I don't really need to collaborate right now. My songs are composed in a flash and I never know when I will be inspired to write. Since I live alone, I'm the only one in the room with me so, I write alone. There isn't a tendency to pick up guitars when I'm with my fellow musicians in a casual gathering. It's just not something we do for some reason. I'm not against the idea of working with another writer, I just haven't. . . I've more than enough songs for the immediate future.

KM: When you write a song like "Reasons" or "Steeplechase," which are brilliant songs as far as I'm concerned, do you know right away that you've just finished a great tune, or do they all fall into the same bag and turn into something special in the recording process?

MM: Well, if you write a lot, which I tend to do, you can usually spot the very special ones straight away. It's like a litter of kittens. . . you know, your eye seems to focus on one of the five kittens and that's the one you take home with you.

KM: Did that happen with "Reasons?" Did you hear it immediately?

MM: As a matter of fact, I did. On the other hand, all new songs sound good to you when YOU are writing them. If they didn't, you'd never finish anything. It's always a good idea to step away from a new song and give it a week or something and then return to it. If it still sounds strong after a week, then you probably have a song worth recording. . . that's usually the tell-tale sign. I record (at home) everything I write as soon as the song is finished. That way, I always have the ability to listen to it when I choose for evaluation. Occasionally though, there are special compositions that you know are going to be great and magic almost surrounds them as you're feeling out the chord patterns.

KM: Which Rooks songs fall under that category?

MM: Well. . . "Reasons" and "Steeplechase" certainly. There was something about "Steeplechase". . . I remember writing it and the song almost leaped off the page. . . I knew there was something about it from the start. I had the same feeling with "Music Sound Sensation," it just had something. Actually, "Christmas" was another that demanded to be paid attention to.

KM: Are there any songs that you thought were going to be special that turned out, to your ears, not so great?

MM: You always think a song is going to be good, that's why you take it into the recording studio in the first place. Everything that the band has released so far is alright by me. I wouldn't sign off on a song that I thought was less than worthy. There are songs on our records that fell short of the way I heard them in my head, but that will happen once in a while as well.

KM: Which songs didn't quite make it for you?

MM: "It's A Crying Shame," "Look". . . that may be all. It depends on my frame of mind. Sometimes I get paranoid and all of it sounds out of key or too slow or something. It's never a perfect world but you have to stand by the decisions you make or you'll never get anything done.

KM: I love "House Of Fortune" (I had been singing it to myself all morning). Was that a special one for you when you wrote it?

MM: Not really. . . I liked it but. . .(shrugging shoulders).

KM: This morning you mentioned something about a "Pop Circus." What is this exactly?

MM: The Pop Circus is a band of wayfaring pop musicians from New York just trying to spread the word. . . or music I should say, on the unsuspecting masses. A coalition of well-meaning jesters . . . a new reason to live (laughing). The New York Pop Circus is George Usher, Agnelli & Rave, Richard X. Heyman, Bubble and The Rooks. . . with a small army of freaks and blue bunnies. (I had no idea what Mazzarella was talking about here so I just nodded and drank my beer) A number of New York bands have decided it's time to put on complete pop bills. Pop gets minimal exposure in this city. The circus is New York's answer to L.A.'s Poptopia. There was a club that recently held something like a "Best of New York Pop" weekend and none of us were even asked to be a part of it.

KM: They didn't ask you to play a best of New York pop show? You are New York pop!

MM: We are PART of the New York pop scene. The bands I mentioned are hard-working groups with great music to offer. Now it's time to show everyone that this isn't just a Lower East Side alternative-punk rock scene. There's a harmony here and there to be heard.

KM: Will the circus travel outside of New York City?

MM: In time, hopefully. We're trying to establish ourselves here before anywhere else. (cupping hand in mock megaphone fashion) The New York Pop Circus is in town! Bring the kids. . . if they're over 21.

KM: You got it. Does playing in a band after a while get easier or is it a constant struggle to make it?

MM: Well, we have made it on one level. How many times can we fall down and try to figure out a new way to get up? Our obscurity melts slightly with every article that's printed and every show in which we perform. It's not so much a constant battle rather it's walking just one step at a time. More music fans know about us today than they did a year ago. It becomes easier because momentum allows it to. . . it's the law of physics. As you graduate to larger stages and more appreciative audiences, the hill doesn't seem as steep as it did before.

KM: Speaking of hills, can you take me to the top of the Empire State Building? I've never been there.

MM: (In disgust) Noooo man, I'll take you to the Kettle Of Fish instead. "House Of Fortune's" on the jukebox there. You can buy me another odd jar (New York for beer?).

KM: Ok. (Well, I wanted to see the REAL New York. . . . . . WAITER!!!).