StarFish



There are many important things parents teach their children as they grow — how to use the potty, good table manners, 1 plus 1 equals 2. But often forgotten is the always-important skill of how to attend a rock concert. Starfish teaches kids at a show the things you need to know about going to a rock concert.
"Looking for a true rock band with talented musicians and lyrics made for kids? You'll find it in StarFish!" – Laurie Berkner, The Laurie Berkner Band


Kids AND Parents – get ready to ROCK!

StarFish is changing the face of family-friendly entertainment and making the young – and young at heart - sing, dance, and play air guitar. This 5-piece band electrifies kids' music and gives parents the opportunity to share a real rock concert experience with their children. With such lively songs as "Stop, Drop and Rock and Roll," "Air Guitar," and "The StarFish Stomp," StarFish gives kids' music a classic rock makeover.

Based in Maplewood, NJ, StarFish consists of 5 life long musicians (who are also dads) who aim to bring a little bit of rock and roll to the little ones. The band performs original, energetic, classic rock-based tunes with kid-friendly lyrics covering such familiar territory as sibling rivalry, school rules, and fun times with friends. Parents are StarFish fans too, and enjoy musical nods to a wide range of rock influences, such as Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Phish, and Tom Petty.

After playing music in various capacities for most of his life, Ray Leone (lead vocals) discovered a whole new genre after becoming a dad – kids' music. "When my daughter Emma was born, I would sing the usual lullabies for her, but I also started singing some Beatles songs, Billy Joel, you name it. Then when she started singing her first songs, she'd sing B-I-N-G-O – but she'd also sing Ob La Di, Ob La Da. How cool is that?"

Ray started bringing his guitar into his wife's Kindermusik classes and his son's preschool and combined the kids' tunes they all knew with "grown-up" jams such as "I'm a Believer" and "Yellow Submarine." "I also started checking out some kids' performers, and I always felt the kids (and their parents) wanted to let loose a little more. I could tell…they wanted to rock out!"

So, Ray recruited guitarist Marc Stern and drummer Dave Hartkern, dads/musicians from the Maplewood area, and StarFish was born. Later, bassist Antar Goodwin and keyboardist Mark Asch joined the lineup, and the 5 rockers mixed up some rock chemistry, combining fresh ideas with similar musical ideas and influences. Leone says, "These guys are awesome musicians. We've all been playing in bands forever and now that we all have kids, we're learning from them and bringing their experiences into our music. It's great to get the whole family together and sing and dance and, well…you know, rock and roll too."

 

Take the drama of Deep Purple ("Bike"), add in shades of Pink Floyd's grandeur ("Spread Your Wings"), and toss in some of the spoken/sung/screamed vocalizing of a G-rated Faith No More ("My Name Is No"), and you've got the sophomore CD from this quintet of New Jersey dads. Searching for kiddie music reminiscent of your classic-rock-lovin' youth? Look no further.

-Jeff Bogle - Time Out New York






No flash player!

It looks like you don't have flash player installed. Click here to go to Macromedia download page.