Spin Magazine June 2007:
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What they’re sayin’:
"The High Class Elite, were playing The Thirsty Nickel on 6th St. so we popped in to cheer on Gutterglam Music’s Aishah Roberts (one of two lust-worthy backup singers) and the band, shaking their stuff in the grittiest way, all gold lamé shimmer, kohl-rimmed eyes, tight trousers and flailing hips. You can’t help but get caught up in their performance, especially with a frontman like Franco V., who nearly tackled two couples who tried to slip out the door mid-set. All in good glam punk fun."
Sentimentalist Magazine
"If there was any proof that Lollapalooza is all about the indie, it was this morning. My first stop was High Class Elite, a small glam rock band from NYC. You can learn more about them in the interview I’ll post in a few days, but for now know that they put on one hell of a show. Frontman Franco V literally ran through the audience, shaking up anyone who wasn’t moving enough. The guitarist had blood on his face, and not purposefully. A hybrid Iggy Pop-meets-Eddie Argos, Franco put all his energy into the set, and with any luck we’ll see a bit more of them in the future."
Cinema Blend
"David Bowie plus The Gossip plus the Sex Pistols equals something like High Class Elite. Energetic, loud "gutter-glam" that’s great for your next dance party or a trip to the gym. It gets your feet moving without requiring much mental output, and in summer (or during finals week), what more could you ask for? To paraphrase their song "They Call it Dancing,’ after one listen you’ll find yourself "making love to the beat ’cause you like it so much.’"
Daily Nebraskan
"I’ve been seeing these guys since they were The Sexy Magazines playing dive bars in NYC, which is the perfect place to see them at. Singer Franco V always dons the gold glitter eye makeup and dresses all in black, as the rest of the guys back him up with gold jackets or dresses. They’re a good ol’ glam time, so if you dig the rock you should definitely check these guys out."
WRBB Radio
"High Class Elite is one of those rare acts that creeps onto the scene in a very short amount of time and manages to generate a buzz with its ’70s style New York gutter glam sound. "
Chicago Innerview
"Apparent "gutter-glam" rockers, I caught this NYC group of 6 for the first time at Lollapalooza, then ran into lead singer Franco and back-up singer
Christina in the airport on the way home. Franco is the hottest, most seasoned-looking, 23 year-old frontman I’ve ever seen. Fantastic!
Their show at Lollapalooza was so high-energy...the guitarist was bleeding, Franco was running through the crowd, the girls were "Ooh, ooh
oohing" in teensy gold lame ("la-MAY", don’t mis-read, ha) outfits... And lookit those hipster tight pants on Franco! *fans self*, whoooo! Their EP
reminds me a lot of a bastard child that might be born from Art Brut and The Who. And I say "bastard" ever-so-lovingly. I wouldn’t feature them if
I didn’t love them! Buy the album. Dance your fanny off. Love the hell out of this up-and-coming 70s-style band and try to catch a show while
they’re still new, to get a good view/vantage point. Their energy is absolutely palpable and is worth any small cover charge."
The Mixtress Online
"Lollapalooza 2007 recap: These guys are bringing back 70s NYC glam rock in a totally hot and desperately needed way. Today’s new "so-called-rock" music is boring as hell. Lead singers don’t stand out... nor does anyone else in the bands for that matter.
This band is back to basics churning out pop-laden, ringing power chord filled rock ’n roll. Their skinny, glamed up, gold under-eye makeup wearing lead man goes nuts over the music while the lanky lead and rhythm guitars hang loose looking disinterested in their flailing lead singer. At one point he jumped up into a triple lutz and went down hard enough that security looked up only to be waved off by the promoters. Fun band, catchy lyrics sweating of hard rock and cocaine. I love them. More please."
Sideways in Law
"I don’t want to take anything away from High Class Elite because they are a surprise hit at Lollapalooza. I mean, it’s full glam antics rock mixed with dreamgirls and the personality of Iggy Pop."
Urb Magazine (click link to see video interview)
"I was unsure whether to see High Class Elite or Arckid (the band with the former singer of Spacehog). Both were bands I’d never heard of, so I was just judging them based on their bios. Did I ever make the right choice! This was a glam-rock band from NYC, with fashionable clothes, makeup, and sequin dress-wearing backup singers. Their music was loud and poppy, as glam should be, and though the singer initially looked stunned at how few people were in attendance (I could see, when he first came out, a look on his face like, “I can’t believe I got myself all dolled up and no one’s here!”), the crowd grew steadily, as did the band’s confidence and rambunctiousness. I want to hear more of this band. Now."
Unrescuable Schizo
"Lollapalooza Day Two:
I walked past High Class Elite on my way to I’m From Barcelona and thought they were interesting enough to stop and listen to. The lead singer jumped off the stage and ran dancing through the crowd, and they had two girls singing backup in short gold dresses. Some pretty fun glam rock to start the day."
WebVomit
"At 10:00 a black, white, gold, and glittered High Class Elite took the stage. The band members were wearing all black, the lead singer was in white and sported intense shimmery gold eye makeup, and the backup singers were decked out in American Apparel gold bodysuits and black leggings. Gold glitter was generously applied everywhere. Their set started off with a feverous cloud of rock ’n’ roll and didn’t let up. Franco V, their Iggy Pop-esque lead singer reached into the crowd (literally) and serenaded them with a rockers howl. The band was one big ball of energy dominating every inch of the tiny stage while Franco was every bit the ringleader and would occasionally dive off stage to get closer with his fans. Their set ended with a bang and in the aftermath the stage looked like it was hit with a small natural disaster – the mike chord was tangled around the fallen stand, the monitors were askew, and the stage was glistening with a layer of spilled water and sweat."
Icecreamman.com
"Damn!!! So Franco V and the High Class Elite? Yeah, what the world needs now might not be another NYC based Glam/Dance/Punk band, unless they’re this awesome. Think… Diego Garcia in tighter pants and shirtless backed by the Living Things uncensored by a major label deal. Oh, and 2 backing vocalists worthy of the hottest roller derby. In your face raw showmanship falls thankfully short of being obnoxious, so see ‘em at the Annex on May 31st, and then Lolla."
Punkphoto.com
"There’s more than enough pouting, preening, and strutting packed into these four songs to please just about any glam rock aficionado. Frontman Franco V knows how to swagger in his high-heeled boots, and his attitude is all all over this one. The music is a smash-up of the misplaced glam of The New York Dolls and the lo-fi guitar noodling of The Strokes, providing the perfect background for Franco to let us know who’s boss. The performance is fast and loose, and I can only imagine it translates well to the stage, especially if that stage has a disco ball."
Mish Mash Music
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Beat Magazine (Italy)
"Franco V and the High Class Elite are a force to be reckoned with, quickly gaining recognition in the New York indie scene...Clad in metalic gold pants, Franco V. appears with a presence that demands your attention. The fortunate part is that the performance definitely lives up to these high demands. Offering a fresh, modern approach to the glam rock scene, the band pushes the envelope and give you something to salivate over. Expect great things to come from Franco V. and the High Class Elite."
bandchat.org
"...Hooray for sleazy glam boys dressed in white! This was their first show and you should be seeing a lot of them in the coming year."
looserecord.com
More shows coming,
Love always,
Franco V
Online Now!
