THE LATEST CREW MUSTER: Nick Jones AKA "the Captain": Lead vocals, rhythm guitar, writing and puppet design Raja Azar AKA "Mr Skeevy": Keyboards, Accordion, Sampling, Puppets Keith Fredrickson Von Heiselstein: lead guitar Dan Kutcher: bass Julie Lake and Steve Boyer: Puppets and Backing Vocals Jesse Wallace: drums Kris Anton: video and sound design
Influences
The Top Sea Shanties of 1712. The Kinks. Dead Kennedys. Ween. Stevie Wonder. New Order. Devo. Coney Island.
Sounds Like
Electro-punk with nautical influences, "whimsical" themes, combined live and sequenced drums, and unconvincing "period" dialogue from the mouths of often sinister puppets.
Delightful, insane pelagic pageantry, combining nautical pop rock and puppets. Somewhere between a band and a theater group, with none of the hangups of either, Jollyship the Whiz-Bang is a multimedia force of nature, already incredibly huge in Greenland and Tortuga!
An underground, psychosexual, artsy, craftsy, ramshackle maritime treat!
Jollyship the Whiz-Bang: "Cleaning up Coney Island"
(WINNER: "Best Music Video" Coney Island Film Festival, 2007)
Jollyship the Whiz-Bang: "The Witch Song" (2007)
OFFICIAL NOMINATION: "Most Entertaining"
-Dublin Fringe Festival, 2005
REVIEWS FOR OUR CURRENT STAGE SHOW, AT ARS NOVA, IN NEW YORK CITY
"Nothing will convey the demented brilliance of Jollyship the Whiz-Bang . . .
Ripping good rock . . . Mr Jones's script is diabolically sly. . . you've never seen anything like it!
-New York Times
"Irreverent punk perfection . . . If you've never seen a puppet do a keg stand, climb aboard."
-The New Yorker
"Fast and furious, truly hardcore, Arr-some fun! The hugely talented Nick Jones and his cohorts deliver a deliriously naughty mashup of sick nautical spoofery, sick humor, and indie rock thrills. Ingeniously designed under Sam Gold's savvy direction, there's treasure here, mateys, and it sure ain't buried!"
-Time Out NY
"Terrific . . . a reward to see . . . the cast party starts early in this fury filled gremlin with considerable musical chops!
-Variety
"Jones and his crew-cum-backup-band play the power pop with enthusiasm and unexpected precision (and) somehow render the material sea spray fresh. The next time this crew sets sail for Party Island, I hope I'm along for the ride."
-Village Voice
"Nick Jones is sensational with the fearlessness of a young Jim Carrey channeling the quirkiness of David Byrne."
-Theatermania
"From pulsating, thrumming chords to ballads that melt into a full-tilt of caterwauls, wails and plaints, the music owes more to Black Flag than to Broadway . . . a subversive theatrical mosh-pit . . . Clamp is a dizzy and insulting prick whose surrounding cadre is so determinedly un-PC as to make Avenue Q's perky puppets look like Benedictine monks."
-NY Press
"A glimmering theatrical treasure . . . it's well worth boarding this jollyship."
-Backstage
"Do you enjoy ingeniously crafted rock tunes with clever lyrics and arrangements for accordion, keyboard, ukulele, guitar, bass and drums? Do you like pirates? How about puppets? Rum based drink specials? Laughing until your sides hurt? . . . Creators Nick Jones and Raja Azar have been polishing this project since 2002, and it gleams as brilliantly as One-Eyed Willie’s treasure."
-The Gothamist
"Equal parts strobe-heavy rock show, relentless comedy hour and swashbuckling human- and puppet-populated narrative. The elements merge to form a swirling maelstrom of head-nodding beats and pitch-perfect humor."
-L Magazine
"An explosion of manic genius, this completely twisted - in the most jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring way - piece combines puppetry, a spectacular hard rock score, and a stellar level of wit to create one of the freshest and most original pieces I've seen in ages."
-Gay City
"Magnificent insanity! Comic genius! Go check it out if you want to laugh until your sides ache!"
-Broadwayworld.com
"This is pure rockin' good times theatre . . . I can't say enough good things about the music . . . a perfect night out at the theatre."
-Nytheatre.com
It's a riotously funny and ribald adult musical. . . the show's hard-hitting rock score (is played) with near volcanic energy and flair."
What a wonderful show. So happy to hear of your success, and your now extended run. Look forward to seeing what spectacular things you come up with next.
hey Raja long time no see i just got back to nyc from being in vt for what seemed like for ever and im seeing all your posters up congrats on the big time man i got to try and see the show well hope all is well
Great show! The new set and new puppets are off the chain! Although this was your longest Jollyship work at the end still I wanted more! You guys gotta have an encore or something! Like Kill it or Pyrate Love! Lastly I hope to hear those new tunes online soon!
hi jollyship the whiz-bang! excellent profile pic. ;-) we're playing The Cake Shop on Sunday around 6pm and we'd love to meet you if you're in the neighborhood. ;-) xoxollipops!
Yo Dudes, come party with me riverside this Saturday, 1:00pm. Take the Metro-North to Dobbs Ferry or get a zip car. Walk 100 feet to the waterside park. We'll play friendly softball nearby first, then barbecue on the waterfront. You in?
