Tris Carpenter: bass and vocals; Andy Cayon: drums; Brian Cremins: guitar and vocals; additional guitar and backing vocals: Bryan Lerch
Influences
The Replacements, The Smithereens, REO Speedwagon, The Neighborhoods, Bullet LaVolta, Treat Her Right, Journey, Rush, Iron Maiden, Queensryche, The Posies, Big Star, The Byrds, My Bloody Valentine, Catherine Wheel, Morphine, Husker Du, Big Star, Black Flag, Smackmelon, MXR Distortion +, Ampeg SVT, Yamaha drums, Larry, and Erick.
Sounds Like
According to the Boston newspaper "The Noise," "turbo-charged roots rock with added amphetamine Stratocaster" and "advanced percussive technique." According to Larry, "Like sticking your head in front of your stereo, turning it up to 11, and having your hair blown off your head." According to us, rock and roll.
Based out of an old wire-making factory just north of Hartford, CT, The Confessors recorded three EPs and played a series of dates across New England from 1995 until 2000. They first met when Brian put a "Musicians Wanted" ad in the "Hartford Advocate" in August, 1995. He was living alone in an apartment with a green shag rug, a recliner, a piece of cardboard for a dining room table, a Rickenbacker and a 4-track. Tris, a Boston native and veteran of a series of Massachusetts-based blues and rock bands, listened to Brian's cassette demos and said, "I think there's something here. I don't know what it is, but it's something." The other Bryan had a recording studio and a lot of nice guitars in his mom's basement in Manchester, where the three auditioned several drummers. Out of desperation after a disastrous attempt to perform with a long-haired UConn grad student called the "Texas Hardcore Man," the three ran another ad looking for a drummer "influenced by The Clash, Husker Du, The Replacements, and Social Distortion." Andy read this ad but refused to respond to anything so silly. He'd been playing drums since he was five and was a veteran of countless rock bands, including a successful wedding and party band which he joined just because the guitarist was "hot" (this hot person later became his wife and they had a lovely daughter). Andy finally responded to a new ad which read, "Rock band looking for drummer." "I knew it was you guys again, but I was waiting for you to get it right," Andy said later. After slimming down to a trio of just Brian, Tris, and Andy, The Confessors began rehearsing at their wiring-making factory space and went on to play venues ranging from Toad's Place, The Russian Lady, and The Bay State to T.T. the Bear's and CBGBs. They even played a county fair outside of Torrington, CT. They were friends and brothers and stuck by each other during some rough times. Tris now plays in several bands in Los Angeles, Brian is a member Short Punks in Love (with his wife Pearl) in Chicago, and Andy is grinning at them both and keeping them out of trouble as best he can. They never broke up and are fond of saying that The Confessors is a lifetime sentence.
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