The counterculture has always been associated with the rebellious, unusual and defiant aspects of society. It is embodied in nearly every art form: movies, books, and most importantly music. The first band to come along that really captured the counterculture and hippie movement was the Grateful Dead. They had an amazing run, but eventually fans got tired of their seemingly endless jams and began yearning for more condensed songs. They wanted songs that they could easily remember and relate to.
Jerry Garcia died in 1995, and the Grateful Dead were on their way out. This unfortunate event paved the way for Phish, who had a great run with the hippies of our generation by writing catchier songs and revitalizing the scene altogether. The success of Phish was very important, because it showed the world that the hippie movement was NOT dead; it was still alive indeed and breathing very well.
Through this success, the term “jamband” was coined to describe the organic, free flowing kind of music that is very popular among hippies but which you’ll never hear on the radio (and definitely won’t see on MTV for that matter).
Since Phish has disbanded, where are the dreadlocked freaks supposed to turn now? Answer: The Disco Biscuits.
This quartet from Philadelphia dove into the hippie scene in their early years to get an idea of what good shows and intense crowd interaction were all about. However, they stayed far enough away from it to get a more objective outlook on what else was happening in the music industry. This is the genius of their success story.
For example, they have the over twenty minute long songs reminiscent of the Grateful Dead, but they also employ electronic beats and synthesizers from the techno/rave scene of more recent years. What you have with the Disco Biscuits is a perfect concoction of jamband music with modern raver music, which results in a deliciously tasty blend of tunes, kind of like a strawberry/banana smoothie.
The way they seamlessly combine these two genres of music reminds me of the way The Clash combined pop and punk in the seventies. It was two completely different cultures coming together to enjoy great music. The Disco Biscuits are Marc Brownstein (bass), Jon Gutwilig (guitar), Allen Aucoin (drums), and Aron Magner (keyboard, turntables). Vocal duties are shared by both Jon and Aron.
The Disco Biscuits get their name from the British street slang for Ecstasy (obviously a nod toward the raver culture). At first fans began calling them Disco for short, but many people confused that with 70s dance music. Consequently they decided to combine the two words together to come up with “Bisco.”
Whatever you call them, it is undeniable that these four guys have put the City of Brotherly Love on the map. With albums like “They Missed the Perfume” and “Senor Boombox,” they literally turned the music world upside-down.
I won’t say their music is flawless, however, as every band has its downfall. The downfall for Bisco is the lame, bland vocals of Jon Gutwilig. He honestly sounds more like a game show host than a rock singer.
When Aron Magner takes the mic, however, it’s a completely different story. He perfectly embodies the gritty, East Coast flavor in songs like “Floodlights”: “When you run for your life and you hide from the lights as they shine from the sky, with your life on the line and you think in your mind are you ready to die?” It’s not all about rainbows and flowers anymore kids.
Since Bisco taps into the counterculture so well, one of the best things about them is their fans. I have never come across a more dedicated fan base in my entire life. At a Disco Biscuits show in Cleveland, I met a diehard fan from Philly named Tony, who said, “The Beatles were good, the Rolling Stones were good, countless bands have been good, but Bisco is f**kin’ CRAZY!”
With an intense touring schedule this summer, they’re departing from their East Coast roots and expanding out because they want to be heard by everyone. They not only have a rocking sound, but, with their fusion of styles, they also have a message. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from or what ‘scene’ you’re a part of; good music is good music, and it should bring people together, not divide them.
If Timothy Leary were alive today, this would probably be his favorite band. It’s time to turn on, tune in, and indulge in the sound that is known as Bisco.