Cavones Chaos
OverviewThe year is 1990, when most post-punk groups are dying down, but punk as a genre is still going strong. The music is wild and so is every single person who listens to it religiously. The teens of the time are still dirty, rowdy and reckless. They still have a strong feeling of oppression and an intense need to rebel against the “system, normalities, and adults” in general. Anarchy is nothing new, but it is still a strong focal point for the genre itself. The need for emotionally riveting music and non-conformist musicians that express the same sort of desires to rebel against society, are still as strong as it was in the late 70’s with bands like the Sex Pistols, the Clash, Dead Kennedys and the Misfits. There is a huge scene for hardcore punk rock in New York City and New Jersey with places for angst-y teenagers to flock to like CBGB(originally not a punk rock venue, but later opened it’s doors to the genre), The Stone Pony, ABC No Rio, and The Pipeline. Rebellious youths live for these types of shows where violence and riotous
behavior are a common occurrence and head banging and aggressive beats go hand-in-hand. The band that I have thrown into this mix, the Cavones, are a hardcore punk rock group from the Bronx, New York. They are a group of twenty-somethings who’s sound and behavior match: out of control. Their hostile guitar riffs and vigorous drumming accompanied by their violently aggressive vocals, make them a perfect fit for the punk rock scene of the era. An invigorating, re-beginning to the quieting scene at the time, the band has the perfect opportunity to become legendary. The chance to become the next big punk rock leaders of their time.
Background
The Cavones are a group of four youthful males full of energy and the undying urge to rebel against anything they feel undermines who they are as individuals. They grew up together in a small Italian neighborhood of the Bronx, New York. As children, they stuck together through everything. Parental divorce, abusive and alcoholic fathers, drugs, violence and being poor does not even begin to scratch the surface of what these boys went through as children. But together, they pulled through and managed to keep a little sanity. These situations may have been tough, but they proved to each other that no one would ever be left behind and because of this unity, they remain like brothers into the present day.
Brendan, the voice of the band and Matt, the bassist, are cousins. They grew up under the same roof with both of their mothers. Their fathers were only briefly in the picture during their childhood, but both abandoned their families later on. It is obvious that they are the closest in the group, ranging from sleeping in the same room to getting chased by authorities. Both are twenty-two years old and have been arrested multiple times since the age of thirteen for a variety of rebellious wrong doings. Their mothers tried their best, but were no force against the boys behavior, especially when they were together. Saving up to buy Matt a bass was the best decision his mother ever made. Although she wasn’t fond of the music he was creating, it was keeping him out of cuffs. The way they were raised, grouped with their idea that “authority” meant nothing, was the reason they found themselves turning to music. They used their teenage angst years and the memories of their father-less childhoods as inspiration to write songs geared towards teens struggling with the same problems, who also needed an outlet.
Around the corner from Matt and Brendan, Alex lived with his father who was always too drunk to take care of him and his younger sister Maria, whom he basically raised. His mother died when he was around 9 nine years old. Alex was the quietist of the group, mainly because he had to be at home, living in constant fear that he would set off his father’s short temper.
Although he was quiet, he was no angel. He had been in trouble more than once with the police in his neighborhood and much like Matt and Brendan, he hated authority and all that it stood for. He saved money from his part-time job to pay for his first drum set and played it whenever his father wasn’t around. He was a natural.
A bit further up the road, Joe lived with his mother and father who fought constantly. The environment he grew up in felt like World War III. There was not a moment of peace in between the arguments his parents had over everything. They blamed him for their marriage falling apart saying he was the reason they fought. This type of weight on a 10 year old only grew heavier over the years until he began to resent them and any other adult that crossed his path. He was know as the loud mouth of the group, very sarcastic and blunt with his words. He didn’t hold anything back and preferred yelling instead of talking. He picked up his first guitar at a yard sale and kept it at Matt and Brendan’s because he knew the idea of him bringing an instrument into
the house would only give his parents more reason to hate him. He played every second he could, before school, after school, when he ditched school. He became obsessed.
Being that the boys all had a tough up bringing and the mindset to match it, it wasn’t a far stretch when they decided to conjoin and form what they now call themselves, the Cavones. Matt and Brendan’s mothers had been calling them “cavones,” Italian slang for, “loud, obnoxious people,” since they were young. It started as a joke because when the boys all got together, they were exactly that, loud and obnoxious. The name stuck. All four of them idolized the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, and The Misfits, so the genre of music they would write for was an
obvious choice. Hardcore punk rock was what they were. They practiced in a friend’s garage for a month or two before they landed their first gig at a small bar downtown. They became regular performers there, and quickly grew a solid fan base. They were the definition of “thrash,” and their audiences loved every second of it. It was raw and it was rough, exactly where they came from.
Image
The group, even before they formed the Cavones, were very unclean, uncut, and rugged boys. They had long straggly hair that covered their eyes and they wore ripped pants, dark t-shirts and leather jackets. Playing off of their present images, I would attempt to make no drastic changes. It’s obvious that because of their rebelliousness, they wouldn’t listen to anyone who would attempt to change the way they look or sound. Their image is who they are and they are who they are because of their outlook and ideas of society. They have what one would call a “punk rock look.” The dark, but eccentric look is exactly what labels someone a “punk.” Any photo shoots the band partakes in would have to be set in a dirty or gloomy area, much like an alley way or under a bridge. Graffiti and obscene phrases on the walls are an absolute must. I would attempt to associate the two. You should not be able to think of the Cavones and not picture dark and dangerous areas. You would not be able to find a photo of the band with anything but these distinct characteristics.
Any poster or flyer for the band’s shows would display a slightly raunchy photo and/or a photo of the band itself. Words like filthy, dirty, grunge, punk, hostile, anarchy, chaotic,
phrases that shock or offend are perfect and are exactly what I will be attempting to keep the band’s image in line with the members and how they view themselves. Nothing will be held back in the attempt to show the world, and their loyal fans, that this band is not changing who they are or what their music sounds like for anybody. The worst thing a non-conformist band could do would be to conform their image or their sound, or even their personalities around what they media finds acceptable. Selling out could never be an option.
Crazy, outlandish, very public stunts will be next on the list. Bands that claim to be rebellious can not keep up this image if they truly aren’t. Being that the boys of the Cavones have a history of trouble making and are known for their crazy behavior, this part of my job should not be hard. Controlling their behavior, or attempting to would first of all, make no sense and second, be the complete opposite of what I would want to happen in this situation. A few public fights and drunken antics are normal for punk rock groups.
Appeal
The Cavones are a relatively young group, so naturally, they are going to relate to the issues and dilemmas of people their age. Youths ranging from 13-25 would be the ideal appeal of the group. These are the ages that most children begin to rebel and develop their own ideas of what is occurring around them in the world instead of taking their parents opinions as fact. This very delicate stage of growing up is filled with experiments. Testing the waters on new ideas of how to live, how to dress, and how to act are a very common occurrence. This is the age that the Cavones are experiencing as they play and create songs for their “peers” who are going through the same transition. Their music is geared towards the struggling teens. The teens who need an escape from their hellish realities. The teens that grip onto music to pull them through their rough times. The teens that are constantly fighting to get their heads above water. This is the generation that the Cavones appeal to most.
Being that the band’s background is a huge influence for the sound and lyrics of their music, teens will find this relatable. To finally realize that someone else out there feels exactly the way you do, or is struggling or has struggled the way you have is one of the most comforting feelings you can experience, especially through music. Music can do this for anyone, and it is a
beautiful device. The teens full of rage against their parents, society, or just about anything else, will instantly swarm to a band that has the same opinions and views on these topics.
To reach a group of teens like this, you have to show that the band is relatable. Interviews would range from how they got an idea for a song to how their childhood was
growing up. Not much should be secretive because the group that we are trying to appeal to is at the stage where they are realizing that they have been lied to, or they have been sheltered or abused. They need to hear the truth and they want to relate to it. They want to know that someone else has had it as hard as them and that they over came. They want to know that their ideas on topics can be justified. Holding back too much keeps a wall between the band and their audience. I would have interviews specifically targeted towards discussions of how the band views certain topics whether it be in the media or the news. I would help give them the opportunity to get closer with their fans with small venues or events. By doing these things, I feel as if I could help the band’s following grow and develop a strong tie between them and the angst-y teens that they appeal to most.
Media
Even though media and society are the “enemy” of this type of band, I would still play them to our advantage. I would start off small with fanzines, as we discussed in class, like Punk, to begin to spread the word about the band. Fan bases can be formed quickly with small
nonofficial publications like these. The idea that they are starting small and aren’t as well known as “mainstream bands,” or in the same publications as these bands, keeps up with their deviant image. A few “well placed” public brawls or outbreaks can spark interest for certain journalists. Quotes about how “unruly” the group is will never be a bad thing and can definitely be used to my advantage. The idea behind manipulating the media, in this situation, is to let the boys be exactly who they are because I want who they are to be shown through their music and through their imagery as a group. Although the media, at times, feels as if the press they are giving a band could be taken negatively, it is exactly the type of coverage that is perfect for the Cavones.
I wouldn’t attempt to hide what the band does in their daily lives. Sex, Drugs and Rock’n’ Roll go hand-in-hand and are also a counterpart of the groups‘ image. A few scandals wouldn’t hurt the band’s image, by any means, especially since I would have worked to build up
the rebellious image in the first place. The media is going to get exactly the truth. The Cavones are a bunch of rowdy, disruptive and out of control boys with the idea that society is out to suppress their ideas and visions of how the world should be.
Fortunately or unfortunately enough, around the time that this band is together, major riots are occurring over Rodney King in L.A. The Los Angeles Riots of 1992 are a huge event that can help show how the Cavones feel about certain topics. Being that these riots are taking place in California, a brilliant way to bridge the gap between the country, is to show that New York City is just as upset and bring the outrage on the topic over to the east coast. No riots would be planned, but an event would be. The Cavones would put together a gig urging teens and all their fans to fight against authority and the lenience of the justice system towards their own kind. This specific situation is a perfect example of what the Cavones are against. Government, sovereignty, and supremacy need to stop and the band would be viewed as the leaders of this cause. I would begin to contact bigger publications like the New York Times, Daily News and the New York Post to spread the word of this event. I would stress the fact that these riots that just occurred were huge and that they would be foolish to believe that the east coast isn’t just as upset as California. These journalists and media figures would want to cover something, especially an event that may or may not end in chaos, that touches on the topic of the L.A. Riots because they are so fresh in everyones minds. I would drop subtle hints with phone calls into radio stations, and cover the TriState area with flyers and posters with the specifics of the event and state that something needs to be done and a stand needs to be made against this type of inequality.
