Native June

Native June Hurts So Good

Native June, a local LA band, took the stage at The Good Hurt in West LA last Thursday. The crowd of ravenous rockers and naughty nurse bar tenders cut a rug to these high energy grit rockers. With an acoustic opening of their song “Summertime,” followed by the rocking “Should Of Saw It Coming,” and “Saturday Night” These men know how to put on a great live show! Their feet never seemed to touch the stage as they nearly rocked the venue to the ground. Crooning the microphone and making melodic magic, Native June is a cross between Modest Mouse, The Clash and Bloc Party. This band-is sure to make even the biggest wallflower get on the floor to dance.
Formed in 2005, Native June hails talent from around the globe, Gabe Watson, front man and guitarist from Indiana, Tristan Hendy, rocking the bass from Britain, Martial Chaput, as lead guitar from France, and Jake DeSouza, pounding the drums, was born and raised in California. The Band was formed in the heart of Hollywood in 2005 and continues to play gigs near and far. Featured at this year’s SXSW and gearing up for a tour through the North East at the end of the summer; they are never at rest. “Ocean to Sunset” is Native June’s second studio album produced by Tony Maserati. It will be released this fall. This band was newly signed in late 2010 to Planet LA Records. These infectious guys have nowhere to go but up. - The Los Angeles Music Magazine | Catherine Roscart

Planet LA Records is pleased to announce GRAMMY-Award winning sound engineer/producer Tony Maserati as the executive producer for the upcoming release for label band, Native June. The EP “Ocean to Sunset” is scheduled for release in Spring 2011.

Tony Maserati is a two-time GRAMMY Award winner for his work with Beyonce Knowles and Sergio Mendes. His clients have included The Black-Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Keri Hilson and Jason Mraz. He also has a branded line of audio plug-ins with Waves software. Originally from the New York area, Maserati recently relocated to Los Angeles in 2010 to charter new musical territory beyond his usual roster of leading pop, hip hop and R&B artists. Emerging rock band Native June is the first artist he will produce in Los Angeles as he seeks to define a new and distinct genre with his signature touch.

Native June blends Midwest nostalgia featuring Gabe Watson on vocals along with the sonic swagger of British and French members Tristan Hendy and Martial Chaput. Gorilla Acoustic heralds that “Native June’s upbeat tempos, moving baselines and distinctive leads are hard not to like.” The band has been a headliner along the Sunset Strip including The Troubadour, House of Blues Los Angeles, Whisky A Go-Go, and will kick off the emerging artists series at the new Hard Rock Café on Hollywood Boulevard on December 16, 2010, and launch a tour next spring en route to SXSW 2011 in Austin, TX to support the release of the EP.

Planet LA Records and its publishing affiliate Planet LA Music provide full-service music promotion and represent artists including local bands Djinn, Evolove, Native June and When Planets Align, British band The Tonepoets and Indian icon Bappi Lahiri. Planet LA also has partnerships with MusicBox publishing library and the charity Not For Sale campaign.

For more information on Tony Maserati: www.tonymaserati.com

For more information on Native June: www.sonicbids.com/nativejune.com - Mickey's Zoo

It’s a little more than 2,100 miles from a rustic house on the side of a hill in Sandusky to the famed Viper Room in Los Angeles but for Greensburg native Gabe Watson it seems he has gone much farther.

“I’ve been playing in rock bands since I was 13, and this feels like I’m finally getting recognized for something I love,” Watson remarked from his apartment in LA.

Most kids in Decatur County who hit high school around the mid-1990s can probably recall Watson’s teenage band, Good Fryday. After graduating from North Decatur High School in 1996, moving to Bloomington and graduating from Indiana University in 2003, Watson left his former band behind to pursue his musical aspirations in the City of Angels.

Finally, his new incarnation, Native June, is making waves in the clubs of Hollywood and the surrounding area.

Native June, an alternative rock concoction that tosses in a twist of punk and a dash of folk, will make their TV debut on Saturday during USA’s “Before and After’noon Movie.” During the commercial breaks, the show gives individuals and groups makeovers. Native June will have their image revamped during breaks between this week’s feature, “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.”

Watson, who plays guitar and provides lead vocals, and his band mates; Mike Vannuci, guitar and backing vocals, Jeff Streitel, drums, and Tristan Hendy, bass, got their hair cut, their clothes re-styled and their image tweaked. The whole thing seemed surreal to Watson.

“We’re not the makeover kind of people, but it was pretty funny,” Watson said. “They had us meet with a life coach who tries to get us motivated.”

The best part was the opportunity at the end of the taping to play a song for three industry executives.

“It was cool. We got to rock out a little,” he said.

While Watson and his buds are set to show their stuff on national television, he said the big deal was their chance to perform on the stage of the Viper Room the following Saturday, March 18. Once owned by actor Johnny Depp, the Viper Room’s stage has held the likes of Johnny Cash and Stone Temple Pilots. It is also the place where actor River Phoenix drew his last breaths before overdosing Halloween night, 1993. Numerous bands get discovered there, so Watson feels it is a big event.

“I’m so stoked about playing the Viper Room,” he said.

Watson said when he first moved out to LA about a year and a half ago, he was working as an executive assistant for a Greek director. Everyday to and from work, he would walk past the Viper Room as tourists snapped pictures of the building’s facade and Phoenix fans left flowers and trinkets on the sidewalk.

“Eventually, like any town, it just became part of the scenery,” he said.

This is not the first big club Watson and his respective bands have played. Native June has performed at the Whiskey A Go-Go, the hard rock club that helped bands like the Doors and Guns ‘n Roses rise above the smoky haze of the LA rock scene.

Watson said he first played the Whiskey about four years ago with Good Fryday. They stuffed seven people and their equipment into van and plowed across the country from Greensburg to LA in the midst of heavy snowstorms. When they arrived, they found out they were on the bill with Nancy Sinatra and Animals front man, Eric Burden. According to Watson, the band was set to take the stage at 10 p.m. but Sinatra refused to perform late in the evening, so Good Fryday was bumped to the end of the show.

A few years later, Watson returned to the “Whiskey” stage with a new lineup, a new band name and a fresh sound. Over the course of the last year, Native June has made some waves playing at other venues, such as The Joint. Watson credits some of the success to the band’s tireless self-marketing.

“We were in Hollywood the night of the Grammys, and we were going bar to bar and club to club putting (band) stickers everywhere,” he said.

Watson talked about the scene and the way music has changed. The Internet has made access to music easier and cheaper. Watson sees both the good and bad sides of mp3’s and downloading.

“It’s not so much about the music anymore, but being in the right place at the right time,” Watson said. “It’s a lot harder for a band to skyrocket these days, but there is definitely more opportunity for bands to survive.”

Still, Watson feels the music is the main focus, which is why Native June has been hitting the studio to produce an album.

“We’ve spit out a few demos, but ideally we want to put out this album,” Watson said. “We hope to have it finished by June.”

Even though he has gone a long way from that house in Sandusky where he played with his old band mates, he feels there is still along way to go.

By Adam Huening - Greensburg Daily News

Grit Pop Rockers and music mongers Native June will open for English rock band Spacehog on July 20th at the Key Club in Hollywood. This show is the precursor for their upcoming album “From Ocean to Sunset”.

Native June is comprised of musical powerhouses Gabe Watson on guitar and lead vocals, Tristian Hendy on bass and keys, Martial Chaput on guitar, and Scott Eley on drums. With the hot coals of passion burning these musicians a fire, no wonder why so many fans love them. Native June won the Battle of the Bands competition on the Santa Monica Pier in the Summer of 2009. Gorillacoustic called them “a band to watch out for”.

Native June will perform a slew of songs from their “Whisky & Walnuts” album released in 2008 as well as new songs from the “From Ocean to Sunset” album, which is set to be released later this year. Also performing on the 20th is New York based blues rock group the Auctioneers.

The Key Club is located at 9039 West Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood.

18 & over are welcome and cover is $15.

You can get more information about Native June at their MySpace page www.myspace.com/NativeJune, also view the music video for “Daisy” on YouTube. You can also buy the EP “Whisky & Walnuts” and their single “Daisy” from iTunes.

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About Native June - Music is said to be the universal language. Vintage keys, jagged hooks, infectious melodies and cheap mandolins all combine to give you a sound that is truly vintage and fresh all at the same time. Native June plays by their own rules and takes no prisoners. Their songs are well crafted and sung with heart. - New Music Weekly

“If you have ever wanted to knock out the high school bully on graduation day, then make out with his girlfriend at the podium, Native June is the soundtrack to your life”.

That quote from Native June’s MySpace page sums up my feelings better than anything I could ever come up with.

Listening to their first full length release “Whisky & Walnuts” it’s easy to see why Native June has become an LA favorite, having by now played every major venue on the Strip at least twice. Heavily influenced by bands like Kings of Leon, The Stokes, Sublime and the Killers, Native June’s upbeat tempos, moving baselines and distinctive leads are hard not to like. And after listening to tracks from their upcoming album “Ocean to Sunset” (which includes a rocking version of “Summertown”), it’s easy to imagine them reaching the same heights as those very influences.

Native June is definitely a band to watch out for.

Here’s what singer Gabe Watson had to say about the band, puppets, and polar bear wrestling:

GORILLACOUSTIC: What should the world know about Native June?

GABE WATSON: Native June is a Grit Rock band based out of Los Angeles, CA. The band formed in June of 2005 and released their first full-length album, "Whiskey and Walnuts" in 2007. We have just finished tracking our second album, "Ocean to Sunset," which is set to be released in late Spring 2010. The current lineup of the band includes original members, Gabriel Watson (vocals/guitar) and Tristan Hendy (bass guitar/keys). The band has recently added Martial Chaput (guitar) and Scott Eley (drums) to the lineup.

GA: Native June has played just about every major club in LA. What's been your favorite place to play?

GW: We have played at all of the popular venues around LA and surrounding cities including The Troubadour, The Roxy, House of Blues, and Whiskey A Go Go, to name a few. NJ has also played at some of the more local, seedy venues around town as well. But bottom line, Native June loves to play music as much as possible, anywhere! Our favorite place to play is the Viper Room on the Sunset Strip. The room is small and intimate; the sound is amazing, and the history of the venue brings out the goosebumps!

GA: Any particular reason you chose to play on the pier?

GW: Native June competed in a Battle of the Bands on the pier during the Winter/Spring of 2009. We've spent a lot of time out there performing and promoting the shows. We actually wrote the song, "Summertown," through those months of competing and performed the song there for the first time during the final round of the competition. We won the Battle of the Bands contest, and it was one of the best nights of 2009. It was great perform the song acoustically on pier, since it was in fact where the song was born.

GA: If you could choose anywhere else in the world to play, where would it be?

GW: Ideally, we want to travel abroad and present Native June's, grit rock sound, to the rest of the world. Our first choice would be to perform for the troops stationed around the world, especially the men and women serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. Our band also has an international background: Martial Chaput, our new guitarist, moved here from France in September 2009; and our bassist, Tristan Hendy, is dual citizen of the United States and Great Britain, where most of his family resides today. We're currently planning a European tour for the Summer of 2010.

GA: You feature an elephant on both your album and logo. Any particular story behind that?

GW: We started using the elephant a couple of years ago when we were promoting our song, "Circus," and doing a carnival-esque theme at our shows. Jeff Streitel, who co-founded the band and played drums on both of our albums, designed the logo. We sat down with him to design something that encompasses the direction of a Carnival Rock band who's going to make it big. We decided to choose the biggest animal, the Elephant, and giving it a Gibson Flying-V guitar to wave in the air was the rock cherry on top! However, we're still looking for a name for the elephant... does anyone have suggestions? We would also like to send a shout out to Jeff who left the band in July 2010 to pursue grad school at the University of North Carolina. We still consider him a part of the NJ family.

GA: Your new video for "Daisy" brings the puppet love. We're big fans of puppets.... especially the Muppets. Who's you favorite Muppet?

GW: It's very strange you ask this question because I was having a conversation with someone on how much the Muppets have influenced my early up-bringing. The Muppet Show was the first TV program that I can remember watching as a very young child, and Kermit the From is my hero! My screensaver is actually a picture of Kermit, sitting on a
log and playing his backwoods banjo. I believe it's the opening scene of the “The Muppet Movie”, in which he performs, "Rainbow Connection." As a matter of fact, that is actually a Native June cover song, maybe we'll break that one out at the next show, hmm...?

GA: In honor of the Winter Olympics... which event do you think your music would be the best soundtrack for?

GW: I would say, Polar Bear Wrestling!

Now that I would like to see!

Purchase Native June’s latest album “Whisky & Walnuts” now on Amazon, iTunes or CDBaby.

STANDOUT TRACKS: “Shambles”, “Circus”
- Gorilla Acoustic