Frank Enea Band

Rock 'n' Roll Band Rooted in Westchester With Eyes on the World
BY SUSAN HODARA
Published: July 13, 2003
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MOUNT KISCO— IN a boxy white building at the bottom of a dead-end street, here between car dealerships and auto body shops, rock-and-roll dreams are being realized. It is here in his recording studio, Satellite Sound, that Frank Enea and his band, Frank Enea and Palace Laundry, spent the last two years creating their newly released CD, Makeshift Days.

And it is here that Mr. Enea and Daniel Reisman, the band's manager and owner of Vision X Records, continue their work to deliver their music to the world.

Mr. Enea describes his sound as ''classic postmodern rock,'' combining influences from the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, ''my Bach and Beethoven,'' he said, with Radiohead and Coldplay. The CD, a Satellite Music/Vision X Records production, contains 12 tracks, with Mr. Enea on guitar and vocals. A segment of the final track, ''Holding Back,'' was used on the NBC television show ''Ed'' last November.

Palace Laundry, which takes its name from a T-shirt worn by Mr. Jagger in an obscure Stones film, includes Alex Morell on bass and Paul Enea, Mr. Enea's brother, on drums. A second guitarist, Chris Stoddard, joins the band for live performances, and a keyboardist, Peter Nebauer, accompanies the group on studio recordings. Paul Enea, who is a graphic artist at a design firm in White Plains, created the band's promotional materials and all of the artwork for the CD.

The band's roots lie in Westchester. The Enea brothers were raised in White Plains, where both continue to live, and where Frank Enea was given his first guitar at age 5. He studied classical music and performed in bands throughout high school and college. ''I've played just about every day,'' he said.

Mr. Morell emigrated from Spain shortly before he auditioned for the band when it was being formed three years ago, and has since been ''like another brother,'' Mr. Enea said. Mr. Morell has been a long-term houseguest with Mr. Enea, his wife, Lisa Marie Enea, and their 18-month-old son, Liam Jagger Enea.

Mr. Enea appreciates being in Westchester where, he said, ''Rent is cheaper, parking is easier, and I can make all the noise I want.'' He enjoys his daily commute along the tree-lined Sawmill River Parkway. ''I'm glad I'm driving north in the morning,'' he said.

The release of ''Makeshift Days'' represents the manifestation of Satellite Sound's original intent, when Mr. Enea moved his studio to Mount Kisco from his parents' garage in 1997.

''I built the studio as a place to make my music,'' he said, ''where I would be the No. 1 client.''

The space includes two recording studios and another rehearsal room, which Mr. Enea rents to musicians and producers when he's not using them. He also offers lessons in guitar, piano, bass and drums, and classes in studio recording and songwriting.

But Mr. Enea's focus remains his music: ''I may spend 20 percent of my energy pushing the studio,'' he said, ''but I spend 110 percent of my energy on the band.''

Mr. Enea said that although several labels expressed interest in Palace Laundry while the band was making Makeshift Days, he eventually opted to produce the CD independently. ''I established a team to record, produce and release itm,'' he said, ''using my own network of contacts and financial backers.''

His goal is to use the CD and club dates to develop a following before trying to sign up with a major label that has good production, distribution and tour support.

Where do Mr. Enea and Mr. Reisman, who are both in their 30's, ultimately want to take the band? ''Madison Square Garden!'' they exclaimed in unison.

''That's when we know we've hit it,'' Mr. Reisman said, then added, gesturing to Mr. Enea, ''I want to see him smiling, getting credit for his artistry. And I want his son to see him, too, to be proud of him and know his father plays a mean guitar.''

Information: frankenea.com or call (914)666-4517.

Photo: Frank Enea, right, rehearses with other band members, Chris Stoddard, left, Paul Enea and Alex Morell. (Susan Stava for The New York Times)
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