Two Bit Charlie

http://nashville.thedelimagazine.com/12211/deli-best-nashville-2012-submission-results - The Deli Magazine

Two Bit Charlie are an enigmatic Blues/Rock 2 piece, based in Nashville, TN. They are Andrea Iacopini, guitar/vocals and Scott Soifer, drums. Andrea originally hails from Porto San Giorgio, Italy and Scott from Dayton, Ohio. Their separate journeys took them to Tennessee, where their paths would soon meet and Two Bit Charlie would be born. Scott and Andrea's vast differences in background and influence noticeably shape their sound, exacting a gritty conglomeration of genres, with throbbing verses and explosive choruses, setting the primary focus of this new duo to the dialogue of dynamics. Already they have completed a self-titled EP, which was recorded in Andrea's living room and mixed by him. The final master by Ryan Kleeman. - Floone Magazine UK

Two Bit Charlie EP All By Yourself featured as Daily Bandcamp Album - The Soda Shop

Nashville blues rockers Two Bit Charlie cite the dialogue of dynamics as their primary focus. Vocalist Andrea Iacopini’s guitar licks are having a conversation, sometimes a heated argument with Scott Soifer’s drum tracks. Iacopini and Soifer are all by themselves, pontificating from the rock pedestal together as a dynamic duo, minus the superhero capes. They’re not all by themselves in the Green Day hidden track, immature way, but in the us-against-the-world, less is more way. All I can think about is how wide awake I’ll be for this set, without needing any red bull and vodka as a kickstarter.
- No Country For New Nashville

Pop Vulture: What kind of music was played in your house when you were growing up? What influence did it have on what you play today? Andrea: I grew up with a different variety of music around me. I started playing violin at the age of 6, so my background was classical music. My dad is a huge Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young fan so I got into them at the early age. My uncle was more of a ‘70s rock fan so I started listening to Led Zeppelin, The Doors, CCR, The Who, The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles. I think what I play today is a well shaken mix of all the music I’ve been listening to my whole life. Blues was and is a big influence in what I play as well. I got into the Blues, mainly Delta Blues, later on in my life. Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters, Son House, Lightning Hopkins, Little Walter are some of the artists I admire and listen to on a daily basis. Listening to those vinyls is like going back in time. Scott: Ironically enough, there wasn't too much music in the house when I was growing up. However, my mother played music in the car and turned me on to Earth Wind and Fire, James Brown, Steely Dan, as well as a lot of Motown. So inadvertently, the Funk Brothers had a huge influence on me before I even knew they existed. I remember the day vividly that my father played me a Jimi Hendrix tape in '87. That blew my 8 year old brain away. I spent many years studying the Police Album "Zenyatta Mondatta." I feel that the combination of James Browns' insanely tight grooves, primal feel and arrangements combined with my teachers pushing jazz and world music on me was where I started the molding of my personality on my instrument. Whether I liked it or not, I was studying the phrasing, approach, the dynamic arrangements, musicality that these artists obtained, and internalizing as much as I could!

Pop Vulture: What was it like the first time you played on stage? Do you still feel the same way? Andrea: Since I’ve started playing violin at an early age, doing recitals and concerts all the time, I’ve never really had stage fright. I still feel the same way somehow, like the stage is the place where I belong and where I can be myself, truly and deeply. I’ve always felt safe up there. Scott: I probably didn't conquer stage fright until I started playing in jazz ensembles in college. The difference now is that nervousness turned into a type of excitement that I simply can't live without. If weeks go by and I don't get to perform, I feel all out of sorts!

Pop Vulture: What are some of your proudest moments in music so far? Well so far we had a lot of great shows, our songs are getting played in radio station in Nashville (The Local Buzz) and in UK (The Alternative NMFM 106.6). We’ve been getting a lot of press attention and reviews in the UK and we’re really looking forward to the release of this EP.

Pop Vulture: What cool stuff is on the horizon for you? After we release this EP we’re planning on going on tour and play as many shows as we can, promoting the EP and our music. We’re also going to start working with a producer on our second EP, which it’s almost complete. It’s really exciting and we can’t wait to share it with the world.
- Pop Vulture Magazine