Woodward

Current magazine
www.ecurrent.com


Woodward plays sharp power pop, like a less adenoidal Weezer. While all of their promotional material emphasizes that they’re a “feel-good” band, who does not, in fact, enjoy feeling good? Hitler, that’s who. Woodward’s best material is simple, hooky tracks about lost love, with sharp harmonies and an excellent sense of balance between piano lines and “oozinaahs.”
- Current Magazine

Woodward – But Your Kids Are Gonna Love It
2007 – Woodward the Band Publishing

If there were ever a band destined for super-stardom, it's Detroit, Michigan based Woodward. I'm not talking about MTV and top-40. I'm talking about selling out Wembley Stadium or Yankee Stadium or even Maracana stadium; several nights in a row. I don't mean to be overly effusive with my praise for Woodward, but if ever there were a perfect package in the rock world it might be called But Your Kids Are Gonna Love It. Drawing on sonic influences that transcend the 1970s and 1980s FM Rock genre, Woodward has built a modern sound that is equally welcoming to young rock fans and their parents (perhaps even young grandparents).

This is a quintessential rock and roll album. Starting out with "All Over (Washed Out)", Woodward leads off sounding like Billy Joel singing with the Ramones. The fun isn't over there. "Find The Words" sounds like it might have been lifted from an early Queen album. I actually found myself returning to the Queen reference several times throughout the album. What makes this album such a treat is that even when Woodward sounds like someone else, they are distinctively themselves.

"Find The Words" is easily my favorite track here, but there isn't a weak track here. "Did I?", "Take It Back", "Days You Come From" and "Far From Home" are all outstanding. This CD actually got loaded to my iPod and has been on near-continuous play at work for the last three days. It's that good.

Woodward delivers a set of hook-heavy modern retro-rock songs that are a sonic pleasure. The songwriting is top-notch, the vocals are perfectly fit to the songs, and the harmonies stand up with the likes of Queen or Styx. Add to all of this Woodward's reputation for electrifying live shows and you know that these guys are going somewhere. Don't be surprised if a few years from now theirs is the concert ticket you can't buy anywhere but on eBay. But Your Kids Are Gonna Love It gets my highest rating, and then some.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out Of 5)



Direct link to the review: http://wildysworld.blogspot.com/2008/04/review-woodward-but-your-kids-are-gonna.html

- Wildy's World

"Let's just say that the fun factor of Woodward is straight through the roof."

"Woodward had the energy level, fun stage presence and hip-ass pop bounce that really made a connection with me. Thanks, brothers!"

"Woodward knocked us out."
- Seán Harris

"Take It Back" and "Rest Your Head" named "Top Local Rock Tracks of 2007" ~ The Basement, 89 FM The Impact, E. Lansing, MI

“The Detroit quartet is cheerful and vibrant on their Realized Entertainment debut record ...But Your Kids Are Gonna Love It.

Creating pleasant harmonies and catchy pop influenced rock, Woodward
is using their 90s alt-rock influences to meld something unpretentious and far
from somber. On tracks such as the jangly "Did I?" and the All American Rejects leaning mid-tempo catchy tune "Rest Your Head," Woodward excels at their mixture of harmonies and intertwining sound.

Guitarist J.P. Zammit and bassist Dan Karmel share the highly melodic vocals in the band, while organ and synth man Steve Hull creates a head bobbing
moment with the track "Take It Back," and the late album cut "Get By," in which the synth strokes give the album some of its most appealing moments.”
~ Detroitbuzz.com

“Woodward’s freshman album … But Your Kids are Gonna Love It, is a testament to the distinctive character of this band and is sure to propel them into the ears of folks far and wide. One might hear the inherent commercial appeal that such a fun, tight and hook-driven band like this one has, as Woodward has carved out a sound all their own.”
~ Real Detroit Weekly
- Real Detroit Weekly, Detroit Buzz, and The Impact 89 FM E. Lansing

"It always feels good to support local musicians, especially when they blow up and you can brag to people that you were hip to them back in the day. This month, check out the latest release from local band Woodward, because its only a matter of time before they aren't so local anymore. Playing alongside musicians like The Verve Pipe's Brian Vander Ark, they are propelling themselves into many major venues. Check out woodwardtheband.com." - Ego Detroit Magazine

"Smart kids with homegrown talent, roll with this down-to-earth group as they take the local scene by storm." - Go & Do Michigan

Unlike the sometimes seedy stretch of the Detroit avenue the band is named after, Woodward is far more catchy and upbeat than the plight seen on Woodward Avenue every day.
Yeah, yeah, Woodward goes through Birmingham and Bloomfield too, but the real Woodward Avenue lies south of 8 Mile. The Detroit quartet is cheerful and vibrant on their Realized Entertainment debut record ...But Your Kids Are Gonna Love It.
Created in 2004, Woodward seems influenced by bands such as Weezer among others on their 12-song record. Creating pleasant harmonies and catchy pop influenced rock, Woodward is using their 90s alt-rock influences to meld something unpretentious and far from somber.
On tracks such as the jangly “Did I?” and the All American Rejects leaning mid-tempo catchy tune “Rest Your Head,” Woodward excels at their mixture of their harmonies and intertwining sound.
Guitarist J.P. Zammit and bassist Dan Karmel share the highly melodic vocals in the band, with organ and synth man Steve Hull creates a head bobbing moment with the track “Take It Back.” The band does channel Weezer on the late album cut “Get By,” in which the synth strokes give the album some of its most appealing moments.
...But Your Kids Are Gonna Love It was recorded, mixed and conceived here in Michigan; with mixing of the album from Jeff Robinson. Robinson has done records with Toad The Wet Sprocket and Static X. And if there wasn’t a more unusual pair to do records for, I don’t know what is.
The band will be touring throughout the summer and will be kicking off the album’s release on June 15th at the Magic Stick. Woodward will be playing with Band B and Mann & Quail for the release of ...But Your Kids Are Gonna Love It. The band will be touring throughout Michigan this summer, including gigs in Grand Rapids and Traverse City. They’ll be in Cleveland at Peabody’s as well later this summer.
So I won’t avoid a bad pun, but go and shoot down Woodward Avenue to check out Woodward in one of their biggest shows this summer. I assure you; the music will make it all worth it.
- DetroitBuzz.com

Woodward / (Demo)
www.woodwardtheband.com

Listening to this five-track demo put me in an absolutely spectacular mood. The tunes are so fucking fun, it kinda pissed me
off I was sitting in my crappy office with the air conditioner blowing, instead of cruising around with the tops down, volume
kicked up to ELEVEN!

J.P (vox and guitars) and Dan (bass and vox) have tremendous harmonizing abilities – the whole disk in fact sounds extremely
tight, professional. I sense a kinda Ramones-esque vibe to the overall tone… although extremely skilled; the band is
definitely in it for the fun. And isn’t that what life is all about kiddies?

Funny – when I first popped the CD in, the intro to the track “Enjoy Their Company” starts off with an overly dramatic, Rob
Thomas at his most depressing kinda sound, so I was like DAMN! Another CD to commit suicide to! But the kids pulled the
ole switcher-oo, and immediately transitioned into a buoyant, anthematic offering.

Each track is filled with attitude and a lurid swagger. I am anxious to catch Woodward live and see exactly how that bravado
plays out in person! And lastly, gotta give props to the name. Growing up about a block off Woodward (Royal Oak) I have
some fond memories of times spent causing a general ruckus on that trust Boulevard! -Kasha - Almost Famous Magazine

"The Giants of Detroit!"
-Adam Rey, 107.1 Ann Arbor - WQKL Ann Arbor

Woodward – Switch Hit Resistor/Footski/Love Heart
2009, Woodward

In April of last year we reviewed Woodward’s full-length debut, …But Your Kids Are Gonna Love It, with raving words and manic glee. The album came in at #3 on Wildy’s World’s Top 40 Albums for 2008. In May of 2009, the band will release three new singles through iTunes and other download services. Switch Hit Resistor, Footski and Love Heart represent a growth in sound and style for Woodward, beginning with the retro/modern classic rock sound Detroit’s Fab Four propagated on their debut, Woodward has taken a more linear, melodic approach to songwriting this time around. The result is consistent in style, but perhaps just a bit more refined than in the past. Where modal triad harmonies in the classic, arena rock style were the rule before, now they are a bit more complex and developed in conjunction with an expressive harmony line. It’s almost as if Woodward took their old sound and blended in just a touch of 1980’s New Wave aesthetic to find a sound that is viably modern while staying true enough to their roots to please long time fans.

Switch Hit Resistor is perhaps the closest to the old material, although the synth lends that New Wave feel to the song. Footski sounds a bit like Elvis Costello recording with Queen, and sounds like a potential summer hit. This is the sort of song you hear driving in your car and crank the volume up as loud as it will go. The pop sensibilities that Woodward showed on their debut have not deserted the lads. Love Heart is a bit more introspective that anything you might have heard from Woodward before; I wasn’t sure about this one on first listen, but as I’ve listened to it more and more I really like it. Love Heart is subtly and intelligently written and has a chorus that just won’t get out of your head.

So times are changing. Woodward shows distinct growth on their new singles without sacrificing the essential character or sound that has enchanted fans to date. If anything, the artistic and sonic growth is going to make Woodward a lot of new friends. Woodward stands for the type of Rock N Roll that has been missing from the popular scene since Grunge exploded out of Seattle almost twenty years ago. Bands like The Killers and The Fray have tried to resurrect melodic, retro/modern classic rock with varying degrees of success, but no one in the mainstream has done it as well or as emphatically as Woodward. Make sure you check out their new singles, Switch Hit Resistor, Footski and Love Heart when they become available later this month.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Woodward at http://www.woodwardtheband.com/ or http://www.myspace.com/. The singles Switch Hit Resistor, Footski and Love Heart will be available some time in May on iTunes and several other online vendors.
- Wildy's World

THE INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS
Nominee Spotlight- POP/ROCK SONG

VOTE NOW FOR WOODWARD IN THE 9th IMA VOX POP POLL.

BAND NAME: Woodward

WEB SITE: www.woodwardtheband.com

ARE YOU SIGNED OR SELF-RELEASED? Self-released

NAME OF LABEL: WTB

HOMEBASE/COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

ALBUM NOMINATED SONG IS ON: Switch Hit Resistor

ARTISTS ON THIS TRACK: John-Paul Zammit, David Tilove, Mark Zammit, Steven Hull

WHERE WAS SONG RECORDED? Fitter, Happier Studios: Trenton, Michigan

WHERE IS YOUR MUSIC AVAILABLE? iTunes, CD Baby, www.woodwardtheband.com, selected retailers.

WHICH GENRES BEST DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC? (New Vintage) Power-Pop/Rock

WHAT’S THIS SONG ABOUT? The Rock ‘N’ Roll lifestyle: the shows, the crowds, the people, and the ubiquitous human search for connection and camaraderie.

WHY DID YOU SELECT THIS TRACK TO SUBMIT TO THE IMAs? “Switch Hit Resistor” best describes Woodward’s overall sound and style.

WHAT UNUSUAL INSTRUMENTS OR TECHNIQUES DID YOU USE ON THIS ALBUM? We always have old-school electric piano and vintage synth tones in our music, which is unique to our sound and something we try to incorporate in all of our writing. One interesting thing that happened when recording this was that we unexpectedly changed which person was singing lead. We don’t have a one consistent lead singer, we pick a lead singer based upon who is best suited for that song. Having written the song, J.P. was originally going to take lead vocals on “Switch Hit Resistor,” but while in the studio, he had Mark go in and give it a run through. Mark didn’t know the lyrics and had never sung the song before, but on the first take he just destroyed it. It was incredible; his voice just fit so well and was perfect for this song. He even improvised a new climatic vocal at the end of the bridge that forced a reconstruction of the backing vocals for the song’s finale. Sometimes these things happen when you’re recording, and that day was serendipity.

DID FANS HELP FUND THIS PROJECT? Of course! Revenue from shows, sales, and events funded this record and all funds generated came from the fans who have purchased tickets, CDs and merchandise. Most everything WOODWARD is due to the support of fans!

WHO IS SITTING IN YOUR AUDIENCE? Our audience is a wide array of people that you normally wouldn’t expect to see at the same show. Also, the typical Woodward audience is usually pretty nice people, which we like. They dance in new and interesting ways.

WHAT MAKES YOUR FANS UNIQUE? Woodward fans are smart enough to get an obscure Beatles or Marty McFly reference, and hip enough to not appreciate getting rick-rolled.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO PLAY? The Berkley Front, The Magic Stick, The Knitting Factory and the men’s room at the Starbucks on 13 Mile.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BAND’S MOST MEMORABLE ACHIEVEMENT TO DATE? Definitely making the video for “Switch Hit Resistor.” We were fortunate enough to be able to work with Adam Sztykiel, who wrote The Rocker, Made of Honor and Due Date, as well as a great local cinematography group called Axis Media. Adam was an amazing director and we got a jaw dropping level of support from our fans – people came out of the woodwork to be extras or just help out. In fact, the local police stopped by the shoot to see what all the commotion was, and then ended up coming back later that night to be in the video. The number of stars that had to align for that video shoot to work was daunting, but somehow each and every piece fell in to place exactly when it needed to. It was truly an amazing blessing. The video will be released soon, and it’s something we’re very excited about.

WHAT’S IN THE WORKS FOR 2010? The release of the new video, working on more songs in the studio, 2010 tour and general Rock band-ery.

FINISH THIS SENTENCE: THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS… A lot like an airport. It’s huge, cleaner from the outside, easy to get lost in, and only certain people make their connecting flights. Oh, and you have to walk through a metal detector to get in to one. Look, the metaphor breaks down, but trust me, it’s like an airport.

WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF SUCCESS? Earning an honest living at a profession driven by passion and hard work.

WHAT’S ON YOUR IPOD THAT WOULD SURPRISE YOUR FANS? The Little Shop of Horrors soundtrack, Bela Fleck’s classical banjo album, about 20 hours of history and science podcasts, the original broadcasts of the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” radio show, Czechoslovakian Buegrass, Mitch Hedberg’s Greatest Hits, and a lot of Nerdcore.

NAME SOME ARTISTS YOU ARE CHAMPIONING: Natives of the New Dawn, Rocky Loves Emily, Phredley, The Resistors and The Muggs.

- Independent Music Awards

World Music & Independent Film Festival 2010 Nominee! - WMIFF

Interview with Woodward
by mariafferrnanda
Posted March 17th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
With a powerful mix of vintage guitar tones, hook-heavy synth lines, and creative four-part harmonies comes ‘Woodward’. An alternative band from Detroit. Formed by: J.P. Zammit - Guitar/Vox. Dave Tilove – Drums/Vox. Mark Zammit - Bass/Vox. Steve Hull - Keys/Vox

How long have you guys known each other?
Dave: Well, Mark and JP are brothers, so they grew up together. The band met about 4 years ago, when JP was looking for drummers and found me, and then I met Steve through some mutual friends.

Why “Woodward”?
JP: We needed a band name and, sort of off the cuff, decided to name ourselves after the thoroughfare Woodward Avenue. It connects the Northern suburbs to the heart of downtown Detroit, and we tend to think of our sound as one that many different types of music lovers can enjoy, bridging the vintage and modern and the young and the old.

How would you describe your sound?
Band: “New Vintage Power-Pop”: We are very passionate about developing a unique sound, and our influences span many genres and many decades. We write hook-driven, pop influence songs with both vintage and modern tones, and a focus on vocal melody.

How far would you like to take the band?
Band: Well, I’ve heard that Fiji is nice this time of year, but unfortunately our band melts on contact with water so even driving over bridges is difficult for us. What kind of question is this? We’d like to take the band all the way, of course….we’re in it to win it, as they say.



What other music styles do you enjoy?
Dave: Nerd-Core! Love it. I also like old school soul like Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles, and pretty much all blues.

Mark: I dig me some good hard rock and blues .

JP: I have always liked old school punk rock, and orchestral musical scores, I also have a soft spot for barbershop quartets.

Steve: Classic and modern rock, with aspects of the Psychedelic

Of the ones you’ve written, what’s your favorite song?
JP: It is hard to narrow down one favorite song. “Switch Hit Resistor” is currently treating us well, and we all feel we captured something special with this one

Have any pet peeves?
Steve: Yes. When I am on the phone with someone, and they start having different conversation with someone else in the room

Jp & Mark: People who take themselves too seriously!

Dave: I hate when people say either “Irregardless” or “A Whole Nother”. Neither of those phrases are words, people!

As a band, what would you say is your biggest goal?
To create music that people enjoy.

What’s on your iPod?
JP: I just finished listening to “Another Nail For My Heart” by Squeeze, “You Won’t See Me” by The Beatles, and “The Little Shop of Horrors” movie sound track

Dave: Jonathan Coulton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Reign of Kindo, Motion City Soundtrack, and about 1000 podcasts

Mark: Rose Hill Drive, John Mayer, Muse, and lots of 70's and 80's classic rock

Steve: Right now my ipod is playing Sufjan Stevens and The Rocket Summer

Besides music, what are your hobbies?
Well both Dave and Steve enjoy the art of cooking, and both have proven themselves on multiple occasions with some delectable dishes prepared for the band. Dave and JP tend toward nerd life with Dave into gaming and JP into Science and Astronomy. Mark is the band’s athlete and enjoys playing soccer as often as he can.



What’s your favorite song to play live?
Band: As a band, we work hard at perfecting our live show. To us, the entire set is important as well as the lead-ins and transitions between songs. We want to make sure that the fans that see us live get something extra and special, like an invitation to join us on stage for an improvisational cow-bell jam.

Reality TV or Movies?
Movies 100% sans any exceptions.

Tell a fun fact about the band!
We have a purple stuffed triceratops named Cera that has come on every tour with us since the band started. She currently resides on the left captain seat of our band van.

If you could choose one specific country to tour, what would it be?
England! Good people, good beer, and it’s the home of the majority of our influences, whether directly or indirectly.

You can check out Woodward’s music on MySpace!
- mytvisbroken.com

Well, it's hard to believe it's the last day of the festival. What an amazing time it's been for everyone. We've enjoyed fantastic films, making new friends and lots of delicious food from our sponsors during the daily happy hour at the filmmaker lounge. Not only did we screen almost 100 films this week, but we made 8 short films as well! Tonight is time for even more fun and new memories at the CLOSING NIGHT AWARDS PARTY! Here we'll honor movies screened at the festival and you'll get to see the movies that were made during the festival! Come celebrate another successful year with us at Level Three at Hollywood & Highland. In the meantime, be sure to check out our last day of amazing movies from emerging filmmakers. - Dances With Films

Switch Hit Resistor
Adam Sztykiel
TRT: 6:00
USA

For Nick (18), a typical, lonely Saturday at home turns into the greatest party in history (literally, when time traveling historical figures show up), when Detroit rock band WOODWARD unexpectedly shows up to play a show in his backyard.
- Ohio Independent Film Festival

And the 2010 award goes to...
All submission winners must score a required % to be listed for awards!

Music Videos

Open (other) category
1 "Scarborough Fair" (US)
2 "il Silenzio del Mare" - Giacomo Sacchi (United Kingdom)

Alternative category
1 "Crazy" - Bitter Sober (US)
2 Love Me or Die (US)

Indie category
1 "Let me in" (US)
2 "Jackhammer" (US)

Rap category
1 "They Can't Deport us All!" - (US)

Pop category
1 "Switch Hit Resistor" - Woodward (US)
2 "Should You Get Mad" - Lili Roquelin (US)

Rock category
1 "Kill For You" - (US) Poster
2 "Come Over After" - Dagnese (US)

- The Indie Gathering

Poptarts: Woodward
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Published by madi on February 13, 2010 in Artist Feature Tags: Woodward, Switch Hit Resistor, Pop
Woodward is more than just a band of talented vocalists and songwriters with insanely catchy synth hooks. The band, and the name, can be looked at as a sort of metaphor. Woodward Ave. (the band’s namesake) connects the Northern suburbs of their home-state Michigan to Detroit, essentially bridging two different worlds together. Woodward the band accomplishes something very similar using vintage sounds effortlessly combined with modern sounding pop/rock synth hooks. The resulting vibe is one that, at once, reminisces about the past while looking toward the future. From their four-part vocal harmonies to their old-school electric piano, there’s no doubt this band is heavily influenced by classic sounds.

One of the first things you will notice about Woodward, both through their music and their online presence, is that they are full of energy and don’t take themselves all too seriously. With so many emo, whiney, pop/rock bands out there nowadays, it’s refreshing to see (and hear) a band that is genuinely excited about life and their music. The word on the street is they put on a pretty energetic and entertaining live show, and their infectiously fun music video for the song “Switch Hit Resistor” backs this up. According to the band, the song is about “The Rock ‘N’ Roll lifestyle: the shows, the crowds, the people and the ubiquitous human search for connection and camaraderie.” (Check out their Independent Music Awards Nominee Spotlight interview here) Their EPK video is a great explanation of what they’re all about: creating great pop hooks and having fun.
For those of you new Woodward fans, check out their newest release the Switch Hit Resistor EP. It features their song “Switch Hit Resistor” which was both nominated for an Independent Music Award and a first place winner in the Great Lakes Songwriting Contest. It’s the type of song that is still stuck in your head even after a day of listening to other songs. Their song “Footski”— also featured on the EP — begins with a “Bohemian Rhapsody”-esque piano part then breaks into a combination of upbeat vocals and reggae/ska guitar. By the end, the song is a full-fledged rock song complete with four-part harmonies and Wurlitzer keyboards. The last song on the EP, “Love Heart,” has a sound reminiscent of the late ’90s and early ’00s pop. Check out all of their music on OurStage and their video for “Switch Hit resistor”
- Ourstage.com