Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. That formula is the same for most songs on the radio, whether it is by the alternative-rock band Fall Out Boy or reigning pop princess Britney Spears. The repetition, the beat, the catchy lyrics, the repetition.
Michael vs. Finnigan, a Long Island progressive rock metal band, strays from that familiar structure by incorporating riffs, playing with tempos, and creating its own song format, without the unnecessary repetition.
Within the last decade, Long Island has become an epicenter for a burgeoning underground music scene. Fostering a range of music styles, it has provided the music industry with pop stars and rappers in the past and more recently with heavy metal, alternative, and indie bands. Those homegrown bands frequent venues like the Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale, the Wave in Patchogue, and Traxx in Ronkonkoma, just to be heard and gain a more far-reaching audience than family and friends.
Michael vs. Finnigan is one of the few bands on Long Island that is shattering the clich’eacute; image of garage bands. Brendan Houdek, the lead singer and lead guitarist, said he was always interested in entertaining. Not all musicians start out being cool, edgy, and hip. Some play the tuba and trombone in the school marching band, sing in the school plays, and even swing dance. These activities, while geeky to some, provided Houdek with the necessary background for entertaining in public, he said.
His diversified interests led to the band’s hybrid style. Unable to focus his interests, Houdek refused to have his band limited to a certain type of music.
“We didn’t start out planning to be a progressive band, but when we started writing the music, we would get bored with one theme after a few seconds and we needed to move on,” said Houdek. “Progressive is just the best genre that fits. We have no idea what we are.”
Progressive rock was started in the late 1960s and early 1970s as a way to give rock bands a form of credibility, giving the music a sense of depth rather than using the same chords in every song. Progressive rock bands pushed the boundaries of a typical rock song, incorporating elements of classical music and jazz, making the music more difficult to play and more interesting to the listener.
Michael vs. Finnigan, or MVF, takes that definition a few steps further by adding heavy metal, blues, and more recently, techno elements, giving MVF its distinctly unique sound.
Tapping his lime green sneaker against the ground to a beat only he can hear, Houdek said with a smirk, “I couldn’t stand these simple song structures you hear every day that were not hard to play.”
Instead, he said, his songs are strongly influenced by classical music, jumping among varying tempos and beats and merging highly-skilled, challenging parts while still maintaining a natural rhythm. Animated with over-the-top enthusiasm and passion, Houdek doesn’t have ADD, but admits his music does. It’s random and ping-pongs between genres, but it also has something that ADD patients often don’t: A clear sense of purpose, an intense determination.
“There are elements that will make you interested, impressed, surprised, scared,” said Houdek. “But it will make you move.”
John Curcio, the head booker at the Wave, sees MVF’s music style as a unique blend of two popular genres: progressive rock and progressive metal. Curcio added that bands like Yes, Metallica, and Dream Theater are all well-known progressive bands but none provides the merge of the separate ideas.
“For the vast majority, kids think they could get away with sounding just like the latest flavor on MTV,” said Curcio sounding annoyed and shaking his head. “I’m a big fan of prog bands on Long Island. I wish more bands would be more creative.”
MVF formed in May 2007 when Stony Brook freshman George Lewis decided to add his drum skills to Houdek’s vocal and guitar talents. “George keeps me focused,” said Houdek. “If it were up to me I’d start, like, 18 songs at a time. George makes me finish a song.”
In January 2008, bassist and fellow Stony Brook student, Kerri Wright, was added to the band, the only member of MVF to have taken lessons on her instrument. “Kerri is mellow, she balances the band out. She’s tame,” Houdek said. An obvious opposite to the singer, who is animated, waving his hands around, cracking his knuckles, and tapping his fingers on the table.
“We played a show in May 2008 at a Battle of the Bands at our high school and we won,” said Houdek with a wide smile. “Mario Burdo played with us and the chemistry was great. I always wanted him in the band. He was always my first choice, way before MVF was even formed.” Burdo officially joined the band in January 2009. “Mario’s got a natural musical ability,” Houdek said. Burdo smiled, looked down at his hands and mumbled a sheepish, “Thanks, Bren.”
Houdek is clearly the leader. The members exchange knowing glances between each other and look to him to speak for them, though Houdek is quick to defend the band as a democracy. “I don’t want to be the leader. We all have the same amount of input,” said Houdek. “We are a system of checks and balances. I write the main theme with an idea of what I want George, Kerri, and Mario to play, and they add to it and we work it out.”
Anthony Jones, 18, was a friend of the band members before he was a fan. “Even if I wasn’t friends with them, I would be listening non-stop to them every day,” Jones said. “They are so original. I’ve been to practices, I’ve seen them grow. There is nothing like them out there right now.”
Long Island has a garage band on every street and endless amounts of aspiring professionals on the music circuit, but stylistic originality and adventurousness helps set MVF apart.
“They have a unique sound, and continue to push the boundaries of their music skills,” said Ashir Amer, 18. “They’re a local band, so I feel a sense of attachment to them that I don’t get with any other bands.”
The band will be playing at the Crazy Donkey on Mar. 22 at a four-day music festival for unsigned bands.
“I’ll play for one kid,” Houdek said with an excited edge in his voice. “I’ll play for a million. I just like to play.” All four band members nodded in unison.
