The Disco Biscuits • December 7, 2000

The Disco Biscuits:
Not Your Father's Jam-Band

by Lisa Hummel

Some call it dance music. Some call it jam or techno. Their fans call it "bisco." The media has taken to calling it "trance-fusion." The Disco Biscuits, however, have no label with which to refer to their sound, although it may be a perfect mix of all of the above.

A jam-band, The Disco Biscuits — guitarist Jon Gutwillig, bassist Marc Brownstein, percussionist Sam Altman, and keyboardist Aron Magner — have crafted a sound that resonates like no other – a blend of rock, house, dub, and electronica that is as spellbinding to the ear as their live shows are to the eye.

And what is a "jam-band" exactly? While it’s a term that’s becoming more and more common, with acts like the Grateful Dead and Phish breaking into the mainstream, it is an adjective in search of a definition; more a feeling than a fact. At its simplest level, a jam-band is any band that improvises and extends their songs while playing live. Thus, it is not so much what the band is playing but how they play it. Unlike the jam-bands of the past, however, The Disco Biscuits have combined the best characteristics of a jam-band with the finest aspects of a rave — the thumping, jungle beats of a DJ. And it’s quite a difference.

For one thing, The Disco Biscuits have proven that ‘jamming’ can be done over any musical form — far different from the improvisational creations that flowed forth from the standard folk and rock of the past. These days, thanks to The Biscuits, the music is just as apt to be techno. Called the "forefathers of techno jam rock," by MTV Online, the band has created an entirely unique spin on the genre by establishing a convincingly techno sound in the place where a DJ and a turntable once stood.

Currently at the end of a cross-country club tour, The Disco Biscuits will be playing two dates at The Silo in Reading, December 27 and 28. And the Philly-based band is more than happy about the opportunity to play in front of an ardent hometown fan base. "We’re excited, we’ve heard good things about The Silo," said Gutwillig, "and we started at The Blue Terrapin, so basically it’s just a big thank you to the crowd."

Since their days as a band at the University of Pennsylvania some four-and-half years ago, The Disco Biscuits have been flanked by a faithful audience and most often perform in front of a crowd full of familiar faces, many of whom travel from show to show and who, according to Gutwillig, the band can call by name. So faithful is the crowd, in fact, that in the early days of the band, it was nothing for the fans to serve as merchandise salesmen and roadies — loading the band in and out of the shows. And while a lot has changed since then — and the band now has a crew — the fans’ loyalty to their band does not go unnoticed, because while it’s always about the music, to The Disco Biscuits, it’s also about the mood, the power of the moment. And the goal of The Disco Biscuits is to get their crowd moving. "Our music is very danceable, very sort of satir music mixed with dance music — that sort of defines our band — it’s something a little different than your standard rock beats."

Culling from a wide resource of influences, The Disco Biscuits’ sound is as much a response to modern music as it is to the forerunners of the jam-band scene. "It’s all of the musical styles popular in the ’90s mixed together with that traditional jazz attitude and a little bit of rave," said Benjy Eisen, jambands.com writer and friend and fan of the band. "It’s just as much Frank Zappa as it is Smashing Pumpkins."

And while their sound may be somewhat indescribable, the talent and innovative quality of the band is not. More than playing a continuous string of notes, The Biscuits are extremely gifted songwriters who make no apologies for straying from the often cookie-cutter formations of much of today’s popular music. In addition to everything else, Gutwillig admits that the band also draws, oddly enough, from the music of the 1800s, from the piano players whose improvisations and crescendos he and the band find "very artistic" and whose spirit they use to break the unwritten rule that modern music must be short, sweet, and hook-laden. "The radio itself has really transferred music so directly," said Gutwillig. "Do you think The Beatles always intended to write songs that were exactly 3 minutes? Probably not."

More than just extend their music past that ever-present three-minute mark, The Disco Biscuits have engineered the makings of a musical revolution. Called the "young, innovative leaders of the jam band renaissance," by Rolling Stone, The Biscuits and their new style of music have more than turned a few heads in the music industry. They are being heralded as the band who will someday be credited in the music annals for bringing a new style to the forefront — for bringing the space-age, hippie-psychedelic sounding grooves of whatever ‘trance-fusion’ is to the ears of the masses. For it is the trance element that sets them apart from everyone else.

"The key to a jam-band is trying to push the envelope of a musical style while crossbreeding other musical styles," said Eisen. "And with the addition of techno, The Disco Biscuits have definitely created their own sound."

And there is nothing but more of that same musical creativity in store for the band. For their third studio album, The Biscuits have fashioned a completely computerized product, an effort Gutwillig is extremely proud of. "It’s very cool, much more professional than the early stuff," he said. "We really sort of got into the groove. It’s was completely experimental — we got very lucky."

In a year that brought about a vast array of highs and lows — including the departure and subsequent return of bassist Brownstein — the prospect of 2001 has Gutwillig looking forward to the next 365 days. "It was a huge year of ups and downs," he said, "when the year’s done, I’ll be happy that 2000 is over and I’d like to just celebrate that." So, in celebration — and to refuel —the band is planning to take some well-deserved time off, during which Gutwillig will spend six weeks in Ecuador and maybe even take the opportunity to settle down and take a listen to who and what is topping the charts these days. "My life is a constant barrage of music," he said, "and I’m looking forward to the chance to just sit down and find new bands."

The New Year will also bring a new home for the band — in January, they are packing their bags and moving to the West Coast. For both personal and professional reasons, admits Gutwillig. "I need to live somewhere warm," he said. "My entire life I’ve been living through winters." And while the impending move to the West Coast and the duration of the next few years may see the band drift further and further away from, at the very least, their geographical roots, there is no doubt that the energy and dynamics of The Disco Biscuits sound will stay the same. After all, why change a good thing? In fact, Gutwillig has high expectations for the next few years, hoping that they bring him an even greater sense of accomplishment. "I’d like to see us with a body of work that I’m really proud of and I’d like to accomplish the little things that I set out to do."

But first, there is Reading and the two dates at the Silo, a string of performances that will act as a fine cap to the year 2000. And while The Disco Biscuits may have visions of a new album, time off, and a West Coast venture in mind, they are also ready to have a good time with the fans that know them best. "The community is very strong and the fans are all so jubilant," said Gutwillig. "It’s going to be one big, fat party."

Dance. Jam. Techno. Bisco. Trance-fusion. Call it what you will, but to The Disco Biscuits it’s just music — their music. And after one listen, the importance of a label quickly falls away. Which is something that suits Gutwillig just fine. "It’s great for me. All I do is just walk on stage and play guitar."