SPOTLIGHT:

TREAD - Cracks in the Pavement

By Randy Chandler

Tread

The geographical area of any local music scene can be a volatile

entity. Trends change, bandwagons are jumped upon, and occasionally,

innovative artists emerge - even if that innovation is a negative reaction

to the artist's surroundings.

While the Tri-Cities have given birth to many exceptional Original bands,

artists, and songwriters, more often than not it has given us an incestuous

spate of Cover bands. These bands invariably copy the most successful local

cover bands in an attempt to rake in as much cash as possible, not

realizing that both the clubs and their patrons will only fully support one

or two of these groups at a time. It was a climate such as this that gave

us Tread.

In 1995, when every self-respecting Cover band was desperately trying to

beat Shovel and Wet Cement at a game that had already easily and clearly

won (and I can say that because my band at the time was firmly in that

category), I first encountered Tread on an off-night at Zingger's.

They were nothing to write 'home about'. My initial impression was of four

guys who were all taking lessons at the same music store. What I was

witnessing was not a gig so much as a recital. Every note, beat, and

movement had a profoundly tentative feel to it, as though the groove the

band had constructed could, at any instant, completely dissolve.

This is not to say that they sucked, just that they were unremarkable. But

what I was not cognizant of is the fact that these were just four beer

drinkin', fun-lovin', down-to-earth guys who were playing what they thought

we wanted to hear for fun & profit. After all, it wasn't rocket science -

it was Rock 'n Roll.

Years passed, and the next time I was this band was at the 'Alaplooza'

Benefit for Al Limberg at the Watering Trough.  This Tread was a slightly

different animal.

Singer/guitarist Scott 'Raz' Rezmer had left the group, replaced by

hair-metal holdover Chuck Zang. Behind Zang's ear-piercing shrieks (they

actually did a convincing take on Veruca Salt's Volcano Girls; and, oh yes,

that annoying SteelHeart tune) lurked a band that had quietly improved and

gained some chops in the process. Drummer Kyle 'Sherman' Charbeneau and

bassist Matt Lavictoire had jelled into a cohesive rhythm section; and lead

guitarist Steve Zielinski was coming into his own. They were still just a

Cover band, but the years had served them well.

Fast-forward to the present. A phone conversation with my good friend Matt

Palmer brought Tread to my attention once more. Matt and I both operate

recording studios (his is called Sadworld Studios in Bay City - a fact I

unfortunately overlooked in last issue's piece of Silverspork) and

periodically compare notes on new techniques, gear, and the last projects

we work upon.

"Wait till you hear the Tread CD," he said. "It's probably the best thing

I've done yet. They got a new singer and the songs kick ass."

Intrigued, I snagged Bob Martin's copy of the disc and commandeered this

profile. But I was in no way prepared for the progress Tread had made.

The CD, entitled Cracks in the Pavement, showcases solid songwriting in the

Classic Rock vein that still manages to encompass diverse elements of Funk,

Metal, and even some Hendrixie Blues. If you knew nothing of the band, this

debut would be merely a Great Record. But in light of this group's history,

it comes across as nothing short of a Triumph.  The only local parallel I

can draw is when a crappy cover band called Radical jack miraculously

transformed themselves into Social Degeneration of Poets and released the

landmark Martyrdom CD. (Funny enough, Cracks 6th track, a short segue

entitled Disturbing the Peace inadvertently quotes the intro to the Poets'

Grave, the lead-off track on Martyrdom.)

But what makes this disc come alive is new vocalist Chris McGarvie, whose

powerful voice adds a dimensional clarity to the mix. McGarvie made a name

for himself in another cover group, Circle of Fifths, that also featured

Tread alum Rezmer, who has now returned to the fold to handle rhythm guitar

duties.

So how did this happen? How did a marginal cover band come to write and

record what may well become a 'timeless classic' in the local lexicon?

A funny thing happened on the way to oblivion; at the tail end of the Chuck

Zang period, Lavictoire and Charbeneau began to formulate original ideas.

But when Zielinski threw his two cents in, the whole thing exploded.

Zielinski is credited with being mainly responsible for Tread's music,

while McGarvie provides the lion's share of the lyrics.

"When we were putting this album together," said bassist Lavictoire, "we

thought 'Wow, this is just a bunch of really good, straight-up rock songs,'

And you don't hear a lot of that anymore. It's not trendy. It's who we are

and what we're all about."

Recording went relatively quickly. "Chris' vocals are pretty much first

takes," notes Lavictoire, "but mixing the disc took almost 14 months to

complete. Matt (Palmer) and Steve are serious perfectionists," continues

the bassist, "and it took a long time to get everything to that point of

perfection. Plus, we weren't comparing the mix to the best local CDs. We

were going for a Stone Temple Pilots kind of mix. And that can take awhile."

Their diligence has paid off, earning Tread airplay in selected areas and

landing them several gigs in markets like Lansing and Grand Rapids. It has

even garnered them that rarest of commodities, record company interest.

They're not saying which record company because, as Lavictoire points out,

"We don't want to jinx it."

So why the change to Tread, Inc.?

The usual reason, of course - there's another Tread out there somewhere,

and the band wishes to avoid confusion. Not content to rest on their

laurels, the band is already constructing material for their next disc.

They are also seeking Management. "We all have full time jobs. Three of us

work at Delphi, so there isn't a lot of time to book gigs and promote the

CD. We're definitely looking."

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