While bartending at a music club in suburban New Jersey, bass player/producer Chuck Brownley met guitarist Skip Spady. They started Unorthodox Behaviour, performing original instrumental jazz/funk music. Though this band faded due to other interests, the two continued to put together sessions with various musicians, doing mostly improvised music, drawing on all idioms including rock, blues, jazz, world beat, funk, etc. Along with the instrumentals created, an expanding list of songs developed. After only one magical session with drummer Victor Jones (Stan Getz, Chaka Khan, Peter Wolfe, Stanley Clarke, Angela Bofill, Lou Donaldson, etc.), it was decided that the trio, with all singing, would be the best vehicle for these tunes.
SUBURBAN DOG was taken from the title of a hard rock/rap tune by Spady which predated the RUN DMC/Aerosmith offering, since the name fit the parallel lives the three had known. Each had grown up in the New Jersey suburbs, listening to and playing the music of Led Zeppelin, Cream, Yes, etc., along with Jimi Hendrix, Sly & the Family Stone, and Funkadelic, while hearing the sounds of Motown, Woodstock, the Beatles, James Brown, Ray Charles and Stax all around. They later came to appreciate jazz and blues; bands like the Police, Van Halen, Weather Report, Talking Heads, ZZ Top, Return to Forever... & world class innovators like Miles Davis, Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck, Duke Ellington, etc.
But it would be growing families, additional career demands and Jones' ever increasing overseas touring that would allow just a few sessions and even fewer gigs. SUBURBAN DOG had to be put in the kennel. The beginning the of '90's found Spady and Brownley with open schedules, so they called on available drummer Matt Scola. They regularly played east coast stages including CBGB's, Wetlands (NYC), Khyber Pass (Phila), Ozone (New Haven, CT), and many others. Fans, who came to be known as "Fleez", barked to show their appreciation of the canine antics. But again, injury and illness forced the band to be put on hold.
Yet by the next summer, Brownley and Spady found themselves itching to play, while Jones, cutting back on touring, expressed interest in firing up the band again. A few tunes were recorded such as "Home, Home on the Range (VCRs & Video Games)" which was included on the Black Rock Coalition's compilation Blacker Than That, resulting in wider exposure (eg. Musician, Vibe, Penthouse, Boston Globe, Billboard, Washington Post, etc.). While only playing the occassional private event over recent years, the three continued to record. During this time a self-titled cassette was released.
The band's first CD was released on it's own Suburban Dog Music label being distributed nationally. The recording features seven studio and two live recordings in addition to a bonus mix. This has inspired the band to play live again, to hone old and new music for the next recording, planned for year's end.
SUBURBAN DOG delivers a full musical sound, usually absent in many trios. The "K-9 Trio's" repertoire includes original material along with a few comic or satirical covers. Their music is rooted in blues, rock and funk. Yet the hard rocking power trio plays with jazz sensibilities, exploring a variety of progressive and pop forms, combining both thought provoking and offbeat lyrics, sound bytes, with a little silliness and adult angst.
Currently band member are pursuing individual interests. Spady is playing in various east coast bands. Brownley has returned to film/tv production after closing a short lived venue project. Both continue to compose music with plans to record. Also Jones, a world class drummer, has returned to international touring to support his five offspring while also leading & recording his own band Cultureversey.
More information is available at the band's website, www.SuburbanDog.com which features photos, streaming music and video, and more.