O.A.R.'s Jerry DePizzo Talks About the Rise of the Band, and Play That "Crazy Game of Poker"
Kurt Geisler
Issue date: 11/12/08 Section: Music
By the time this article come out, Of A Revolution, or more commonly known as O.A.R., will have already rocked out on the campus of West Virginia University. The rock/reggae group from Rockville, Maryland shook the grounds of WVU, leaving their audience in a low rumble that, thankfully, made its way to Frostburg. FSU's The Bottom Line got a chance to talk to band member, Jerry DePizzo before their WVU performance.
Formed back in 1996 by Marc Roberge and Chris Culos, band members Richard On and Benj Gershman joined later, fallowed by the official dubbing of Jerry DePizzo as a band member back in 2000. However, he had already been with the band since the end of 1997. "I knew the guys in the band." Jerry told TBL, "I would help them bring their gear on stage and I would play my saxophone during the sound check. One day I was asked if I wanted to play a couple songs with them, and it just kind of went from there." Jerry says that it was his belief in the band that kept him going for the next two years. "I thought I was able to contribute to the band," says DePizzo.
Since then, O.A.R. seemed to have struck hit after hit with songs like "City on Down", "Heard the World", and "That Was a Game Poker", a song that seems to find it's way into college parties everywhere. So what was it that led the band to create the song that got everyone singing "Jah jah jah"?
"I'd like to say there was some kind of story behind it. Like Marc went up a mountain and lived in a cave for awhile, then came back with a song…but it's really just one of those special things you write and people go nuts over," says Jerry. The song was recorded on a scratch tape. During recording, however, Jerry says Marc Roberge had actually made up the second part of the song on the spot while singing it.
So armed with Jerry DePizzo on saxophone, Chris Culos on drums, Richard On playing guitar, Benj Gershman on bass, and Marc Roberge as lead vocals, everything was smooth sailing from day one, right? Wrong. While still developing their sound, O.A.R also had to face the challenge of convincing their families that they where on to something big back when they where first starting out. Some of their parents took longer then other to convince then others when it came to starting a band back in 1996. Luckily, after listening to hours of practice, and the band gaining more and more recognition, all parties began showing their support. "One summer I actually slept on a couch the entire summer, we practiced so much." Jerry remembers, "and Chris's mom would make us sandwiches all the time."
Formed back in 1996 by Marc Roberge and Chris Culos, band members Richard On and Benj Gershman joined later, fallowed by the official dubbing of Jerry DePizzo as a band member back in 2000. However, he had already been with the band since the end of 1997. "I knew the guys in the band." Jerry told TBL, "I would help them bring their gear on stage and I would play my saxophone during the sound check. One day I was asked if I wanted to play a couple songs with them, and it just kind of went from there." Jerry says that it was his belief in the band that kept him going for the next two years. "I thought I was able to contribute to the band," says DePizzo.
Since then, O.A.R. seemed to have struck hit after hit with songs like "City on Down", "Heard the World", and "That Was a Game Poker", a song that seems to find it's way into college parties everywhere. So what was it that led the band to create the song that got everyone singing "Jah jah jah"?
"I'd like to say there was some kind of story behind it. Like Marc went up a mountain and lived in a cave for awhile, then came back with a song…but it's really just one of those special things you write and people go nuts over," says Jerry. The song was recorded on a scratch tape. During recording, however, Jerry says Marc Roberge had actually made up the second part of the song on the spot while singing it.
So armed with Jerry DePizzo on saxophone, Chris Culos on drums, Richard On playing guitar, Benj Gershman on bass, and Marc Roberge as lead vocals, everything was smooth sailing from day one, right? Wrong. While still developing their sound, O.A.R also had to face the challenge of convincing their families that they where on to something big back when they where first starting out. Some of their parents took longer then other to convince then others when it came to starting a band back in 1996. Luckily, after listening to hours of practice, and the band gaining more and more recognition, all parties began showing their support. "One summer I actually slept on a couch the entire summer, we practiced so much." Jerry remembers, "and Chris's mom would make us sandwiches all the time."
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