It’s always surprised me that B.I.T.E. hasn’t become one of those big time “underground” bands that gets written up in every magazine and namedropped by uncool people who want to seem “with it” and stuff. I’ve known about the Jersey area band since around 2003 – they were busting their asses promoting on every mailing list, message board and internet venue that existed back when MySpace was a twinkle in the mind’s eye. Most bands that promote online with a quick “hey, check this out” fade from your mind fast and break up even faster, but B.I.T.E., who take their name from an allusion to Dante’s Inferno, were in select company – the vocals were unique without being grating, and even though a lot of the songs on the demo had the tried and true quietLOUDquiet structure the kids were going wild about in those days, the songs had that mixture of raw passion and catchiness that makes a song classic.
I stayed in touch, emailing them once in a while, buying their records when I could afford them, and reaching out when this website approached something decent, still completely stunned that they hadnt blown up yet.
After a little time with them, I totally understand why. No matter how good your music is (and in their case, it is very, very good), there are certain ethics, methods, and ideas you can adopt that will make sure the vast majority of the music-loving herd finds you 100% unpalatable. Ladies and Gentlemen, commercial suicide in four easy steps:
Step one. Have a vision.
Most musicians I talk to have a vision, sure, but it extends to themselves – the next track, the next tour, the next album. BITE is different. “The majority of people don’t understand [independent music]. The biggest misconception they have is that it’s geared to a tight knit circle of individuals.” You’ve probably heard this before, but he doesn’t limit his fire to the consumers. “Most bands out there are scared to take a chance on being a true indie artist and follow the traditional DIY tactics. We have always respected that path and culture and strongly encourage bands out there to develop their own sound and fail, rather than give in and succeed – substance is everything in the end! Our mistakes have made us better people as well as better musicians. Another mistake that most bands make is not sticking together, whether it’s within the band, or with other bands. We should help one another and try to defeat the industry giants; instead, we get in each other?s way. Just another example to why socialism won?t work here, but we don?t get into politics too much.”
Usually, this is the stuff that you get from eccentric artists who’ve been hosed out of the pulp of their catalog, not from a local band that’s still doing day jobs on the side. But a focus on the larger picture and a militant refusal to sell their long term career prospects for short term gain has led them to take do things the old fashioned way. Which leads to another big mistake:
Two – tour militantly.
In the internet era, getting a big break is a matter of catching the right ears more often than it’s about building up a dedicated following. Building an interesting studio product that can cut through the clutter and get good word of mouth can put your name on everyone’s lips faster than rocketing between ten dollar gigs. But BITE has been around for a decade, and they don’t know any other way to do it.
“We’ve visited 48 of the 50 states, and it’s magnificent how all 50 (or the 48 we visited) states have their own history, traditions and an understanding for a way of life, yet somehow find a way to remain a unified country despite all the differences. An even that definitely stuck in our minds and freaked us out was the burning KKK crosses, I believe in North or South Carolina.”
That search for an audience, and the effort to blowout one show at a time, stretches beyond the national borders. Bite has a distinctly international background. Adam, the band’s vocalist, is ethically Polish, and when long running Polish band Armia made a US tour in the US, it seemed like a decent match. Bite looks back on it as a mixed blessing.
‘”They’re definitely an interesting band with a diverse mix of instruments. Very few punks are aware of the band, and they possess a long history, a long resume?it was nice to play/tour with them. There was a fairly well packed CBGB?s gig that sticks out in my mind that ended with cops breaking up the show – mixing punks and Nazis, by the way, is never a good idea at shows. However, as far as people go, we didn’t get a very nice vibe from them and from what we?ve heard from behind the curtain just solidified the suspicions. We’ll just leave it at that, we don’t badmouth bands unless they really really really deserve it.”
And what was the weirdest thing on the road?
“We were.”
Three – create an investment.
Most indie bands – even the really good ones – don’t stick around for a long time. They work the road for a while, put out a record or two, and disband. Sometimes there’s too much stress on the road, sometimes there are creative differences or gaps in skill and timetable.
Many commercial bands have the same problem, but on opposite terms. It seems that the more a band is pushed commercially, the shorter their lifespan. Take a look at the Pussycat Dolls, or even actual musicians who get overpromoted. These groups often get rejected by a public that’s constantly rushed to the next big thing. Despite rotating guitar players, BITE has kept a solid core for the entireity of their existence. How do they work out these relationships? Adam keeps it simple. “I just space out and ignore them.”
Roman brings a little less snark to his thoughts. “The 3 of us get along just fine and without a problem. You need to be rational, understanding and a decent human being to hang w/ us. You also need to have a certain sense of humor, toughness and dedication?there is a reason to why we?ve gone through 3 guitar players over the years that are no longer with the band; this isn?t a band for just anyone.”
“Yes, you have to learn how to listen, respect others opinions, and be ready to settle for a compromise when needed.” You can almost feel the wryness when Tom says it. “It aint easy.”
“Our friendship and passion for music gels this band together. I don’t think spirituality (and most definitely not religion) plays an important role in BITE. It’s a topic that we often discuss outside of the band. We try to live and let others live. It’s a simple and honest concept, you do not need some obsolete scriptures, filled with fallacy to guide your life. This band has been held together by mutual respect, friendship, similar goals and simple love for the music that is being created. You can?t have it any other way and still enjoy coming to rehearsal after 10 years of playing together.”
They’re devout in certain other ways, though.
Step four : Absorb the work of others.
Where a lot of other musicians try not to, the members of Bite make a point of it.
“[I] catch a nap after work and usually head out for whatever is happening that evening. Living next to NYC has more pluses than minuses.”
Tom agrees. “Listen to music everyday, and then bring ideas to the rehearsal room.”
And does it pay off in the end? Absolutely. Most really good musical groups hit you over the head with something distinct and foreign, and the odd familiar touches are just enough to keep you from being repelled completely. So it goes with BITE’s blend of European and Middle Eastern textures and American alternative. What’s in the cards for their future?
“We?re slowly getting back to ?performing shape?. We haven?t played in a while since Roman was traveling this past summer, and since the divorce with the last guitar player, we?ve had to amend our style a bit. Most of the set list will be new material with a few oldies thrown in; we need to keep ourselves interested first and foremost, otherwise the audience will smell out the ?phonies? in us. Most songs we write last an X amount of shows until they get old and we feel we have better ones to showcase.”
And as far as a third record goes? “Well, let?s see if we can at least break even on this one?want a copy?”
Hell yeah, we do. Roman’s parting words are BITE’s typical mix of the familiar and the obscure.
“To quote my main man Googol Bordello, ‘Think locally, fuck globally, my friends.’”
They’ll have to if they keep this up.
Tags: B.I.T.E