The Sidney Green Street Band

11 tracks / 51:08
The Sidney Green Street band is promoted as a New Jersey bar band, but don’t let that description fool you into thinking they are amateurs - these guys are the real deal. But you do not have to travel to the Garden State to appreciate their brand of blues-rock, as they have recently issued their sophomore CD, SGSB.
Though they have only put out two albums, this quartet has more than enough experience to get the job done no matter where they are playing. Lance Doss (guitar and vocals) toured the world for over six years with John Cale, and guitarist Justin Jordan has over 20 years of professional experience, touring and appearing with artists as diverse as Sean Fleming, Shirley Allston Reeves and Gary US Bonds. Bassist Paul Page toured with John Cale too, and appeared with some really cool acts including Dion, Popa Chubby, Gary US Bonds, Bo Diddley, Del Shannon and Ben E. King. And rounding out the group is drummer Steve Holley whose resume includes work with Paul McCartney, Joe Cocker, and Chuck Berry to name a few.
The Sidney Green Street Band has a few things going for it that most North Jersey bar bands do not, and the first thing is original material: Lance wrote all eleven guitar-heavy tracks for this album. Another plus is a high level of musical ability, and the last piece is their take on Southern blues-rock. Apparently, Doss picked up a good dose of this from his home state of Alabama, but their vibe is still original with just a touch of Skynyrd here and there.
The band took a chance by opening the set with a slow song, “Bye, Bye, Bye,” but this burning rocker paid off for them. Jordan and Doss’ smoking hot guitars are run in stereo and Lance knocks the vocals out with his diverse style, which can be described as a rough on one side and smooth on the other -- kind of like a sheet of A-C plywood! This leads into the almost-pop “Sadie,” a play on the original Sadie Hawkins story as introduced in the Li’l Abner comic strip back in 1937 (in case you were wondering).
This change of genres is not unusual for the Sidney Green Street Band. “Some Things Ain’t Never Gonna Change” is a soft rock tune, but with hard hitting rhythm guitar work over the awesome backline of Page and Holley. It has a few unique guitar breaks, including a standalone dry solo and a heavily processed Wah pedal solo. Also, the modern boogie of “Number” is a jaw-dropping bit of guitar fun.
There are also a few standout tracks on the album that should be pointed out. The first is “Divine,” which has a catchy hook and an acoustic rock foundation. It shows mature songwriting, though it is uncertain if comparing your lady to a “good Southern Whiskey” will get you in her good graces. Doss’ voice is in fine form here with a surplus of emotion, and his harmonies with the other members are spot on. The other winner track is the country rocker, “Payin’ the Price” which is carried by its clever lyrics, an infectious rhythm guitar line, and some truly tasteful solo work.
The album ends with a really cool tune, “Consumer,” which has a lot going on. The rhythm section builds a sweet Boz Scaggs riff on the bottom, there is a smoking twin guitar attack on top, and a fun vocal history cuts through the middle. This track would be a good set-closer, and that is exactly what the band does with it on this disc.
The Sidney Green Street Band’s new album is a solid collection of original blues-rock with a Southern flavor. If you are a fan of heavy guitar blues with a killer beat this will be your cup of tea. And if you ever find yourself on US 46 between the Del Water Gap and NYC, make sure you stop in at the Great Notch Inn – they might just be on stage!
Reviewer Rex Bartholomew is a Los Angeles-based writer and musician; his blog can be found at http://rexbass.blogspot.com - Blues Blast Magazine

"Loving you is like Sherlock Holmes, a mystery every day…" sings vocalist Lance Doss, veteran of six years on tour with Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale, sounding more like he spent that time with J.J. Cale on this bluesy, powerful, definitive song about a mystery woman and the relationship's inevitable conclusion. The fluid melody, a second cousin to "Goin' Down" - Down, Down, Down, Down, bye, bye, bye, bye...good stuff. "Sadie" is a nice combo of 38 Special, Wet Willie, Mark Farner as well as a strong dash of Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten Twice Shy." These fellows know their influences and they wear them proudly on their sleeve here on their second disc, SGSB, the follow-up to the group’s debut, The Mall Tease Fall Can.

At 5:15 "Divine" takes the listener on a slow journey, musically elegant with a superb vocal reminiscent of Allman Brothers and Atlanta Rhythm section. Not to dwell on so many of the roots, but it is hard not to hearing so many familiar riffs tweaked in clever and inviting ways. "Get It Back" takes a different direction, both guitars churning soulful struts over the impeccable rhythms of bassist Paul Page - also of John Cale's band along with gigs for and with Dion, Popa Chubby, Ruth Gerson, Martin's Folly Gary US Bonds, Bo Diddley, Del Shannon, Ben E. King and resilient drummer Steve Holley.

Where "Bama Bounce" pulls "Sunshine of Your Love" sideways, with a voice out of the clouds of reservations from this country's native American past, "Some Things Ain't Never Gonna Change" is a pure Hendrixian love fest. Go to the three minute mark and hear Jimi riffs and fills, with wah wah and delightful drumming by Steve Holley as a sweet undercurrent.

"Payin' The Price" could be The Beatles "Drive My Car" gone blues while "My Pride" takes Aerosmith's "Same Old Song and Dance" and brings it to the world of Savoy Brown and Foghat. Not that it is a stretch, Ralph Mormon of Savoy Brown was lead singer for Joe Perry of Aerosmith's first solo album and this ensemble would be a perfect opener for "Smith any day of the week.

"Number" forges its own identity, multi -instrumentalist / co-guitarist Justin Jordan bolstering the song's framework with intriguing patterns. "One Good Kiss" and "Consumer," which concludes this disc, speak with power and glory, it's a blues buffet with touches of pop that has staying power and an encyclopedic understanding of the genres it traverses. - Joe Viglione

Sure, the band’s name pays homage to a long dead British actor. And yeah, nearly all its members have performed and recorded with big-name UK rock legends. But make no mistake, Half Live, the third release from the Sidney Green Street Band, is a one-hundred-percent all-American rock & roll record.

Fueled by the deep-south musical roots of its singer, guitarist and chief songwriter Lance Doss, and driven by a group of guys with stage and session credits that run impressively deep, Half Live is a whole lot of fun to listen to. Doss puts his Alabama-swamp-rock street cred on display right out of the gate with “Muscle Shoals,” a bluesy, gruff, guitar-laden ode to the legendary Northern Alabama recording studio. From there, things really get rolling as the tight-knit band deftly swings from southern rock to psychedelia to blues and back again. Half of the 12 tracks are (surprise!) recorded live during one of the band’s legendary sets at their unofficial home base, The Great Notch Inn in North Jersey. “Last Beer and Testament” stands as perhaps the world’s greatest boozy tribute to, well, beer. And “Stayin’ all Night” puts the band’s straight-up bar-blues chops on display.
All the tracks on the first part of Half Live are tight, well-produced and lots of fun. But, to be honest, listening to these live tracks is nothing short of awesome.

The chemistry between guitarists Justin Jordan (Garland Jeffreys) and Doss (John Cale) really comes to life on stage, as they effortlessly shift between bone-rattling riffs and soulfully melodic Allman Brothers-esque jams. The rhythm section, featuring the legendary Steve Holley (Paul McCartney, Elton John, Joe Cocker, et al.) and Paul Page (Ian Hunter, John Cale) holds everything together in a cool, understated way throughout as the band plows through six rockin’ tracks, including “I Belong,” “Bad, Bad Way,” and the album’s fitting closer: “Rock Star.” In short, when you put both halves of this new release together, you end up with a whole helluva of a great album. - Mike Page

Artist: The Sidney Green Street Band
Title: Half Live
Review by Ed Wrobleski

The opening studio track to Half Live, "Muscle Shoals," comes a bustin' out of the gate with a bluesy rock feel and the popular flavors generated by Levon Helm and the Band. Those elements are sprinkled throughout this piece giving you that classic 70s rock sound while adding something fresh and new courtesy of a formidable The Sidney Green St. Band (https://www.facebook.com/sidneygreenstreetband/ ) Those vibrations continue with "Last Beer and Testament", a tinge of Lynyrd Skynyrd philosophy combined with James Gang guitar licks as dual axe-men Lance Doss and Justin Jordan combine in a way that is fun for them and the audience. The sentiment has all the markings of what could possibly be a new classic rock anthem.

"One Alone", tells you the trials and tribulations of solitary moments and that ‘sometime space’ one often likes and needs to sort everything out. The Sidney Green Street band cleverly nick from here and there, these rock and roll veterans giving a slight tribute to the Faces “Stay with Me” in this essay while maintaining their own unique style. The band doesn’t copy as much as it teases, by drawing from famous sounds you know and love from a variety of different perspectives. “Next Time” gets right down to business, a Ziggy Stardust-esque opening guitar riff that hits repeat then changing direction with "Don't Make That Girl Cry,” adding some classic R & B soul to the repertoire. The first act on the album Half Live concludes with “Stayin’ All Night” which has melodies with staying power, and a theme indicating that the protagonist is on the Doors “Roadhouse Blues” and ain’t stayin’ anywhere all night.

PART 2 - Live
"I Belong", the first of the live tracks on the album, takes you on a journey to a place where the fellow thinks he belongs. I hear the influential guitar sounds of Rolling Stones Keith Richards seeping through, half the fun of this is hearing which palette the boys will draw from next as drummer Steve Holley keeps things focused and on target. "Miss Understood" and "Bad Bad Way" display the power of the rhythm section, Paul Page and Holley chugging along. "Man on a Mission" "I Ain't Sleeping With the Lights On" giving the listener a good taste of what the club-goers see as this unit plays along the east coast with a buzz that is building rapidly. "Rock Star" floors me. What a way to closeout an album! I love what this song says about the maybe/maybe not stars-in-their-eyes hopefuls – perhaps those who show up on TV shows like The Voice. That’s my spin on it, anyway. It's a fun closer to this album which pays homage to Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll" and, perhaps, Rod Stewart's "Hot Legs" as well. You can actually sing “Just take those old records off the shelf
I'll sit and listen to 'em by myself …” over the vocals…just don’t tell Seger!

Back in 1971 the group Mountain released Flowers of Evil. That vinyl disc featured new studio recordings on one side and twenty-five minutes of live music crammed onto the second side – pushing the limits of what an lp could hold back in the day. Interesting that Mountain would do this two years after Cream’s 1969 Goodbye disc, which was half live and half studio out of necessity as the band had split rather quickly. Interesting also that Felix Pappalardi produced both. With all the acknowledgment inside their songs to favorite music of the rock and roll era, I wouldn’t be surprised if The Sidney Green St. Band is giving a subtle nod to the genius of Pappalardi as well. The album is so well produced – in the studio and live – that it is a shining example of SGSB’s potential, and the enormous power of the quartet individually and separately. - Ed Wrobleski

The Sidney Green Street Band

Half Live

Review by Gary Hill

The first thing to mention here is that there is no Sidney Green Street in this band. Sidney Greenstreet was a British actor and the band sort of borrowed the name. This album is literally split in half. The first part consists of studio recordings while the second half is live. I would classify the first half as either country based rock or at the very least Southern rock. It's mostly melodic numbers. The second half lands more in the blues rock meets jam band category. It is a lot crunchier and more rocking than the studio material. All in all, this is an entertaining album.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2017 Volume 5 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Studio
Muscle Shoals

Country music with a bit of a blues rock element to it is the order of business on this number. I can make out some Allman Brothers along with The Band. This is a very classic, old school styled number. It's essentially a ballad turned melodic rocker.
Last Beer and Testament
Here we get some real country stuff. The lyrics are irreverent and quite funny. There is a rock and roll edge to this, but overall it's pure down home country.
One Alone
This really makes me think of The Band. It's a solid rocker that's well-rooted in country traditions.
Next Time
A bit more of a rock and roll edge is present here. This is more like the modern school of roots based rock.
Don't Make That Girl Cry
This is a killer blues rocker with some awesome slide guitar work. It's a lot of fun.
Stayin' All Night

Here we get a bluesy rocker that's fun stuff. It's the most "rock" oriented thing to this point of the disc. I dig the guitar soloing on this number.
Live
I Belong
Jam band sound and killer rock music make up this first live song of the disc. I like this better than anything on the studio half of the disc. It's a solid number.
Miss Understood
Here's another solid rocker. This is the kind of thing Black Crowes does. It's a good tune, but not a standout.
Bad Bad Way

A bit harder rocking, this is a classy number.
Man on a Mission
I dig the guitar soloing on this thing. The cut has a strong blues meets Southern rock vibe. There is a definite jam band thing here, too. This is a lot of fun. In fact, it's one of my favorites on the disc.
I Ain't Sleeping with the Lights On

A bit on the mellower side, this draws from the same musical territory.
Rock Star

This is more of the bluesy rocker meets jam band kind of stuff. It's a solid tune, but not one of my favorites here. - Music Street Journal

How did you become involved in this crazy world of music?

Growing up in Birmingham Alabama, I was surrounded by great musicians and a lot of the older guys took me under their wing and let me play with them. That was inspirational and I stuck with it. Some of those musicians are still playing today and remain a huge influence for me.


Who are your musical inspirations and what was the inspiration behind the album and the songs?

The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Little Feat, The Band, and Southern Rock and Blues in general. The inspiration for this CD and all of my writing is to bring out the greatness of the fellas in The Sidney Green Street Band. They inspire me and I want to write music to hear us play.

What are your interests outside of music?

Films, books, staying in shape, watching my kids excel in everything they do…and I’m a bit of a sports fanatic, specifically the Auburn Tigers; one of the college teams in the great state of Alabama. There is a big rivalry down there between the two state teams and we all have to choose sides…I choose Auburn.

Could you tell our readers about the band and what makes you different from other artists?

I think since I am older I feel like I have a lot of life experience to choose from in my writing as well as the fact that I write specifically for the band and try to create a consistent sound. I grew up as an arranger as well as a song writer and while I’m not re-inventing the wheel as a writer I hope the arrangements makes them unique.

Tell me about the album?

I wanted to showcase the band in a live setting as well as feature The Great Notch Inn; a little roadhouse in Jersey where we got our start. The guys I play with have a long list of credits playing with very well- known artists and I wanted to make sure the listeners knew this isn’t a “project”…it’s a band.

What is the difference between the new album and the last one?

The live piece of course. I think my writing is a bit more reflective of my roots and maybe a bit more involved. I’ve been told that the new one represents southern rock a bit more but I can’t really tell. My main goal is to get better with each album and I feel we did.
What is the highlight of the album for you and why?
The song Muscle Shoals is the most personal. When I was about 16, I ventured alone to Muscle Shoals to see the two famous studios and the lady that showed me around allowed me to put my ear up against the door but not go inside. That’s when I heard Rod Stewart singing as the vocal booth was right beside the door. The experience really solidified my dream of writing and recording my own music and it’s taken a long time to find the right formula. I’m happy where this is going with this band and can’t seem to write enough for us. I just love to hear us play my tunes.


How are the live shows going and what are you and the band hoping to gain?

The live shows are a lot of fun and hopefully the audience gets a lot out of it. Truthfully my goal at the moment is to get out and do more shows. It’s difficult because Steve Holley and Paul Page tour with Ian Hunter and Justin Jordan tours with Garland Jeffreys so getting all four of us together is a challenge…but it’s worth it when it happens.

Where was it recorded who produced it and how long did the process take?

The record was recorded at Cowboy technical Services (http://cowboytechnical.com/NewCowboyTechnical/About_Us.html) in Brooklyn and engineered by a longtime friend, Tim Hatfield. I guess we all produced the record and Justin Jordan and Tim mixed it. We were lucky enough to have Greg Calbi master it as well as the SGSB album. Greg is one of the most famous mastering engineers on the planet and also someone we are proud to call a personal friend. This CD was really a friends and family effort. The whole process took a couple of weeks.
What's in store for the future?

Well. We will continue to support this CD and do live shows. I am almost finished writing for the next CD although I’m never really finished as new songs come up all of the time. We are fortunate to have been asked by Steve to join him at a number of Beatles fests in 2018, including Liverpool. We have worked up a number of tunes in true Sidney Green Street Band fashion calling it “Sidney sings the Beatles”. We plan or recording a CD to offer to the fans. Steve’s involvement with Paul McCartney and Wings and his playing on Back to the egg rally gets a lot of attention at these festivals and we are all very flattered that he has included us. “God bless ya Stevie!” - Fireworks Magazine