Silver Spade

The Wild West, in going to Yonkers has tapped into an already thriving music scene...Silver Spade [is] already recognized locally, writing their own stuff, and playing around Westchester and New York City...

Silver Spade is routinely playing in the city and locally and do have an EP. They list influences as diverse as Dream Theater, Aerosmith, and Staind. They are a four piece rock band with two brothers, Bob and Rick Yapchanyk - Bob on guitar, and Rick handling the vocals. Filling out the band are Pete Simone* on the drums and Eric Neuman** on bass. For me, they are a solid melodic metal act with strong vocals, tight rhythms, and expressive guitar work...


-Bob Schaffer of Wild West Promotions writing for More Sugar

*former drummer Pete Simone (with Silver Spade from 9/20/02 - 3/23/07)
**former bassist Eric Neuman (with Silver Spade from 12/5/05 - 2/23/08) - More Sugar

Following a trend is easy, especially when you’re a band that’s trying to make a name for yourself. Absorbing elements of everything else around you is natural. But who wants to be a part of the cookie cutter main stream - or worse - the cookie cutter counter culture?

In a scene where all of the conformists and non-conformists are playing the same type of music through virtually the same gear, and citing the same influences, Silver Spade goes against the grain in a truly unique way. They aren’t racing to be the heaviest nastiest metal around. Nor are they trying to mimic the dark ambience and drop tuned nature of radio rock. What these four guys do is write songs from their own experiences. They write music that is catchy as well as technical, and they craft masterful lyrics that are more than fluff and clichés.

Locking down the back-beat for a band with no rhythm guitar is a difficult task. Pete Simone* can lay down extremely steady drum patterns that incorporate just enough flash to keep him from blending into the background. While keeping the time and groove going, Pete also contributes vocal counterpoints and harmonies to add a sense of depth and complexity to Silver Spade’s music.

Complimenting Pete, as well as bridging the gap between rhythm and melody, is Eric Neuman**. Eric’s dedication to pushing the limits of his instrument keeps Silver Spade moving forward. Covering both the roles of traditional bassist and fleshing out parts that would normally be played by a rhythm guitar, Eric’s style locks in tightly with Pete’s to provide an unbreakable backbone of rhythm and lay down a strong base for the melody to ride over.

Providing heavy chord work and intricate melodies, Bobby Yapchanyk’s guitar work runs the gamut from over driven chunking to operatic solos. Having honed his skills first on piano, Bob is a master of both chord theory and song structure. Bob’s style and virtuosity on the guitar allow him to convey as much emotion as the vocals. With his foundation set by Pete and Eric, Bob’s guitar playing takes on a fluid nature and completes the backdrop for Silver Spade’s music.

At the helm of the band, and providing some of the most original vocals around is Rick Yapchanyk. With his brother and two of his closest friends setting the stage, Rick pours his spirit out through his voice and completes Silver Spade’s essence. Rick’s vocal styling stands out from the crowd because he’s not afraid to sing. He doesn’t have to hide behind effects and screaming. Rick can convey the raw emotion of the lyrics with a powerful voice and almost unbelievable range.

With each member either holding a college degree, or slated to graduate by June of 2007, Silver Spade is not a band of fools. Each member has a background in some aspect of song writing and sound engineering. All of the members of Silver Spade are also very well trained as musicians, but refuse to succumb to the idea of creating music solely for other musicians to enjoy. They would rather use their skill to create something universal, something that everyone can relate to.

On Friday, November 10, 2006, Silver Spade released their independently produced 6 song EP entitled Slip Away.

While most independent artists pay for studio time and engineers to record, mix, and master their albums, Silver Spade took a much different approach. "With the exception of mass duplication, we've done it all with this EP," says guitarist Bob Yapchanyk, "We didn't just show up at a studio and play through our songs. We've done a lot more than that, and a lot more than we had anticipated."

Due to their limited budget and perfectionist inclinations, the four members of Silver Spade hunkered down in the home studio of Bob Yapchanyk and vocalist Rick Yapchanyk, and went to work. After nine months of recording, editing, mixing, mastering, and designing cover artwork, the band came out with a professional quality EP ready for duplication.

So far fans' reactions to the quality of Slip Away have been nothing but positive. "You would never believe that this was a self-recorded CD," said John Mirabile, who hear previews of the CD, "It sounds like any other professional CD I listen to." Some local bands, like Plan of Attack and Fumehead, liked the sound quality so much that they approached Silver Spade to out where they recorded.

Perhaps better than the quality is the content of Slip Away, which offers six heavy, yet melodic rock songs about living with and not giving in to the pressures of society. "Every time I hear any of these songs, they become embedded in my head," said Jeri Klein, one of the many fans who find themselves humming Silver Spade songs all day.

"We're very excited about this release," says bassist Eric Neuman, "and we're optimistic that it will introduce the world to a new sound in hard rock."

Slip Away will be available for purchase on the band's website, www.silverspademusic.com.

*former drummer Pete Simone (with Silver Spade from 9/20/02 - 3/23/07)

**former bassist Eric Neuman (with Silver Spade from 12/5/05 - 2/23/08) - More Sugar

Hudson Valley Hard Rock Band Releases First Full-Length Self-Produced Album

YONKERS, N.Y. – On October 30, 2009, Unsigned Hudson Valley hard rock band Silver Spade released their first full length album entitled From the Ashes, consisting of nine original songs, all of which the band independently produced and engineered.

Three years after their first independent release, the Slip Away EP, Silver Spade's latest disc boasts a talented new line-up and a fresh new sound.

With the addition of drummer Mikey Keeler in 2007 and bassist Ed Brandt in 2008, the foursome, founded by singer Rick Yaps and guitarist Bob Yaps, has found their musical comfort zone.

From the Ashes serves up a fresh dose of what Silver Spade’s new sound is all about: a modern hard rock/classic metal crossover with soaring guitar solos, captivating riffs, powerful melodic vocals, and no unnecessary yelling and screaming.

“We’re really proud of our efforts on this project,” says guitarist Bob Yaps. “It took a long time, but we wanted this to sound great, and we made sure we didn’t finish until it did.” Silver Spade started recording for the album in December 2008, and they finished self-producing the album in September '09, all while holding full time jobs or full time grad school obligations.

Silver Spade have become regulars in the New York music scene, and have been building a loyal fan base since their last release in 2006, playing venues such as Crash Mansion and Kenny’s Castaways in NYC, as well as The Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie, to name a few. Fans of Silver Spade have been waiting patiently (and some impatiently) for this release, and the band promises to deliver. “This album will certainly exceed their expectations,” says Bob Yaps. “It has already exceeded ours.”

From the Ashes is available for purchase on the band’s website, www.silverspademusic.com, as well as iTunes, and other online retailers. - More Sugar

SILVER SPADE
FROM THE ASHES
SELF-RELEASED

silverspademusic.com

NY's Silver Spade have self-released a debut that hints at more potential to come yet is still full of solid moments. The minute you put on the first track "Machine", you can't help but want to see where the tune is headed. This four-piece revel in Maiden meets Megadeth territory,with ballads thrown in to boot. Vocalist Rick Yaps most closely will remind the listener of Matt Barlow from Florida's mighty Iced Earth, with occasional hints of John Bush and other, more alternative rock tinges as well. While not as powerful as those metal heroes, Yaps is one to watch and is in strong command of much of the material. Silver Spade shine best on mid-tempo songs like the memorable title track "From The Ashes" (which hints of "No More Tears" Ozzy and mid-'80s Queensryche) and the texturally intriguing "Shadows Of The Dark." The record also boasts impressive guitar solos from guitarist Bob Yaps, who is more than capable of handling axe duties even without a rhythm guitarist. Basisst Ed Brandt also has a commanding performance with a good level of restraint mixed with flourish that often keeps the songs from tipping their hand. Some of the mellow stuff isn't my cup of tea, like "Bittersweet Cry" (I swore at first it was an acoustic metal cover of Weezer's "Say it Aint So" when the song started), but I would definitely recommend this band.

----Morgan Y. Evans - Crusher Magazine

Meet MTD player Ed Brandt!

Ed’s musical background is extremely varied which makes his style all his own. When he was 4, he discovered his mother’s Beatles albums, and that kicked it all off. He began to play the guitar at the age of 8, and on a random day in 1987, when Ed was 11, an older friend called him and told him to watch the MTV World Premier of Guns N’ Roses’ Welcome to the Jungle Video (imagine- MTV once played music videos)… and the rest is history.

Ed has been playing guitar in bands since the age of 16. In college, he ran the sound for open-mic nights at the college center, played in his own band, and ran sound for a friend’s band when they played shows in the local bars and clubs. After college, Ed worked as a hired guitar player for a local bar band, and played at least a show a week. After he got sick of playing covers – Ed decided he needed to start an original band that showcased his own talent along with the amazing talent of two close friends in a thrash metal band. After his band hired and either fired or had six bass players quit, he decided to take on the role of bass player for himself, and found his niche. His last band opened for Testament, Danzig, Agents of Man, Murphy’s Law, and tons of other acts between NYC, Albany, Mass, and Ct. After some very hard personal decisions and life changes, Ed decided to part ways with his last band to pursue his career in Environmental Remediation.

After 18 months in hiatus, Ed got the itch to jam out and found Silver Spade – and here we are.

"I have been a fan of MTD basses for a long time, but had not been able to afford one until the Kingston series came out. My wife bought me a MTD Kingston Heir 4-string in trans cherry back in 2005 after I played it for an hour at the music store. It is still my only bass that I use for sessions, gigs, and recording. Honestly, I love that bass."

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Ed! - MTDKingston.com

Yonkers (NY) brothers, Rick and Bob Yapchanyk lead this hard rockin’ screamo quartet through six angry, slice-of-life observances featuring Bob’s fiery guitar soloing over a crunching, hard-driving backbeat courtesy the rhythm section of bassist Eric Neuman and drummer Pete Simone*. Creed, Alice In Chains and the Seattle grunge movement of the 90s come to mind on spitfire anthems like the title track, while the acoustic ballads like “The Message” and “Life Will Go On” offer a nice change of pace from the relentless, metallic gloom and doom. The Gothic metal and Sabbathian sludge of closer “My Time” shows another side of the band, which, based on this debut EP, offers a lot of promise to kids intrigued by this dark end of the musical spectrum. -- Jeff Penczak (3 April, 2007)

*both Eric and Pete are no longer with Silver Spade. - Foxy Digitalis (Digitalis Industries)

...Silver Spade, a [four] member band from Westchester, NY, was third to perform in this yearly music showcase. Vocalist Rick Yapchanyk, an Iona alumnus, guitarist/vocalist Bob Yapchanyk, a current* Iona undergrad, and drummer Mike Keeler gave a performance much different from the previous two; the band's Creed-like sound put the crowd at ease, finally hearing something recognizable. Silver Spade's mainstream rock sound, however, was offset by Rick's animation as the band's front-man. He went as far as to jump off stage and sing up and down the aisles of the auditorium.
"This show was one of the most fun we've ever had," Rick said. "This is the most out of breath we've been." ....
-written by Alana Rome

*as of Mar 08. Now an alumnus of Iona. - The Ionian (Iona College Newspaper, March 6, 2008)