The Snaz

We have all had the experience of driving in the car with the radio blaring in the background, when suddenly a song comes on that instantly grabs you. You turn up the volume, maybe even attempt to sing along, all the time wondering “who is this?” That basically describes my experience of hearing the song “Anna” for the first time.

It didn’t take me long to find out that the band behind the song are The Snaz, an indie rock band from Brattleboro that features Dharma Ramirez, 16, on lead vocals and guitar, Mavis Eaton, 15, on keyboard, Zack James, 14, on drums and Nina Singleton-Spencer, 15, on bass.

I admit it was surprising to find these musicians were so young, but if this is the future of rock, then all is not lost.

You can hear for yourself when The Snaz plays The Rendezvous, 78 3rd St. in Turners Falls on Saturday, May 10, at 9:30 p.m.


Eaton and Ramirez formed the band back in the fall of 2011. “We thought it seemed like something cool to do,” said Eaton, who is a sophomore at Brattleboro Union High School.

Eaton said she knew how to play keyboards but admitted at the time the band formed she was rather rusty and hadn’t played in awhile. She was, however, in a better position than Ramirez, who didn’t even know how to play guitar, and even though she is now the primary songwriter of the band, she had never written any songs.

“When me and Mavis decided to start a band, I became dedicated to learning the guitar,” said Ramirez who is also a sophomore at Brattleboro Union High School. “I remember my first song was a series of A-shape chords all the way up the neck, because that was the only chord shape I knew. I started writing the minute I started playing. That was the point of learning to play guitar for me.”

They were eventually joined by Sally Fletcher (she left in December and was replaced by Singleton-Spencer) and James, who was only 12 when he joined the band.

The Snaz were fortunate to land some nice breaks early on. While performing at a local fair they caught the attention of musician and producer Peter Solley, who now resides in Newfane but at one time was a member of Procol Harum and has produced acts such as Peter Frampton and The Romantics. Solley was so impressed with the group that he took them under his wing and helped them develop their sound.

The band later won the Brattleboro Battle of the Bands contest and as a prize received recording time at Guilford Sound Studios in Vermont. With Solley serving as producer, the band recorded a five-song EP that included the song “Anna.”

The song tells the story of a popular girl, though it’s not written about anyone specific. “Anna’s got the nose, she’s got the clothes/It seems like she’s got it all/Anna plays it cool so the boys drool/It’s kind of making me mad.”

“We sent the CD to WRSI, (93.9 The River in Northampton) but we didn’t know they were playing our song until we heard it on the radio,” said Eaton. “We were quite surprised.”

“I knew when I wrote it that it was catchy and poppy,” said Ramirez. “I hadn’t realized the power of a three-chord song that you can sing along with. Our producer, Peter Solley, was really excited when he heard it and stressed the importance of putting it first on the EP to grab listeners attention.”

And it does, indeed.


“Anna” was voted the No. 2 song of the year in WRSI’s listener poll of the top 100 songs of 2013.

“Now it is the only Snaz song you’ll hear on the radio,” said Ramirez. “Hopefully we’ll get another one like that out of this next album.”

The band hopes to get into the studio this summer and record their first full-length release. Eaton said listeners will hear some changes in the band’s sound, including the addition of synthesizer and more focus on harmonies. Ramirez said her songwriting has evolved as well.

“The new songs are going to be a reflection of last year into this one,” she said. “In other words, my experience of being 15.”

The next few months are busy ones for the band with many shows on tap, including quite a few here in the valley.

In addition to the show at the ’Voo on Saturday, The Snaz will appear at Luthier’s Co-Op at 108 Cottage St. in Easthampton on Tuesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. They will share a bill with Belle Amie at Mocha Maya’s, 47 Bridge St. in Shelburne Falls on Wednesday, June 18, at 8 p.m. They will also appear at the Taste of Amherst on the Amherst Town Common on Friday, June 20, at 5 p.m.

Later in the summer, they will be part of the Upper Valley Music Festival being held on Saturday, July 26 in downtown Turners Falls and will also be appearing at the Greenfield Energy Park on Sunday, July 27, at 6 p.m. This is a double bill with Belle Amie.

And while high school is never easy, being in an up and coming band must bring with it lots of positive attention.

“Not really,” said Eaton with a sigh. “There are a few people who are like ‘I saw your band, you’re really good,’ but me and Dharma were never great socially, so now we don’t get much attention.”

Maybe that will change with all the shows that they have coming up.

“These shows are going to be fun and we hope that people will come out,” said Eaton.

And when you are only 15, it’s hard to think about the future of your band, but for right now, the Snaz are giving it their all.

“We are going to try and take it as far as we can,” said Eaton. “We don’t really know, but I guess we are going with whatever happens.”

There is a suggested $10 donation for the show that will be held at the Greenfield Energy Park. Tickets for the Upper Valley Music Festival are $15 and available at www.uppervalleymusicfest.com. All the other shows mentioned are free with tips always appreciated. - The Recorder

BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT – There is a very young... no, let’s say “fresh, new” indie-rock band emerging from Brattleboro, Vermont that deserves some attention... and they’re starting to get it, having already been featured on Vermont Public Radio’s Digital VPR,” won a local “Brattleboro Battle of the Bands” contest and are getting ready to play a show at the very cool Tupelo Music Hall in White River Junction.

Article by Joe Milliken * Photos courtesy of The Snaz
Not a bad start for a band that got together in the fall of 2011 and features members all under the age of 17. So, let’s meet The Snaz, four friends all living in Southern Vermont; Dharma Ramirez (16, singer, guitarist and main songwriter) and Mavis Eaton (16, keyboardist) both attend Brattleboro Union High School, Zach James (13, drummer) attends the Montessori School in Brattleboro and Nina Singleton-Spencer (15, bass) goes to the Compass School in Bellows Falls.

Dharma and Mavis had decided to start a band and when Dharma started writing and accumulated songs, they decided it was time for a drummer. So, they held a few auditions at Mavis’ house, (where the band still rehearses a couple times a week) only to ultimately find their drummer by chance when Zach’s younger brother had become friends with Dharma’s younger brother. After the band’s original bass player recently decided to pursue other interests, Nina came on board and the current lineup is rocking!

“All our songs are original,” Dharma said in a recent Standing Room Only interview. “I’ll usually write the lyrics and guitar parts for a song and then bring it to the band. Then we’ll all collaborate and fill in the sounds of the song. Mavis and I have also collaborated on lyrics as well.”

The first Snaz gig was at a friend’s birthday party and from there, the gigs just kept coming. “We started out by mostly playing locally, such as gallery walks or at Headroom Stages in Brattleboro,” Dharma said. “But our gigs started revving up after we recorded our first EP and then, getting some local press after winning a Brattleboro ‘battle of the bands’ contest.

“Since then, we’ve played venues like the Iron Horse (in Northampton, MA) twice – the second time as a headliner – and we’ve played at Radiobean in Burlington twice. Last summer we also got to take part in the Upper Valley Music Festival (Turners Falls, MA) and we’re doing that again this year. We’ve also played the Amherst Block Party, Keene Music Festival and at ext Stage in Putney, Vermont.”

The studio time Dharma speaks of occurred at Guilford Sound Studios in Guilford, Vermont, before the band caught the attention of a Grammy-nominated producer and former member of a legendary rock band. “Luckily, we caught the attention of Peter Solley, a Grammy-nominated record producer and former member of the band Procal Harum, who also owns Vermont Gelato in Newfane, Vermont.

“Peter saw us playing at the Guilford Fair and offered to help us prepare to record five songs that we wanted to do in the studio, which was tricky with just the 10 hours of studio time we had. We practiced a lot and talked about things like tweaking dynamics, doubling of guitars or vocals and little drum fills we could put here and there. We pulled the recording session off smoothly and are now planning to go back into the studio this summer, with plans to put out a full-length album in the fall.”

Along with the upcoming recording sessions, The Snaz also has several shows line up throughout the summer including the aforementioned Tupelo Music Hall (May 16) in White River Junction, Luthier’s Co-op (May 20) in Easthampton, MA, The Strolling of the Heifers (June 7) in Brattleboro, Mocha Maya’s (June 8) in Shelburne Falls, MA, Taste of Amherst (June 20) in Amherst, MA, The Woodstock Brown Bag Series (July 17) in Woodstock, VT, The Northampton, MA Music Series (July 25), Greenfield Energy Park (July 27) in Greenfield, MA, The Dragon Boat Festival (Aug 3) in Lake Champlain, VT, Transperformance (August 25) in Northampton and The Guilford Fair (Aug 31) in Guilford, Vermont.

Yes, The Snaz certainly has a lot exciting things planned moving forward, so stay tuned because Standing Room Onlycertainly plans to keep track of the area’s snazziest new band! To learn more about The Snaz and keep up on their busy schedule, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Snaz. - Standing Room Only

1 Lord Russ Love Song Trilogy
2 The Snaz Anna
3 Colorway Live With Me
4 And The Kids Promise You
5 Mark Mulcahy I Taketh Away
6 Josh Ritter Hopeful
7 Willie Nile American Ride
8 - See more at: http://wrsi.com/2013/12/09/the-rivers-top-93-songs-of-2013/#sthash.Z4tuN4Cm.dpuf - WRSI- The River

PUTNEY -- Next Stage Arts Project hosts two indie rock bands -- Brattleboro-based quartet The Snaz and Keene, N.H. -based trio Jake McKelvie & The Countertops -- on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

The Snaz is a young, original rock band featuring Dharma Ramirez (15, lead vocals and guitar), Mavis Eaton (15, keyboards and backup vocals), Zack James (13, drums) and Sally Fletcher (15, bass). They have won "Battle of the Bands" competitions in Brattleboro and Northampton, Mass. Their prize for the Brattleboro event was recording time at the Guilford Sound studios, where they recorded an EP with the help of Grammy-nominated producer Peter Solley.

Jake McKelvie & The Countertops features Jake on guitar and vocals, Nick Votruba on bass and Matt Bacon on drums. Their music is simple, the songs hummable and the delivery a little nasal, with no pretense, no layers of coy artfulness, nothing much at all really beyond straightforward, to-the-point songwriting.

Next Stage is located at 15 Kimball Hill. Tickets for this concert are $10 at the door. For information, call 802-387-0102 or visit www.nextstagearts.org.
- Brattleboro Reformer

" It's every disc jockey's dream to pop in an unknown record by an unknown band and then hear something that makes you believe that you may have discovered the next big thing. You like it so much you rush to the radio to play it for everyone. That's what happened when I heard The Snaz." - Monty Belmonte

"...Monte Belmont, morning host and brand manager of the River describes them all as “great bands,” comparing the young members of the Snaz to a future Beatles." - The Daily Collegian

What can you do if you’re just starting high school and you’re bursting with creative energy and you want to make an impact and be heard?

You could start a rock band. A couple of years ago some Brattleboro teens started a band. They call themselves the Snaz. And they’re beginning to get a lot of attention.

The group was the opening act at an outdoor concert in Amherst, Massachusetts last week. The concert was part of a street fair sponsored by a local radio station.

Fifteen year old Dharma Ramirez, the lead vocalist and guitar player, stepped up to the mic. “Check check check….All right everybody,” Ramirez called to the crowd. “We’re the Snaz! “Come on over here. We’re going to rock!”

As the music starts, the audience consists mostly of the band members’ parents, who are always at their gigs, since no one in the Snaz is old enough to drive.

Drummer Zack James, the youngest of the group, is in eighth grade. The rest are high school sophomores: Ramirez, on vocals and guitar, Mavis Eaton, the keyboard player and Sally Fletcher, who plays bass.

As they play, the crowd keeps growing. After the last song, amidst whistles and applause, a local DJ takes the stage.

“Let’s hear it for the Snaz,” he says. “Aren’t they awesome?!”

The Snaz began in Ramirez’ living room in 2011. Ramirez and Eaton were looking for something to do. The two have been best friends since second grade.

“We both wanted to learn to play guitar,” Eaton says. “So we said, okay let’s start a band!”

The Snaz first played in public at a Friday night Gallery Walk in Brattleboro.

Ramirez says it went well. “Everyone liked us, so we got more gigs from there, I guess.”

Last fall the group won a battle of the bands in Brattleboro. The prize was ten hours at a studio in Guilford, where they made a five-song CD.

The CD has helped the band land more gigs and one of the songs, “Anna,” has been getting airtime on a local radio station.

The lyrics -- “Anna’s got the nose, she’s got the clothes. It seems like she’s got it all” -- are clearly about a popular girl in school.

But Ramirez, who writes much of the group’s material, says she didn’t plan it that way. She was just fooling around with a beat.

“And I was going, ‘A-one and a two and a three,’” Ramirez says. “And I thought, ‘Oh! That sounds like a girl’s name and that would be catchy.’ And I was like, ‘Anna!’”

But people heard the song as a commentary on stereotypes and social pressures. In retrospect Ramirez agrees.

“Now that I look back on it,” she says, “I definitely think that was where I was coming from. Because being a teenage girl, I think, is a hard time. And that just kind of came out of me.”

The Snaz has also caught the attention of a mentor with a lot of experience in the music business. Peter Solley is a British musician who played for a time in the band Procul Harum, and produced such artists as Ted Nugent, Motorhead, and the Romantics.

Solley, who lives in Newfane, heard the Snaz at the Guilford Fair. He decided he’d like to help them tighten up their music and polish their act.

“I thought they were so fresh, so quirky, so original,” Solley says. “And the songs were really good. There’s a teenaged approach to the lyrics, but not in a sort of goofy, teen way. They work on any level.”

The Snaz recently got some national exposure on public radio when they made the finals in ‘Studio 360’s’ High School Battle of the Bands.

Eaton says the show played “Anna” in its promotion for the contest.

“And they said, ‘If you think you can rock any harder than that, send your music to Studio 360’s Battle of the Bands,’” Eaton says. With a smirk, she adds, “I was like, ‘Oh, but no one can!’”

Whether or not that’s true, the band members in the Snaz are looking at a number of opportunities on the horizon. They’re still in school, but they have a lot of energy. And they say they’re ready to go wherever the music takes them. - VPR

“We have young, teenage acts playing side-by-side with world-famous classical cellists,” said Tommy Byrnes. “It’s a great experience for younger acts to get their feet wet.”

He said he received submissions from more than 100 groups. Though he’s no stranger to many of the valley’s acts, Byrnes heard some for the first time Saturday.

“Those guys rock!” he exclaimed as he exited the Rendezvous during a set by The Snaz, a teenage quartet from Brattleboro, Vt., writing and playing original rock-and-roll since 2011.

- The Recorder

There were a variety of different age groups who performed and for many artists it was their first time playing a show on KSC grounds.

Some of the youngest performers were the members of Indie rock band The Snaz, ranging from ages 13 to 15.

The Snaz has been together for two years and played only their own music at the festival. They spoke of some of their earliest memories with music and with one another as a band.

Bassist Sally Fletcher said, “I think some of my earliest memories are messing around with music.” She explained that she has been playing bass since fifth grade.

Mavis Eaton, pianist and back-up vocal artist, said she had always longed to be in a band when the group formed.

“I kind of feel like I’m accomplishing something,” she said when describing what practice is like for her.

Zack James, drummer for The Snaz, said being a part of the band and music in general is “a great experience, it’s just a fun thing to do with your life.”

Lead singer and guitarist Dharma Ramirez expressed what music does for her and said, “I think it’s the only time I feel really present in what I’m doing.”

Ramirez and Eaton compose a lot of the music The Snaz performs. Ramirez said everyday experiences are her inspiration. Usually, she will come up with the guitar portion that fits a certain feeling and add lyrics later.

“The way stuff works together is very different, I don’t think we really did that on purpose, I just think it kind of happened,” Ramirez said.

Eaton explained that The Snaz’s youth made them unique from the other bands performing on the Fiske Quad that day. She takes pride in the group’s dynamics and quirkiness and believes they are original for those reasons. - Equinox

Brattleboro—A teen indie-rock group, The Snaz, took first prize in Youth Services’ Battle of the Bands Friday evening during Brattleboro’s Gallery Walk Night. Sponsored by The Richards Group, it was a fierce competition between area five bands that were judged on crowd appeal, musical technicality, stage performance and originality.

For The Snaz, Sally Fletcher of Putney was on bass; Mavis Eaton of Brattleboro on piano; Dharma Ramirez on guitar; and Zack James of Brattleboro on drums. In awarding them the first place prize, the judges noted The Snaz’s all-original compositions, their tight arrangements, fabulous vocals, “star” quality of their stage performance, and the enthusiastic response of the audience. First prize is up to 10 hours of professional recording time donated by Guilford Sound, valued at $1500.

Second place was won by the band, Brain Saw, a band which first came together at the Open Music Collective of Brattleboro last summer. Brain Saw is composed of Robert Athanasopoulos of Keene, NH on bass; Sam Lazzaro of Brattleboro on drums; Nelson Congleton of Brattleboro on guitar and Gabbi Walton of Townshend on guitar and vocals. The judges note their nice transitions, good lead vocal, the dynamic drumming, and good eye contact and conversation with the audience. Second prize is two sessions of an hour and a half of performance coaching Headroom Stages, a Brattleboro musical venue.

Third prize went to Cherry Hill, a heavy metal band from Keene, NH, who lived up to their reputation of “making even the seasoned metal-head cringe.” Judges commented on their tight playing, expressive and synchronized choreography and the deliberateness of their musical approach. Third prize is a 90-minute coaching session with Jamie McDonald of Open Music Collective, which offers rock band classes and runs a music summer camp.

The judges were Michael McKinney, a music teacher who performs regularly with the Wyld Nightz classic rock band; Samirah Evans, a jazz and blues vocalist who performs with Her Handsome Devils Trio and is founder of Sam’s Sunday Set and Shed mentoring series; Aaron Chesley, music instructor and performer and owner of Headroom Stages performance space; and Jamie McDonald, upright and electric bassist who is artistic director of Open Music Collective.

“We encourage all adults to make a pledge to be open to youth, to acknowledge them on our sidewalks and in our neighborhoods, to speak to them of their worth and to remind them of their promise,” said Julie Davenson, Executive Director of Youth Services, describing her hopes for area youth during the agency’s 40th Anniversary celebrations.

For more information, contact Youth Services at (802) 257-0361 or visit wwwyouthservicesinc.org - Youth Services

Brattleboro—A teen indie-rock group, The Snaz, took first prize in Youth Services’ Battle of the Bands Friday evening during Brattleboro’s Gallery Walk Night. Sponsored by The Richards Group, it was a fierce competition between area five bands that were judged on crowd appeal, musical technicality, stage performance and originality.

For The Snaz, Sally Fletcher of Putney was on bass; Mavis Eaton of Brattleboro on piano; Dharma Ramirez on guitar; and Zack James of Brattleboro on drums. In awarding them the first place prize, the judges noted The Snaz’s all-original compositions, their tight arrangements, fabulous vocals, “star” quality of their stage performance, and the enthusiastic response of the audience. First prize is up to 10 hours of professional recording time donated by Guilford Sound, valued at $1500.

Second place was won by the band, Brain Saw, a band which first came together at the Open Music Collective of Brattleboro last summer. Brain Saw is composed of Robert Athanasopoulos of Keene, NH on bass; Sam Lazzaro of Brattleboro on drums; Nelson Congleton of Brattleboro on guitar and Gabbi Walton of Townshend on guitar and vocals. The judges note their nice transitions, good lead vocal, the dynamic drumming, and good eye contact and conversation with the audience. Second prize is two sessions of an hour and a half of performance coaching Headroom Stages, a Brattleboro musical venue.

Third prize went to Cherry Hill, a heavy metal band from Keene, NH, who lived up to their reputation of “making even the seasoned metal-head cringe.” Judges commented on their tight playing, expressive and synchronized choreography and the deliberateness of their musical approach. Third prize is a 90-minute coaching session with Jamie McDonald of Open Music Collective, which offers rock band classes and runs a music summer camp.

The judges were Michael McKinney, a music teacher who performs regularly with the Wyld Nightz classic rock band; Samirah Evans, a jazz and blues vocalist who performs with Her Handsome Devils Trio and is founder of Sam’s Sunday Set and Shed mentoring series; Aaron Chesley, music instructor and performer and owner of Headroom Stages performance space; and Jamie McDonald, upright and electric bassist who is artistic director of Open Music Collective.

“We encourage all adults to make a pledge to be open to youth, to acknowledge them on our sidewalks and in our neighborhoods, to speak to them of their worth and to remind them of their promise,” said Julie Davenson, Executive Director of Youth Services, describing her hopes for area youth during the agency’s 40th Anniversary celebrations.

For more information, contact Youth Services at (802) 257-0361 or visit wwwyouthservicesinc.org

- Youth Services

BRATTLEBORO -- Teen indie-rock band The Snaz earned first place honors at the Youth Services Battle of the Bands last week.

The event, sponsored by The Richards Group, was held during Gallery Walk on Friday night, and featured five local bands which were judged on crowd appeal, musical technicality, stage performance and originality.

When awarding the evening's top spot, judges pointed to The Snaz's original compositions, tight arrangements, fabulous vocals, "star" quality of the band's stage performance and the enthusiastic response of the audience. The band features Sally Fletcher of Putney on bass, Mavis Eaton of Brattleboro on piano, guitarist Dharma Ramirez on guitar and drummer Zack James of Brattleboro. The Snaz's first-place award is up to 10 hours of professional recording time donated by Guilford Sound, valued at $1,500.

Second place was won by Brain Saw, a band which first came together at the Open Music Collective of Brattleboro, last summer. The band is composed of Robert Athanasopoulos of Keene, N.H., on bass, Sam Lazzaro of Brattleboro on drums, Nelson Congleton of Brattleboro on guitar and Gabbi Walton of Townshend on guitar and vocals. Judges were impressed by the band's nice transitions, good lead vocals, dynamic drumming and good eye contact and conversation with the audience. Brain Saw's second-place award is two sessions of an hour and a half of performance coaching Headroom Stages, a Brattleboro musical

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venue.
Cherry Hill, a heavy metal band from Keene, N.H., took third-place honors for the night. The band states it has a reputation of "making even the seasoned metal-head cringe." Judges commented on the band's tight playing, expressive and synchronized choreography and the deliberateness of their musical approach. For coming in third, the band earned a 90-minute coaching session with Jamie McDonald of Open Music Collective, which offers rock band classes and runs a music summer camp.

Judges at the Battle of the Bands included: Michael McKinney, a music teacher who performs regularly with the Wyld Nightz classic rock band; Samirah Evans, a jazz and blues vocalist who performs with Her Handsome Devils Trio and is founder of Sam's Sunday Set and Shed mentoring series; Aaron Chesley, music instructor and performer and owner of Headroom Stages performance space; and Jamie McDonald, upright and electric bassist who is artistic director of Open Music Collective.

For more information, contact Youth Services at 802-257-0361 or visit wwwyouthservicesinc.org. - Brattleboro Reformer

BRATTLEBORO -- First off, don’t call them the "next" anybody.

You’ll be tempted to do that, but just don’t. They’re not the "next" anybody, they’re the first, and they’re the original. They’re The Snaz, and they’re a bunch of seriously rockin’ musicians who just happen to be freshmen at Brattleboro Union High School Š except for the drummer; he’s 12 and in the seventh grade at Hilltop Montessori.

Yeah, they’re young, but they play and act beyond their years. They’re quirky, catchy and cool, with a professionalism that belies the fact that they’re in the their early teens. They have a brand new CD, just out yesterday, and a world of talent. They have ambition and drive and high aspirations. The future is intriguing, and that’s why you’ll be tempted to think of them as the "next" somebody.

But it’s the fact that they’re not a "next" somebody that makes them endearing. The Snaz is a tight little indie rock band that plays original songs. Dharma Ramirez, Sally Fletcher and Mavis Eaton, all 15, and Zack James, 12, are also good people who already know enough to count their blessings.

"We’re amazingly lucky with all of this," said Mavis.

Appreciative, yes, but not complacent. They’re going places Š just where exactly nobody knows.

"It annoys me when people say you should just wait. Why not take it as far

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as we can go, while we have it?" asks Dharma, matter-of-factly. "I really want to break into Northampton right now."
This weekend, you can catch The Snaz as part of the entertainment at the Strolling of the Heifers. On Friday, they’ll play at 6:30 p.m., on Main Street during Gallery Walk. Then on Saturday, they’ll perform at 1:45 p.m., during the Slow Living Expo.

They’ll be armed with their new CD of five original songs, and they’re eager to add to a local fan base they’ve built up at gigs at Diversity Day, The Marina, the Guilford Fair, Headroom Stages, Equilibrium and the Battle of the Bands.

"It’s awesome to see random people at our shows. I still remember friends of mine dancing," said Zack, of the night The Snaz drew more than 100 people at Headroom Stages.

"People who I thought didn’t like me very much say ‘Your band is great,’" said Mavis. "That’s one of the best things Š that everyone has a good time."

The Snaz has attracted interest beyond just their circle of friends, family and peers. Through Facebook and Soundcloud, they’ve heard from someone in California and a girl in Germany who likes them.

They also attracted interest from Peter Solley, known locally as the Newfane Gelato man, but in a former life, a man with an impressive musical career.

A prodigy who earned a music scholarship in England at age 13 -- an early start is something he shared with The Snaz -- Solley played keyboards in the Thunderbirds, a band which opened for Cream and the Rolling Stones in the late-1960s. He went on to a career as a studio musician in London, played for a time with Procul Harum, wrote jingles and became a producer who worked with Peter Frampton and Ted Nugent, earned a Grammy nomination for his work with Motörhead. Perhaps his biggest claim to fame was to be the producer for The Romantics’ record "What I Like About You."

Solley heard The Snaz at a Gallery Walk gig and the Guilford Fair and fell in love with them. He knew Mavis’ father, met with all the kids’ parents and offered to help the band.

"They were fresh. They were quirky. I just thought they were great," said Solley. "I came to Vermont in 2003, and I hadn’t seen a band in all that time that excited me. Š I saw a real spark of something special."

Solley came on as producer, got to know the kids and built a rapport. He worked with the band to tighten its sound.

"He’d tell us things we needed to change. Š We’d start a song, and he’d stop us because we weren’t together on it," recalled Sally.

When The Snaz won Youth Services’ Battle of the Bands last fall, the band won 10 hours of free studio time at Guilford Sound. Solley’s experience was invaluable as he prepared the young musicians to take full advantage of the opportunity.

"We got to the point where we were literally having dress rehearsals of going into the studio," said Solley. "They were playing like a proper band. I was so impressed."

Working 10 hours -- and a little bit more -- with Solley and Dave Snyder of Guilford Sound, The Snaz recorded five tracks.

"What I heard coming from the speakers could have been from a real band of 20-year-olds. All in all, I think it sounds great," said Solley. "I think I enjoyed it more than they did. I just felt really rewarded."

It was a lot of intense work in one April weekend, complicated by the fact that Sally was really sick. Still, they got the job done.

"I thought it would be really stressfu - Brattleboro Reformer

BRATTLEBORO -- First off, don’t call them the "next" anybody.

You’ll be tempted to do that, but just don’t. They’re not the "next" anybody, they’re the first, and they’re the original. They’re The Snaz, and they’re a bunch of seriously rockin’ musicians who just happen to be freshmen at Brattleboro Union High School Š except for the drummer; he’s 12 and in the seventh grade at Hilltop Montessori.

Yeah, they’re young, but they play and act beyond their years. They’re quirky, catchy and cool, with a professionalism that belies the fact that they’re in the their early teens. They have a brand new CD, just out yesterday, and a world of talent. They have ambition and drive and high aspirations. The future is intriguing, and that’s why you’ll be tempted to think of them as the "next" somebody.

But it’s the fact that they’re not a "next" somebody that makes them endearing. The Snaz is a tight little indie rock band that plays original songs. Dharma Ramirez, Sally Fletcher and Mavis Eaton, all 15, and Zack James, 12, are also good people who already know enough to count their blessings.

"We’re amazingly lucky with all of this," said Mavis.

Appreciative, yes, but not complacent. They’re going places Š just where exactly nobody knows.

"It annoys me when people say you should just wait. Why not take it as far

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as we can go, while we have it?" asks Dharma, matter-of-factly. "I really want to break into Northampton right now."
This weekend, you can catch The Snaz as part of the entertainment at the Strolling of the Heifers. On Friday, they’ll play at 6:30 p.m., on Main Street during Gallery Walk. Then on Saturday, they’ll perform at 1:45 p.m., during the Slow Living Expo.

They’ll be armed with their new CD of five original songs, and they’re eager to add to a local fan base they’ve built up at gigs at Diversity Day, The Marina, the Guilford Fair, Headroom Stages, Equilibrium and the Battle of the Bands.

"It’s awesome to see random people at our shows. I still remember friends of mine dancing," said Zack, of the night The Snaz drew more than 100 people at Headroom Stages.

"People who I thought didn’t like me very much say ‘Your band is great,’" said Mavis. "That’s one of the best things Š that everyone has a good time."

The Snaz has attracted interest beyond just their circle of friends, family and peers. Through Facebook and Soundcloud, they’ve heard from someone in California and a girl in Germany who likes them.

They also attracted interest from Peter Solley, known locally as the Newfane Gelato man, but in a former life, a man with an impressive musical career.

A prodigy who earned a music scholarship in England at age 13 -- an early start is something he shared with The Snaz -- Solley played keyboards in the Thunderbirds, a band which opened for Cream and the Rolling Stones in the late-1960s. He went on to a career as a studio musician in London, played for a time with Procul Harum, wrote jingles and became a producer who worked with Peter Frampton and Ted Nugent, earned a Grammy nomination for his work with Motörhead. Perhaps his biggest claim to fame was to be the producer for The Romantics’ record "What I Like About You."

Solley heard The Snaz at a Gallery Walk gig and the Guilford Fair and fell in love with them. He knew Mavis’ father, met with all the kids’ parents and offered to help the band.

"They were fresh. They were quirky. I just thought they were great," said Solley. "I came to Vermont in 2003, and I hadn’t seen a band in all that time that excited me. Š I saw a real spark of something special."

Solley came on as producer, got to know the kids and built a rapport. He worked with the band to tighten its sound.

"He’d tell us things we needed to change. Š We’d start a song, and he’d stop us because we weren’t together on it," recalled Sally.

When The Snaz won Youth Services’ Battle of the Bands last fall, the band won 10 hours of free studio time at Guilford Sound. Solley’s experience was invaluable as he prepared the young musicians to take full advantage of the opportunity.

"We got to the point where we were literally having dress rehearsals of going into the studio," said Solley. "They were playing like a proper band. I was so impressed."

Working 10 hours -- and a little bit more -- with Solley and Dave Snyder of Guilford Sound, The Snaz recorded five tracks.

"What I heard coming from the speakers could have been from a real band of 20-year-olds. All in all, I think it sounds great," said Solley. "I think I enjoyed it more than they did. I just felt really rewarded."

It was a lot of intense work in one April weekend, complicated by the fact that Sally was really sick. Still, they got the job done.

"I thought it would be really stressfu - Brattleboro Reformer

Never in a million years would I have guessed that fantastic voice was coming from a teenager. The Snaz harkens back to the early days of New Wave (you know, the good kind of New Wave). You could almost hear them opening for The Knack somewhere on The Sunset Strip in 1979. Anna is a punchy little tune highlighted by crunchy guitars and those great vocals of Dharma Ramirez. Buy it on iTunes (or hear a longer preview) - nonhollywood.com

The ready-made narrative surrounding Brattleboro's the Snaz is that the band is young. Like, really young. As in, parents-driving-them-to-gigs-at-bars young. And, sure, the fact that the members of the quartet are barely old enough for a driver's license is obviously intriguing. That's particularly true when considering the many fine qualities of the band's recently released debut full-length, Running Away From Home. But focusing on the group's youth and using it to qualify praise does them a disservice. The Snaz are not a good high school band. The Snaz are a good band, period.

At least until its members graduate, there's probably little hope for completely separating the Snaz from the "KIDS Incorporated" angle. Granted, that minor crime is somewhat aided and abetted by the title of the record itself, which certainly evokes adolescent folly. But Running Away From Home is anything but immature. From start to finish, it's a well-conceived and energetically executed collection of songs that brims with youthful vigor and promise but also gleams with a veteran polish that belies the band members' tender years.

Lead singer and guitarist Dharma Ramirez is the star around which the rest of the band orbits. She's the primary songwriter and imbues her material with sly turns of phrase whose sharp angles are matched only by the hairpin twists in her arrangements.

The opening cut, "Try and Try and Try," was written with keyboardist Mavis Eaton and is the only cowritten song on the record. Ramirez leads the band through a flurry of changes, from spiky Strokes riffs to an angsty half-time chorus that explodes into a snarling finish. Her delivery actually shares some similarities to the sleepy detachment of the Strokes' Julian Casablancas. But she can open up and wail, too, which she does on the following title cut.

The album is playful, but it's cut with an undercurrent of angst that tempers the band's bouncy buoyancy. The Snaz don't sulk in their teenage wasteland. Instead, the classic frustrations of youth are presented with subtle, biting attitude. It's almost as if they know that the drama of high school fades almost as soon as you get your diploma.

Running Away From Home isn't a perfect record. But some moments come close. "Only 15" is one of the better summations you'll ever hear of what it's like to be a restless teen. "Monsieur Monsieur" is an ambitious feat of pop storytelling that nods at Spoon — though, sonically, it might more resemble Squeeze. The sinister, bruising "Pleasantry" closes the album on a decidedly hard note, suggesting the Snaz's most fiery rocking may be yet to come.

Running Away From Home by the Snaz is available at iTunes. - Seven Days

The Snaz, Running Away From Home
Try to get past the "Holy shit, these kids are in high school!" angle. Yeah, they're young. But dwelling on their age takes the focus away from something far more important: The Snaz are really good. Lead singer Dharma Ramirez is one of Vermont's wittiest songwriters. And the rest of the band is rock-solid, too, delivering a punky, spunky take on pop that always ages well. Check out Running Away From Home - Seven Days