Dan's Papers - July 18, 2008 - The Lone Sharks Celebrate 20 Years with New CD

Disillusioned with the music scene in New York City, Gene Casey moved to the North Fork 20 years ago to form The Lone Sharks, a popular rockabilly and roots band on the East End. Though they initially became known as a party band, playing mostly covers, the group has just released its fourth album of original music, What Happened.

Originally from Malverne, Casey played in clubs such as CBGBs in the late 1970s/early 1980s - catching the tail end of the punk rock movement, and watching new wave come and go. "I played in a half a dozen struggling city bands that were getting the crumbs of the punk scene," he said. He soon learned that he could make much more money as a musician on the East End. "I found out you could get 10 times more money playing out east."

He and his brother, Vincent, formed The Lone Sharks, inspired by the R&B and rockabilly songs The Beatles played when they took up residency in Hamburg, Germany before they became famous. "We played exactly what The Beatles were playing in 1961, but in 1988 - just classic, American, roots music," Casey said. "We just wanted to have fun, drink beer and get paid. Back then there were more places for live music and the drinking age was 18. Things were a little looser then."

Casey started to write his own versions of these songs, slipping more and more of his originals into each set The Lone Sharks played. The group put out its first album of original material in 1997. Their original music fit in well with the covers they were playing, to the point where the crowds often didn't know which were covers and which were Lone Sharks songs.

What Happened is the first of their albums to be entirely recorded on Long Island, in the Springs studio of Johnny Blood, the guitarist for Nancy Atlas. This album also saw the group head in a new direction. "We're considered a party band," Casey said. "So what we did with this record was we didn't worry about whether or not it was the definitive Lone Sharks record. We went where the songs went. So they're more acoustic based and have more of a singer-songwriter feel." So far, he says, the group's fans are raving about the new direction of the band's sound. "People who like the band are ready for something deeper."

Though Casey has been able to support himself playing music with The Lone Sharks, mostly by performing at fundraisers, private parties and town events, for him it's all about the music, not money. "There's a distinction between writing a simple song and writing a commercial song," he said. "If no one buys this record, I don't care. I just want to get it out there. I'm not trying to get a car ad. At the same time, I'm not interested in being retro or nostalgic." And while The Lone Sharks music certainly borrows from another time, their songs still have a modern edge to them, allowing them to stand on their own in a contemporary setting.

Recently, Casey was a judge for a Battle of the Bands sponsored by the Southampton Town Youth Bureau. Having seen the live music scene struggle for some time, because of a lack of venues and because new technology often inspires people to push buttons to make music rather than pick up an instrument, he saw in those young bands hope for the future. "I came away feeling charged," he said, "that kids are still putting bands together. It's not just one guy with a computer. That human interaction is still really key."

The Lone Sharks have a full slate of summer gigs coming up. So, nearly every weekend you'll be able to catch them live. For more information on their upcoming shows, go to lonesharks.com or myspace.com/lonesharks, where you can also find out about how you can purchase their album.

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