The Badlees Are Back

Published in the Daily Item, April 1, 2010. Applause section page D1 (NOTE: this article was ran with the wrong photo - it showed Pan.a.ce.a instead of the Badlees - Daily Item's error.)

After a 7 year hiatus, one of Central Pa.’s most successful and critically acclaimed rock bands, The Badlees, have picked up right where they left off. Promoting the release of their newest record, “Love is Rain,” the band will hit the stage this Saturday at the Front Street Station in Northumberland.

The Badlees’ story began in the late 1980’s when guitarists Bret Alexander and Jeff Feltenberger and drummer Ron Simasek formed the band in Selinsgrove. Vocalist Pete Palladino and bassist Paul Smith were added to the lineup and Feltenberger eventually left the band.
Their first full length album, “Diamonds in the Coal” was released in 1991. The band acquired a following in the area and frequented local venues such as Mike and Dots in Mifflinburg, Bots in Selinsgrove and The Riverside in Danville.

In 1995, the band’s third full length album, “River Songs,” earned them a national recording contract and national hit songs “Angeline is Coming Home” and “Fear of Falling.” During this time, The Badlees toured some of the largest arenas in the nation with acts such as Bob Seger, Plant/Page and Gregg Allman. The band released three more albums in 1999 and 2002 and then took an extended hiatus.

During the hiatus, Alexander and Smith, who began Saturation Acres Recording Studio in 1999, produced many artists, including Breaking Benjamin, who are now a platinum rock band. Palladino and Simasek stayed involved in performing and other side projects.
Fast forward over 7 years and The Badlees are back where it all began with live shows and their new album “Love is Rain,” which was released in October 2009.

“It took a friend of ours to persuade us to make time as a band to get back in the studio and record some music again,” said Smith.

The band became reacquainted during the recording of “Love is Rain.” The album is a step forward for the band and includes several radio-ready gems but also stays true to their roots-rock sound.

“There is a fair amount of familiar sounding stuff on ‘Love Is Rain’ - everybody wants to hear that. But it actually took more of an effort to sound like the old band than the new one. I think this is our best record,” said guitarist and principal songwriter Alexander.

Since their return, The Badlees have been selling out local shows and have also been receiving radio airplay on 94KX and Y106.5. A new generation of Badlees fans is emerging but many fans have stuck with the band since the beginning.

“The last few shows have looked very familiar. There are people that come out now that we recognize and are still right there with us. It's a very cool thing to have people follow the band after so many years,” said Smith.

The Badlees have also added guest musicians to their live shows, including guitarist Aaron Fink of Breaking Benjamin and studio musician Nyke Van Wyk. Fink, who is also from the area, will be performing with the band on Saturday.

Pan.a.ce.a will be opening Saturday’s show with an acoustic set. Alexander produced their latest full length effort, “We The Broken.” The title track off of the album has been receiving radio airplay from local stations 94KX, Y106.5 and WZXR

“We are tight with [Pan.a.ce.a] and love to see them play. It was a natural fit, although a bit unconventional, to have them play some shows with us. They've been playing an acoustic show to open up our shows and our fans as well as theirs have really loved it,” said Smith.

For more information about The Badlees, visit www.badlees.com, and for more information about Pan.a.ce.a, visit www.panacearock.com.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and show time is 8 p.m. on Saturday at the Front Street Station, 2 Front Street, Northumberland. Only a few tickets remain and they can be purchased by visiting www.badlees.net or by calling the promoter, Travis Fisher, at 570-473-3548. Tickets can also be won by listening to 94KX and Y106.5 on Friday.