Keeping up with the Joneses
In the decade since Vanilla Ice's "Ice, Ice, Baby" stomped its everlasting impression on pop culture, the lyrics have remained embedded in each and every young person's head.
More than times tables, more than literacy, the kids that were in late elementary or middle school made sure the lyrics to "Ice, Ice Baby" were easily recited on command. Surprisingly, some of those students made it to college. And some even went on to form their own bands.
Now one such band, Turban Jones, has taken the anthem to a new level. They do a cover of the song to get the crowd involved. Scientifically speaking, the band stuck some high-energy ska electrodes into it and revived the song Frankenstein-style.
"People really get into it," bassist Ian DeRoock said. "They like that one."
Turban Jones gets the Catalyst vote as the student band most worth watching at Saturday's Club Crawl.
The one-year-old band brings a cool swing/ska sound to the crawl. Turban Jones will play at 10 p.m. at Mutt's, and will make for a cool ska double-play with their idols Warsaw, an older local ska band. DeRoock said that Warsaw has made the biggest influence on Turban Jones.
Most of Turban Jones is made up of the most honorable type of UA student - Phoenix people. No students embody the Wildcat spirit better than those who grew up in the evil shadow of Arizona State, but spurned the devil and enrolled in Tucson.
DeRoock, drummer Dan Escalante, guitarist Anoop Bhatheja, trumpeter Sonny Suchdev, and tromboner Josh Angell are all UA students from the Valley of the Sun. Sax player Lauren Hall hails from the frozen tundra of Flagstaff.
They put on their first show one year ago at Yuma Hall. This will be Turban Jones' first entry into the Club Crawl.
Like all student bands, Turban Jones faces some problems. With six members, full-blown practice jam sessions are rare. Still, the band manages to put on at least one show every week at local bars. They do it all for the love that the crowds heap on 'em, and hope to play in front of one of the largest audiences ever Saturday.
"It's a big step for us," DeRoock said. "Just tell people to come out and see us."
How can you turn down such a nice request?
Or as old 'Nilla, God rest his soul, would have said: All right, stop. Collaborate and Listen. Turban Jones is back with a brand new invention.
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