Slim & Kirk The Jerk on The Freak Show!

Nitelife Magazine features Gypzy Roze Feb. Edition

Don’t Call Them A Cover Band!

By: Slim

Rockin’ the banks of the mighty Ohio river is a band you won’t find anywhere but in the tri-state area. The songs sound familiar, but Gypzy Roze takes every song they play and put their own twist on it. I had the chance to catch up with the band in between sets at the Ashland Eagles where they were playing. Celesta Reed, lead vocals, has played with Soul Intensity which used to play at Sharkey’s in Huntington. She was also front woman for Burning Creek. Mike Boggs, lead guitar, was in such bands as L.A. To Memphis, Burn, and One Eyed Gypsy which eventually evolved into Gypzy Roze. Donnie Stacy, rhythm guitar, comes from Excalibur, Zachariah, and VHF. Jason Fields, bass, came to the band from Common Ground, and Hydrogen. Mark Hardyman, drummer, was in 4 bands before coming with Gypzy Roze, and those bands were Rockin’ Horse, BFE, Cross Cut, and Red Dawg 9.

Now that we know a little about the band and where they came from, let’s talk about now. Gypzy Roze is a band that primarily plays the Ashland/Ironton area. They have been a band for about 2 years now, and they have only had 3 weekends off in 2 years. I asked them how often they practiced. Because of the tough economy, everyone works. So it’s hard to get together and practice. Their practice is on stage. They try something and if it works, they do it again. If it doesn’t work they can it.

This band has also traveled the open road touring. When asked what the craziest road story was they had Mike Boggs and the rest of the band remembered a time in Jane Lew, WV. They were on a hydraulic stage and the stage manager had told them he was going to lift them up to the ceiling then bring them down to stage level. Every member of the band’s neck and shoulders were cramped as they were waiting for this guy to let the stage down. Mike says he was supposed to hit a button and the stage was supposed to descend. However, when he looked down at the guy, HE WAS BEATING THIS BUTTON! The hydraulic system had failed. They were well into playing their second song before someone let them down with a hand crank.

The band also recalled a time when they were at Taco Bell in Charleston, WV. It was 2:30 a.m. Someone thought it would be a good idea to take the truck & the trailer through the drive-thru. Needless to say, it got stuck and Donnie was trying to direct him out of the jam they were in.

The band is so busy playing gigs, they really don’t have time to practice. Celesta has a whole book of songs that she has wrote and Mike has a few he wrote as well. The only trouble is, no one can get any time off to be able to practice these original songs. So they play what everyone knows. That’s what generates their income.

Mark, the drummer, announced to everyone, while we were at the show, that his fiancé, Sierra, and him will be getting married very soon. This was an awesome announcement that totally shocked most of the band. Except Celesta because she already knew.

Gypzy Roze is a band that is very involved with their crowd. I actually had the pleasure of singing with them at Frogtown USA in Ironton during Rally On The River. We had lighters and cell phones in the air enjoying the music as about 1,000 people sat there and sang along with the song. They have spent a lot of time together as a band and they just click. The reason why I titled this article “Don’t Call Them A Cover Band” is because, although they are playing the familiar favorites of the crowd, it’s not the same riffs, the same drum beats, the same bass line. Gypzy Roze has a way of twisting it and turning it to not only make it their own, but make it sound fantastic.

When asked what the purpose of their band was, they said they just want to entertain. They want to play music the people will enjoy. Most everyone enjoys songs they know because of the radio. They also told me, if a big break were to come, they would take it without hesitation. Music is about fun. It’s not about drama. Music is therapeutic. It can lift ones soul and take it to new heights. Gypzy Roze isn’t trying to rock your face off like say Avenged Sevenfold would. They don’t want mosh pits and headbangers. They just want to have fun doing what they love which, as you can tell. Is playing music. They are all a very talented group of musicians. If you are thinking about booking them for an event, you should probably do that soon. Their schedule fills up quickly. Why? They are a requested band in the area. People want them to play in their clubs. It’s great entertainment. They also know with the following of Gypzy Roze, they’ll pack a house and keep it packed. Much like they did tonight at the Ashland Eagles. I would like to thank Celesta, Donnie, Mike, Mark, and Jason for coming down and talking to me between sets.