The Harvard Independent(Eric Van) 5/20/76
THE ATLANTICS have been creating a sensation in Boston
since they burst upon the scene a few short weeks ago. The five
members, of the band - Boby Bear, Tom Hauck, Jeff Lock, Bob
Marron and Bruce Wilkinson- create a frenzy onstage with. their
catchy, driving, to-the-point pop songs, impeccable clothing
and dynamic stage presence.
Individually, the Atlantics are: Tom Hauck (guitar,
vocals) was planning a career as a professional artist before
getting hooked on playing guitar; he studied for two years at
the Boston Museum school and says his favorite artists are Richard
Estes and Mark Rothko. But guitar playing soon got the best
of him, and he found his energies were more easily directed
towards music. Onstage his powerhouse chord style propels the
group forward, and he takes occasional trips to the microphone
to held out with backup vocals.
Tom wears three-piece suits imported from France at enormous
cost; he owns several guitars, including an Ampeg Dan Armstrong
and a vintage Epiphone 12-string electric. His musical influences
range from Billie holiday to Pete Townsend, Chuck Berry and
Lou Reed, and of course the Beatles. His favorite foods are
chocolate chip cookies and Mumm champagne, and he likes skinny
girls and good movies. Tom is a prolific songwriter- some of
his latest tunes include "Can't Stop Now" and "Television Girl";
he also contributed lyrics to "Rainy Day Feeling," "Waiting
for My Baby" and numerous other Atlantics songs.
Tom says that all of his songs derive from everyday experience;
as he told an interviewer from WMFO in Medford, "There are so
many new things happening nowadays, someone should talk about
them and writing songs is the best way."
Jeff Lock (guitar, vocals) was a shy introvert
in high school, with the guitar his only companion during his
teenage years. With very little training on the guitar and only
a basic knowledge of music he left school and went directly
to the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he developed
stellar technique and an incredible understanding of improvisation
in all styles. Through intensive study, he developed his own
unique style of playing, incorporating both simple melodic lines
and soaring, screeching leads. His major influences are Pat
Martino, Yes, the, Beatles, Todd Rundgren, Big Star and Wes
Montgomery.
Jeff's equipment includes Marshall speaker cabinets and amplifiers
by Ampeg, Kasino and Peavey. His guitar collection includes
a Les Paul DeLuxe, a 1963 Melody Maker, a bass guitar and several
classical and. acoustic guitars. He also plays flute (he owns
a silver Armstrong) and piano.
Jeff favors suits from Italy, and he also owns several jackets
from England. He likes to read science fiction, his favorite
writers being Harlan Ellison and J. R. R. Tolkien. is loves
friendly, outgoing girls with long, dark hair, and has been
known to flirt with a few barmaids now and then. Most of his
songs, such as "Back of the Room" and "Ten to One" combine.
beautiful melodies with hard driving energy.
Tom recalls that when the Atlantics were being formed, they
wanted a guitar player who could rock and was nonetheless sophisticated.
Jeff came over one day, sat down. and played Bach's "Prelude
in D Minor" on someone's guitar, and was hired on the spot.
Recent quote from Jeff: "This chord is easy - it's just an E-7(b
5#9)."
Bruce Wilkinson (bass, vocals). Dissatisfied
with the usual stereotype of the sedate bass player, Bruce instead
incorporates a huge amount of energy into both his playing (he
calls it "flash bass") and his dynamic stage movements. His
biggest influences include David Bowie, early Kinks and John
Entwistle.
Bruce loves flashy clothes and has a penchant for scarves and
1940's ladies' suit jackets. He loves movies: his favorites
are "Casablanca" and "Pink Flamingoes," and he likes skinny
girls with large, sad eyes. His dream date is an evening at
an exotic clothing store. His favorite drink is a tequila and
he loves Greek food; like most Pisces people, Bruce hates money
but likes to live like a millionaire.
Bruce enjoys writing songs for the Atlantics; his own favorites
are "A smile Can Turn the Other Way" and "Modern Times." In
his songs Bruce likes to put people in certain situations and
explore the possibilities. Ss he told Pop Top magazine, "I try
to tell a complete story within the context of a three-minute
pop song."
Bob Marron (lead vocals) is a self-styled singer
and dancer. he first entered the world of entertainment at the
age of six, and. his education in the fields of singing, modeling,
dancing and performing has contributed to the Atlantics' breathtaking
show. He has modeled clothing, sang on a Broadway stage, and
even showed kids how to build strong bodies twelve ways on a
"Wonderbread" television commercial. Through the years Bob has
incorporated numerous influences, everything from Broadway to
soul music, to arrive at his unique vocal style - a style which
is extremely strong, confident, and imaginative.
Bob loves - to dress up, especially in expensive three-piece
suits. His favorite hobby is basketball - he's a fan of Walt
Frazier and the New York Knicks. He has no favorite "type" of
girl, but does insist that his date enjoys spending a quiet
evening in a secluded nightspot. Bob's favorite food is sirloin
steak with mashed potatoes, and afterwards a spot of Bacardi
151 rum.
What he likes best about being in the Atlantics is "watching
people get off on the show." Bob has written the movingly dramatic
"A Friend Like You," and his ambition is to write more songs
for the Atlantics.
Recent quote: "Let's just PLAY!"
Boby Bear (drums, percussion, vocals) came up
the hard way in a housing project in Harrisburg, Pa., where
he first began playing in small bands at local dances and coffeehouses.
Fondly recalling those early days., Boby said, "Every little
coffeehouse was the Fillmore, I loved it... " From the first
time he hit the stage, he knew it was the only life for him.
In school, Boby was a straight-E student; he never studied,
devoting all his free time to music.
Boby taught himself how to play by listening to recordings
of Gene Krupa, Ringo and Ginger Baker- he never took a lesson
in his life. His drumming style is unorthodox yet he maintains
a steady driving beat in even the most demanding situations.
One might say he is the true ''crazy" of the group ... he likes
Cocoa Puffs cereal, pornography (he likes to draw naughty pictures),
and old horror movies, his favorite being Lugosi's 1931 version
of Dracula.
In addition to being frightened, Boby loves to laugh; he idolizes
the Three Stooges, and one can easily tell they live again in
all he does. Boby knew Moe Howard and Larry Fine personally,
and he has an impressive collection of Three Stooges memorabilia
they gave him.
Under the crazy exterior is a warm heart and a cut throat business
mind; still, as Jeff said in a recent interview, "He should
be put in a rubber room and bounced around"- and he'd love every
minute of it.
