Who? New York via Sydney rockers Mink features vocalist Neal Carlson, lead guitarist Nick Maybury, bassist Grant Fitzpatrick, rhythm guitarist David Lowy, and heavy-handed drummer Stella Mozgawa. Mink’s five-member formula churns out powerful pop-rock rock with gritty undertones, similar to the likes of Louis XIV, Franz Ferdinand, and the Darkness. Formed in 2006, Mink has toured consistently splitting their time between New York and Australia’s club circuit. While their first single, rollicking guitar-driven “Talk to Me” is available for download via iTunes, Mink’s U.S. debut album is slated for release on Spitfire in July.
What’s the Deal? After getting knocked out of early rounds of the first season of CBS’s Rock Star: INXS , vocalist Neal Carlson found a greater calling teaming up with fellow seasoned rockers to form Mink. After a year of early successes (recording two songs with Grammy award-winning producer Chris Shaw), and the chance to open for Angels & Airwaves on the Australian leg of their summer tour, Mink settled into the studio with famed producer Sylvia Massey (Tool, Red Hot Chili Peppers, System of the Down) to record their upcoming LP. Tracks like “Dematerialize” an Americana anthem with the hook “Artist in a high-rise singing about the hard life,” and the carefree “Crazy World” stand out as some of Mink’s best. After four raucous shows at SXSW in early March, Mink seems ready to build on their inaugural first year of triumphs and prove that they are in it for the long haul.
Fun Fact: Mink guitarist David Lowy has garnished business and personal success long before joining the band. A collector of vintage planes (yes — actual planes), Lowy has been known to dabble in the cockpit as a champion aerobatic pilot. DAMON SGRIGNOLI
Now Hear This: Mink – “Talk to Me” DOWNLOAD MP3
On the Web: Mink at MySpace
Talk: Are you keen on Mink’s moxy kind of rock’n’roll?
