Standing out in a crowded music scene today is a daunting task, especially if you are a rock band from New Jersey, one that everyone has trouble describing. A Clever Con (ACC), though, is a group that is having fun making some interesting music and just hoping that everything will fall neatly into place.
The band’s debut, The Robot EP, is the culmination of a few years of formulating themselves as a group, and honing their songwriting skills while at the same time trying to find their own identity.
“There are so many bands out there that sound alike, and we have shared the stage with many of them,” says guitarist Ryan Marsa. “We want to be part of a new movement for diversity in the New Jersey music scene, and hopefully we bring something new to the table.”
Adds bassist Bobby Certo, “I sometimes have a hard time explaining our sound when people ask me to describe it, which I think is a good thing.”
Indeed, A Clever Con’s diverse taste in music and playing styles is also something that should and does separate them from the proverbial pack. They have incorporated elements of rock, reggae, metal, pop rock, progressive and punk into their sound, and they are a mix of four eclectic musicians with different backgrounds. They also made a conscious effort to be different—to experiment with their sound and push the limits of their own creativity.
ACC’s current lineup consists of Mike Dietz (Vocals/Guitar), Marsa (Guitar/Vocals), Certo (Bass) and TJ “Smash” Horner (Drums). The members have such a wide range of influences that contribute to the formula that makes up their sound— but perhaps the few that best represent that sound would be Incubus, RX Bandits, Dispatch, GlassJaw, State Radio, Tool, Less Than Jake, Blink 182 and Green Day.
ACC formed in the summer of 2006 between longtime friends Dietz and Marsa of Monroe Township. They also recruited Certo, also from Monroe, to play bass. Ironically enough, Dietz, Marsa and Certo were members of different bands in high school that competed against one another. They added the final piece in April 2008 -- Horner, who the found the band on a Craigslist ad. ACC’s first show together was on in August 2008 at the North Star Bar in Philadelphia, after which they began to play regionally in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. And less than a year after forming, the band was playing the 2009 Warped Tour after winning Starland Ballroom’s War for the Warped Tour.
Donned in their trademark black shirts and lime green ties, ACC performed at Warped in July 2009 and released 100 limited edition advances of The Robot EP. They have shared the stage with the likes of Badfish, Scotty Don’t, Mest, and Rookie of the Year; and ACC continues to write and record new material following the release of The Robot EP, hoping to hit the road in earnest soon to grow their fan base. Their live performance is incredibly energetic and fun, and they play music because they love to play music, something that shows more with each performance.
As for where do they see themselves in five years?
“If the whole world doesn’t blow up on December 21, 2012, we’ll be sitting back in our mansions in Los Angeles drinking Natty Ice and eating Big Macs!” deadpans Marsa. “And in ten years, we’d like to have made an impact on the music world as well as the lives of our fans and inspire a new generation of young musicians. Everyone gets some kind of therapeutic connection with music. If we can do that, mission accomplished.”
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