10/08/2010 - Webmaster Welcome Message
Welcome to the new supergush website. Please take a little time to check out some of our tunes, videos and photos. If you have the time or the inclination, show us some love in our guestbook.
supergush melds inspired musicianship with a pop sensibility to create well-crafted tunes you can't get out of your head - and don't want to! Combine that with an engaging and often hilarious live show, a healthy dose of professionalism, and lasting friendships that tie it all together, and you've got all the elements of a band poised on the brink of something big.
Formed in the winter of 1996, the genesis of supergush comes from college friends Chris Krupa and Terry Clifton. Since meeting while undergraduates at LeMoyne College, the two have performed music together in various bands and as an acoustic duo. By late 1996, they were looking for something more - the opportunity to play with other musicians that took music seriously, but also wanted to have some fun in the process.
After a brief search, Chris and Terry met Joe Sauvé, a classically trained bass player, and Rick Borczuk, a drummer who coincidentally grew up in the same neighborhood as Chris. The four of them gathered to see if it would work - and it did. The band began rehearsing and playing shows, as well as writing songs for their first recording.
In the spring of 1998, supergush released their first CD, titled gush, to uniformly rave reviews. It became the top selling local CD the month it was released, and received 1999 SAMMY (Syracuse Area Music Award) nominations for Best Local Recording and Best Rock Band. By 2000 their sophomore disc, confusion among the masses. The CD was recorded at Acqrok studios in Utica, New York. The band collaborated with acclaimed record producer Bob Acquaviva on the project. The result was a CD which helped the band to reach fans well beyond the Central New York Area. Their third effort released in the fall of 2002 is entitled radius.The CD is a live compilation that encompasses 5 years of shows across upstate NY. The band recorded several shows from 1997 2002 at several locations and released a best of the best.
supergush has played over 500 shows since 1997 from Cleveland, Ohio to Bangor, Maine. Sharing the stage with acts like the spin doctors, stroke 9, econoline crush, fastball, and evan and jaron, the band continues to retain what brought them together in the first place: friendship, drive, talent, and a desire to share their music with as many people as possible.
I once had wealth, power, and the love of a beautiful woman. It was never for easy for me. I was born a poor black child. I remember the days sitting on the porch with my family singing and dancing, down in Mississippi. Sorry, wrong intro My musical interests began back in 8th grade at Sacred Heart School on Syracuse's West End. I was the lead in West Side Story not because I could sing, but because I was never shy or afraid to try something new. My time with supergush demonstrates both of these qualities; show in and show out. Entertaining and self-deprecating sarcastic quips are what keep each show new and interesting for me. I love performing the songs we write, the songs we cover and I love pretending to be from another city (or country) each show. I would like to think that this is what keeps people coming back night after night. It's more than the music, it's the experience.
For as long as I can remember I have been interested in music and entertaining people. Surviving Catholic school for twelve long years was not easy. I often found myself inventing new ways to entertain my peers and make them laugh. It's ironic that one of the only things that I take seriously in this life is a direct product of my years spent tormenting the nuns at Sacred Heart School. I consider myself living proof that being the class clown and playing in the campus band can pay off somewhere down the road. These years helped to shape who I am today and have provided the experiences that I bring to supergush. Thanks to all of the sisters at SHS who kept me in line with their strict rules and of course, the almighty paddle.
I met one of my closest friends (also a product of Catholic school) in that campus band back in the summer of 1992, Terry Clifton. Ter and I spent that summer on campus at LeMoyne College working for the school full time. We were constantly broke, getting into trouble, and singing Doors songs in the basement of our dorm to the beat of a strobe light. Fast forward four years, a few bands, and several encounters with the school bursar, and you have supergush. We have been successfully playing music together and getting into trouble ever since.
Many rainy days for me in the eighties were spent hanging out at the Hamilton Street Boys Club. Years later in life I would meet Rick Borczuk through a mutual friend. He was one of the other West End kids who grew up at the boys club. We never knew each other back then and to this day can't figure out how it is possible that we did not. Rick knew all of the kids that I hung out with and I knew all of his friends as well. Our co-existence without meeting back then remains an unsolved mystery.
Reflecting back on meeting Joe Sauvé I can't remember a specific instance. Joe was this guy who was a friend of Terry's from work. He had a good sense of humor in a very quiet, round about sort of way that you would often miss if you blinked. And if there was some sort of state-of-the-art electronic gadget, Joe had it. That was Joe. My next recollection of Joe is in our basement where Terry, Rick, Joe and myself were playing a couple of songs together. By then it was the winter of '96-'97. You fill in the rest.
What were the first albums you owned?
The Knack: Get the Knack: I remember carrying around a handheld tape recorder and playing My Sharona over and over. I thought I was the coolest kid in the neighborhood. My mom to this day cringes at the opening bass line due to my frequent overplaying of the song.
Def Leppard: Pyromania: Gunter glieben glauchen globen! Never knew that was German until I was twenty something. I thought that the album was cool and I would constantly draw the crosshairs with the burning building in the background in school at another attempt to be coolest kid in the neighborhood.
Herbie Hancock: Future Shock: I remember catching the Centro bus from my house near Park Ave in the city and taking it all the way out to Fayetteville Mall. Record Town was still the coolest place to get albums and I was addicted to Rockit and needed to have it. Herbie was my idol with the drum fill that makes you remember the song. Every kid in school claimed he could pound it out on his knees in perfect rhythm. Of course, I was the only kid who could.
What are your favorite bands?
* Toad the Wet Sprocket
* The Doors
* Martin Sexton
* Black Lab
* Athenaeum
* Tragically Hip
What is your favorite supergush song?
My favorite supergush song is "Surface of the Sun" because it was a song I wrote for my wife when we were first dating. I was nervous to tell her that I had written a song about us. I was so proud of how it came out lyrically that I could not wait for her to hear it. I often compare some of our new works to this one as a barometer for lyrics. If I think that they get across the meaning that I want to convey the way that "Surface" did, I am happy with them. If they dont, I go back to the drawing board.
What was your favorite supergush show?
One of my favorite supergush shows to-date was our second CD release at the Hotel Syracuse in April of 2000. It was a show where everyone in the crowd was there to see us and hear our music. We had a great turnout of over 350 people, all there to celebrate with us. All of our friends, family, and fans were there to support us and it meant a lot to the band.
What is your favorite reading material?
I really enjoy any reading that has to do with travel. One of my favorite things to do is travel to new places and learn about new parts of the world. When I get motivated to read and dont have the time or money to travel, reading about it is the next best thing I guess. Some of my favorite books are:
* On the Road by Jack Kerouac
* Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks
* Blue Highways by William Least Heat Moon
* Hell's Angels by Hunter S. Thompson
What are your favorite movies?
* Star Wars
* The Naked Gun
* The Shawshank Redemption
* The Jerk
* Pee Wee's Big Adventure
My musical background: I was classically trained (French horn, believe it or not). I used to belong to the area's youth orchestra and I met my wife Jeannie there. I also went to summer music camps for classical music study and did the county and state music festival scene while in school. That got me a chance to earn a scholarship and study music (both French horn and bass) at Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio. I abandoned French horn though, and concentrated my musical talents on bass guitar (I always thought I played bass better anyway). I started my electric bass career in 8th grade in order to play in my dad's school jazz band. There aren't many parts for French horn in jazz ensembles, and yes, my dad is a music teacher. I have been playing ever since.
Now: Besides playing bass in supergush, I make money by supplying equipment for a number of karaoke and DJ shows (Karaoke Joe's Video Karaoke Show and DJ Services).
P.S. They call me "Papa Joe" because of my two kids, Noah and Zoe!
The most rewarding aspect of music for me is the emotional element. Mood affects music so much that it is really essential to have the right attitude. Some days you feel like you can do no wrong, and other times it is just the opposite. "Maybe I should take up another profession," you say to yourself.
It is the greatest feeling to share something as powerful as music with three other guys that are as dedicated as myself. In addition, our friends and family are literally the "fifth member". They inspire us, give criticism we don't always want to hear, and support us like no other people I know. It makes me feel confident and driven to strive to the highest level I can reach. I owe it all to my bandmates as well as my friends and family.
I take the responsibility of being in a band extremely seriously. Anyone who knows us knows that we treat supergush as a full time job; a fun job like no other, but a job nonetheless. Attitudes and egos; there just isn't room for these. That is why I believe in my heart that we will succeed in all of the goals that we set. We just have to follow through...and we love to follow through!
Van Halen II: Van Halen II: Awesome album. I love every song on it to this day. I especially like the guitar solo "Spanish Fly" -- and you can even hear Eddie set the guitar down at the end of the song! I used to listen to this album as I was cleaning on Saturday morning during my chores. Hmmm...maybe that's where I developed the knack for cleaning!
The J. Geils Band: Besides the popular songs like "Freeze Frame" and "Centerfold", I remember the one song I heard in the car with my parents. The chorus was "Piss on the wall!". Yikes!
Def Leppard: Pyromania: A staple in the eighties along with tight rolled pants.
The Fixx: Reach the Beach: My brothers owned it and I loved the song "Heart of Stone". I played it all the time and finally scratched the hell out of the album.
Van Halen: Diver Down: I didn't realize until much later that the songs were almost exclusively covers!
Honorable Mentions: America: You Can Do Magic, Styx: Mr. Roboto
What are your favorite supergush songs?
"Nepenthe": The song wrote itself and it was a cool lick on the guitar. I remeber practicing in the garage during the winter and it was really cold. We just banged it out and there it was. The true test is how fast your blood is pumping after you finish a song.
"Surface of the Sun": I remember writing this neat acoustic part during the summer. It wasn't even going to make the last album because it was much too late. We were technically done writing for the studio. I showed it to Chris and he had lyrics and a melody a few days later. We said "All right, it must be meant to on the album." Done.
"Deep": Bad recording, great song. I like how the lyrics play with the chord changes during the chorus.
"Murder in the Afternoon": Again I like playing the riff for the guitar. That doesn't always do it for me, but in this song it really sets the mood.
I liked the first Party In The Plaza we played. You cannot beat playing in the summer.
Fourth grade, Porter Elementary School. I still remember the sign-up sheet that was passed around the classroom. So many choices for an eight year old. I could have very well ended up a tuba player. Well, as fate would have it, I was destined to play the drums.
Many of my teenage years were spent in the eighties, and for many of us, that meant long hair, leather jackets, and Motley Crue. Everyone wanted to be a rock star. Several bands over several years made me a realist rather than a dreamer.
There are a probably only a few people who understand just what kind of work ethic, attitude, and chemistry are required to make a band successful. When I say successful, I do not necessarily speak of fame, fortune, or even being a paid musician. I refer to a band that is capable of staying together for any real length of time without wanting to kill each other.
After several years of despair, I took a break from the music scene. My next few years consisted of very little playing, except an occasional jamming session with some friends. Looking back on a phone conversation that I had with a friend, I remember blowing off an opportunity to meet Chris and Terry and getting together to play with them. When my friend told me that the music they played was "alternative" music, somehow this phrase came to mind. "Freddy is a frog, he jumps around. He leaps to the sky and back to the ground." With that in mind I told my friend that I was not interested in seeing their acoustic duo at the time, The Noisy Boys. It was not for another six months or so that my friend dragged me out to see the guys play and meet them. When I saw Chris and Terry play, I was very impressed with their musicianship and their fun-loving energy. You could see it in the music they played and on their faces as well. I went out to their shows a couple more times and I became more and more interested as well as inspired to play the drums once again. By this point I had a couple of brief conversations with Chris about getting together to play for fun, and there would be a couple more conversations before we actually did. I was hoping that they were possibly considering the idea of forming a full fledged band with electric guitars, a bass player, and a drummer (hopefully me). I tried not to be too excited and was simply thinking of jamming and possibly get to play out a few times with their acoustic duo. THEN IT HAPPENED! The big meeting. Top secret information was revealed...a can of worms opened....the word was out.....there was a band to be formed. The rest is supergush history.
Bringing my individual story to present, let me simply say that I have a total appreciation for the situation that I am in now. I love the music that we as a band create. I love the fact that although we are four separate individuals in our own sense, that we know how to be a team. We have similar goals that we all work toward as a team. Most of all I love the fact that I can once again dream with the same spirit I had as a child, believing that what I am a part of now, is part of my dream.
This Beginning
I Need You
When I Live
Everything
The Bridge
Sleep Well Tonight
Allright
October Days
Swing
Breathe
Deep
Recorded at: Todd Hobin Studios in Baldwinsville, NY in the fall of 1997 Release Date: February 5, 1998 Produced by: Jeff Favalo and supergush Engineered by: Jeff Favalo and Tommy Scott Our first effort was recorded ten months after we had formed the band. The songs were raw and inspiring. We were eager to write together and were still learning how to do so collaboratively. The eleven songs that came out of the gush sessions were very pop-rock oriented. We recorded the entire album in about eight sessions with Jeff. The beginning of the supergush sound of melodic and catchy choruses is evident in When I Live, I Need You, and The Bridge. Swing was the sleeper hit -- it was sung through a telephone in the studio to give a withdrawn AM radio feel.
Your Voice
Clockwise
Believe
In My Head
Best I Can
Surface of the Sun
Solitude
Spaces In Between
Nepenthe
Recorded at: Acqrok Studios in Utica, NY in the Winter of 1999/2000 Release Date: April 22, 2000 Produced by: Bob Acquaviva and supergush Engineered by: Garrett Ayers Our second album was recorded with the acclaimed Bob Acquaviva who had worked with acts such as Boston, Blue Oyster Cult, Danny Holmes, and Mark Macri. We spent several nights at the studio fine-tuning the songs and working on parts that would enrich the music. The result was eleven songs that pleased us, because we had put a lot of time into writing and rewriting, and editing out the junk along the way. Spaces In Between was the last track added to the CD. We spent several hot summer sessions in our living room in Lyncourt working on an acoustic version that is the final product that you hear today.
Intro
In My Head Album
Skit #1
Out Of Stride
Skit #2
Stay
Skit #3
Skit #4
Sally Hayes
Surface Of The Sun
The third supergush album was an attempt to capture supergush live. We recorded several shows across upstate New York over a five-year span. After reviewing hundreds of songs the end product was a compilation of songs off the first two albums, as well as a taste of whats to come. The two album tracks that were previously unreleased are Stay and Out of Stride, and there is a hidden song at the end of the CD. The hidden track was recorded at Rosie OGradys with our friend Dan Wake singing his hit I Know an Old Lady. When you listen to the last track, you will know why it was previously unreleased!
End of the Day
When I Woke
I'm OK
Murder in the Afternoon
Out of Stride
Song 28
All Good Things
Last Day of Summer
The 4th and most recent release from supergush is a culmination of three years of songwriting. The band spent half of 2004 laying down tracks for Victims of Routine at Kinaka studios on Tipperary Hill in Syracuse, NY. The band produced the CD along with the help of longtime "5th member" Chris Cox. The CD is a blend of supergush's live sound and interest in adding extra instrumentation to many of the songs. Terry plays the mandolin on "out of stride" and Joe played his fretless bass on "stay". Many fills and other keyboardesque embellishments made their way into the background of several songs to add to the overall sound of the album. Friend of the band Lou Dettor (The Rigby's) sings background vocals on "Song 28", "End of the day", and "All good things".
-It's more than the music... it's an experience!
DEAR COLLEGE REP / CLUB OWNER / CRAZED FAN
ENCLOSED YOU WILL FIND:
* Please take the time to look over the material and contact me with any further questions on price and availability. We usually book at least three months in advance so the sooner you contact us, the better your chances at an available date.
Thanks again in advance for considering supergush.
-Chris Krupa
Clubs & Bars
Arenas Eishouse Mexico, NY
Armory High - Syracuse, NY
Atlantis - Syracuse, NY
Beginning II East Syracuse, NY
Bennigans Syracuse, NY
Bleachers Liverpool, NY
Borders Books and Music Syracuse, NY
Brickhouse Fulton, NY
Bridge Street Music Hall East Syracuse, NY
Bridge Street Tavern - Solvay, NY
Brokedown Palace - Pulaski, NY
Jamesville Beach Balloon Festival - Jamesville, NY
Buds Lakefront Café Cicero, NY
Buffalo's - Baldwinsville, NY
Bull & Bear Pub Syracuse, NY
Burgundy Lounge - Syracuse, NY
Captains Attic Rochester, NY
Caribou Club Syracuse, NY
Club Chameleon Syracuse, NY
Colemans Oswego, NY
Colemans Syracuse, NY
Crazy Clam Sylvan Beach, NY
Crows Nest Geneva, NY
Daikers Inn Old Forge, NY
Darwins Syracuse, NY
Dry Dock Grill Syracuse, NY
East LA - Syracuse, NY
Friends Auburn, NY
Happy Endings - Syracuse, NY
Haunt Ithaca, NY
Inn Complete Syracuse, NY
Islander - Alex Bay, NY
Juke Box Syracuse, NY
Lions Den New York City, NY
Mac's Bad Art Bar - Mattydale, NY
Megan MacMuprhy's - Liverpool, NY
Metro Saratoga Springs, NY
Mikeys Solvay, NY
Music Lovers Shoppe Syracuse, NY
Nietzsches Buffalo, NY
Nino's -Cicero, NY
OLearys Irish Pub Ithaca, NY
Oneida Hotel Oneida, NY
Palace Theatre Hamilton, NY
Planet 505 - Syracuse, NY
Polish Falcon's Club - Auburn, NY
Rosie O Gradys Syracuse, NY
Shifty's - Syracuse, NY
Someplace Else Pulaski, NY
Spankys Cortland, NY
Spirits Auburn, NY
Spocs Camillus, NY
Stoop Syracuse, NY
Styleens Syracuse, NY
Sunset Bar & Grill - Solvay, NY
Suzy's - Auburn, NY
Swabys Auburn, NY
Sweets on the Beach Sylvan Beach, NY
Tavern on the Flatts Seneca Falls, NY
Tavern on the Hill Syracuse, NY
The Redhouse - Syracuse, NY
Trapper's - East Syracuse, NY
Wacky Wyatt's- Baldwinsville, NY
Woodshed Oswego, NY
Yesterdays Royal Sylvan Beach, NY
Colleges
Alfred State University Alfred, NY
Bucknell University - Lewisburg, PA
Canisius College Buffalo, NY
Cazenovia College Cazenovia, NY
Colgate University Hamilton, NY
Daemen College Buffalo, NY
Daniel Webster College Nashua, NH
Dennison University Granville, OH
Finger lakes Community College Canandaigua, NY
Hobart & William Smith College Geneva, NY
Johnson & Wales University Providence, RI
Keuka College Keuka, NY
Keystone College - Scranton, PA
Lemoyne College Syracuse, NY
Muskingum College - New Concord, OH
Nazareth College - Rochester, NY
New Hampshire Tech - Concord, NH
Paul Smith College Saranac Lake, NY
Pennsylvania Tech University Williamsport, PA
Rochester Institute of Technology - Rochester, NY
S. New Hampshire University Manchester, NH
Sacred Heart University - Fairfield, CT
St. John Fisher College Rochester, NY
Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
Teikyo Post University - Waterbury, CT
Thomas More College - Crestview Hills, KY
University of Amherst Northhampton, MA
University of Connecticut - Avery Point, CT
University of Maine - Bangor, ME
University of Maine _ Orono Bangor, ME
University of Pittsburgh _ Bradford - Bradford, PA
University of Rochester Rochester, NY
University of Stroudsburg Stroudsburg, PA
Upstate Medical College - Syracuse, NY
Utica College -Utica, NY
Washington College - Chestertown, MD
Western New England College Springfield, MA
Wheaton College - Norton, MA
Wheeling College - Wheeling, WV
Wooster College Wooster, OH
Worcester Polytech College Worcester, MA
Larger Venues and Festivals
Carrier Dome Basketball Game - Syracuse, NY
Double Tree Hotel - East Syracuse, NY
Euro Fest - Clinton Square - Syracuse, NY
Hanover Square - Syracuse, NY
Hooligan's - Liverpool, NY
Hotel Syracuse - Syracuse, NY
Hottest Chick-N-Wing-Fest - Syracuse, NY
Hydrofest _ Onondaga Lake Park - Liverpool, NY
Inner Harbor - Syracuse, NY
Italian Festival -Clinton Square - Syracuse, NY
Landmark Theatre, Syracuse, NY
Mountain Jam- Cazenovia, NY
Norwich Pavilion Park - Norwich, NY
NYS Fair - Chevy Court - Syracuse, NY
Oswego Harbor Fest - Oswego, NY
Party in the Plaza - Syracuse, NY
Syracuse War Memorial - Syracuse, NY
Taste of Syracuse - Syracuse, NY
Taste of East Syracuse -E. Syracuse, NY
Syracuse New Times Net
Supergushing
January 5th, 2005
--Christopher O'Connor
Supergush's new album Victims of Routine (Raz Cactus) sounds like the work of guys who have been through a lot of alternating heartbreak and triumph in their lives. Judging from the Syracuse indie-rock band's lyrics (Sample: "This is the song for all the songs I've let get in the way"), they've also become wise as their early 30s progress; they seem as hopeful as Tony Little, the buff guy with a ponytail who sells all of that freaky-looking exercise equipment on late-night informercials.
"There are always things to learn from and things to move on from," says Chris Krupa, 32, who sings and writes most of Supergush's lyrics. "Some of the lyrics {on Victims of Routine} were based on things I was going through at the time and some were past reflections. It's always therapeutic, I guess."
Krupa cites the early 1990s hitmakers Toad the Wet Sprocket as one of his big personal influences, something that becomes obvious after a listen to the new album, Supergush's fourth. Even when the band ratchets up the volume on the guitars, there's an overriding sensitivity to the melody, as on the jangly "I'm OK." Krupa finishes his most wistful, blatantly poppy tune "Out of Stride" with the words "On my friends are what I feed/ All my friends are all I need." The nice-guy sheen on Victims of Routine is so pervasive, you almost wonder if the tough rocker "Murder in the Afternoon" is merely tongue-in-cheek.
In real life, Krupa and longtime friend Terry Clifton really are nice guys. Both work as special education teachers at Henninger High School in Syracuse. They attended Le Moyne College together and played in bands before forming Supergush in 1996.
"Music's always been such a wonderful relief for us," Krupa says. "We share a common interest. It's been a lot of fun."
Despite all of the feel-good material they mine as songwriters, Supergush does have its mischievous side. The band ends most of its shows with a faithful cover of Young MC's "Bust a Move." They've also covered Coolio tunes: "It gets pretty ugly, actually," Krupa laughs. "It keeps it entertaining to ourselves."
Supergush will hold its CD release party for Victims of Routine on Jan. 14 at the Marx Hotel & Conference Center, 701 E. Genesee St. The album will be available for sale afterward at local music retailers and through the band's Web site, http://www.supergush.com.
Superlative Gushing April 2, 2003 supergush carves its own niche in the local modern-rock milieu By Nathan Turk Syracuse, NY
Since evolving from grunge and alternative more than a decade ago, the modern rock genre has grown La-Z-Boy comfy, with many groups relying on vapid, recycled choruses and contrived angst. Syracuse's Supergush disdains that cookie-cutter approach to their craft. "A lot of people relate to our songs because they're very basic, inspired by personal experiences," says singer-guitarist Chris Krupa. "It's not like we're trying to find rhymes that go together just to make them sound good." Krupa's couplets are a long way from your standard "spoon, June, moon, loon" fare. "I would walk the longest mile/ on the surface of the sun/ I would wait a million years/ to count them one by one...to be with you tonight," he sings to a lover in "Surface of the Sun," a track off the group's 2000 disc Confusion Among the Masses (Raz Cactus). In the background, Joe Sauve's buoyant bass bobs in perfect tandem to drummer Rick Borczuk's beats, as Krupa and lead guitarist Terry Clifton get their jiggy on with electric acoustics.
The music isn't too far from pop-rock darlings Matchbox 20 or the late Toad the Wet Sprocket, bands that Krupa cites as major influences. "I also like the Gin Blossoms, and Travis out of England. We all bring different perspectives to the music," he says. Clifton, Supergush's Van Halen junkie, has been musical partners with Krupa since 1993, when the two spent part of their Le Moyne College days in the band Brave Utensils. In 1995 they formed the Noisy Boys, an acoustic covers duo with a fancy for "everything from Simon and Garfunkel and Neil Young to Pearl Jam and Oasis," in Krupa's words. The Noisy Boys continue to gig regularly at local venues such as The Bull & Bear and Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub.
In 1997 the duo recruited Borczuk and Sauve, and the foursome recorded a self-titled album under the moniker Gush; the CD was released under the band's imprint, Raz Cactus. Gush had to hush, however, when a similarly named Long Island band had problems with the upstate upstarts. "We had to change it, for legal reasons," Krupa recalls. "We were looking for any way to keep the fan base we created, for a word to tag onto it so it would still be recognizable." Hence the superlative, "super."
Confusion Among the Masses was followed by last fall's live disc Radius. "We recorded shows over the past five years, with the intention of releasing something down the road," Krupa says of the compiling process. "Just straight, live recordings, no overdubs. It gives people a sense of what we're about live." The hollering and clapping between the tracks comes form "fans ranging from the drinking age to their 40s and 50s," Krupa says. "We have a diverse audience."
While the majority of the tracks cull from Confusion, three tunes from the debut are represented, including "October Days," in which Krupa's harrowing baritone summons the late Layne Staley. "It feels nice to have songs around from six, seven years ago," Krupa reflects. "It provides a sense of history." Two of the live disc's tracks, "Out of Stride" and "Stay," are previews of the upcoming Supergush CD, which should be finished by the time Syracusans are busting out their rakes and flannels. "We have nine new songs, altogether," Krupa discloses. "We'll be recorded in the fall at Kianka Studios on Tipperary Hill, which is owned by our sound man, Chris Cox. We've definitely been selective with what goes in. A good song is one we've worked on for six months, and are still happy with."
The fact that dozens of songs remain on the shelf, however, suggests the members are pretty busy dudes. In addition to Supergush and the Noisy Boys, Krupa and Clifton both teach at Henninger High School. Sauve runs a karaoke service, and Borczuk is a district manager for Home Depot. "It just makes sense to have a stable job," Krupa offers. "Any one of us could probably make a living just off the music if we wanted to. But I wouldn't want to give up either one of my jobs, I love them both equally."
The group's experience in Pennsylvania at the February 2002 National Association for Campus Activities Conference, an annual liaison between the higher education and entertainment communities, seems proof that everything eventually works out. "We were standing behind the curtain waiting to be introduced when suddenly Joe realized his bass wasn't working," Krupa remembers. "He snuck out from behind the curtain to try to screw around with the pedals, and we're all thinking, 'Oh no, our gear can't be screwing up now.' But at the exact moment the announcer rolled the name Supergush off his tongue, it started working again."
Krupa says "two of our upcoming shows, the Thursday, April 3, gig at Waterbury, Connecticut's Teikyo Post University, and our April 13 gig at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, were both a direct result of the NACA conference. It's a great way to make connections." Supergush's brushes with greatness have included warming up the crowd for Canada's Econoline Crush at the late Club Chameleon in 1997, and serving as the opening act during two Jamesville Balloon Fests: the 1999 edition that featured the Spin Doctors as headliners, and 2000's blowout with Stroke 9 and Splendor. "But that's just a drop in the bucket in terms of the overall plan," Krupa allows. "We'd really like to start pursuing more farther-out shows. There's always people out there who aren't familiar with your music, there's always room to grow. It's arrogant to say you've reached your pinnacle. We played at Happy Endings a couple weeks back, and some guy came up to me and said, 'What I really enjoy about your music is that it's honest.' And that really felt good."
April 2001
Supergush lavishes listeners with accessible melodies
By Allen Czelusniak
Supergush
There's a formula that reigns in the realm of good-guy rock, the comfortable kingdom that Dave Matthews, Counting Crows and Hootie and the Blowfish call home. Judging from their latest effort, Confusion Among the Masses (Raz Cactus), Syracuse pop-rockers Supergush know the recipe: easy-to-swallow tunes that seem more intent on bonding with listeners than forcing a musical concoction down anyone's throat.
Singer and lyricist Chris Krupa clearly articulates his takes on the standard subjects of love, family and friendship. Yet he also confronts his self-doubts and desires. While Confusion presents a first-person account of Krupa's dealings with the world at large, the nonconfrontational nature of the band's music invites listeners to stick around. Instead of sounding self-indulgent or absorbed, Supergush comes across as sincere and strong enough not to mask its sensitivity.
Many local rock bands obscure their lyrics behind a blitzkrieg of loud guitars, booming bass and bashing drums. This technique often hides a lousy singer or the fact that the band says nothing of consequence. Not so with Supergush. Contrary to the disc's title, there is no confusion about what Krupa voices.
Credit the band for giving him plenty of space to sing and producer Bob Aquaviva at Utica's Acqrok Studios for neatly capturing it on tape. And even if there were any communication breakdown, the liner notes contain all the lyrics, clearing up any confusion between the band and its audience.
