Spring Break
Steel Train Channels 1960s
Ashley McGown
Issue date: 10/11/05 Section: Focus
Two scenesters from New Jersey, an introverted Floridian, a German and a New Yorker with a heart of gold - if you individually depict each member of Steel Train, these five guys hardly seem like the most probable people to form a band that straddles the bluegrass and Americana genres.
"If anything, we're just 30 years too late," said Jack Antonoff.
Antonoff (lead vocals, guitar) describes the band's formation as a series of unfortunate events, to some degree. Antonoff met guitarist Matthew Goldman and bassist Evan Winiker in middle school. A couple of years later, Antonoff moved to New York City to attend the Professional Children's School (PCS), a performing arts high school, where he met Scott Irby Ranniar, another PCS student.
Ranniar (keyboard, vocals) and Antonoff began to jam together regularly. Their first performance was a talent show in which they covered Bob Marley's "Steel Train," Antonoff said. People at the show started calling them Steel Train.
"It just stuck," Antonoff said. "But I like to tell everyone it's from a Tom Waits song."
Weeks later, Winiker's laptop was stolen and he decided to drop out of college to join the band. Following him was Goldman, who joined the band when his house burned down. The four members were already signed to Drive-Thru Records when they met drummer Matthias Gruber. Gruber, who was born and raised in Germany, had moved to Los Angeles three years before to study at the L.A. Music Academy.
It has been three years and the band's debut full-length album, which was released in April, is just starting to raise eyebrows.
Antonoff was born and raised in New Jersey, an area that has been spitting out (the recently labeled "emo") underground bands for the past decade.
"The guys from My Chemical Romance and Saves the Day are the kids we grew up with," Antonoff said.
Immersed in the scene from early on, Antonoff began to play in bands while he was in his early teens.
"If anything, we're just 30 years too late," said Jack Antonoff.
Antonoff (lead vocals, guitar) describes the band's formation as a series of unfortunate events, to some degree. Antonoff met guitarist Matthew Goldman and bassist Evan Winiker in middle school. A couple of years later, Antonoff moved to New York City to attend the Professional Children's School (PCS), a performing arts high school, where he met Scott Irby Ranniar, another PCS student.
Ranniar (keyboard, vocals) and Antonoff began to jam together regularly. Their first performance was a talent show in which they covered Bob Marley's "Steel Train," Antonoff said. People at the show started calling them Steel Train.
"It just stuck," Antonoff said. "But I like to tell everyone it's from a Tom Waits song."
Weeks later, Winiker's laptop was stolen and he decided to drop out of college to join the band. Following him was Goldman, who joined the band when his house burned down. The four members were already signed to Drive-Thru Records when they met drummer Matthias Gruber. Gruber, who was born and raised in Germany, had moved to Los Angeles three years before to study at the L.A. Music Academy.
It has been three years and the band's debut full-length album, which was released in April, is just starting to raise eyebrows.
Antonoff was born and raised in New Jersey, an area that has been spitting out (the recently labeled "emo") underground bands for the past decade.
"The guys from My Chemical Romance and Saves the Day are the kids we grew up with," Antonoff said.
Immersed in the scene from early on, Antonoff began to play in bands while he was in his early teens.