Days Awake has become one of the most respected bands in the storied history of the Asbury Park music scene. For more than three years they thrilled audiences with a high energy blend of epic-scale rock and roll, with a little bit of soul mixed in for good measure. In the process, they won eight Asbury Music Awards, including nods for the coveted Best Rock Band award twice.
In the meantime, a young singer/songwriter named Rick Barry was making his way up the ladder in the same Asbury Park music scene. Audiences were immediately drawn to Rick’s fearless nature, and the uncommon honesty of his songs. He recorded two acclaimed albums, the full band “Small Town Politicsâ€, followed by the solo acoustic “Declaration of Codependenceâ€, and won three Asbury Music Awards while he was at it. In 2006 Rick won the Grand Prize in the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
The members of Days Awake and Rick Barry became fast friends, recognizing in each other a deep devotion to the music, and to the fans. When the band made the painful decision to part ways in early 2007, three members, guitarist Jeremy Korpas (three-time Asbury Music Award nominee), keyboard player Eric Safka (two-time Asbury Music Award winner), and drummer Sarah Tomek (three-time Asbury Music Award winner), decided to stay together. Somehow it seemed only natural that they should team up with Rick Barry to create something altogether new, and with the addition of Asbury Music Award nominated bass player Justin Bornemann, the new band was complete.
So Paperback Radio was born and they made their high profile debut at the 2007 WAVE Gathering in Asbury Park. The band has been rehearsing and writing together in preparation for the recording of their first album this year. Expect great songs. Expect intense musical interaction from players with prodigious chops. Expect to be blown away by the live show. Expect the unexpected.
