The New Translation

Any group of guys can throw a few instruments together and call themselves a rock band. Rock, the ultimate genre catch-all, almost always has to be modified: modern, indie, alternative, active, progressive.Few bands, however, can transcend labels, appeal to much greater than a mere niche market. With a sound that blends melodic, acoustic, alternative and mainstream rock, St. Louis’s The New Translation has quickly risen well above its peers.And consider this: With a median age of 20, The New Translation has been together just a year and half. In this time, they’ve managed to get airplay on St. Louis active rock station 105.7 The Point, played festivals and tours—notably the Projekt Revolution Tour—and shared stages with such acts as Fastball, Linkin Park, Finger Eleven, The Bravery, Chris Cornell, Hawthorne Heights and Filter. The band regularly sells out 500-plus capacity venues in their hometown.“I definitely think we fit into mainstream radio,” says guitarist Jeremey Martin. “And I don’t think we could have picked a worse time in the history of rock to be in a band.”“I believe the love for the music is still there,” adds guitarist/backing vocalist Gerald Dusek. “It’s just been obscured by the whole ‘image’ thing, to the point where the fans are losing touch with what brings the bands who create the music and the fans together, and that’s the music.”Bassist/backing vocalist Al Carretta chimes in, “Hopefully, with hard work we can help people enjoy music for its personal appeal.” (The band also includes Kory Langreder on drums.)The New Translation spent last fall recording their debut CD, Shift, with veteran rockers Scott Gertken and Rich Criebaum (Modern Day Zero) of Trailer Studios. “Rich was the producer from heaven,” says vocalist Glenn Williams. “He really got inside our heads, saw where we wanted to take the songs and then made our ideas better.”In terms of what sets the band apart, Gerald says, “I really think one of my strengths is finding the right words to use to tell the story. Live what you feel, and feel what you will. You can’t change your emotions, so embrace them.” “We’re young and ready to take on the world,” affirms Glenn.Despite their dogged dedication, The New Translation isn’t all work and no play. Says Al, “My greatest music accomplishment has been finding the four craziest assholes and somehow making music with them."