A Clean Slate 
OurAfter switches gears for its upcoming release by Dustin Drevitch EC/DC Weekend

With the music industry in mass confusion - how th...
With the music industry in mass confusion - how the hell is it going to keep things together - our local scene is noticeably stronger than ever. Local original bands are continuing to strive forward, especially with releases expected in 2008 from the likes of Panacea, Lemongelli and Graces Downfall, among others. Another band that will have a new album this year is Our After. Led by John "Guido" Phillips, the band is set to release its new EP entitled Tabula Rasa, a name taken from an episode of Lost, meaning "Clean Slate."

"The new record is a bit more aggressive, more rock based," Phillips said. "I mean it still has that alternative vibe to it, and we're still going to experiment with effects and stuff on top of what we're doing, but it's more raw, more evolved in a way, just taking a completely different approach."

On its last release, Karma, Our After captivated its fans with its moody, romantic, highly polished tunes. For Tabula Rasa, Phillips (vocals, rhythm guitar, keys), Jason Macheska (bass guitar), Michael Dudley (rhythm guitar), Steve Husted (rhythm guitar, vocals) and Eli Hludzik (drums, percussion) had many different elements that led to the changing of the musical equation which made Karma so successful. The band added two new members (Husted and Macheska) within the last year and the primary writing credits that Phillips once held are now distributed throughout the entire band with most of the weight on Phillips and Husted, who is splitting his duties between his solo work and with lessen one.

"There's a lot that's going to be touched on this album," Phillips said. "Politics, my damaged relationships, if you will, drug addiction, religious views, and philosophical things, as well."

Our After is one of the few bands in the area that consistently opens for national acts who roll into town. To date, the band has opened for Yellowcard, Flyleaf, 10 Years, Boy Hits Car, and Red, which Our After will open for again on May 10 at Crocodile Rock Cafe in Allentown.

"We've been lining up a lot of good stuff with Stan Levinstone with the concerts - he keeps us working and we keep bringing him fans so it's a nice business relationship there," Phillips said. "If he ever needs support for an act when it comes around he always does call us, which I'm very happy about that we've established that bridge."

Phillips still occasionally performs with his former band (UUU), along with solo acoustic shows and gigs with his good friend and local drummer Bryan Banks.

"I hear people who constantly put down our scene that are from our scene, but I ... love our scene. There are bands out the wahzoo in our scene that would blow some of the bands I have seen in my travels across the country out of the water and it's not just the rock bands. It's the indie bands and the jam bands too," he said.

Along with recording the new Our After record, Phillips, with the help of Banks, will be organizing the Steamtown Original Music Showcase, which has grown in size from last year's event. This year there will be nine venues over two days, Aug. 30 and 31, clinics in the Hilton, and over 100 regional and local acts.

"All I wish for is one thing and that's happiness and maybe a vacation," Phillips said, laughing. "I don't really wish for things because I'm the kind of guy that if I don't expect anything, then I'm never disappointed. But the one thing I do hope for is that the future takes some positive directions and that we (Our After) don't cause any bad waves whatsoever."

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