The Connection

The Connection came together in 2011 when Geoff Palmer and Brad Marino, both guitarists and singers from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, combined their tastes for British Invasion sounds and mid-'60s garage rock to produce an energetic mix of rock & roll and vintage power pop. Palmer's earlier credits included the Queers, the Nobodys, and the Guts, while Marino had been part of Way to Go. Once they recognized their overlapping musical goals, the pair started writing material and made an early demo that relied on drum loops because they had not yet recruited a drummer. The band's first complete lineup placed Marino on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Palmer on lead guitar and backing vocals, Andy Casey on bass, and Chris Faulkner on drums. In fall 2011 the group issued its opening EP, New England's Newest Hitmakers, along with a Christmas single. Personnel changes arrived in 2012 when Andy Casey departed and was succeeded by bassist and backing vocalist Bobby Davis; Chris Faulkner also left, so Zack Sprague took the drum chair, with Rick Orcutt and Craig Sala filling in as needed. March 2012 brought the release of a second EP, 7 Nights to Rock, which featured guest keyboardist Kris "Fingers" Rodgers, who soon joined full-time. The record earned spins on Little Steven Van Zandt's Underground Garage show, where the title track received the weekly "Coolest Song in the World" accolade, and Van Zandt publicly endorsed the band with the remark "The Connection gets it." Keeping a steady output, the Connection put out six singles and EPs during 2012 and 2013, shared bills with the Flamin' Groovies, the Muffs, the Real Kids, and Mark Lindsay, and issued its first album, Let It Rock, in June 2013. A Christmas Gift for You followed in 2014.