The Everymen

Hailing from New Jersey with deep local roots, the Everymen blend an array of influences into their music: the resilient yet melodic lines of 1960s rock, the expansive and forceful approach associated with Bruce Springsteen alongside other heartland rock acts, the raw defiance of punk, and the ragged yet passionate core reminiscent of the Replacements. This combination has turned the group into local favorites across their home state while steadily building recognition farther afield.

Singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter Mike V.—full name Michael Venutolo-Mantovani—launched the project after absorbing a broad spectrum of sounds from his father's collection, ranging across roots rock, heartland rock, R&B, jazz, and additional genres. During his teenage years he began composing original material that drew on those varied tastes, and by 2009 he was performing in a duo format alongside drummer Jake Fiedler. The lineup later grew to incorporate additional instrumental colors and textures; as Mike V. once remarked to journalist Nikki M. Mascali, "In my dreams, if we had a f---ing million dollars and headlined Terminal 5, I'd have an entire f---ing horn section and a bunch of Cuban dudes playing."

The band reached a nine-member configuration by 2012, comprising Mike V., Fiedler, vocalist Catherine Herrick, lead guitarist Geoff Morrissey, keyboardist Thomas Barrett, bassist Jamie Zillitto, percussionist Stephen Chopek, saxophonist Scott Zillitto, and trumpeter Will Hoffman. Their first full-length release, Hardcore New Jersey, appeared in October of that year on the New Jersey independent label Killing Horse Records and earned favorable critical notices. In 2014 they followed with the more polished and expansive Givin' Up on Free Jazz, issued as their debut on Ernest Jenning Record Co. Just prior to that album's arrival, Thomas Barrett disclosed an amicable departure to focus on his other musical endeavors.

June 2016 brought the third album, These Mad Dogs Need Heroes. At that stage the Everymen had reduced to a five-person nucleus of Mike V., Catherine Herrick, Scott Zillitto handling sax and vocals, Jamie Zillitto on bass, and Ryan Gross covering guitars and keyboards, augmented by occasional studio guests.