February 18 , 2010
Tulsa Today Newspaper
by Kevin Pyle (website)
Badfish and Full Service at Cain's Ballroom
"...Austin Texas based band Full Service was next. This was their fourth time to play the historic Cains Ballroom. If you have never heard them, they are like Black Sabbath meets Bob Marley. The music is infectious with a heavy rock, groove-funk sound. During their song “Black is Back”, they even throw in a few lines from “Bring the Noise” by Public Enemy. Full Service’s front man and guitar player “Bonesaw” joked about changing the band name to “Coat Tails” since they played to a full house the two times they opened for someone else at the Cains. But the one time they came by themselves, they only played to security, the sound guy and Brad (Brad Harris, Cains building manager). Full Service finished their set with the song “Trumpets” to which Bonesaw surfed the crowd on a surf board. Never a dull moment watching these guys. If you have never seen Full Service, do yourself a favor and catch them the next chance you get."
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January 30 , 2010
Daily Texan - University of Texas Newspaper
by Joe Holloway (website)
Full Service Is Primed To Slay
"...Bonesaw indicated that the proximity of the fans to the stage at Emo’s might allow him to get creative with his stage diving and crowd surfing.
“He just got this surfboard. I was thinking maybe we could actually crowd surf with a surfboard,” Hoagman said. “Doesn’t that make sense? It’s easier to hold somebody and you don’t hurt anybody because it’s a flat surface.”
Bonesaw said he’d be up for the stunt.
“The last time, I just had the board on stage” he said. “I’m going to do it. It’d be really sick to do it while shredding a solo.”
(read the full article)
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September 25 , 2009
Ohio State Lantern Newapaper
by Everdeen Mason (website)
Full Service Brings Quirk to the Newport Music Hall
"...The band’s music lends itself well to a guerilla play-style. The band is a “shape shifter” band that plays all styles of music and tries to express themselves in any way they can.
“Music as a form is so open that to live in one particular form would be like living in one city your whole life,” Hoag said. “So we’ve found ourselves traveling the musical world, so to speak.”
Their lyrics are just as wild as they are, inspired by observations and empathy.
“I much prefer to simply articulate what I see going on around me, but in such a way that leads people to look at something more closely,” Hoag said. He said when he observes a person or situation, he “relates or empathizes in some weird way.”
(read the full article...)
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September 22 , 2009
Tulsa Examiner
by Dina Brandt(website)
Tulsa Gets Full Service at Bob's
"...The first song FS played brought me back to my Caribbean cruise vacation. Very reggae sounding with a nice blend of hard rock. A few songs parodied a blending of Sublime and Alice In Chains, as well as a mixture of Mastadon and Nirvana. A very unique concept of FS is that the drummer, Hoagman, did most of the singing while playing drums, and at times jumped up to slap the bongos. When Hoagman wasn’t stretching his diversity across the stage, Smellman would run percussion and the cutaway tambourine. The bassist, Twinky, was too cool for school most the night. That is, until the band played the song ‘Trumpets'. Twinky was bouncing off of the walls on his own self-induced sugar high by this time. One thing I could not get over was Bonesaw’s resemblance to the many painted depictions of Jesus Christ. (I don’t think I can necessarily go to hell for saying that a living mortal looks a lot like our savior, so for those of you who want to comment otherwise, please don’t waste any of your time). . . "
(READ THE FULL ARTICLE)
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September 22 , 2009
Univ. of Missouri - KC UNews
by Kelley Kates (website)
Full Service Takes Over College Campuses
"...Full Service doesn't feel it to be beneficial to stay in one single music genre.
"Music as a form is so open, that to live in one particular form would be like living in one city your whole life," Hoag said.
Hoag also writes the lyrics for Full Service' songs.
"I've never thought of them as messages or instructions, just observations," he said. "Most of the time, I try to leave the message to the listener. I just supply the impressions, the pictures."
read the full article...
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September 17 , 2009
The Houston Chronicle
by Valerie Sweetin (website)
Faces In The Crowd: Kingwood Grad Has Career That Rocks
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September 4 , 2009
Texas A&M Battalion Newspaper
by Clay Harley (website)
Full Service Rockers Turning Heads
"... Full Service has six studio albums, one live album and one EP. Their newest album, titled "The Earth Still Wants You," was released in February 2009. They also tour and play live shows.
"It's very high energy but it's not that kind of, like, spastic energy. That would feel and look very obviously contrived," Hoag said. "Bonesaw is a very physical guitar player; he sacrifices a lot of correct notes for being able to move around a lot, so he doesn't really care if he [messes] up, which is cool I think. It's almost like a public display of a private experience if that makes any sense. It looks like we're playing for ourselves but at the same time playing for other people. I think that that's what people appreciate - that you're so into it yourselves, and then people feed off of that, as opposed to bands who are clearly just sort of cheerleading the crowd. . . "
READ THE FULL ARTICLE
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September 3 , 2009
LSU Tiger Weekly
by Charles Nunmaker (website)
Full Service to Serve Up The Varsity Theatre
"It seems today that few bands will stick to their mission and to the self-image of who they really are. As times change and demands grow larger, many bands will lose sight of their mission and sell out their songs and image all for the purpose of wealth.
Full Service is one of those bands who goes against this model and stays true to their mission and their music.
. ." read full article
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August 6, 2009
Houston Calling
by David A. Cobb (101X Website )
Full Service Rocks SHRP This Weekend
Austin rock band Full Service is crazy. Last summer, the band followed the 311 summer tour (in what the band called its “Takeover Tour”) from Boston to Austin–through 16 cities–and played in the parking lots before the 90s-era band took the stage. As a result, the group garnered some press, new fans, and even won over 311, who invited the band to play some shows.
During the tour, 311 played Houston’s Sam Houston Race Park. Here’s how Full Service’s Hoag describes what happened:
So naturally we went to execute our parking lot Takeover…except the authorities were NOT having it. They told us not to unload anything from the van. Then they kicked us out. BUT…we got the last laugh. We ended up leaving the venue, unloading our van and re-loading it with our drums and guitars and amps set up inside. Then we went BACK to the venue and rolled through the parking lot playing from INSIDE THE VAN. It was nuts…
Fast forward a few months and they’re inviting us to come inside and play…
You can see a clip of the action near the end of this video.
Full Service plays with Badfish at Sam Houston Race Park this Saturday, 8.8.09. The band’s new album, The Earth Still Wants You, is available now. Visit the band online at www.fullservicemusic.com.
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August 5, 2009
Houston Community Newspapers
by Allen Jones (read the full article )
Austin-based Full Service Takes the Stage at SHRP
An Austin-based band is gaining popularity for its music and its unusual self-promotion techniques. . . During Full Service’s Takeover Tour, however, the group followed 311 back to Texas for a performance at the Sam Houston Race Park.
But things didn’t go so easily for Full Service.
“So naturally we went to execute our parking lot Takeover... except the authorities were not having this,” Hoag said. “They told us not to unload anything from (our) van. They they kicked us out.”
Hoag said Full Service had the “last laugh,” however.
“We ended up leaving the venue, unloading our van and re-loading it with our drums and guitars and amps set up inside,” he said. “Then we went back to the venue and rolled through the parking lot playing from inside the van,” Hoag said. “It was nuts.”
Ironically, the publicity stunt worked as not only did Full Service get to officially go on a summer tour with 311, but now Full Service will actually be paid performers at The Showgrounds at Sam Houston Race Park following live racing on Friday, Aug. 8.
read more. . .
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May 12 , 2009
101X FM Austin Morning Show
by Jason Dick and Deb (101X Website )
Full Service on the 101X Morning Show with Jason and Deb
Austin's rock station invited us smelly dudes into the studio May 12th to talk about the new album, the Takeover Tour, and that night's show with 311 at the Music Hall. Download the mp3 of the show by right clicking below and "save target as."
DOWNLOAD OR STREAM THE SHOW (4MB)
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May 12 , 2009
Austin American Statesman
by Paul Mongillo (read the articl online)
Full Service on Tour with 311
One way to get an opening slot for a popular band is to open for them without their permission. That's just what Austin-based Full Service did on last year's 311 tour. Setting up a generator-powered stage in parking lots of arenas and amphitheaters from Boston all the way back to Texas, the band, whose sound draws from a variety of genres including rock, reggae and metal, played spontaneous shows, which they dubbed "takeovers." 311 eventually noticed, and now Full Service will be opening - inside the venue - for three 311 shows, including one tonight at Austin Music Hall.
This guerrilla-style promotion is a good fit for Full Service. Although the Austin scene features a range of musical genres, there doesn't seem to be a ton of room for a group of dreadlocked rockers that veers dangerously close to the oft ridiculed category "jam band."
"It's hard for us to find a place in the scene," says drummer David Kepner, better known as "Hoag."
Existing outside the mainstream might not be such a bad thing. Bands such as 311, Guster and Widespread Panic exist largely under the radar but perform across the country to packed audiences of cult-like fans. Hoag is at home with the idea. "The live show, the traveling, is where it's at. It's about connecting with the fans," Hoag says.
Hoag and his brother Tim, lead singer/guitarist who goes by the name Bonesaw, grew up in Philadelphia and moved to Austin after graduating college (Hoag went to Yale; Bonesaw, Amherst College), where they met percussionist Elliott Lardon (Smellman) and bassist Anthony Pitt (Twinky-P). They are relentless self-promoters, producing videos and writing articles about the band. Their dedication is also seen in the band's output. They've recorded five albums and an EP in the past three years. Their most recent album, "The Earth Still Wants You," is dedicated to Hoag's dog Nessie, who died while the band was on tour. Nessie is also memorialized in a full-color tattoo on Hoag's left arm.
As far as whether they'll continue to do their spontaneous shows now that they're getting booked in bigger venues, Hoag says that the smaller shows have proved better for getting fans. "The big shows are good, but there's something about the intimate connection," he says. "They become really hard-core fans."
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April 25 , 2009
College Music Journal (CMJ): Staff Blogs
by Kristen Cesiro
Full Service @ Sullivan Hall (NYC) April 24, 2009
"Bonesaw, Hoag, Twink, and Smell — members of the rock / reggae / metal band Full Service — climbed the stage at Sullivan Hall last night and had an instant cloud of moshing appear before them. This Austin-bred band gave the audience a strong, complete set of downbeat rock, especially while performing their track “Trumpets,” during which they substituted the usual sound of brass with humming vocal harmonies. Other performed tracks included “Rocketships,” “HiHo,” and “Sit At The Table.”
Look out for Full Service on their tour with 311 in mid-May. More tour info, as well as how you can listen to/purchase their music can be found on their website: www.fullservicemusic.com." SEE THE PICTURES
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February 5, 2009
LSU Tiger Weekly (Student Newspaper, Baton Rouge, LA)
by Charles Nunmaker
Full Service Serves Up at NGT
"The music that the band creates is unique in the sense that it travels out into many different genres at once rather than just sticking to one specific genre. Overall, their music can include genres such as rock, punk, ska and reggae, but the agility with which the whole band can swap genres is what makes each song different and unique.
“We used to call our music the ‘Everlasting Gobstopper’ because it has a lot of different flavors and a lot of different colors,” said Hoag reflecting on the band’s music."
read full ariticle
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October 22, 2008
Germantown Academy Patriot (Student Newspaper, Philadelphia, PA)
by Ben Talus
Full Service Rocks GA
"A common question heard around the student center at lunch on October 14th: “Did those two guys in that band really go to GA?” It’s true. Tim and Dave Kepner, ’96 and ’99 respectively, are GA alums, and they are two of the four members of the band Full Service. On Tuesday October 14th, they graced the GA Upper School with, in the words of Andrew Schlesinger ’10, “their mad rock skills.”
read full ariticle
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October 20, 2008
The Boston Globe
by Jed Gottleib
Full Service Gets Good Mileage Out of Guerilla Shows
From the Beatles’ 1969 performance on the roof of the Apple building in London to the gaggle of punk bands who played in the streets during the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, rock has made stages out of countless random spots across the globe.
But Full Service has taken takeovers to a new level.
This July, the Texas band followed 311 and Snoop Dogg’s “Summer Unity Tour” from Boston to Austin, setting up in arena parking lots and jamming until security guards gave them the boot.
This fall, Full Service will spike its club dates - including tonight’s gig at the Middle East in Cambridge - with impromptu sets in public parks and college campuses along the way.
read full ariticle
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October 22, 2008
Austin Soundcheck Blog
by Ana Wolken
A FanSaw's Guide to Full Service
Fansaw (noun):
1. A kind-hearted active listener with a dedication to and belief in the healing power of rock… who brings a friend!
2. A dedicated fan of Full Service, Austin’s premiere rock/reggae/metal band.
I’ve been a fan of Full Service for much longer than I’ve been writing this blog. Legions of Fansaws have flocked to Full Service since their days as a three-piece, as heard on 3 Will Ride Forth. Lately, Full Service has garnered a lot of well-deserved attention due to their outside the box / guerilla-style Takeover Tour. For those of you who are new to the FS game, I present A Fansaw’s Guide to Full Service:
read full ariticle
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October 16, 2008
The Daily Campus (UConn Student Newspaper)
by Stephen Ortiz
Carriage to Experience Full Service Takeover
"Instruments? Check. Generator? Check. Anti-establishment attitude? Big check.
No, these are not the plans for a coup, but rather, the weapons wielded by Austin, Texas, band Full Service for their guerilla warfare performances that they lovingly refer to as "takeovers," and they're bringing one to Carriage House this Saturday night.
Full Service is consists of lead singer and drummer Hoag, his brother and guitarist/singer Bonesaw, bassist Twinky-P, percussionist/singer Smellman and "an anarchic rejection of the modern, stale concert-going experience." The members of the band unanimously decided to never give out their real names.
"There is at least one thing about everybody that will tell you everything you need to know about them," Hoag said. "I went to Yale but am the person in the band who is most often called 'stupid' by the other members. Smell didn't go to college but is the person in the band who is most looked upon for practical advice and decision-making. Twinky-P is the person in the band who looks the tallest, but is actually the second shortest. And Bonesaw is our tactical leader and moral compass."
The band comes from a modest background, playing impromptu gigs on the streets of Nantucket, Mass., and worked their way up to reggae festivals and Houston Astros games, according to 5th-semester political science major and cousin of Hoag and Bonsesaw, Zack Caruso.
read full ariticle
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October 03, 2008
Austin American Statesman Blog
by Michael Corcoran
Full Service Takeover
Check out Full Service, playing on the grass near Jack In the Box during ACL. The Austin band has specialized in “takeovers” since they shadowed 311 and Snoop Dogg this summer." - MC
read full ariticle
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July 31 , 2008
KOOP.org
Crashing the Snoop Dogg After Party. . . After Party. . . After Party.
"This coming Saturday, August 2, Austin band Full Service will culminate its "Takeover" of the summer's 311/Snoop Dog tour at the Backyard in Bee Cave just outside Austin. The band has shadowed every event on the tour, setting up in speedy guerrilla fashion outside each concert venue on the itenerary with the goal of playing their unsanctioned sets as long as possible, gathering emails from new fans stopping to watch them, and passing out 10,000 demo CDs."
Below - video samples from this week's web feature - (1) Before embarking, they threw a press conference to warn the world. (2) Deep into the band's takeover campaign, Atlanta fell. (3) In more lighthearted days, Full Service documented their infamous street, Alpine Drive. (4) ...and they welcomed us into their Alpine Drive home. (5) "Blueberry Farm" from their January-released CD The Dig also got the full video treatment. See all the videos on the
read full ariticle
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June 20 , 2008
Austin Sound Blog
by John Laird
Video Recommendation: "Blueberry Farm"
"This video for Full Service's "Blueberry Farm" has been out for a couple of months, but now that the blistering heat has arrived we're ready to share. Why? Because the song is just that kind of jam (i.e. one that has a breezy pace and a sweet guitar solo) that you put on while you lounge around on the back porch drinking with your friends and talking about how you remember when gas was less than a $1 a gallon.
Plus, Curtis Pollock did an admirable job directing the video, and he deserves a shout-out.
Full Service's The Dig is out now.
read full ariticle
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July 31 , 2008
The Austin Chronicle
by Austin Powell
Don't Tread On Me
"The target demographic for Full Service is pretty easy to pinpoint: alternatively inclined youths, aged 12-24, capable of getting down to both 311 and Snoop Dogg (see "Texas Platters," p.54). For the past month, the local jam band has tailgated alongside the 4:20-enthusiasts' joint tour, playing generator-powered, guerilla-style sets in the parking lot before each show. "Daily confrontation with police and security can get pretty stressful," relays guitarist/vocalist Bonesaw via e-mail. That's putting it mildly. The quartet was barred from setting up in Holmdel, N.J., and two members were arrested and held overnight in Brooklyn after being busted with a spliff that was supposedly confiscated by a parking-lot security guard and given to the band. It's a good thing the group brought along its own crew to document the trip (www.fullservicemusic.com). "Our website hits per day have tripled, and so all seems to be going according to plan!" says Bonesaw, who's handed out more than 1,200 demos to date. Full Service gears up for one last takeover Saturday at the sold-out Backyard (they're sitting out Sunday's show there), with an official homecoming at Flamingo Cantina on Friday."
read full ariticle
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August 1 , 2008
Austin 360.com Music Recommendations
by Joe Gross
Full Service @ The Flamingo Cantina
"Full Service. There's a pop-craft side to them (think Beach Boys harmonies), a funk side (think many hours with Fishbone's and Chili Peppers' albums) and a whole lot of dreadlocks (you'll see). 9 p.m. Flamingo Cantina. 515 E. Sixth St. 494-9336." — J.G.
read full ariticle
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June 1 , 2008
LineUp Magazine
by Kelsey D
CD Review: "The Dig"
"A little something for everyone can be found on the latest album, THE DIG, from Full Service. The new release is an easily likable rock album that screams "let the good times roll!" THE DIG centers upon heavy, tongue-flicking guitar riffs under monotone reggae touch as Full Service moves to transition in hints of several musical categories throughout each track. "Don't Deny" is perhaps the perfect example of this as the song segues from punk-rock intor to a Sublime-like reggae beat and then pushes back out towards nasty guitar work. You will also find hip hop and metal influences, "Tasteless Gravy" is a successful experiment of those two genres, but the album proves to be just as sweet as it is heavy wtih songs such as "Blueberry Farm" and "Blueglass Lake" that drown you into a chill sway and bring a smile to your face. THE DIG succeeds as an album you can put on at any time and everyone around you will be content with the selection."
read full ariticle
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