Township’s Marc Pinansky: Rock Is Missing ‘The Swagger and Soul’

"There's so much that needs to be done or that's been lost," Township guitarist/frontman Marc Pinansky told Noisecreep, speaking in terms of rock in today's age. The Boston quartet have prided themselves on sticking to their love of classic rock -- no matter the fact that it's not exactly the most popular music to play.

"I do think a lot of the swagger and soul is missing from rock," Pinansky said. "There always seems to be those classic rock revivals that give these bands that come out a push, but I think they are far too aggressive or far too much like a gimmick or a joke."

Township are for real, and they've got the hometown fan base to prove it. Forgoing the typical angst most rock bands dwell on, Township pull influence from Aerosmith as much as the James Gang -- this breed of rock wants a crowd to move.

"When it works, it's a really nice way to bring guys and girls together. It's something you can dance to and really get the blood moving," the frontman smiled through the phone. "It gets you feeling kinda sexy. Otherwise it just feels like it's geared way too much toward testosterone."

The band first took an early form when Pinansky was traveling with his previous band, where he met drummer Greg Beadle. The two found musical interest right away, and they went into the studio working on some songs at the behest of a producer. However, Township wouldn't fully develop until Pinansky's band broke up and Beadle moved to Boston after the demise of the Cancer Conspiracy.

"We both needed it. We needed the rebound from our previous relationships," he laughed. To most Beadle's involvement in Township is confusing as The Cancer Conspiracy were a post-hybrid band in nature, this is all left field from that. "I knew [Greg Beadle] more on a personal level than a musical level, though I had heard his records. If I went through his music library it would make more sense for him to be in a band like Township."

Despite leaning to the rock music past, Township have been able to open for varied bands like indie rockers the Fiery Furnaces and the stoned-out Priestess. Their eclectic songwriting has opened the door to play for crowds not normally searching for a band like this. "At the center of it all, we are a band that is out to entertain and have a good time, and that translates."

Pinansky added, "We just want to play for as many people as possible. We're definitely fearless in that department. It's gotta be pretty far removed for us to turn it down."

One opportunity the band couldn't pass up was opening for the iconic Bad Company. "I feel really good about the band in general, that we were able to be in that position and able to put on a great show for our fans and Bad Company -- who we are essentially their students."