Written by: Cait Elizabeth - January 2019
Edited by: Travis Ryan

INTRODUCTIONS:

Catchy, funky, and danceable, Gnarly Karma has instant appeal to nearly any crowd. Self-described as rock-and-roll with a saxophone, Gnarly Karma combines an upbeat tempo and lyrics with real depth. The band is made up of Michael Renert (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Billy Hanley (alto/tenor saxophone), Jarrod Beyer (drums, percussion), Ryan McAdam (bass guitar), and Adam Sklar (lead guitar). Their journey started six years ago when Jarrod heard Mike’s music at a mutual friend’s house and reached out to him. The pair wrote songs together for six months before pulling Ryan McAdam, a longtime friend and previous bandmate of Jarrod’s, on board to play bass. Around the same time, Jarrod was interested in recording at his high school friend Billy Hanley’s studio and while visiting, he recruited him to play saxophone. From the first rehearsal “the chemistry was instant,” the band shares. Nearly two years after starting down the Gnarly Karma path, Jarrod met Adam Sklar at a wedding and a music conversation led to practicing with the guys, which led to Adam taking on lead guitar. Jarrod is a hell of a networker.

Two songs stand apart some as band favorites. “Neptune” was the first song that Mike and Jarrod collaborated on in terms of writing. Typically songs would be adapted from an acoustic version Mike composed to a style that better fit the band. This time around, Mike wrote the melody and Jarrod added lyrics he wrote years before. The two parts blended together perfectly and created a special moment for the band. “To connect with people in sports, or liking the same food etc etc is one thing, but to connect with another person in music writing is a feeling that is almost impossible to describe” they shared.

Gnarly Karma has four music videos out: “How Could I Love You”, “Back Around”, “Open Up (Let Yourself Go)”, and “Neptune”.

TOURS & SHOWS

With nearly 200 shows on their band resume, Gnarly Karma has been all over. They have played all over the Tri-State area and gone as far as Nashville and Austin, Texas for SXSW. They’ve played the Great South Bay Music Festival twice, under the headlining likes of 311, The Wailers, and Sublime with Rome.

The first time they got to see what living the music dream was like was when they played the Wellmont Theater in New Jersey, opening up for Edgar Winter and Robby Krieger. They were taken off-guard when a team came to greet them to load in and had to feign casualness after trying to unload themselves.

Every year you can find them playing the Montauk Music Festival, which is a reliably great time to hang out and bond while enjoying the music. A few weeks after one of those festivals, they picked up a last minute show at Shagwong and weren’t sure what to expect. Turns out the show was wild, and while the venue could only hold about 100 people, there was a crowd lined up outside hoping to catch some tunes! Unexpected music magic! Another magic moment was the first time they played at Finley’s in Huntington, which is essentially their back yard. They all looked at each other in wonder during their second song “Please Come Home” when the crowd was singing the lyrics back to them. “For a brief second as we knew that was a special moment, and a moment we worked our !@# to create" they explained.

They also shared some antics from the road to SXSW. They had never spent more than three days with each other in a row so it was full of goofing around and having a blast. Two separate cars made the trip, so the guys kept in touch via walkie-talkie, which started out practical and turned into road shenanigans, calling each other in outrageous voices and generally messing around (Adam had the best jokes). Billy was a constant source of teasing because he has a tenancy to forget things he needs. They keep a backup sax strap packed with the merch in case of emergencies. On the way to SXSW, traveling through somewhere in New Jersey, the band hears “Oh @#&!” from Billy. He forgot his credit and debit cards. They know to be wary of “oh @#&!” from him and were prepared to bust his chops the whole trip. I’m pretty sure Billy got grief from Carrie and The Cats on the road too. Sucks to be Billy.

SUBSCRIBE & SUPPORT

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iTunes
Gnarlykarmamusic@gmail.com

INSPIRATION & INFLUENCES

Gnarly Karma’s sound is a blend of many influences coming together including The Beatles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Doors, The Revivalists, Sublime, Blink 182, Taking Back Sunday, and “about 500 more”. While their music tastes don’t always overlap completely, the band is really on the same page all the time when writing and perfecting their own sound. Their audience is made up of genuine and dedicated fans—no social media recruiting or craigslist ads techniques. Gnarly Karma is an organic, grass roots movement you should be listening to!