The Ultimate Basement in Sunny View will host a punk rock band from New York Thursday night in a special concert aimed at raising awareness about cancer and supporting Relay for Life.
Fools on Sunday will perform at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 1 at the Basement, located at 5965 Hwy. 9 North. A small fee will be charged.
David Weisgerber, who created the Basement to provide a place for area kids, says he is donating 80 percent of his portion of the proceeds to Relay for Life, a&bsp;fitting cause given the band’s background.
Doctors diagnosed Stuart Lederer (a/k/a Stuart “Long” Johns) of the band with stage 3 throat cancer and told him more than a year ago he may have little time left. Lederer decided he wanted to go out doing what he loved most playing rock and roll music and he called his high school friend Marc Seligman (a/k/a Johnny Rock) with a proposal to start a band.
Seligman was more than willing to comply; however he had a request of his own. He asked that his son, Evan Seligman (a/k/a Johnny Lightning), a budding musician, be allowed to sit in on drums. They began regular Sunday jam sessions in Astoria, NY, and Fools on Sunday was born.
A chance opportunity to fill in at an audition night(just days before the younger Johnnys 12th birthday) at The Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale, NY, led to an opening slot to warm up for the 80s new wave hitmakers Missing Persons at the same venue.
While Lederer was suffering greatly at the time from radical treatments, he refused to let his physical ailments prevent him from performing on stage.
As luck would have it, Lederer’s health began to improve, and Johnny Lightning began writing his own brand of basic rock and roll tunes.
Without securing a record deal, and working on limited budget, the band recorded four of Lightnings tunes which will be released on CD 1-7-2010.
Lead Singer/Drummer Johnny Lightning, age 12 is multi-instrumental and is currently finishing up writing tunes for our first CD. Johnny starred for two years on the MTV2 cult classic show Wondershowzen, an appearance in as yet to be released Zach Galifianakis video(musical parody of “Dont Cry for me Argentina”), as well as appearing on film inciting an 8 year old boy to begin a murderous spree in the award winning indy horror flick “Joshua.”
Bassist Seligman is a long time veteran of the NY music scene. In the past he has recorded and performed with The Cyclones (local favs with hit single “Youre So Cool”), The Mad Violets, and The Vines.
Guitarist Lederer virtuoso guitar licks have been heard with NY punk group the Penetrators, California Glam-Punk rockers Radio Babylon, then later with infamous LA punk group The Flesheaters. He has also worked with numerous local and national acts in production and soundman capacities.
For more information about the band visit http://www.myspace.com/foolsonsunday. Smoking will be permitted outside only for Thursday’s concert.