Doomed Confessionary: Keith, Bill, Andy & Joel (137)
137 is a doom/stoner metal band hailing from Rochester, New York.
Formed in 1996 in the remote woodlands of northern Michigan. The band’s journey was not without its challenges. They soon realized that the New York aluminum can deposit was 5 cents less than in Michigan, and Icehouse tallboys were available in every store, prompting them to pack up and move to the bustling city of Rochester.
Since the band’s conception, bassist and vocalist Keith Baughman has been the unwavering force, the one confident member churning out some of the heaviest doom sludge simmering in the underground.
After numerous EPs and singles over the years, 137 released their full-length album »Prey To Your Deception« on August 16th, 2024 via Heaven And Hell Records.
137 consists of Keith Baughman (bass/vocals), Bill Holsworth (guitar), Andy Gudmunsen (guitar) and Joel Pierson (drums).
Can you say a few words about your band?
Keith: We’re a doom/stoner metal band, or as I like to call it caveman metal, that started back in 1996. So we’ve been around a while through line-up changes, trend changes, etc. 137 started in Northern Michigan but moved to the Rochester NY area a year later & been here ever since. Besides playing our region, we’ve also done some touring & shared the stage with some pretty cool bands like Type O Negative and Lacuna Coil. We’ve released several EPs & most recently our latest full-length album »Prey To Your Deception« available at 137metal.bandcamp.com.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Andy: That would be changes in the lineup. We’ve lost some good people over the years. Every new member comes with a different feel, and it’s all good. My joke is that we would have hours of music live but we’re always training new members.
What can you be most proud of so far?
Keith: The fact that this band has been around as long as it has been & still gets good reception, despite trends changing. Never would I have thought when I started this thing almost 30 years ago, we’d still be doing this.
What was your biggest regret?
Keith: I wouldn’t say a ton of regrets, since everything that’s happened has got us to where we are today. Although there’s a couple things that have happened that I would rather have not experienced. As Andy pointed out, we’ve lost some good people over the years. A few years ago we were playing a show in Buffalo NY and after our 4th song in our guitarist Mark Locursio collapsed on stage & passed away right in front of us. Things like that I wish never happened.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Keith: Oh without a doubt when we opened up for Type O Negative back in 2003. Those guys are my all time favorite band, so it was an honor for me personally. We also closed the set out playing a Black Sabbath cover….what’s better than opening for Type O Negative & jamming some Sabbath?! You can see a clip of that show on YouTube.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Keith: Nothing really surprises me anymore, lol! But I’m always impressed with how the scene evolves and adapts to the changes in the industry & the technology involved. It’s not an easy business to be involved in and lots of curveballs, but people are always coming up with new ways for us to create, distribute and promote the music we all love.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Bill: Arch Enemy and Slaughter To Prevail.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Andy: The best advice on my end is get a real job! (My Parents). I’m laughing as I say this, but it costs a lot of money to do this. It is completely satisfying and worth every penny. We’ve met a lot of good people and had an insane amount of great times.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Joel: Riding motorcycles.
Can you say something more about the current music scene in Rochester?
Keith: The Rochester NY music scene has always impressed me. When I was relocating the band back in the 90s I narrowed it down to 6 cities. When I visited Rochester I was like this is the place. There was just so much talent that it stood out enough to me to want to move here. A lot has changed over the years, but it still remains a very talented city.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Keith: We’re just starting to book summer dates now. We kept busier than usual last winter, not taking out usual break until this month. So I’m just getting to the summer schedule. Our next show is June Friday the 13th at The Bug Jar in Rochester NY, which is one of my very favorite places to play.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
Keith: Since the new album is still relatively fresh, we’d like to promote & support it as much as possible. Fests have been more of a focus lately so definitely some of those. We have publicists in the UK & Greece. So we’re getting suggestions & offers in bigger fests that could finally bring us out of the States.
How can people best support your band?
Andy: Buy the flask! Come to our shows and enjoy. Buy the record, buy the CDs, buy the T-shirts, buy the coosies. If you don’t want to buy anything, enjoy the show.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Keith: Most importantly, thanks to all our long time fans! Like I said before, I never imagined we would be doing this as long as we have. But also thank you to all the people just discovering us and the feedback we get from you. That’s what keeps us going. Also I’d like to thank YOU Bojan and the other publications out there that get the word out so that we get discovered by new listeners. We couldn’t do this without the support of you & people like you who support the scene. Thank you!
Links:
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp1 | Bandcamp2 | Spotify | YouTube
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well