Joe Colledge: Press

Once again, I was rummaging through those emails that I never got to read because I was never able to access my Aquarian email account, and I came across a guy named Joe Colledge, who is a singer/songwriter. Well, Joe emailed me to ask me to check out his solo project since he, too, was from North Jersey. Well, Morristown to be exact. So, I scrolled over to myspace.com/joecolledge and to my surprise, Joe is a really good songwriter and an excellent singer. He has a really poppy voice that you can almost hear on commercials for vacation spots, as crazy as that sounds. Anyway, I got to hear the CD's title track, "Table For One", "King Of Ecstasy", and an excellent cover of "American Girl" from one of Joe's influences, Tom Petty. I was highly impressed with this Joe Colledge guy!

Joe Colledge finalized his solo band's lineup in early 2007, which consists of lead guitarist Jimmy Mac, keyboardist Jon Wohlgemuth, bassist Angus Miller, and drummer Jeff Pizzi. It wasn't until last June when Colledge released his debut CD entitled "Table For One" on indie label OMS Records. He was recently named New Jersey's "Best Male Vocalist" in some Daily Record poll, and his music has been garnering much attention through Radio and Podcast airplay. Joe's songs also seem to be in high demand when it comes to the TV networks as Fox and Warner Brothers, both of whom have knocked on Joe's door for Film and TV placement.

Joe Colledge's CD, "Table For One", is available on Amazon.com, CD Baby, and iTunes. Joe and his boys have been busy playing the New York Metro area in support of the CD and will continue to do so through much of 2008. If you want to hear what Joe Colledge sounds like or want to see where he's playing next, then log onto joecolledge.com or go to his MySpace page, myspace.com/joecolledge.

Sometimes inspiration gets fueled by tragedy.

That scenario could apply to Joe Colledge, a local rocker who is working on his third album while juggling a career in the investment industry and the responsibilities of being a husband and father.

The singer-songwriter began playing music at the age of 10 and continued on and off into adulthood.

"In high school, I was in hard-rock, heavy-metal hair bands," he said. "But then when I got to college, I started getting interested in mellower, acoustic-type music and that's when I really started to write some songs. After I got out of college and I started work, I kind of got away from that."

For Colledge, the tragic events of 9/11 rekindled his interest in songwriting.
"If you recall the day, it was a totally, perfectly clear blue sky," he said. "I was driving in on (Route) 24 to work. I had a clear view of the sky and I saw the tower, I guess both towers, up in flames by the time I got in.

"When I got in to work, I watched the whole thing unfolding on TV and it just kind of blew my mind, just knowing all the people I know in the city, and friends and relatives that work in the city," he added. "It turns out I did lose many friends that day."
Reflecting on the events of that dark day when terrorists struck our nation and killed thousands of people, Colledge was inspired to write "American Song," a touching tribute to our ability to bounce back after the tragedy. In 2005, he released that song and several others on a demo album titled, "Convent Station," after the title track, a tale of loss and hope set at the Morris County train station of the same name.

Since then, Colledge's catchy tunes and upbeat instrumentation have been getting him and his band noticed in the Morristown area and beyond. Most of the numbers they play are pop-rock originals penned by Colledge, with some covers thrown in. The hooky melodies and Colledge's smooth, strong vocals create memorable tunes that stick with the listener long after the last chord sounds.

Colledge released his second album and first true LP in June 2007. Dubbed "Table for One," it was produced by Anthony Vitale at The Original Music School studio in Cedar Knolls.

Both of his CDs have garnered awards from the online music magazine, Kweevak.com. Each year, site users vote for CD of the year, and in 2007 "Table for One" placed fifth out of 150 titles in the competition.

Colledge has already laid down the first track for his third album, scheduled for release in the spring of 2009. It's a remastering of "American Song," which he has renamed "American Dream."

Although Colledge hails from Philadelphia, he moved to Morristown in 1993 to take a position as an investment advisor for Merrill Lynch, and continued to live there until he moved to Denville a few years ago.

He says it's "kind of strange" to be juggling so many jobs at one time, but he is enjoying the ride. "An investment advisor by day, a musician by night," he said. "Not very typical, but it's fun."

Oddly enough, two of Colledge's band mates share the same unique dual careers. Bass player Angus Miller and keyboard player Jon Wohlgemuth both work with Colledge at Merrill Lynch. Drummer Jeff Pizzi and lead guitar player Jimmy Mac were recruited through advertisements on the internet.
Pragmatic about the difficulties of succeeding in the music industry, Colledge is not planning to quit his day job. "But what's good about music today is that independent artists really have a good opportunity to get the word out, whereas in the past the music industry was so controlled by the major labels."

He notes the large number of outlets for musicians today, such as iTunes, Amazon.com, and CD Baby, in addition to personal websites of musicians.

Jim Monaghan of WDHA-FM has been airing Colledge's music and the artist has lined up some publishers who are actively working to place his tracks in film and TV. "I think I'm relatively close for a couple of different projects," he noted.

Colledge's active life leaves him little time for hobbies, but he does maintain an interest in fitness and staying in shape.

"I don't sleep a lot," he admits. "Usually I'm up by 5:30 working out at home and I go to work, come home, and take care of the (two) kids, get them to bed and hang out with my wife for a little bit. Then I usually go down to my studio and write or record."

Local fans and newcomers will have two opportunities to get a taste of Colledge's music. He and his band will be playing at the Relay for Life Cancer Benefit at the Cook/Douglass Recreation Center at Rutgers University at 10 p.m. on April 11. They will also be returning to the Dublin Pub in Morristown on Friday, May 16, at 9 p.m.

Lori Falco is a freelance writer for The Star-Ledger.

Morristown's own Joe Colledge Band will be rocking two Garden State venues, including a college campus, this spring.

The band will be the headliner at the annual Relay For Life Cancer Benefit on Friday, April 11, at the Cook/Douglass Recreation Center at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. They're scheduled to take the stage at 10 p.m. for that performance.
The rec center is on Biel Road. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted for the cancer fundraiser.

The Joe Colledge Band will be returning to Morristown for another homecoming performance at the Dublin Pub on Friday, May 16, at 9 p.m.

Admission is free.

With a mix of original songs and modern rock covers, the band is led by local singer/songwriter Joe Colledge and rounded out by Michigan native Jimmy Mac on lead guitar, keyboardist Jon Wohlgemuth, Ireland native Angus Miller on bass and Jeff Pizzi on the drums.

A reader survey by the Kweevak.com music magazine placed Colledge's CD, "Table For One," on its list of Top 10 CDs of the Year for 2007. In fact, "Table For One" finished in fifth place among the 150 entries.

If you’ve ever heard of Morristown resident singer/
songwriter Joe Colledge it may be because he was recently voted Jersey’s “Best Male Vocalist” by Daily Record readers. Maybe it’s that you heard his stuff on WDHA which has been one of Joe’s big supporters or online since he is one of the most played Podsafe Music Network artists in the world. Regardless, you can check him out online at joecolledge.com or myspace. com/joecolledge. To see his soulful music live you need only go down to Morristown’s
own Dublin Pub next Friday, February 22nd at 9pm. This show will feature Joe with a full band backing him up,
something the venue rarely does. Joe is also a Merrill Lynch executive so you know his music comes from a very real place. He has to get up for work like the rest of us stiffs! Mr. Colledge’s second
album “Table For One” as released in June of 2007 and he’s been busy performing
material from it at places like The Bitter End, Dexter’s, Maxwell’s, and The Saint in Asbury Park over the last few months. If you like his MySpace stuff and want to show him some love you can buy the new CD at cdbaby.com/joecolledge2. The Dublin Pub is located at 4 Pine Steet.

“I just like to think of it as
fun, upbeat music that grabs
people’s attention and forces them to instantly love the hooks and sing along,” says
Joe Colledge, describing the
music on his new CD, Table
For One. “I guess the official
style of music we play is AAA,
adult album alternative pop
rock, with a little Tom Petty-style Americana thrown in.” One of Joe’s biggest
supporters is a well known
New York radio personality.“I
was introduced to Jim
Monaghan by an indie
Podcast promoter named Joe
Strelec, who knows Jim pretty
well,” Joe explains.“I met Jim
at a show earlier this year,
gave him a copy of my new
CD and asked him to give it
a listen. Before I knew it, he
was playing my first single
from the record called ‘Deep
Into You’ pretty regularly on
his morning show, which I
truly appreciate. Since then,
we have kept in touch and are currently planning to work together on a big charity concert at Morristown
Community Theatre later in
the year. Jim’s a great guy,
has a great radio show and
is very supportive of
independent artists.” Joe’s backing band consists
of Jimmy Mac on lead guitar,
Ted Winsch on bass, Jon
Wohlgemuth on keyboards
and drummer Jeff Pizzi.“Ted
and I played together in the
former Joe Colledge Band,
which was mostly a cover
band with a few originals
thrown in, but we’ve since
become an all-original act,”
he relates. “Prior to that, Ted
played for a band called
Montecore. Jeff still plays in
a U2 tribute band on the side
called U2 Nation, and Jimmy
Mac was lead guitarist and
lead singer for some bands
in Michigan before he made
the move back to Jersey. Jon
has a broad piano background, but this is his
first band and he has turned
out to be an incredible
addition.Jimmy and Jon also
serve as backup harmony
vocalists. It’s really worked
out great; all of us get along
really well, we all click, and
share similar goals for where
we want to take this project.” Joe and the group have been performing extensively around the area, from Jersey shore haunts such as Jenkinson’s in Point Pleasant to northern Jersey clubs such as Jigg’s Corner, the Rattlesnake Ranch Café and the Side Bar, and into
Rockland County, at Olive’s
in Nyack. “Now that we only
play originals, the venues are
a little different,” says Joe.
“And we now have shows
scheduled at Cafe Arabica in
Morristown, The Whiskey Bar
and Maxwell’s in Hoboken,
as well as being a featured
artist at this year’s Meanyfest
Music Festival in New York
City.” Writing, recording and
performing can keep
someone busy enough, but
it‘s especially hectic for Joe
when you consider he
balances his burgeoning
musical career with his day
job as a high-powered
financial advisor.“It’s not easy,” he laughs. “But I just timeblock like any good business person would. In a way, working on Wall Street has helped me become a better businessman as a musician, a trait that many artists lack. I’m also a fitness fanatic, so I basically do it like this: I get up super-early to work out, go to my day job as a financial advisor, come home and hang out with my wife and kids, then head down to my home studio later at night to work on my music stuff.
Needless to say, I’m usually
pretty exhausted, but staying
in shape helps me keep it up.
Music started as a hobby for
me but has definitely become
a second career. But I don’t
look at the music process as
work.To me, it’s therapy from
my day job, or from the
everyday BS in life.”
For the immediate future,
Joe just hopes to keep putting out music that will touch people in some way. “My musical goals are to continue to write, record and perform for as long as I can, and for as long as my music
continues to inspire people,”
he says. “I don’t want to be
on the senior citizens tour one day, but I have several more years in me of being a
musician. I still have a lot of
song ideas, and many other
good things are happening
right now in the form of FM
and Satellite airplay, several
publishing deals and a series
of shows scheduled at some
great venues. So for now, I’ll
just continue to write the best songs I can and spread the word about my music. I’ve
hooked up with an attorney,
Terry Camp at Budd Larner,
who has offered his support
and is sharing his music
business guidance and
connections.”

Read Joe's interview with Upstage Magazine on the new CD and the pros and cons of being an original artist in the Garden State:

Joe Colledge’s engaging adult rock collection “Table For One” will keep listeners groovin’ from start to finish! Great vocals define the beauty of “Table For One” – Joe’s cool, smooth tone rings with heavy appeal! “Lost Again” flaunts some great instrumentation, incorporating the graceful sounds of harmonica leads and organ backdrops. Musical hooks seem to be Joe’s specialty – every song is laden with fresh hooks, making these tunes unforgettable. The heart-felt love ballad “Deep Into You” ventures into Joe’s serene acoustic side. “Loosing Faith” demonstrates Joe’s passionate vocals and his comfort with wearing his heart on his sleeve. Moreover, the lyrics of every song on this CD are sincere and skillfully written with poetic fervor, covering life experiences that we all can relate to. Finished with brilliant production defined by great quality, “Table For One” is one CD that music lovers should not do without! Fans of Tom Petty and Counting Crows, quickly find your seat at this “Table For One” – You don’t want to miss out on this audio adventure!
-Xavier P. (for RadioIndy.com)

Joe Colledge goes back to school for his sophomore effort and graduates to a higher level of musicianship on his 2007 release, Table For One. The opener "Best You Ever Hard" is one of JC's best tracks yet incorporating some of that horn-filled Jersey shore vibe into the mix coupled with an anthemic and determined vocal delivery. "Burden" is the fourth song and it's message gets a little weighty with its heavy harmonies. "Vacancy Sign" is a welcoming rocker that finds Colledge channeling a Jaggeresque vibe with a memorable and accessible guitar lead and keyboard coda. "Playin' Around" is a song about harmony in the home, or the lack thereof, featuring some honorable harmonica. Table For One is a full-course education on the ups and downs of life seen through the eyes of J.C. Get a yourself degree in indie rock by enrolling in Joe Colledge today - he's got room at the table for you!

Music Review: Joe Colledge
Album: Table For One

Joe Colledge is a AAA/Singer-Songwriter from Morristown, NJ. His music combines a current pop/rock feel with a taste of Americana in the same vein as Tom Petty, Counting Crows, and Train.


I recently received the CD from recording artist Joe Colledge entitled Table For One. As I was eagerly opening the CD and putting the disc into my player, I quickly glanced over the various tracks on the CD. Joe Colledge, who is an AAA/Singer-Songwriter from Morristown, NJ, really has that “It” factor that music critics like Simon from American Idol is always shouting. His style definitely has a mass appeal as he uses a nice blend of pop/rock in his style.

I don’t think that I can really compare him to any others because he commands his own respect when it comes to making music but one can say that we can hear his influences from such great iconic giants like Tom Petty, the Counting Crows, Collective Soul, John Mellencamp, and one of my all time favorites group, Matchbox 20 can be heard in his music.

Now, when it comes to Table For One. It is a smart well written fun Album that really showcases Joe’s musical abilities especially when it comes to his songwriting, vocals, and guitar playing skills. He really knows how to use his voice to really bring us to where he is at with his songs. One almost feels like she or her is going through the journey with Joe. One of my favorite tracks from the CD entitled Deep Into You makes you really feel what Joe is trying to convey with his music. This is a solid album and one that I would recommend to anyone. I give this album a solid A.

Click here for interview with Joe:

Table For One Press Release on Billboard

Joe Colledge Earns "Best Male Vocalist" in Morris County Poll!

Readers pick best bands
Author: ELLEN S. WILKOWE DAILY RECORD
Woo. Rah. Let's hear it for the faithful fans. (Applause.) A little louder, please. WOO. RAH. (Applause.)
That's better.
And now -- drum roll, please -- let us present to you the best of the best in Morris County music.
WOO. RAH.
The Daily Record's third annual Best Bands edition cast a preliminary call for the following:
Best Cover Band.
Best Original Band.
Best Male Vocalist.
Best Female Vocalist.
Miscellaneous.
What resulted was a mish-mosh of categories, some accounted for, some not.
While numbers spoke volumes, this reader-generated poll was measured in enthusiasm versus votes tallied.
Jacked up on devotion, die-hards chimed in from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and even Ohio, their fervor punctuated in ALL CAPS and emoticons.
Feel the love. Read the results.
BEST MALE VOCALIST
JOE COLLEDGE
Genre: Pop/Rock/Adult Album Alternative (AAA)
See him: Rattlesnake Ranch Cafe
Route 53, Denville
9 p.m., April 21
Hear him: www.joecolledge.com
CDs:"Convent Station" (stay tuned for new one)
Colledge prep: Rooted in Morris County, Joe Colledge fans cross state lines just to see him.
A self-proclaimed musician since age 10, Michael "Joe" Colledge traces his actual career to 2001.
Moved by the Sept. 11 attacks, he turned pain into prose and melancholy into music as evidenced on his debut CD, "Convent Station," named for the New Jersey Transit stop.
"Music is and always has been my therapy," he wrote in an e-mail to the Daily Record. "I've been blessed with a unique ability to write and create original music and it's an incredible thing to be able to perform in the New York Metro Area for my fans."
This impressed Todd Shaffer of Cincinnati, Ohio.
"After talking to the lead singer, Mike (Joe) Colledge, he told me about some of the ideas behind the songs and situations that made him write them," he wrote in an e-mail to the Daily Record. "I think he should be awarded this honor and be known as the best group in Morris County. If I could send in more than one vote I'd be on the computer for days voting for them."
Colledge draws his musical influences from Tom Petty, Counting Crows and Shawn Mullins.
His latest release, "Table for One," was recently named as a semifinalist for the International Songwriting Competition. Colledge is vying for the Adult Album Alternative category for best song.
What you're saying:
--Love "Joe" Colledge and the sensitivity in his music
Sue Tait, Garnet Valley, Pa.
-- I vote for Joe Colledge, Why? Because he rocks!
Julianne and Lou Modugno, Morristown
-- I think best original band in Morris County should be "Joe Colledge." Reason - they rock!
Erik Beiermeister, Montville
-- They have stage presence and sing a mixture of original tunes as well as old tunes that really get the crowd involved.
Ellen Edson, Morris Township
-- We heard him at a party and were very impressed with his music.
Grace and Chuck Dombeck, Wampum, Pa.
-- His sound is soothing. Everyone wants to sing along. It's feel good music!
Kris Theys, Harrison City, Pa.

Joe pens songs that have catchy hooks and soothing melodies. He refers to the CD as a demo but its organic quality brings integrity to the music yet offers room to grow the songs as well. This twelve-track collection is a personal record and a response to the events of 9/11. Colledge recalls seeing the New York City skyline every morning as he drove to work. The dramatic change of view after that fateful day inspired two of his most powerful songs, 'American Song' and 'Serenity'. They are heartfelt, acoustic ballads that are sung from the heart. 'Best of Me' has a foot tapping tempo, subtle chords and soft, meaningful vocals. Joe Colledge is a cutting edge singer-songwriter and Convent Station has plenty of potential!

In eclectic music scene, some come for covers, others to party
Morris County's vibe boasts a melting pot of talented artists and revered venues
BY ELLEN S. WILKOWE
DAILY RECORD
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Rock. Pop. Indie. Folk. Hip-hop. World fusion.
A musical melting pot, Morris County boasts a variety of artists and venues catering to you, the discriminating audience.
Some are longtime players on the cover scene with an established following of 10 or more years. Others are independent musicians in the process of building themselves up by word-of-mouth and raw talent.
In a seemingly saturated cover band market, Morris County also breeds independent artists who have found their niche at smaller, intimate venues such as The Side Bar at the Famished Frog in Morristown, Café Arabica and Stanhope House.
Singer/songwriter Joe Colledge of Denville planted his roots at The Side Bar and Rattlesnake Ranch Cafe in Denville.
On the brink of releasing his sophomore CD, the singer/songwriter is a posterchild for success in a market still green to the independent scene.
"Building my fan base has really been a grass roots effort," said singer/songwriter Joe Colledge of Convent Station. "It has to be when you're in an area like North Jersey since it isn't exactly an original music mecca. You have to just get out there and perform as much as possible, show the people a good time and so they want to come back for more."
This is done through on-site CD sales and occasional giveaways along with street teams to recruit potential fans via e-mail.
"Finally I leverage the use of the Internet to develop a loyal following, utilizing such sites as MySpace, my own Web site (www.joecolledge.com), and to a lesser extent, sites like PureVolume and GarageBand.com.
A visit to MySpace.com often reveals "friends", in the form of fans and fellow musicians. Easy online accessibility provides built-in networking assist to artists.
Shane Andrews, former keyboardist for The Joe Colledge Band is one of them.
Having recently moved to LA to pursue his own music career, Shane hails Colledge for nudging him along.
"I probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him," he said. 'He turned me on to the whole LA scene."
As for Colledge's career?
So far, so good.
Colledge has found fans in the form of publishing deals on his second album Table for One. In true-to-his word fashion, he will hold a CD release party at The Side Bar June 7.

I was compelled to work with Joe Colledge because the truth and immediacy of his music is rare among today's singer/songwriters. Unlike most of today's pop artists, he doesn't fabricate an image based on marketability. With Joe, there is no faking it - he sings straight from the heart exposing his true emotions without apologies.

Joe Colledge's "Convent Station" Ranks 5th Out Of Over 150 CDs in Kweevak.com's 2005 CD Of the Year Award!

Joe Colledge Goes Acoustic at Side Bar in Morristown: ...Colledge writes from the heart, touching upon love, loss, and life's general curve balls. First melody, then lyrics is Colledge's MO, and so far so good... During a Friday night performance at The Side Bar, Colledge and guitarist Scott Softy of Morristown displayed their acoustic talents for the crowd at hand...his vocals closely parallel Tom Petty and Shawn Mullins, both musical influences for Colledge.