Reny & The Strange (Interview)

Edition Five- Week Five; Unit 2:

Written by: Mercedes Barreto

Band Members: Renata Daria – Lead Vocals, Luis Rubio – Lead Guitar
Jim Kalfakis – Bass Guitar, Carmine “Boom-Boom” LaMattina – Drums

What inspired the formation of the band?

“The lead singer, Renata, and the bass player, Jim, had met at a couple of other band auditions through the years. We kept in touch and then together, we began working with a classic rock band. We decided we wanted to add more contemporary songs and include reggae and dance music in our repertoire, so we branched off and began a new project, Reny and The Strange. We auditioned a few lead guitarists and drummers until we found the perfect fit in Luis and Carmine, respectively, to complete the current line-up.”

What motivates the members daily? Why and how so?

“All the members of Reny and The Strange are seasoned musicians with decades of musical experience. Learning and making great music that we can share with audiences is a strong motivating factor that drives our success. We choose songs that make people feel good, tell a story and/or are uplifting to their spirits.

Connecting with the audience members through lyrical storytelling and dance, creates a strong, lasting bond that keeps people coming back for more. And it is inspiring to the band to see the delight that people get from hearing the music we are performing.”

 
Is there a significance behind the name Reny and The Strange? If so, what kind?

“Reny and The Strange is meant to be a reflection on the world today. With so many people afraid of not fitting into the norm of society, the name represents a connection to the different – looking different, playing and connecting to different music, feeling differently than others and accepting that all of those are OK. When people hear the name, they tell us that they love it and, many times they tell us they feel like they are one of “The Strange” Reny is the childhood nickname of the lead singer. She named her toy poodle Reny, who died in 2024 at 18+ years old. The name represents the circle of life the singer has traveled and also memorializes the deep doggie-mama and fur-baby bond between the Renys.”
 
What are some notable achievements for this year 2024 & beyond?

“The band has only been playing together in this form for about one year. We started gigging after being together for six months. In that short time, we have played numerous parties, clubs and notable shows.

The band’s first gig was at the iconic bar, Hector’s Inn, in Bethel, NY, for their annual classic car show. Hector’s is one of the original bars that played a significant role during the 1969 Woodstock concerts. Just a few feet away from the historic concert site, Hector’s is still family-owned and has been supporting live music for many decades.

Another notable show was a benefit performance for a non-profit organization – HopeAlive845 – that helps law enforcement find missing persons. That performance was held at the historic 100-year-old Rivoli Theatre in NY. The stage on which the band performed has been graced by many industry stars during the Borscht Belt era in the Catskills and also by members of the rock band, KISS. It was an honor to play on a stage where such magnificence had once performed.”

Where did all the band members get their roots?

“-Renata was brought up in a house filled with music. Her mother was a professional opera singer in New York City and her dad loved the crooners and classic blues. She began her musical journey at the age of eight when she began playing the trumpet in the school band. She eventually found a love for rock music and began writing songs and singing in bands. She has recorded two CDs of original music.

-Luis, who is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and former professional photographer, was exposed to many diverse forms of music as a child. He started playing his first musical instrument at the age of four and has never stopped growing as a musician. He is also a guitar instructor for a local music school.

-Jim started playing guitar at the age of 13. Raised on Long Island, (NY) his roots were embedded in hard rock and heavy metal. He switched over to playing the bass guitar and has enjoyed holding down the bottom-end ever since.

-Carmine, who also grew up on Long Island, is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. He began playing the drums at age 11. His first musical influence as a musician was the Beatles. In addition to playing drums, he
also plays other percussion for the band.”

What describes the routine and dynamic on and off set?

“All the members of Reny and The Strange are not only musically compatible but also fit together well as human beings. The members of the band are like family. We go out dancing together, eat together and play together. That includes our live sound man, Devin Gee, who makes sure that our levels, volume, tone and set-up are all aligned to professional excellence. Devin also runs a small stage lighting show for the band in certain venues. We generally rehearse once a week and look forward to hanging out and making great music with each other.”
 
Where has the band played some notable songs at notable venues, and where are they looking forward to performing next?

“We hope to perform at the Rivoli Theatre and Hector’s Inn again next year. We are looking forward to playing many shows during the 2025 gigging season. In the works are performances at some local breweries, bars and restaurants, hunting and ski lodges, casinos, weddings and various arts festivals. We are also looking to book the band at some of the minor league baseball stadiums in the NY area.”
 
Where can we learn more about your music, and why should we? What makes your band iconic?

“To find out more about Reny and The Strange, people can visit our Facebook page. We will soon have other social media platforms and a website, as well (www.renyandthestrange.com). We hope to build on our strong fan following and have more people join us on our musical journey. Our tagline is “Music for Your Mind.” We chose that because we want to take you on a journey. When you are at one of our musical performances, we don’t want you thinking about your day job or your problems, we want you to be enveloped by the music. Wrapped in the melodies and harmonies. Lost in the feeling. Dancing with us. Drifting with us to wherever the song leads. To help separate Reny and The Strange from the many other bands in the area, we are creating an iconic theme and image for ourselves. The lead singer, Renata, is also a professional visual artist and she designed our original logo which we’ve used to create our brand identity. We have t-shirts, stickers, pens and banners with our printed logo. People have responded so positively to our promotional materials that we almost sold out our stock of t-shirts at our first two shows. We are so humbled and honored at how audiences and fans welcome and support us. By the grace and glory of God, we shall continue on the pathway to celebrating life through music, dancing and sharing a lot of smiles!”

Anything to add here?

“We want to thank God and our fans, family and friends – who have supported us, individually and collectively, through the ups and downs of the music industry. We appreciate you and we love you.”

Questions For The Photographer-