Let’s face it. With airwaves polluted by dance divas, generic instamix hit-writers and gimmick merchants, you’ve been wondering where to find a band that just plain rocks. Meet Systematic. The East Bay Area, CA quartet, Systematic, whose debut album 'Somewhere In Between' is released under The Music Company/Elektra banner, may just be this year’s fly in the generic-pop ointment. Produced by Peter Collins (Rush, Ultraspank) and mixed by Andy Wallace (Linkin Park, Nirvana, At The Drive In) in Nashville, TN in Fall 2000, 'Somewhere In Between' contains thirteen gigantic songs, complete with gutty riffs ('MailBomb', 'Thick Skin') memorable melodies ('Beginning Of The End', 'Glass Jaw', 'BedSores') and an edge that keeps on cutting. “We don't 'do' gimmicks,” snorts Ruppel, the prototype for your local anti-rock star. "I couldn’t care less about the limousines and the labels on your coat. I want to see and hear the music coming out of your heart." Adds Narducci: "And that's really the whole deal. We wanna go out, make our bunch of noise - and then maybe take over the world."
Meeting in 1996, Narducci and Ruppel are the creative core of the group. "It's definitely a yin and yang kinda thing with us," explains Narducci."We're like fighting brothers, but we always seem to find a happy medium. It works on such a natural level that we don't bother analyzing it too much. "Both discovered their zeal for music at a very young age, sharing influences that range from Alice In Chains to Stabbing Westward, Led Zeppelin to Massive Attack. Narducci and Ruppel revere passionate, emotional, music, believing the key to great songwriting is not to rush the process.
"So we spent time hanging out and working on songs together," explains Narducci. "I think it's great that we did that instead of just aimlessly grouping with some people and fucking off on tour. That's the sort of typical sh*t everybody else does which we were determined NOT to do."
