The Witnesses

Emerging from the same neck of the woods as the Strokes, longtime pals Oakley Munson (vocals/guitar), Bonnie Bloomgarden (piano/organ), Will Scott (drums), and Darian Zahedi (guitar) penned songs in summer 2001 for what would become the Witnesses. The four-piece hibernated on a farm in upstate New York during those sunny days, but later relocated to the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick for some recording. Bass player Kenan Gunduz joined the band, and by September the Witnesses made their live debut at the Luna Lounge.

Don't link them to the garage rock revival of the new millennium either, for the Witnesses are straight, balls-to-the-wall rock & roll. Combining their love for the Rolling Stones, New York Dolls, Television, and Chuck Berry, the Witnesses exude a gritty appeal that's missing from rock's current roster. The band's self-titled EP appeared in December 2002.