THE REAL NASTY

Nasty Boys

SF Weekly

You're forgiven if you're a bit sheepish about typing "The Real Nasty" into Google, but rest assured, the local trio soundly defeats the porn industry on the first page of results. (You're on your own if you choose to dig much deeper.) The reward for discovering the countrified rock outfit is pretty great: Its music playfully stomps through the same fields once occupied by Led Zeppelin and Johnny Cash, and there's even some Pixies-esque weirdness to keep everyone on their toes. All three members have plenty of experience under their belts — drummer Matthew "Smitty" Smith (who plays a homemade cajón percussion set) and guitarist and singer Jacob Groopman used to play with Afrobeat ensemble Albino!, while bassist and singer Ryan Lukas did time in Persephone's Bees and Guns for San Sebastian — and it shows in songs that confidently strut, rattle, and roll. The Real Nasty continues to support its debut album, Paper City, which was recorded live in two days. "Recording live is always a bit nerve-racking, but we had put in long hours rehearsing and were excited to be there," says Lukas, who also keeps busy as an adjunct private instructor at Santa Clara University. "I think we did a good job of presenting where we were with the music and our style at that point. Since then, we have played a bunch of gigs, been on tour and back into the studio, so we hope to be bringing it like a stampeding herd of bison."

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Too many bands talk about their "sound" as if they've gone and single-handedly revolutionized pop music.

J. Poet, The East Bay Express

Too many bands talk about their "sound" as if they've gone and single-handedly revolutionized pop music. Few groups ever really do anything new, so tip your hat to The Real Nasty for actually coming up with a fresh approach. The trio includes acoustic bassist and singer-songwriter Ryan Lukas and electric guitarist Jacob Groopman, but the wild card is Matthew Smith, who plays cajón, the Peruvian hand drum that looks like a packing crate and combines the sounds of kick drum, conga, and snare. The album is divided between rock and countryish tunes, with the cajón sounding most innovative on the country ones. It adds a subtle Latin swing to the Johnny Cash bounce of "The Surprise," a hint of funk to "A Pretty Nice Place," and turns "Never the Plan" from a typical country shuffle into something more puzzling. The rockers are carried by Groopman's inventive guitar work and Lukas' new wave-flavored bass. "Time to Lounge" is a melodic punky rocker and kiss off to an ex, with an ironic edge. "K C's Blues" lives up to its title with Ryan's howling blues vocals and electric guitar, while "I Don't Love You Anymore" is a poetic, R&B-flavored ballad enhanced by Lukas' whispered vocal. The nastiest song is "Bad Medicine," an R&B-meets-country thang with a killer opening line: My girl's on drugs, and I am too. (Opus Music)

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"Paper City" captures The Real Nasty’s gritty, live performance in a studio setting

Heavy Connector

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The Real Nasty is rockin' and makes me so happy that I actually want to be a better human being.

San Francisco Chronicle SF GATE

The Real Nasty is three members and Paper City won't disappoint. They're stripped down with guitar, upright bass and utter, sonic delight.

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Berkeley's The Real Nasty is a trio that blends folk, rock, blues, and country into a hard-hitting package.

East Bay Express

Its energetic playing is driven by an amazingly precise rhythm section made up of percussionist and Cajon player Matthew Smith and stand-up bass man Ryan Lukas, with Jacob Groopman supplying lead line on a bare-bones Telecaster setup -- one guitar, one amp, no effects. Lucas writes fine original songs and can growl like a bluesman or croon like a Nashville cowboy to deliver them. The band's impressive debut, PaperCity, is a double EP that was recorded live, no overdubs, in keeping with the band's in-yer-face philosophy.
The Real Nasty in Tahoe

Tahoe Action news!

Somewhere between “Downtown” and “The Sticks” you can find the Real Nasty. The Berkeley band is comprised of musicians whose other projects hardly resemble what is heard on its CD “Paper City,” which will be given to everyone who pays a cover charge this weekend. It’s two EPs in one package, with “Downtown” being rock ‘n’ roll and “The Sticks” country. It sounds like a cross between New Riders of the Purple Sage and the Refreshments. A really detailed listener might even find Weezer meeting the Latin Playboys. One band member compared the hybrid sound when the two styles are mixed during live shows to Uncle Tupelo. “We found it’s solidly split that the girls like the country and the boys like the rock,” said Matthew “Smitty” Smith, who plays a cajon, a percussion box with African origins first popularized in South America by slaves and their descendants. “It’s fun for me to play the rock stuff because it’s so far removed from what the instrument I’m playing it on is typically used for.” Smitty and Nasty’s Telecaster guitarist Jacob Gropman also plays in an Afrobeat band, Albino. Upright bassist and songwriter Ryan Lukas played together with the Flux, a jam band familiar to numerous Tahoe venues. “The members of the band have played every room from Crystal Bay to the Auld Dubliner to the Divided Sky and MontBleu,” Smitty said. “Tahoe’s one of my favorite places to play on earth and I’ve probably played in 100 different cities. We’re ecstatic to be bringing this project up to that neck of the woods.” The Real Nasty’s sound might not be a surprise considering Smitty was trained in Afro-Cuban and West African music but grew up listening to rock. In an attempt to find a record label, the band recorded several songs but had difficulty with sequencing. The members elected to make two CDs — one country, one rock. “You have to be creative to have people even look at your CD these days,” said Smitty, who had to make a “paradigm shift” by shortening songs to five minutes or less. Opus Music Ventures liked Real Nasty’s two sounds, and have signed them. Another CD is in the works, probably again with the different styles on separate CDs. Both sounds will be presented during this weekend’s live performances.