Label: BMG
Band Members: Greg Shilling and Stephen Santa Teresa
Type of Music: Pop
Management: Andrea Torchia and Brian Kierulf
Legal: Scoff Felcher - Felcher & Freifeld, LLP
Publicity: Amanda Blide - TREND PR
Marketing: Steve Sherr
Web: theattiremusic.com
A&R: Monti Olson
Greg Shilling and Stephen Santa Teresa met in Washingtonville, NY, when they were in middle school and eventually formed a band when they were in eighth grade. Shilling jokes that Santa Teresa was his first A&R person, because he auditioned Shilling in the school hallway.
“I sang the Beatles’ ‘Let it Be’ and he let me join the band,” Shilling says. “Steve and I continued and the other members dropped out. We’ve continued making music together since that time. We were doing Youtube covers and all that stuff, and we just decided that we wanted to do pop-soul, and R&B. We’ve had fun ever since.”
The pair describe their sound as a modern spin on Hall & Oates and the Bee Gees. Pop-based, blue-eyed soul. They’re creating it in L.A. now, which is a long way from their small hometown, 40 miles outside of Manhattan.
“Interestingly enough, there’s absolutely no scene in Washingtonville,” says Shilling. “It is the quietest, most sleepy town ever. It’s two miles long, and small town vibes all day. Stephen and I have always traveled to N.Y.C., and we fell in love with L.A. and moved to L.A. But what we really appreciated about our town is that it’s very supportive. Especially our teachers.”
Forty miles is a long way when you’re a child. But when they got their driver’s licenses in their teens, they spent many a night exploring the City.
“That’s eventually how we met a lot of up-and-coming songwriters, and that’s how we developed our craft as songwriters, as well,” says Santa Teresa. “Having sessions with songwriters.”
“One handshake led to another, and we met all these amazing people who worked in the industry, both songwriters, producers, A&R people, journalists, anybody and everybody we were thrilled to meet,” adds Shilling. “It just goes to show how vastly connected the music industry is. We came from such a small town, but we met one person who led to another and now we’re here.”
Eventually, the Attire would get signed to BMG Records, and they feel honored to call such an historic label their home.
“Every connection leads to a new connection, but it’s about the opportunity that the connection brings and what you have to offer that connection,” says Shilling. “Stephen and I were very grateful that throughout each connection, we learned something. As we learned we developed, and as we developed we brought better music each time.”
That’s all culminated in new album Songs About Girls Like You, out in April.
