By Sean Reis
Production Manager
As college students, one of the most difficult skills to attain is time management. Now, on top of classes, clubs and social events, imagine being in a band. Balancing these various obligations is second-nature to Jake Rubin, Danny Galli, Kyle Newins, Mikey Rosen and Mike Laudenbach — three junior communication studies majors, one junior general humanities major (Galli) and one junior English and philosophy double major (Laudenbach) at the College.
Together, these five students make up the alternative unit Good Luck Spaceman, with Rubin on vocals and guitar, Galli on guitar, Newins on bass, Rosen on drums and Laudenbach on synth.
Rubin, Newins and Rosen met while attending school at Freehold High School in Freehold, N.J., while Galli and Laudenbach attended Colts Neck High School in the neighboring town of Colts Neck, N.J. At the time, both groups had been working on music separately.
“It seemed like a logical decision to just form one big group,” Newins told The Signal.
Inspired by bands like Twin Peaks and Radiohead, Good Luck Spaceman was born — an alt-rock band with classic and psychedelic elements.
Nonetheless, since their arrival at the College, the members’ music careers have changed.
“It’s definitely difficult sometimes, but we try to treat both (music and school) as seriously as we can,” Newins said. “We don’t want to fail out of school, obviously, but we also want our music to be taken as seriously as possible, which takes a lot of work. The tough part is finding the balance, but we pull it off well enough, I think.”
As college students by day and musicians by night, the men in Good Luck Spaceman do all they can to make it work, practicing as often as possible at their off-campus house.
Good Luck Spaceman plays shows throughout the New Jersey and Pennsylvania area and have also released its own original music, including the 2015 EP, “Come Here It’s Quick,” as well as other singles. The band is currently working on its follow-up EP release.
Rubin described “Come Here It’s Quick” as “our first attempt at our sound,” explaining that although the band’s next EP would be of a similar nature, its “sound is a lot more blended and cohesive.”
And that is what music is all about as an art. Yes, singular tracks can be art as well, but when creating an album or an EP, that cohesive flow from song to song is an important yet seemingly forgotten art.
“(Music) works in conjunction with all of the other arts,” Rubin said. “When making music, you learn a lot about yourself and the people around you. If you can tap into your emotions while doing so, or evoke certain feelings in the listener, then you know you have your hands on a piece of art.”
