Discography
* '98 Demo (1998) ((OOP))
* '99 Demo (1999) ((OOP))
* For My Friends EP (2001, New World Records) ((OOP))
* '02 Demo (2002) ((OOP))
* Insanity Later (2004, Triple Crown Records)
* Resist Convenience (2006, Triple Crown Records)
* These Are The Names of Places We Broke Down In: EP (2008, Digital Self-Release)
They chose the name Folly due to its implications that a "costly undertaking have an absurd or ruinous outcome" is in fact the complete metaphor of the band and its members. In their words, "Folly is exactly what we are, not just as a band of fools who play ridiculously entwined and exploited musical genres, but as people who are continually kicked while they are down, while stubbornly and resiliently grinning in the face of mainstream adversity."
Folly was conceived at the early stages of their collective high school era, circa 1997. Despite frequent member changes early on, the persistence and heavy stress on friendship remained throughout all of the years; Agim and Geoff being the only two original members currently in the band. Former members include Josh Witt (drums), Billy Pouch (bass), Kurt Rohel (drums), Larry Braun (vocals), and Tony Perdisatt (vocals).
Jon Tummillo joined at vocals in 1998, and Arben Colaku, Agim's brother, joined at bass a year later. With a somewhat solidified lineup, Folly was able to release their first decent effort, recorded at Nada Studio in Orange County, NY. Prior efforts at recording were merely basic representations for the band to express more of a DIY attitude, with demo tapes copied over on each of their stereos and handed out at shows. They began to get the word out, frequently playing the NJ and tri-state area, until they met up with Jesse and Alex Burton (formerly of President Lemon and currently in Paulson) who headed up their small NJ indie label New World Records.
Before they recorded their first EP for New World Records, When "For My Friends" was released at the beginning of the summer of 2001, they packed their lives into a rented van to tour with their friends Face First (current members of Houston Calls), living on the road for a couple of weeks in a rented van. This was the first attempt to book their own tour, which for the most part entailed them playing for little to no one, at very odd venues, in equally as strange cities up and down the east coast. Regardless, this experience helped them gain insight to a life on the road, which they all subsequently yearned for.
The acquisition of Anthony Wille behind the drums was the final step into securing a stable lineup before Folly began to journey out of their regional area and see the rest of the country. In the early summer time of 2002, Folly met up with producer Sal Vilanueva and the team at Big Blue Meenie, where they had been a year prior to mix their EP. With the help of Sal, engineer Joe Pedulla, and Tim Gilles, Folly was able to record a three-song (unreleased) effort. The demo featured guest and backing vocals from members of Shai Hulud, who were in the studio at the time, labeling Folly as "Death Ska." A couple of tours ensued, and following an intense show presented by the Stevens Underground Music Awareness Committee (SUMAC) at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ with Converge, The Survivors, and A Life Once Lost, the band was approached by Fred Feldman, owner of Triple Crown Records.
Insanity Later was recorded in late 2003 at Big Blue Meenie under the production of Sal Villanueva (Taking Back Sunday, Thursday) released on April 6, 2004. The album detailed the transition from Folly's ska-pop-punk-influenced style to integrating a more hardcore-metal approach. The lyrics dealt with issues such as institutionalized education (Discussion is for the Pigs) and punk scene unification (Please Don't Shoot the Piano Player...) to name a couple. The release of the album proved to be a metaphor for the band's acceptance, most people simply didn't get it or understand it, while others seemed to appreciate and proudly endorse it. Insanity Later features guest vocals from Joey Southside of The Banner, Eric Gunderson of Killed By Memories, and Erin Farley. The album includes a montage music video for the unreleased song "Broken," edited by Robbie Tassaro.
The band's second full length, 'Resist Convenience', was released on March 10, 2006. This follow-up featured the further encorporation of metal and hardcore, while still embracing elements of ska, indie rock, and melodic punk. Resist Convenience dealt with issues such as homogenization of culture (Brooks Was Here), posturing and "underground fashion" (Bonfire of the Manatees), and drug addiction (We Still Believe...) to name a few. Once again guided by Sal Villanueva and recorded and mixed at Big Blue Meenie, Resist Convenience features guest vocals from Tyler Guida of My Bitter End, Logan Laflotte of Paulson, and Eric Gunderson.
Folly has since reached 48 states, touring with such bands as Senses Fail, Moneen, The Beautiful Mistake, Paulson, We're All Broken, My Bitter End, Anterrabae, The Banner, Underminded, One Dead Three Wounded, The Break, Look What I Did, Drop Dead Gorgeous, The Human Abstract, The Forecast, The Static Age, and more... They have also shared the stage with such acts as Converge, Dillinger Escape Plan, Stretch Arm Strong, Catch 22, Big D and The Kids Table, Dragonforce, With Honor, and countless others. They have been part of such festivals as Hellfest (NJ, 2004), Skate and Surf Fest (NJ, 2003-2005), New England Hardcore and Metal Fest (MA, 2005-2006), and Saints and Sinners Fest (NJ, 2006).
Their last CD was released without any ties to the music industry. The seven song EP was a self released digital EP simply titled "These are the Names of the Places We Broke Down." The titles of the songs are from towns Folly has broken down in over the years. Interesting the last song, 'Sussex, New Jersey', their home town, is a combination of 'The Morning Song' and 'Please Don't Shoot the Piano Player', played entirely on piano. CD's can be purchased on their myspace page.[1] The EP is also free on http://www.purevolume.com/folly
Folly announced their departure with the following statement on their myspace page (myspace.com/follycore):
After a little more than a decade, weāve decided to formally resign from the music industry. Whereas obviously we would like to have an impossibly absurd reason or scenario causing the end of this run, say āAnthony moving to Lebanon to competitively knit table clothsā or āArben pursuing his lust for bartering lion pelts and hyena hidesā¦ā We simply just want to move on with our lives for a variety of personal reasons. Itās supposedly a very clichĆ© reason for a band to break up, to go these āseparate ways.ā Yet, it is as definitive and undesigning as the message in said Journey song: Someday love will find us, break these chains that bind us! Sadly, this band is no longer our raison d'ĆŖtre. We have other avenues to ventureā¦ other pages to turn.
Luckily, weāre all on the same page with this, and it has become a completely mutual decision to break these chains. Itās also mutually intricate for us to imagine our lives without Folly. Itās safe to say that this band has created a difficult dichotomy from which pulls us apart; thereās the alter-ego us and the self-actualized us. Both exist interdependently and cohabitate when needed, and yet they search for their own identity apart from one another. The inevitability of conclusion is tangible now, but it hadnāt been for so long. Weāve been playing together since high school, developing socially and spiritually throughout our adolescence into young adult-hood with the band as a consistent uniting factor. We created self through each otherās actions, emotions, and knowledge. In essence, Folly is as much a part of us as we are a part of it.
Folly was a hobby turned lifestyle, almost turned career. The fact that we always treated this hobby with so much respect would prove to combat the desperate lifestyle enveloping it. Hitting the road and experiencing this country was always the most profoundly informative and self-edifying attraction, as it was the most intricate and time-consuming obligation of our lives. We simply grew tired of missing out on the growth of our family, our friendsā¦ the overall state of āhome.ā For a while there, home was wherever we rested our drunk bodies, whether crowded Econoline, Interstate highway, Wal-Mart parking lot, studio couch, or basement floor. There was something so comfortable and secure about being dirty rock-and-roll dudes without a worry in the world other than showing up to the venue and playing, meeting new friends and shooting the shit. Transient paths were both exciting and brief; we attempted to understand and absorb the world around us, all the while racing too quickly through it. This is not meant to insinuate that we regret touring; in fact weāll most likely regret not touring more often. However, the demands and time needed to devote to this project are simply no longer applicable to our lives. Touring is a huge sacrifice; although it remains unmatched in spirit and vibrancy, it is one that weāre no longer willing to make.
Weāve had some amazing people help us throughout our journey, none of which we need to personally mention. āYou know who you are.ā From fan and family to band to studio engineer and label folk, everyone lent a helping hand for the greater good of the band. Folly was an interesting community of people, an underdog clan of weak influence and yet unrelenting force! There was always something so charitable and original about the music and the message; it seemed to be tough for someone to understand just why we did what we didā¦ But for those who didā¦ who GOT us, you understood that we just simply didnāt give a shit about anything besides having a good time. For those of you who got the chance to know us sympathize that we are the most modest of fools. When kids picked up our album, screamed along to the songs, then offered a place for us to crash for the night, we were always so overwhelmed and astounded. We never understood the generosity. We just simply knew it existed, and therefore we cared nothing more but than to return the favor somehow. No amount of money or fame can compete with the abundance of great memories, friends, and life-lessons weāve endured with such kind-hearted kin. Zang!
In addition to the greatest community of fans any band could hope for, itās also important we mention the impact several bands had on our upbringing. Without the inspiration and encouragement of the bands we toured with, we would be a mere shell of the act we became. It is quite easy to identify the way certain bands rubbed off on us, simply by listening to our songs. The crossroads of certain styles weigh heavily on the influence of the bands we spent nearly-every waking hour with, for weeksā¦ months at a time. Weāre forever grateful for the opportunity to share the stage and road with bands such as Paulson, Anterrabae, Weāre All Broken, Endicott, One Dead Three Wounded, Look What I Did, The Banner, My Bitter End, Chiodos, The Human Abstract, Senses Fail, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Moneen, The Break, and Underminded to name a few. We were eagerly impressionable in the company of these fellow road brothers/warriors, and we shall carry these bonds with us no matter where we go.
We would like to think that our financial woes had no bearing on the decision to hang up our proverbial gloves, but weād be foolish to recant the claim. After all, folly is defined as āa costly undertaking having an absurd and ruinous outcome.ā How ironic our likeness has become considering the financial traditions (frustrations) weāve faced over the years! Any amount of money we made went to either buying snacks or fixing our van to get to the next show. Itās fair to say that we never did this for the almighty glamorous dollar, although we played to make money to settle our debts with merchandise companies and our record label! The ultimate paradox, huh? Fuck. Itās a bitter dollar-starved bitch, the music biz is. I suppose this is something we wonāt miss. We were never cut out for the cut-throat. The general state of music scene big-business was always so contradictory to our mission. We donāt mean to sound like the bitter Muppets on the balcony here, but as social observers of the greater-good and bad, these changes are important to note. I think Tim of 1D3W said it best: āIf this is punk rock, weāre fucked.ā
The music scene has changed a considerable amount since Follyās conception and emergence. Weāve seen styles and fashions coerce message and meaning. We watched the rise and decline of certain musical genres and themes. Weāve even experienced the convergence of media giving way to eased, rapid forms of communication. Some bands will never know how hard and yet rewarding it was to book a tour before email and myspace! Does anyone remember ācalling cards?ā Fucking shit, man! Dually noted, as so many things have changed, so much has remained the same. The incessant need for an outlet in which to artistically release angst has remained. The underground community from which punk music genres flourish still stands strong, even in the āBig Brotherā face of major label/mainstream influence. Kids are still making flyers, promoting shows, buying shirts, helping touring bands out, shelling out their allowance to drive hundreds of miles to a showā¦ Regardless of method, itās still fucking alive and well! We hope that in the wake of our absence, other bands take the reigns [sic] and do it for the right reasons.
Itās surreal to experience the cyclical nature of this band; as our tenure wanes, we slowly revert back to the beginning. We now play solely to unite our friends, to have an arena of bro-down force smashā¦ a general reason to hang out. Thereās no desperation to make money or impress anyone, nor is there any motivation to play tighter and get ābigger.ā Thereās simply no need anymore to gain notoriety through this namesake. Any show weāve booked within the last year was to release the angst of our otherwise boring social existence. That is exactly why we started playing music to begin with, and for this very reason weāve humbly arrived full-circle. We are living in our very own Lion King music video for āThe Circle of Life.ā
So whatās next? Weāll be planning some āfinal showsā in due time, most likely in the NJ-NY-CT region abound. Ideally we wanted to get out to all the other states we love, (Florida, Texas, California, etcā¦) but it doesnāt seem likely weāll do so. Also, to further extend going out the same way we came in, we decided to record some new tracks (currently doing so) and make them all available online. Itās the closest thing we could think of that resembled copying demo tapes and handing them out in the late 90ās. High speed dubbing ruled! Each song on the finale is named after a town we broke down in, written in bitter contempt and yet grateful resolution in leaving something we love so much. Itās somewhat of a metaphorical āconcept albumā that speaks for the culmination of the holistic Folly experience, from start to finish- old and new. It's our requiem; the eulogy of our death. Consider this perhaps as the sequel to the band and the prequel to the rest of our lives. Weāll keep you posted soon about the last shows and hott lickz/sick chopz traxā¦
While walking away from this, we crave no desire to carve a niche in the history of punk music. We are completely satisfied with what we achieved within our community of friends, and weāll move on with the satisfaction that we spent the last decade of our lives creating and inspiring each other. Our music in many ways speaks for us best. It may be the only way that speaks for us. Alike the rings on a tree stump, our songs are chapters of our lives. They capture more accurately the emotions and ideas we shared than any other element of interpersonal communication we know of. Our songs best display the times we took a heavy blow, the times we held our heads up highā¦ These relatively timeless stories shall remain the resource to the lineage of our spirit well beyond our years.
In the end, as it was in the beginningā¦This was all for our friends.
Love always, Agim, Anthony, Arben, Geoff, and Jon
In April 2008, 3 sold out shows were played to celebrate the life and times of Folly with friends, family, and fans. The shows took place on April 11 at the Wallingford American Legion in Wallingford CT, April 12 at the School Of Rock in Hackensack NJ, and April 13 at the Mainstage in Pompton Lakes NJ.
FAR AWAY
Folly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been alone again.
And without you here, there's just so much to say.
The loneliest of times may come when I talk to you but you're not there.
There's no way out now, I've got to stay in here.
The walls are tired of hearing what I have to say.
What I try to say is almost pointless to start,
because you're only in dreams and inside my heart.
Hope this darkness makes me bleed.
Deception, the sight.
Night, do not give up on me (I have given up on myself.)
Time has shed and we all this time we share in other things.
I miss you darling, I need to see you more than this.
I know you have all you want and what you have, but you don't have me.
You have to feel the same.
We will be home soon.
Normality will take it's place.
Being able to talk to you and see your face.
Embrace what we have, enjoy what we made.
We created a bond that miles can't break.
We did this. We made us. We did this.
I feel my feet touch the sand.
I miss you.
Submerge my heart into your soul.
I miss you. I miss you. I miss you. I miss you. I miss you.
In these lyrics, the singer is expressing their loneliness and longing for someone who is not physically present. They talk about the futility of trying to communicate with this person when they are not there, as they can only reach them in their dreams or in their heart. They hope for an end to the darkness they are feeling and for the chance to be reunited with this person. Despite the distance, the singer believes that they have created a strong bond that cannot be broken.
The repetition of "I miss you" throughout the lyrics reinforces the theme of longing and highlights the pain the singer is feeling from being apart from this person. The line "we created a bond that miles can't break" is particularly impactful as it speaks to the power of connection and the strength of their relationship despite the physical distance.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of emotional vulnerability and a deep desire for closeness and connection. The singer is grappling with the difficulties of distance and separation but remains hopeful for the future when they will be reunited with their loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
Die my heart, I'm here again.
I feel like I'm dying inside, but I'm back here again, without you.
I've been alone again.
I'm always alone without you, and it's been hard.
And without you here, there's just so much to say.
When you're not here, there's so much I want to tell you.
The loneliest of times may come when I talk to you but you're not there.
Sometimes it feels even lonelier when I try to talk to you and there's no response.
There's no way out now, I've got to stay in here.
No matter how difficult it gets, I have to stay here and deal with my feelings.
The walls are tired of hearing what I have to say.
I've been saying the same things over and over, and I feel like even the walls are tired of it.
What I try to say is almost pointless to start, because you're only in dreams and inside my heart.
I know it's almost pointless to talk to you because you're not really here, except in my dreams and my heart.
Hope the time will cease tonight.
I hope that time will stop, even if just for a moment, so I can have some peace.
Hope this darkness makes me bleed.
Maybe feeling this darkness so intensely will help me heal in the end.
Deception, the sight.
Everything seems distorted and untrue without you.
Night, do not give up on me (I have given up on myself.)
Even though I've given up on myself, I hope that the night won't give up on me and will help me find my way back to you.
Time has shed and we all this time we share in other things.
Time has passed and we've both been doing other things, but I still think about you all the time.
I miss you darling, I need to see you more than this.
I miss you so much and I need to be with you, not just talk to you.
I know you have all you want and what you have, but you don't have me.
I know you have everything you need, but you don't have me, and that's what's missing.
You have to feel the same.
I hope you feel the same way I do, and that you're missing me too.
We will be home soon.
We'll be together again soon and that will be our true home.
Normality will take it's place.
Once we're back together, everything will be normal again.
Being able to talk to you and see your face.
Just being able to talk to you and see you in person will be such a relief.
Embrace what we have, enjoy what we made.
We should cherish the love we have and enjoy the life we've built together.
We created a bond that miles can't break.
Even though we're physically far apart, our love is so strong that nothing can break it.
We did this. We made us. We did this.
We built this love and this life ourselves, and we should be proud of that.
I feel my feet touch the sand.
I'm getting closer to you, and I can almost feel like I'm there with you again.
I miss you.
I miss you more than words can say.
Submerge my heart into your soul.
I want to be completely connected to you, heart and soul.
I miss you. I miss you. I miss you. I miss you. I miss you.
I just miss you so much, and no number of words can fully express it.
Contributed by Scarlett H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bonjour Tristesse
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