By Danny Coleman
originally published: 07/03/2014
"I guess you can say I'm the new guy and I've been with the band for over ten years," said (hed) p.e. guitarist Jackson Benge with a laugh as he discussed the upcoming July 22 release by Pavement Entertainment of their ninth CD "Evolution."
(hed) p.e. formed in California in the early to mid '90's by front man Jahred, whose desire was to cultivate the area sounds into his own personal preferences; resulting in a mixture of punk, metal, hip-hop and statement making funk that has blazed a trail to this day. "Our music," explains Jackson, "Is a mix of musical multiple personality disorders," he said once again with a hearty laugh. " We mix many genres and we try to hit them all; punk, hip-hop, metal, rock, we don't discriminate that's for sure."
Up until now, 2003's "Blackout" was the benchmark for the group and still their most successful album to date but with the upcoming release of "Evolution," Benge feels that the band may have hit their musical mark and definitely their stride. "This disc really is two different styles. We still have what we like to call a "Doom Sound," yet more riffs that are simpler; if that makes sense. There is more of a one note at a time approach and letting them ring out to give it a bigger sound; we are actually quite happy with it. Then there's what Jahred likes to call the "Champagne Room." The other side of the disc is more Reggae style and I think between the two styles, "Doom Metal" and Reggae, we did really well selecting the tracks. We are very happy with the way this CD has come together from start to finish, I think it's one of our best to date. This is the sixth one that I've been a part of and I am very excited about it!"
From the band name, to their music, Benge feels the reason they've been able to keep it together so long is due to staying within themselves, their yearning for social commentary and cooperation within their own ranks. "Our name, like us, is pretty unique. Jahred came up with it; hed is the phonetic spelling for head and p.e. stands for planet earth or planetary evolution. The planet, like our music, is ever changing, evolving, we get involved with some social issues, trying to relay some messages through our music. We are also a band who stays true to what we write. So many guys take every opportunity to over play; we don't do that. Jahred has a vision and when we go into the studio he takes on more of the producer role. We all have a hand in things and for me, I wanted to let the band know that I can write too. I started submitting songs, I mean we all do but Jahred's voice is the signature of the band, so whatever we do it has to fit him and his style. He plays percussion so that adds to the overall sound as well."
The band is heading out on the road with shows in various locations across the U.S. in what Benge calls a "Quasi national tour." "Right now we are taking time off before the disc is released. This our first one on Pavement Entertainment and we are very excited about it; they are doing a great job promoting its release and we are gearing up to head out on the road. We've got some dates in July to warm up and then in August we head out in earnest; we tour a lot and we love it."
July 8 the band kicks off the tour with a show in Lexington, KY and will criss-cross from Florida through Texas and the mid-west with stops in West Virginia, Tennessee and Ohio as well; bringing their brand of hard driving, in your face sounds to their hungry fan base.
To find tickets, tour dates and more about (hed) p.e. please go to www.hedperocks.com.
Here's an upcoming show to watch for; the Doo Wop Show scheduled for July 12 at The Princeton Manor Banquet Hall (formerly Cedar Gardens) on Rte. 33 in Hamilton, NJ. The Drifters, The Marvelettes and the Blue Notes will be taking the stage with original members, Rick Sheppard and Rhonda Franklin in attendance. Tickets are $60 for general admission and $95 for the VIP package and can be obtained by calling Linda Reimer at 609-838-1313.
That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!
THIS WEEKS CALENDAR LISTINGS
Alchemist & Barrister
28 Witherspoon Street Princeton
(609) 924-5555
Wed. 10 p.m. Open mic. night Hosted by Eric Puliti
All shows 21+
Amarones Windsor Inn
29 Church St. Windsor
(609) 448-714
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Scott Gager & Debbie
Sat. 8 p.m. The Blue Moons
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Texas Hold'em
Wed. 7 p.m. FREE Salsa Lessons
Big Shots Bar and Grill/Hebe Music Lounge
835 E Rte. 130 South, Burlington
(609) 267-1200
Sat. 7 p.m. Sakima, Lurk, Rinse Repeat, Left of Logic
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic.
Blend
911 Rte. 33 Hamilton
(609) 245-8887
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Candlelight Lounge
24 Passaic St. Trenton
(609) 695-9612
Sat. 3 p.m. Annual Jazz BBQ (No cover-$10 minimum)
Chambers Walk Cafe
2667 Main St. Lawrenceville
(609) 896-5995
Sat. 6 p.m. Dick Gratton
The Backstage at Championship Bar
931 Chambers St. Trenton
(609) 394-7437
Sat. 6 p.m. Steel Nation, Manalive, Silence Equals Death, Inhale, No Friends, Life Sentence, Guttersnipe. All ages, $10.
Tues. 7 p.m. Breathing Theory, Mesmeria, (TBA). All ages, $8/$10
Dubh Linn Square
167 Rte. 130 North Bordentown
(609) 298-7100
Thurs. 6 p.m. The Mighty Stef
mSun. 4 p.m.Billy O'neal
Tues. 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night hosted by Shaun Ruymen
Fran's Pub
116 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215)862-5539
Fri. 9 p.m. DJ Night
Sat. 7 p.m. Stellar
Sun. 3 p.m. Little Red Rooster
Mon. 8 p.m. Open Mic Blues Jam
All shows 21+
Halo Pub
9 Hullfish St. Princeton
(609) 921-1710
Sat. 6:30 p.m. Deb & Mike
Havana New Hope
105 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-9897
Thurs. 8 p.m. Eagles Tribute w/ Best of The Eagles
Fri. 9:30 p.m. July 4th DJ Dance Party
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Kharma Train
Sun. 2 p.m. Midnight Sun Orchestra
Mon. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Ron Sherr and Bridge
Wed. 8 p.m. Pat Foran w/ Jo Wymer, Mike Montrey
All shows 21+
Ivy Tavern
3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Fri. 10 p.m. Blind Lemmon Pie
Sat. 10 p.m. The Dawgs
All shows 21+
John & Peter's
96 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-5981
Thurs. 9 p.m. Satellite Hearts
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Billy Hector Band
Sun. 9:30 p.m. Southern Fried Funk
Mon. Open Mic. w/ Tim
Tues. 9 p.m. Matt Setzer
Wed. The Invitational (Featuring John & Peter's House Band)
All shows 21+
JoJo's Tavern
2677 Nottingham Way Hamilton
(609) 586-2678
Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke
Palermo's Of Hamilton
310 Klockner Rd. Hamilton
(609) 838-7979
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Fri. 9 p.m. Alright Alright
All shows 21+
Patriot's Crossing
1339 River Rd. Titusville
(609) 737-2780
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. River Dogs
Fri. 7:30 p.m. Sensei Juan and The Blackbelts
RHO Waterfront
50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 9 p.m. College Night w/ DJ Jeff Scott
All Shows 21+
Sunsets at Cream Ridge
181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 208-2500
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Tangled
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Something Shiny
Tavern On The Lake
101 Main St. Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Fri. 9 p.m. DJ Night
Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke Night
The Cool Cricket
216 4th St. Fieldsboro
(609) 291-9110
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 8 p.m. Open Jukebox
The Ivy Inn
248 Nassau St. Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Ron Sherr
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv
Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Ron Sherr
The Sticky Wicket
2465 South Broad St. Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Fri. 9 p.m. Out of The Red
Sat. 9:30 p.m. DJ TDOGG
All shows 21+
The Sun National Bank Center
81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 656-3200
Sat. 7 p.m. Trenton Freedom vs. Lehigh Valley Steelhawks
Tir Na Nog
1324 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 392-2554
Sat. 9 p.m. Tommy Glover
Tues. 9 p.m. Open Mic. w/ Taylor Reed
Wed. 9 p.m. Paul Weise
All shows 21+
Trenton Social
449 South Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-7777
Thurs. 8 p.m. Cinema Thursdays Presents: Documentary Night "Mel Leipzig: Everything is Printable"
Fri. 10 p.m. Friday night w/ Jay Kountree & Jaxx
Mon. 10 p.m. Service Industry Night w/ DJ-Jay Kountree
Tues. 9 p.m. LiveMusic/Open Mic.
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
Fri. 10 p.m. Southern Fried Funk. $5 (cover charge)
Sat. 10 p.m. Jason Ager. $5 (cover charge)
Sun. 7 p.m. Open Jam Night
All shows 21+
Wildflowers Inn
2572 Pennington Rd. Pennington
Sat. 9 p.m. Live Acoustic Rock
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke
All shows 21+
About the author:
Danny Coleman is a veteran musician and writer from central New Jersey. He hosts a weekly radio program entitled 'Rock On Radio' airing Sunday evenings at 7:00pm EST on ThePenguinRocks.com where he features indie/original bands and solo artists.
EVENT PREVIEWS
Grounds For Sculpture and Third Way Cultural Alliance to Present an Intimate Evening of Art and Music on July 18th
(HAMILTON, NJ) -- Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) and Third Way Cultural Alliance announce a special evening celebrating the power of creative freedom through music, art and conversation. "Creative Freedom: A Salon Experience featuring Marshall Allen, Salvador Jiménez-Flores and Jamaaladeen Tacuma," will take place on Saturday, July 18, 2026 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.
bergenPAC presents Swingtime Big Band on Saturday
(ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- New York's high-powered Swingtime Big Band returns to Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) on Saturday, July 18, 2026 to celebrate America250 by showcasing the popular music that kept Americans dancing for decades—from the Lindy and Fox Trot to the Cha Cha to the Twist! Showtime is 8:00pm.
DePue Brothers Band to Bring "Grassical" Music to Sewell
(SEWELL, NJ) -- Music at Bunker Hill welcomes the DePue Brothers Band on Sunday, July 19, 2026 at 3:00pm. In a departure from the series' customary chamber music fare, the DePue Brothers Band has long coined their music with the term "grassical," the combination of bluegrass with jazz, blues, rock, folk, and classical.
Albert Music Hall's "Back to Our Roots" Benefit on Sunday to Support Preservation of Pinelands Music History
(WARETOWN, NJ) -- Albert Music Hall will present Back to Our Roots, a special fundraising concert on Sunday, July 19, 2026, inviting music lovers to enjoy an afternoon of live performances while helping preserve an important piece of New Jersey's musical heritage.
Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Heather Maloney & Hayley Reardon on Sunday
(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Heather Maloney & Hayley Reardon on Sunday, July 19, 2026. Doors are at 7:00pm, showtime is 7:30pm.
New Jersey Symphony to Make Rowan's Marie Rader Series Debut with "Life & Liberty" on July 22nd
(GLASSBORO, NJ) -- The Marie Rader Series will launch its 2026-27 season, entitled "Life & Liberty," with the New Jersey Symphony's Rowan University debut. On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players featuring Rowan University Strings Faculty & Alumni will perform at Pfleeger Concert Hall. Showtime is 7:00pm.
The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Blues For Greeny and the music of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac
(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Blues For Greeny - The Music of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Dude Cervantes & The Panchos will open the night. Doors are at 7:00pm, music starts at 7:30pm.
Shinedown to Play Shows in Newark and Philly in July
(NEWARK, NJ) -- One of the biggest bands in the world, Shinedown, will be releasing their brand new studio album EI8HT on May 29, 2026 (via Atlantic Records) and released the new song "Outlaw." In addition, they announced their massive Dance Kid Dance Act II World Tour, taking the band to 11 countries across 54 dates, including local stops at Prudential Center in Newark on Tuesday, July 21st and Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, July 23rd.
Middletown Arts Center presents Reina Williams + The Remedy
(MIDDLETOWN, NJ) -- The Middletown Arts Center presents a concert featuring Reina Williams + The Remedy on Thursday, July 23, 2026. Special guest performers Renee Maskin and Patrick Bamburak will open the show. Enjoy an evening of original music spanning reggae, hip-hop, soul, folk, Americana, and indie rock from some of New Jersey's most talented musicians. Showtime is 7:00pm.
Harmonium Choral Society presents "I Dreamed Last Night" on July 23rd
(MADISON, NJ) -- On Thursday, July 23, 2026, Harmonium Choral Society presents I Dreamed Last Night. Directed by Lennie Watts with music direction by John Fischer, I Dreamed Last Night is a one woman show with Gloria Bangiola. There are songs and stories about dreams, hopes, wishes, ambitions, fantasies, nightmares, impossibilities and that big ol' American one we are all still working to make real. Showtime is 7:00pm.
FEATURED EVENTS
