By Gary Wien

originally published: 04/19/2016

One of the most intriguing bands in New Jersey to debut in recent years is one that looks to the past for its future. Known as The Weeklings, the band plays Beatles-inspired music that comes from actual songs written by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison (but never released by the band) along with their own original songs written in the Beatlesque style. The result is something new that feels like you've known it all along. The band is getting ready to record their second album - one which will take the Beatles sound to a new level with the recording done in Abbey Road Studios.

The Weeklings consist of Glen Burtnik, Bob Burger, John Merjave, and Joe Bellia. The four are otherwise known as Lefty Weekling, Zeek Weekling, Rocky Weekling, and Smokestack Weekling. For years, they have played together during Glen's special Beatles shows which performed entire albums note for note or his 60s shows. They've been headlining venues throughout the country as well as performing at The Fest For Beatles Fans. In other words, they've got the chemistry, the experience, and the reputation among the Beatles community to take this far. Now they're hoping fans can help them reach that goal.

They've set up a GoFundMe campaign to help defray the costs of bringing everyone to London. They've got two days of studio time already booked for June 8-9. There they will be recording their next album with vintage 60s equipment in the same room where The Beatles cut their albums. The entire album will be recorded live, the old school way.

Rewards range from mp3 downloads of their album ($15) to a t-shirt/autographed LP/mp3 download package ($50) to that package enhanced with a 24x36 vinyl poster of the "Monophonic" album cover mounted and signed by the band and the artist ($100) to a cameo appearance in a Weeklings video ($200) all the way up to 2 hours in the NJ studio and lunch with the band ($500) to dinner with the band for 2 people ($1,500) and even having The Weekling play live in your house or a venue of your choice ($2,500).

For more on the band visit www.weeklings.com

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Gary Wien has been covering the arts since 2001 and has had work published with Jersey Arts, Upstage Magazine, Elmore Magazine, Princeton Magazine, Backstreets and other publications. He is a three-time winner of the Asbury Music Award for Top Music Journalist and the author of Beyond the Palace (the first book on the history of rock and roll in Asbury Park) and Are You Listening? The Top 100 Albums of 2001-2010 by New Jersey Artists. In addition, he runs New Jersey Stage and the online radio station The Penguin Rocks. He can be contacted at [email protected].

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