Northern Liberties

Northern Liberties is... Justin Duerr - Vocals and Percussion Marc Duerr - Drumset Kevin Riley - Bass Northern Liberties are a three piece band consisting of drums, percussion, bass, and voices. Northern Liberties formed in the year 2000 as an outgrowth of the then current West Philadelphia (literally) underground basement band scene. Brothers Justin and Marc Duerr, on percussion/vocals and drums, respectively, joined long-time friend Kevin with the idea of forming a band.

Justin Duerr - Vocals and Percussion
Marc Duerr - Drumset
Kevin Riley - Bass

Northern Liberties are a three piece band consisting of drums, percussion, bass, and voices. Northern Liberties formed in the year 2000 as an outgrowth of the then current West Philadelphia (literally) underground basement band scene. Brothers Justin and Marc Duerr, on percussion/vocals and drums, respectively, joined long-time friend Kevin with the idea of forming a band. The unusual instrumentation was a result of the three deciding to work with what and whom they were most comfortable with rather than bringing in other musicians - thus an idiosyncratic and offbeat sound was forged, more out of practicality than any desire to be deliberately offbeat. Northern Liberties receive their music from an unnameable/indescribable dimension, which, while being impossible to accurately describe using any language including music, is most clearly shown in rough outline by the occult practice of musical realization.

Northern Liberties have been called "Strangely wonderful" (Heathen Harvest), "As strong, as menacing, and as idiosyncratic as ever" (Wonkavision), "For fans of underground social change music" (Hussieskunk.com), "Definitely heavy, thoroughly metal" (Punk Planet), "Raw, artistic expression in the vein of No Means No or Shellac" (Lowcut zine), "One of the more intriguing bands I've heard in a while" (Aidabet.com) "Somewhere between the dissonant riff-heavy freakouts of Lightning Bolt, sullen Cure/Joy Division gloom, melodic hardcore marches, and spacey, psychedelic angular avant-punk that touches on USAISAMONSTER, folk, and cosmic effects tripouts, bound together with bizarre feverdream lyrics and really cool zoned out vocals" (Crucialblast.net), "A bit Joy Division, with part Fugazi and an added touch of heaviness" (Slug And Lettuce), and "Something obtuse and beautiful" by the Philadelphia City Paper. The Philadelphia Weekly has observed that "Northern Liberties take their percussive, provocative noise-punk to the lunatic fringe", and it has been written on the WKDU blog that "Each encounter with this band (and once again the live shows especially) is like a baptism in fire, blood, & electricity, and every time I reemerge I'm still convinced that the world is a dark & scary place, but I also have a renewed hope that there still is something resembling magic in this world"...

Christened 'ghost punk' by a friends child, Northern Liberties music can be seen as a wraithlike spectral branch of the 'rock' and 'punk' subcategories of music. While the sound is relatively uptempo and (usually) follows what have become traditional verse/chorus/verse patterns, there is an underlying apparitional weirdness at work, which hopefully can serve to activate the coming 'ghost punk involution'. The so-called ghost punk involution is an internal revolution designed to break the spell of the misery of terror/hatred which has hypnotized much of the world. This aforementioned segment of the world is in a slumber until it is awakened to the gnosis of union with the song which demonstrates a way (appearing differently to every beholder/listener) to break this spell.

Since forming in 2000, Northern Liberties have slowly and steadily moved in a non-linear direction, exploring and experiencing their collective music and sharing it with others if and when possible. While having no clear 'game plan' other than to participate in the phenomenon of music, Northern Liberties have successfully completed three tours of the USA, as well as recording three full length albums and two 7 inches, one a split with Boston's Bugs And Rats. Northern Liberties have shared shows with Mike Watt & The Secondmen, Lungfish, The Notekillers, Dysrhythmia, Stinking Lizaveta, The Low Budgets, Bunnydrums, Shellshag, Pre and countless other bands in their seven year sojourn on the planet Earth.

The year 2007 found the band busier than ever, touring the entirety of the US, as well as playing sporadic shows in Philadelphia and on the east coast. The band has also completed and released its third full length album, recorded at the much celebrated Inner Ear studios in Arlington Virginia with Don Zientara, known for his work with such bands as Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Fugazi, Bikini Kill, and pretty much all the Dischord Records bands. This new album, titled 'Ghost Mind Electricity', has been released with Philadelphia's Badmaster label, and finds the band well footed on a path that is very uniquely its own. They are poised to traverse ever farther and deeper into the depths and pinnacles of this singular territory, and the invitation is extended to any and all to share the experience. Nothing will ever be the same again.