The band started out as What About Frank? in 2004 in Red Bank, New Jersey, playing with a more progressive rock based sound. During their career as What About Frank? they were twice recognized as Best Live Band at the Asbury Music Awards. They played many many shows including the CMJ Music Marathon in New York City, the Van's Warped Tour, The Great Bamboozle Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and South by Southwest[3]. Their debut self-titled release was the #1 top-selling album in local retail[4], and received airplay on both satellite and commercial radio.
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The Parlor Mob
In 2006 the band changed their name to The Parlor Mob so as to "...have a name that's less hokey and more representative of our music" said drummer Sam Bey in a New York Times interview. The name itself was derived from a notorious 19th century gang of the same name [5]. Their sound had progressed into a more straight forward blues based experimental rock n' roll style. Vocalist Mark Melicia describes the band's sound as being “rock and roll with a contemporary style." At the same time, they signed a small record deal with Capitol Records. The band soon after travelled to Los Angeles in the summer of 2006 to record a 4-song EP with producer Howard Willing (Smashing Pumpkins, OK Go, Counting Crows)[3]. However, the merger between Capitol and Virgin records left The Parlor Mob stranded – after recording the EP, the band "came home and sat around for nine months," according to guitarist David Rosen[6]. Eventually, after watching most of their supporters lose their jobs, the band was dropped by Capitol. Without a label to release it, they decided to release the EP themselves, digitally, free of charge to anyone who wanted to download it.
In the summer of 2007, The Parlor Mob signed with Roadrunner Records. On September 28, 2007 they began the process of recording their début album at Asheville, NC's Echo Mountain studios. Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Kings of Leon, The Dwarves, Modest Mouse), who first contacted the band while they were recording their EP, contacted Roadrunner Records to express his interest in producing the album. The band was impressed that he sought them out (rather than their management reaching out to him)[7], as well as with his enthusiasm and involvement throughout the recording process[6]. The recording was completed on Halloween, 2007, and The Parlor Mob's debut album, And You Were a Crow, was released digitally on March 11th, 2008 and in stores everywhere on May 6th, 2008. The band and their album were featured on the iTunes store's section of best new rock artists in 2008. There song "Cant Keep No Good Boy Down", was featured in the sixth season of Entourage.