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Date: 8/7/2015
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Town Councilor George Condon spends some weeknights at meetings, speaking on or debating issues. But on July 28 in the backroom of his business, Northeast Security Solutions Inc., he is engaging in a different kind of argument.
Instead of legislation, it’s about a song: “Kryptonite” by Three Doors Down.
Condon and his band, Scrap Iron Sun, are confirming the set list for their show at Taste of the Valley, and bass player Ryan Bell wants the song far from the final cut.
“Nobody likes it. The fans are going to walk out. Superman doesn’t even like it,” he said with a laugh.
“We’re thinking about getting rid of it,” Condon said, emphasizing the word “thinking.”
“I dream about it,” Bell said.
The two, along with Condon’s son David on drums and his longtime friend Scotty Cleveland on guitar, playfully joke about cutting the song, but when it comes down to it, they are all business.
Scrap Iron Sun was formed in 2007 for a competition, and Condon said they liked what they were doing and kept playing. Though this version of the band formed recently, Condon and Cleveland have been playing together for more than 30 years with The Missing Links.
The current lineup of Scrap Iron Sun has been playing together since 2011. After the original drummer was injured in a car accident and left the band, David learned the instrument and filled in.
“I had already known all of the songs because I grew up with the former band from the 80s. It’s similar to that,” he said. “I knew all the material. It was just learning how to drum.”
The band plays a combination of covers and original songs, and though they have played at Taste of the Valley in the past, the missed last year due to scheduling conflicts. Because of personal endeavors they have not played together in 15 months.
Practices began back up in time for this year’s festival.
“I’m surprised because we’ve been playing together for so long that it came together fast,” Condon said.
Both George and David are members of the West Springfield Rotary Club, which runs Taste of the Valley, giving the band a chance to play for the hometown crowd. For George, this means shaking up the image of what a town councilor should look like.
Though Condon was elected to the Town Council in 2011, he said he has tried to keep his a low profile for his rocker alter ego.
“I’m pretty quiet about it. I don’t think it’s registered with them. I’m hoping they come out and listen … I got away with it last year because we didn’t play the Taste,” Condon said with a smile. “They can’t picture it because I look like an uptight conservative when I’m on the Council in my suit and tie. When I come here, I can really cut loose.”
As the four bandmates jam to “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet, they continue to “cut loose,” and for Cleveland, it is a part of his life he had missed when they were on hiatus.
“I’ve felt almost lost this past year,” Cleveland said.
Now that Scrap Iron Sun has been practicing regularly preparing for the show, Condon said it has been fun and the motivation they need to make another CD.
“Everybody’s got a great attitude. It’s fun to play with them. We have no prima donnas and it’s just been enjoyable,” Condon said. “It’s the kind of catalyst that gets us back into the studio, and that’s kind of exciting.”
Scrap Iron Sun will play Taste of the Valley on Aug. 13, and though no other shows have been set, it does not stop them from dreaming or joking.
“I thought we sold out Giants Stadium for October,” Bell said. “Was that U2? Was that not us?”