10 Minute Major Share D.I.Y. iPhone-shot Music Video for "Separate Ways" Featuring Long Island Pond Hockey Footage from 2022 Debut EP (self-released)
10 Minute Major is a new Alternative Rock, Post-hardcore, and Indie Rock-leaning band hailing from Huntington, New York consisting of four seasoned Punk/Hardcore vets. 10 Minute Major's current line-up is vocalist/guitarist Nick Yulico, guitarist/backing vocalist Eric Perry, bassist Bart Ostrowski, and drummer Pete Figoni. Amongst them, these Long Island Hardcore vets have spent time making and playing music with Glass Jaw (an early iternation of Glassjaw,) The 2 Minutes Hate, and Breadless Circus. 10 Minute Major dropped their debut single together, "Everyone Lies," back in February 2022.
It was a fitting precursor for 10 Minute Major's debut EP, simply titled EP, which dropped right at the tail-end of last year in October 2022. Over time, we got to know 10 Minute Major frontman and guitarist Nick Yulico, strictly online, and once he began following our site, wanted to do an All-around Breakdown column of his own discussing the inner-workings of EP. So, we went ahead and did that and it turned out swimmingly. Below, you'll see an excerpt from Nick's breakdown for lead-off EP track, "Separate Ways" FKA "Separate Ways (Boroughs Apart)," a tongue-in-cheek reference to Journey.
"This is a song that is meant to be played driving in a car, windows down, pumping up the chorus with everyone singing along. This was the last song we worked on before heading into the studio to record the EP. I remember when we nailed it down in practice and listened to the live demo, it felt really good. I told the guys, "we need to get into Westfall Recording [Company] and release this as a single." To me, it is our most Indie Rock track. There is that part in the beginning when the drums really kick in and [drummer] Pete [Figoni] is pounding, which really gets it going... we were in our rehearsal studio and I suggested some drumming like The Get Up Kids (I won't mention which song.) We, actually, played that song through the phone into the mic and, then, Pete just ran with it."
"The song has a lot of dynamics to it, starts mellow, then, pounds away, then, goes back into the quiet intro after the bridge to build back up the final chorus. One friend of mine mentioned The Cure as an influence he heard. I think a lot of that is shaped by the guitar effects used in the studio. Much of the guitar work reminds me Dinosaur Jr., but put into a Post-hardcore/Indie blender (and no, I won't claim to play anywhere near J Mascis' level.) Bart [Ostrowski,] Eric [Perry,] and Pete did a great job lining up their parts; so, this one is really one of those full band-on-point songs and it's one of my favorites to play live. I totally spaced out when coming up with the name for this song. Obviously, one of the most famous songs ever is "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" by Journey. Who knows, maybe, this will help us. My buddy joked, "you should lean into that reference and call it "Separate Ways (Boroughs Apart).""
10 Minute Major very recently released an accompanying music video for "Separate Ways" from their debut three-song EP. It even boasts a perfectly D.I.Y. iPhone-shot music video in the same vein as their Punk ethos. Yulico exclusively told The Witzard, via email: "It combines some Long Island pond hockey footage (filmed on St. John's Pond in Cold Spring Harbor a few years ago) with some live show and practice clips of the band. Sadly, The Pond didn't freeze this year. It's my first time doing a full music video—amazing what an iPhone and video editor apps can accomplish—and it's sloppy D.I.Y., instead of paying for pros. Punk Rock!"
"Separate Ways" is a fantastic music video from one of our personal favorte EP's shared throughout 2022. If you like what you hear here, we would strongly recommend checking out 10 Minute Major's EP. 10 Minute Major have a couple shows coming up at the end of March and beginning of April in Amityville and Bethpage, New York, respectively. So, stop out, if you're anywhere nearby either of those locations. 10 Minute Major's EP is now available on streaming services.
