Fastball Bassist Gets The Goods

12/03/1998 4:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Craig Rosen

(12/3/98, 1 a.m. PST) - Before moving to Austin, Texas five years ago, Fastball bassist Tony Scalzo cut his teeth in the then-underground Orange County, Calif. punk scene, playing guitar in both Tender Fury and the Goods. Now, thanks to Fastball's monster modern rock hit "The Way," which Scalzo wrote, he's got some leverage he hopes can aid his old bandmates.

He's currently trying to score his old band the Goods a record deal, though it's to be determined if his Hollywood Records contract will allow him to write new material with the band. In the meantime, he's planning to join ex-Goods bassist Nick Sjobeck and drummer Jamie Rielding (late of Orange County favorites Cadillac Tramps and Big Drill Car) for a Goods reunion when he takes a much-needed break from touring and returns home.

"Miss the coast? Are you kidding? I can't wait to come back," he says. "Orange County's not the kind of place people think is so great, but when you grew up there, it's different. I even miss how it smells. There's this ocean breeze that permeates everything. You don't really notice it 'til it's gone. I'm really affected by that."

The Goods reunion show is slated to take place Jan. 14 at Costa Mesa's Club Mesa.

This won't be the first time that Scalzo's paid tribute to his past. He's taken Costa Mesa friends Film Star on the road for a string of dates to give them a boost. And Fastball's first album, Make Your Mama Proud, included two songs originally performed by the Goods: "Human Torch" and "Nothing."

"It seems only natural that the O.C. scene blew up like it did," Scalzo says. "I just wish that it had included more of my friends. I didn't really know No Doubt, though I had seen them. I wish the Muffs could break through. Maybe I'll just have to take them on tour with us. I got to talk to somebody about that."

A Fastball feature and Fastball Q&A are available for your reading pleasure on myLAUNCH.

-- Jennifer Vineyard, Los Angeles