The current group is actually the second Wax. The first Wax included Rick Levy, Beau Jones, a flautist named Steve Morris, who left Penn to study biology in Israel, a drummer, and a female singer. Some people recall that the original Wax had a more distinctive sound, primarily because of the presence of a flute. But most persons weren't familiar enough with the first group to make comparisons.
Their current sound is hard to classify, which, said Levy, is the way the group wants it. "We've been called everything - jazz, blues, rock, hard rock, acid rock, country. We pick up pieces of whatever sounds good."
They spend a lot of their time listening to other groups. While they claim not to plagiarize, they admit that some of what they hear rubs off and turns up unintentionally in their own music. Some of the groups they mentioned as "digging" include Poco, Bread and the Allman Brothers.
Writing their material is a joint effort. Levy said he has spent a whole weekend sitting in a field and working out an arrangement on acoustic guitar. For the most part, the group works together on its songs, they claimed. At least, no one wanted to take credit for being head song writer.
The group has not played a lot of dates because of Bill Sisca, Wax's manager, and Jon Kalodner, their producer. "We try to play major dates," Kalodner explained, "and not get overexposed. We don't play free dates except in rare instances. For example, we're going to play Holmesburg prison soon."
Levy said the group is not unhappy about the lack of publicity that naturally follows playing such few engagements. "The press coverage so far has been in the right direction. The press doesn't know a hell of a lot about us, so they just review us on our music," Levy said.
The five of them seem to have a real liking for one another, which is somewhat extraordinary in a business in which groups form and break up in swift fashion. "This group probably couldn't play with other people. With five of us, it's like a male family," said Levy.
What's the secret of their harmony? "It just worked out. No reason trying to explain why. It was love at first sight. There's nothing we'd rather be doing," Levy explained.
Added Rob Hyman: "I'd rather be sleeping."
