“In the age of shoe gazers and too-cool-for-the-room alternative bands, it’s refreshing to see a band that brings the songs you hear recorded to a higher level in performance. thespeaks are the true sense of what a band is supposed to be....different characters all assembled by a common music thread and that thread has one hell of a groove. DC 101 loves thespeaks Last Band Standing Winners 2004”
- Joe Bevilacqua/Program Director DC101
“thespeaks give us commanding rock with a grunge edge. ‘Solitary’ has all the power of Pearl Jam, but without the whining.” Also commenting on the hit single, ‘She Said,’ thespeaks “multiple explosions of sound and raspy vocals are a winning combination. You'll be hitting replay on this one"
- The Washington Post
“The band's anthemic tunes and sheer energy have earned them a rabid fanbase that packs the house wherever they go. It's been a long time since I've seen a rock band draw as well as thespeaks -- they're definitely headed for bigger things.”
- Jeferey Jones/OnTap Magazine
“On our site we get to hear many great independent bands – thespeaks are by far one of the best. They have an exciting, infectious and progressive sound. In fact, our staff has unofficially voted them most likely to succeed.”
- Jonathan Boutelle/House of Gigs
“I came across thespeaks unexpectedly and I was blown away by the band’s music. They have the unique ability to make all their songs sound like an anthem that every listener can connect to... they sound like what rock music should sound like... thespeaks have had a year that local bands only dream about!”
- Greg Roche/DC101 – DC’s rock station
“thespeaks are a BIG hit here! Raf Toledo (vocals) has a damn awesome voice and the band in general have a FANTASTIC sound!!!!!”
- Sue Tribbick/AIIR Radio - London
“thespeaks are wicked and Asian...they are definitely no joke! Take them seriously cause they are gonna rock this country!!!!!”
- Max Speed/PROGRAM DIRECTOR Magic 89.9 - Philippines
The Speaks - Regret
"You know the world is going crazy when the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the tallest guy in the NBA is Chinese” - Chris Rock A young, talented, and charismatic five-piece band from the Washington DC area, The Speaks are completely redefining the global image of rock music - shattering stereotypes, making believers out of naysayers, destroying everything in their path, and acquiring legions of new fans every single step along the way. From winning every major music competition they’ve entered, to rocking crowds of 25,000+ people, to gaining major support from DC101 (one of the most influential radio stations in the country) -- The Speaks are easily shaping up to be one of the most exciting, talked about rock bands to hit the music scene in years. If you had to try and characterize these “rockstars-in-training” take the explosive live stage show of Velvet Revolver, add the eternal rock/anthemic appeal of Pearl Jam, and throw in the raw & emotional lyrical intensity of the Foo Fighters for good measure. In a changing new world where music seems to be erasing any existing racial boundaries, The Speaks -- whose members are all American-born, but of Asian heritage“ are poised to further prove that music is, indeed, the one true universal language. Much like Jimi Hendrix, Living Color, Sevendust and Hootie and the Blowfish (c’mon admit it, when you first heard their music, you thought Hootie was a white dude!) have all changed the face of rock -- and Eminem and The Beastie Boys have changed the face of rap -- The Speaks are opening people’s minds and broaden peoples’ horizons with their driving, emotion-filled music in a unique, unprecedented package. Find out why industry people and fans alike are saying they are the next stage in musical evolution! The Speaks’ amazing live performances and infectious sound have created a loyal and dedicated following within the local, national, and international music scene with fans all across the globe, the numbers are growing fast in the tens of thousands. Over the past 6 years, they have outlasted numerous growing pains to hone their craft and establish their current line-up. This knack for hard work has paid off for the band in January 2005, The Speaks acquired an international distribution deal overseas with Warner Music (Asia), with re-release of their independently-produced album “Life’s a Joke” in April 2005. Constant radio airplay, supported by two popular musicvideos in regular rotation on MTV Asia and MYX Music Channel, have established the band as one of the breakthrough acts of this year and it’s only a matter of time before record labels, and the rest of the world, takes notice.
