Stuart Rosh and the Geniuses form a new band that is sure to impress music lovers all across the Bay Area, but finding the CD might be difficult.

The band’s first album, Accept No Imitations, will officially be released to the public on June 14, and will only be available at select music stores due to lack a designated audience and publicity.

According to lead singer Stuart Rosh, the album is a big step in the right direction. "I have loved music my whole life," Rosh said.
"But it wasn’t till I got married that I had the confidence and determination that I needed."

Accept No Imitations is an impressive collaboration of the musical talents of Scott Appleton, a guitarist, Sue Draheim on the fiddle and with backup vocals, Noah Appleton on drums, and Stuart Rosh as the lead singer and harmonica player.

Scott Appleton plays with confidence and he plays with a distinctive style, according to Rosh. "Scott is a very laid back guitar player, he loves to sit back, relax and grove," Rosh said.

"He plays with a style that is rare in most guitar players, he plays in the pocket, which is a stylized version of play that is right on the beat, but often sounds behind the beat. This usually improves the drama and adds an unusual sound to the album since most guitar players play ahead of the beat."

With regards to style, Rosh is generally acceptant.
"There isn’t a form of music I don’t like, but as a writer and performer, it’s roots music that feeds me, music stripped down and raw in emotion," Rosh said. He knows his musical roots well, and it shows in his music. "My music reflects my own
background, having lived in North Carolina for many years, and having been a Muddy Waters groupie in my teens."

The album starts with a bang and continues with the same energy throughout. The album is short and quick, but is full of emotion and musical talent from all across the board. The first track, "Love Comes Ashore", starts out the emotional theme with a sad love song, then bursts into a urban lifestyle type of verse. Rosh lets loose with a creative chorus:

"You’ve locked up your heart/ Tried to hide your soul/ Tried to shelter yourself/ From a storm on the horizon/ When love comes ashore/ There’s no compromising."

The title track, "Accept no imitations," is a very solid musical number that is as political as it is uniquely personal.

"Good Luck" is arguably the best track on the album and is made even better when one knows the real story of the recording of the song. Rosh allegedly had a cold on the day they where going to record this track and sang anyway and the nasal tone in his voice actually adds an impressive, interesting and creative tone to his voice.

"Good Luck" starts with great guitar playing by Appleton and the listener is re-introduced to his style and musical talent.
Rosh then lets loose with the most upbeat, and happy feeling track on the CD .

The chorous of the song is a small snipit into Rosh’s knowledge on real human life: "When your luck is good/ You’ve got to take advantage/ And ride it for as long as you can possibly manage/ When your luck is bad/ You can’t make it right/ You’ve got to find the sense to say/ Good night."

Rosh tries his best to merge his entire musical background into a new style of music.

"I merge a vintage sound with here and now lyrics," Rosh said. "Blues, honky-tonk, folk and gospel provide the backdrop to stories about grown men and women grappling with love, children, politics, and a funny and tragic world that sometimes just plain doesn’t make sense. Doing this is a lot easier with a band and I have a great one, The Geniuses."

Rosh has had a long professional career in various fields. "I’ve been a geologist and professor for many years, but before that I was an aspiring opera singer and songwriter," he said. "I thought I was done with all that, but a few years ago, songs started to come to me in dreams. In dreams begin responsibilities. I started performing again and haven’t looked back," Rosh said.

Rosh is a multi-talented individual and only began writing songs professionally after his recent marriage. His earthy, room-rattling voice is a classy and homespun blend of Willie Nelson, Howlin’ Wolf and Charlie Daniels. The album has already won several prestigious awards and accolades.

"I’m extremely happy with the music on Accept No Imitations, and the CD art is already getting kudos," Rosh said. The artwork will be featured in the Top Illustrations edition of Communication Arts magazine in July. So not only does the CD sound impressive, it looks just as impressive.

According to the band’s website (www.stuartrosh.com), some of the music from the album has been heard on the radio. The radio station KDVS in Davis, CA played "When The Words Won’t Come" from Accept No Imitations and talked about the album.

One of the songs, "Knee Deep in Clover," was runner-up in the January segment of the VH-1 Song of the Year competition for 2004. Rosh takes it all in stride. "Yes, I know that’s confusing, a monthly song of the year. But that’s show business for you. The song will be on my second CD, tentatively entitled Hummingbirds, but I won’t get the cart ahead of the horse."

Rosh’s goal with his first album is simple. "I try to run the table of emotions when I play and by turns make you laugh, fill the dance floor, and cry in your beer." Rosh and the Geniuses complete Rosh’s goals with Accept no Imitations and will continue to do so with a genius style all of their own.