Meet Anthony LaMarca | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony LaMarca and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I grew up in and currently live in Youngstown, Ohio. I lived in New York City for nine years but moved back in 2014. I am a big believer in regionalism. As a musician and artist I always felt that Youngstown was a significant part of what I did. I’ve always been drawn to art that has a strong sense of place. Even when I was living in New York, I felt like I was a Youngstown artist living somewhere else, rather than a New York artist. I think part of it is honesty and authenticity, but also part of it I think is increasingly important in a world where it is becoming harder and harder to find regionalism in this country.

Being from Youngstown influences every aspect of what I create. Whether it’s my own songs/albums as The Building or the reissues I put together at Peppermint Productions, I’m always trying to stay focused on the things that only I can do. There’s a huge polka/ethnic music scene in Youngstown, which I first really started digging into in high school. It wasn’t until later that I started to really study and incorporate that music into what I do. But I see it as inextricable. I feel like it’s impossible to be a musician from here and not acknowledge the importance of that music and that culture. I’m Italian-American. My grandpa played accordion. That music was always around. Also having access to Peppermint is huge. The studio was built in 1971 and is still run b the same owner, Gary Rhamy. Gary is best known for the polka records he has worked on, but he is also just a fantastic engineer who has also made piles of incredible pop records. I’ve done everything with him over the past few years. Being a part of that history and that story means everything to me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Like everyone, it’s a long zig-zag journey that never goes how you think. I had no intention of moving back to Youngstown from New York, but that’s what life demanded at the time. I played in tons of bands over the years…me and my friends started a little label and made a little scene in Brooklyn. I toured a bunch with Dean & Britta, then St. Vincent, before eventually joining The War On Drugs. I don’t know that my life would look much different whether I was “successful” or not. Especially when talking about art or anything creative I think it’s important to push back against the idea of money or mass recognition being tied to one’s value as an artist. I am very fortunate to make a living from the creative things I do, and I certainly didn’t get there alone. But if that wasn’t the case I would still write songs, I would still play in bands. It’s natural to seek validation from others and to want to make money from your art, but it’s also a bit of a trap. Often times the most important artists in the world are the people who are just there, quietly living and creating. More and more I feel like it’s so important to put a creative spirit into everyday life. To get away from the bombardment of advertisements and culture wars and nonsense that flood our minds every day. Every once in a while my neighbors show me pictures they take of nature, or a drawing they did and it’s a beautiful gentle reminder of that. Neither would call themselves artists, but they are adding that spirit to the world.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My brother has a pizza shop, Pizza Joe’s, which was started by my uncle Joe. I’d get a Brier Hill with hot peppers, as that’s the signature Youngstown pizza. For drinks/music the spot in town is Westside Bowl. As the name suggests it is a bowling alley on Youngstown’s Westside that has been updated to include two great venues for bands to play and has created a crucial space for folks to gather and be creative. A truly indispensable part of the city. Also located inside is Cycle Breakers Records and Tapes, which is run by Dean Anshutz and Adam Berry.
There used to be an incredible dancehall called Kuzman’s. They hosted polka bands every Saturday night, but they unfortunately closed years ago. But I’d probably try and find some live polka to see. And maybe hit up a church pierogi sale.
There’s also the Butler Museum of American Art, the first museum in the country solely dedicated to American art.
There’s Powers Auditorium, home to the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra and the second theater built by the Warner Brothers (the first one is in New Castle, PA).
And Mill Creek Park.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d have to give credit to the folks I work at Peppermint with… Gary Rhamy – Peppermint Productions founder and engineer
Del Sinchak – legendary band leader as well as the founder of WAM Records and Recoding Studio
Dean Anshutz – musician and also helps run the label side of Peppermint Records

To me these guys represent that idea of continuing creative regionalism. Together they have made music for over 50 years that could have only been made in Youngstown.

Website: thebuilding.bandcamp.com | peppermintrecords.bandcamp.com

Instagram: @thebuildingmusic | @peppermintproductions