New Jersey–born punk icon Peter Ventantonio, a.k.a. Jack Terricloth, passed away in May of last year. Well-known throughout the New Jersey and New York punk scenes and beyond, Terricloth led the hardcore group Sticks & Stones and fronted the cabaret-punk collective The World/Inferno Friendship Society. Over a year after his passing, a tribute album is arriving this month featuring covers by Jeff Rosenstock, Ted Leo, Bouncing Souls, Catbite, The Slackers, and more, and today we get to hear Worriers' take on Sticks & Stones' "Grasping at Straws" from the compilation.
This new rendition of the track was arranged, performed, and mixed by Lauren Denitzio, who stripped away the guitars and reimagined the track with a moving piano arrangement. "Sticks & Stones have been one of my favorite bands for a long time—to the point that I have a tattoo referencing their lyrics," they share. "I considered Jack a friend and it was important to me to cover something that reflects just how highly I regard his lyrics, specifically. I thought it was fitting to take more of a music theater spin on this one, or at least make the lyrics front-and-center in the emotional way I always hear them in my head. The whole thing just felt very true to how we met at DIY shows in New Jersey, honoring how sad I am that he's gone."
"This video is us returning to the scene of last year's Halloween ritual to bring back a little something for this year's ritual," adds Bill Cashman of World/Inferno and the Jack Terricloth Foundation regarding the visual the track arrives with.
Endless Possibility: A Tribute to Jack Terricloth is out on October 31. There will be a record release celebration that weekend, including a Halloween Mass and orchestral concert of Terricloth's songs. Listen to the new version of "Grasping at Straws" below, and pre-order the tribute album here.
