Lowell’s Western Education readies to perform at Boston’s Rock’n’Roll Rumble and release first full album

It’s like the beginning of a dream: you find yourself in some strange situation between the believable and the unbelievable. Between what you think you can do and what you imagine you could do in daydreams.

“I’m not saying I’m expecting to be a rock star,” said Mark Ragusa of Western Education, the potpourri rock-pop band born at UMass Lowell, “But you never know,” added Greg Alexandropoulos.
So who are Western Education? They’re a four-man rock band born in Lowell, MA after Greg Alexandropoulos (vocals, keyboard) posted flyers in search of band members back in 2012. Over time, Georgio Broufas (guitar), Will Hunt (bass, production) and Mark Ragusa (drums) came into the fold.

Sound-wise, Western Education takes the traditional rock instrumentation of drums, electric guitar, electric bass, and vocals and throws the glossy sheen of a synthesizer on top.
“We’re really flexible, said Broufas, “I feel like it would be tedious if you were in a group that was just like, I don’t know, a hardcore group and you feel like you pretty much know the formula of every song.”

While the band is firmly grounded in rock, they spread out through various subgenres.

“We have our disco-rock, like, dance-pop songs,” said Hunt, “our rhythm section is more punk-based, metal, so we end up also being able to write fist-pumping anthems.”

While they’ve had some milestone successes so far, the band of rockers has yet to explode into the mainstream. In the meantime, they’ve been able to enjoy the wonder of reaching memorable moments.

“I heard something on the radio and I was just like, that sounds familiar,” said Ragusa, remembering the first time he heard himself on the radio, “This is me.”

Indeed, it must be quite something to hear your voice out there on a station that also played iconic alternative rock bands like Nirvana.

Two EPs and one single later, Western Education has their first full album on its way out and is preparing for their chance to shine at Boston’s Rock n’ Roll Rumble 2014 on April 6 (just handful of weeks away).

The Rumble is literally a once-in-a-lifetime experience for every band: once a band has performed at the Rumble, it cannot participate in it ever again.

Featuring the likes of Powerman 5000 and the Dresden Dolls, the Rumble has seen some bands that rose to fame. Whether they win like the Dresden Dolls did or just participate like Powerman did, the exposure could be a game changer that defines the band’s future.

“I think as the world says, ‘More Western Education,’ we’ll be able to give it,” said Ragusa.

When I had finished my first playthrough of Western Educations songs, I felt a bit lukewarm about them and thought to myself, “That kinda sounds like the music you’d hear on the radio.” But as I sit here hitting the play button again I wonder…

“Isn’t that the kind of song you might hear on the radio?”

You can find Western Education on Facebook, ReverbNation, and Bandcamp.

They will perform at the Rock’n’Roll Rumble on April 6, 2014. For more information on the rumble, visit rockandrollrumble.com.