From small town teens to big time popstars

By Melanie Montes’18

Cash Cash starts their sound check before the show starts. The band has come a long way from roaming the halls of West Essex as students. They’re opening the spring break leg of the MTV tour. It’s a beautiful chaos; everyone goes wild and cheers them on, chanting “Cash Cash! Cash Cash!” Sam starts jamming out on the guitar, Alex plays some tunes on the electric keyboard and J.P. is ready to sing his heart out. The crowd is watching the band’s electronic music come alive right before their eyes.
The electronic band Cash Cash began its humble origins in the small town of Roseland. The group members, who graduated from West Essex in 2004, include brothers Jean Paul Makhlouf and Alex Makhlouf, and Samuel Frisch, the son of school nurse Ms. Frisch.
Ms. Frisch recalls the beginnings of her son’s rock band, which started in sixth grade. From there, they branched out and started playing at small venues. “I remember I had to drive Sam an hour away sometimes. They started really young,” Ms. Frisch said.
The band members are from West Essex, showing us that anything is possible. Anyone who
has musical aspirations can turn into a rock star if they set their
minds to it.
The artists found their big break in the summer of 2014 with their major hit “Take Me Home” which received over 22 million views and earned platinum for the single
in Australia.
The band’s music has influences from the pop and rock genres. “We focus on making music that is not only fun to play in clubs, but also something you can really sit back, put a pair of headphones on and listen to,” Sam said. “Our label has been very supportive
in allowing us freedom in our creative endeavors.”
Their music bases itself on a strong foundation of good songwriting and upbeat instrumentals, which make it memorable.
Cash Cash had to deal with musical heartbreaks during their initial start. It was like a rollercoaster of emotions for the bandmates. “At one moment we were getting signed by a major label, and the next, we were dropped,” Sam said. “We experienced playing sold out tours versus playing to nearly empty rooms.”
Although these experiences were brutal, they are what shaped the Roseland natives into the musicians they are now. “Each hurdle we’ve had to overcome has taught us how to deal with external factors,” Sam said.
Ms. Frisch agrees that breaking into this industry is very difficult. “This is a very hard industry,” she said. “There’s not many people that go to the extent that they have.”
As DJs, the group has to produce, record, mix and master all their music. They are currently signed with Big Beat Records.
Cash Cash has released four albums and an array of EP’s with bands and singers like Krewella, Capital Cities, Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Showtek and Icona Pop.
The group is constantly traveling to places like Amsterdam, Nevada and N.Y.C. They also make appearances at clubs like Lavo N.Y.C. and Glit Nightclub, among others.
According to Cash Cash, having a solid friend group to keep you grounded is everything in the music industry. “Being able to work with and talk to people who have similar goals and are experiencing the same and also different aspects of the industry will help you stay focused,” Sam said.
“Friends are also good for venting frustrations and figuring out how to overcome obstacles,” he said. Those who have gone through the same setbacks are more likely to be able to help steer you in the right direction.
“We’ve been playing music since we were about 11 and haven’t really stopped since,” Sam said. “Instead of going out and partying during weekends in high school and college, we were going out and playing shows, or networking and promoting our music. We are thrilled to be able to do it every day.”