A year ago, Extractus was a band of Levittown locals working to record an album and go on tour. Now, they are still recording an album, but their focus has shifted to licensing music commercially.
The band is made up of four friends – Sean Potoczny, the lead guitarist, songwriter and vice president; Aaron Winthrop, the second guitarist, songwriter and vice president; Mike Serio, the engineer, vocalist and vice president; and Justin Vigile, the drummer and president of Extractus Media – began playing together in 2012.
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The group put out an album with metal producer Jamie King, who opened up the group’s eyes to the potentials of licensing their music. Overnight, the group shifted from a full time band to a media production company Extractus Media LLC.
On a one-off suggestion, Vigile, reached out to a representative at NFL Films with a sample of the group’s work. In minutes, the representative of the Burlington County, New Jersey, division of the NFL got back to Vigile affirming the organization’s interest in Extracus’ work.
The whole process is pretty straightforward. The group gets an order for a certain type of music from filmmakers. They write it, record it, produce it and then deliver it. If the music calls for someone with musical skills outside of their parameters, they call an artist who can play the needed instrument. The entire process only takes three to five days, Vigile explained to LevittownNow.com.
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Throughout the course of the 2017-2018 season, the group’s work appeared across the NFL’s platforms, Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” and throughout the playoffs on ESPN.
“Over the course of the season, that just kept expanding,” Vigile said.
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“It was surreal,” the drummer said. “Seeing the music we wrote at home in Levittown on national television behind the NFL was breathtaking.”
The realization acted as validation that the Levittown based outfit could do things their own way and be successful doing so, Vigile said.
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Vigile isn’t content just creating music. He said his ultimate goal is to be “Levittown’s greatest export.”
When the group decided it was time to start their company, they knew that they could have gone anywhere to do it.
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“We could have gone anywhere we wanted, but we decided to found out company in Levittown,” Vigile said. “I love Levittown. I love the people I grew up with, the sections, It’s my home.”
The feeling of being close with his community doesn’t stop for the company just because their based out of Levittown. Extractus plans to give back to the community. Vigile said whether that is through monetary or time donations, going into schools to talk to kids about music or some other way, the group is dead-set on giving back.
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Vigile had a rare heart defect but thanks to the Mayo Clinic, he received an experimental surgery in 2012. As a benefactor of their kindness, he is always looking to give back in any way he can.
“We are thrilled that the Eagles are in the Super Bowl,” Vigile said, noting the significance of the home town team going the distance. “I love seeing the unity that football brings to the area.”
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