by Mike Errico | Sep 1, 2012 | Photo
We can close our eyes, if only for a little while. More Bears as Art and Social Criticism: http://pinterest.com/mikeerrico/bears-as-art-and-social-criticism/ More Tune in for music, shows, announcements, giveaways, videos and all that stuff, here: Facebook || Twitter || YouTube || Bandcamp || Pandora Tallboy 7, Inc. Box 20463 NY NY...
by Mike Errico | Aug 30, 2012 | Text Journalism
The Britrockers have embarked on a rare U.S. tour behind their 2008 release, The Seldom Seen Kid, and lead singer Guy Garvey checked in periodically to let us know how it’s going. By Mike Errico VIDEO: Guy Garvey and Pete Turner discuss their odd band name and their exceptional album, The Seldom Seen Kid. Day 1 April 29, 3 P.M. Now in Chicago, Garvey rings from the green room at the evening’s venue, the Park West. I would say after New York, Chicago’s my favorite city in the U.S. It’s got the same sort of ethic as New York, a little bit of the community vibe — I would imagine being part of a city like that. We’ve been before, and Mark [Potter] and Pete [Turner] did some DJ’ing with friends of ours at an afterparty. I’m not a DJ, you know, and wouldn’t be ideal at selling dance floors. Depending on the dance floor, of course. Maybe a 1930s dance floor… Yesterday we had a day off in Cleveland, Ohio. It’s Mark’s birthday today, so we started a little bit early: We got the tequilas in and it got a bit messy. Not to sound too Mariah, but different songs are harder to sing than others, so despite the fact that I can drink more than anybody in the band or crew, I actually behaved myself in the name of our art. My drummer [Richard Jupp] is particularly a pussy when it comes to drinking. That’s because his body is a temple. Yeah. The set that we played in Washington [two days earlier] was in a historic synagogue,...
by Mike Errico | Aug 29, 2012 | Text Journalism
We sat down to talk about the bluegrass tribute to Van Halen, Strummin’ with the Devil, and a bottle of Tennessee whiskey mysteriously appeared. It got blurry quickly. By Mike Errico So, it’s official: At this very moment, Van Halen is a staple on bluegrass radio and in strip clubs. The end of the world is at hand. Well, it’s the same audience, and the same guys, man. Van Halen’s verb music: Pick a verb. [Laughs] Whatever we were when we first showed up — the most alternative, left-of-center, whatever — is now the toast of the middle, including all the fire, all of the military… The military? Come on, there’s not a commanding officer under the age of 65 that doesn’t know what I do for a living. [Laughs] All the two-star generals are my age. You think they didn’t have a few dozen beers to “Running with the Devil” when they were at the Citadel? Come on! Of course they did. If you’re a hoo-hah, and you don’t know Van Halen, get the fuck out of the troop. OK, but…is there a connection between classic Americana and classic Van Halen? Sure. Van Halen was a wonderful variety of ingredients, and you are familiar with every one of them. I didn’t bring you a flavor from Southeast Asia that you never heard of. You recognize, “OK, here’s the vaudeville element, here’s the heavy metal element, here’s the Al Jolson element,” and you can run your hand over it — you’ll feel the weld marks, so to speak. And Americana’s been a part of that mix. Americana’s what’s on...
by Mike Errico | Aug 28, 2012 | Text Journalism
Michael Emerson: “I’ve always liked playing ambiguity.” Emmy winner Michael Emerson loves Captain Beefheart lyrics, hates athletic balladeering, triggers a House of Pain ringtone on his wife’s cell — and recommends Bach if you’re planning an extended stay in the Hatch. By Mike Errico “Things that are sparsely played, and have an empty quality to them, I find very appealing,” says Michael Emerson, who exudes a creeptastic stillness of his own as Henry Gale (or…Ben?), leader of the Others on the hit TV show Lost. “I’m gravitating to the simpler and the earlier in music. I like the beginnings of things like jazz, reggae and punk: less production, more mess, more empty spaces.”While the Web buzzes with theories, maps, decoders and webisodes to figure out what’s going on behind his pale, piercing eyes, the Iowa-born actor remains amused. “I’ve played villains on stage — you know, the Iagos and so on — but I think of myself as a funny person. I mostly did comedies before I did TV work.” How, then, to explain his brilliant string of serial killers, Shakespearean antagonists, and…”Others”? “I enjoy the stillness and focus that these characters have. I’ve always liked playing ambiguity, and that seems to be what makes these characters tick.” After dispensing with musical niceties, we took the nerd gloves off: Was it coincidence or fate that brought everyone to the island? Where did Michael go? What’s with the damn four-toed foot? Patiently, he explains, “Sometimes [the writers] put stuff in, and you don’t know if they’re pulling your chain or if they’re going to capitalize on it. But,” he adds,...
by Mike Errico | Aug 28, 2012 | live shows
Thursday, Aug. 30, 8p – BOWERY ELECTRIC, 327 Bowery, NYC DUO SHOW featuring Dave Scalia on drums. First time playing here, first time playing as a duo with a drummer. Psyched. …ALSO, JUST ANNOUNCED:Thursday, Dec. 20 – MIKE ERRICO HOLIDAY SHOW, Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St.,...
