>> Back to The HooK front page
COVER STORY- Sonic boom: Local sound scene doesn't just rock
Published July 28, 2002, in issue #25 of the Hook
BY MARK GRABOWSKI
You want a piece of me? Come and get it.
Yeah, I compiled the first annual Hook music issue. I chose the bands and decided who got featured and who did not. And I did the incredibly scientific musical categorizations and style comparisons.
Over the next few pages you will find things that will inform you, please you, and no-doubt infuriate you.
"How could he have chosen [band name here] over [other band name here]! Where the hell did he come up with the rankings for this? If I had a pencil, two golf-balls, and a Roto-Rooter, he'd be in trouble..." and so forth.
I based my picks on who's considered the big names in town-- the ones even your less-than-totally-hip dad knows about-- how well respected the artists are within their genre, both by similar artists and afficionados, and personal experience.
I did it because we at the Hook thought this town needed a guide to the immense, sometimes immaculate, sometimes downright grungy world of local music. It is a world I have come to know too well in the last couple of weeks-- ask me a question about a local band, I dare you. Scared, huh?
Well, now you, too, can be a savant-- just sit back, relax, and enjoy.
1.
Name: Bella Morte
Members: Gopal Metro, bass, programming; Bn Whitlow, guitar; Andy Deane, vocals, programming; Tony Lechmanski, guitar; James Warnock, live keyboards
Type of music: Industrial/Gothic
Point of reference (reminds me of): Ministry without the gruff vocal stylings, a less-danceable Nitzer Ebb, and for those of you not into Industrial music, think the first Nine Inch Nails album, Pretty Hate Machine.
Frequently plays (in Charlottesville): Tokyo Rose
When formed: 1996
Influenced by: "Gothic, punk, synthpop, deathrock"
Most recent disc: Where Shadows Lie
Farthest tour site: Catwalk Club in Seattle
Audience appearance (what type of people come to their shows): Goth kids (and adults) and all lovers of the dark side of life
Best Song Title: "The Coffin Don't Want Me, and She Don't Either"
Plans: Presently wrapping up production on their new album for release this fall
Website(s): bellamorte.com, mp3.com/bellamorte
2.
Name: Paul Curreri
Members: Solo artist
Type of music: Folk
Point of reference (reminds me of): The easy answer: a more relaxed Dylan, minus the Dylan voice. The hard (metaphorical) answer: sounds like the some of the best folk musicians from towns across the country, ground up into pulp, and deposited into one hip vessel.
Frequently plays: "Sitting down." Tokyo Rose, Starr Hill, and Rapunzel's Coffee & Books, when in town.
When formed: "Parents in Hawaii, 1975"
Influenced by: "Gary Davis, Skip James, Dave Van Ronk, John Hurt"
Most recent disc: From Long Gones to Hawkmoth
Audience appearance: "Mostly Americans," horn-rimmed glasses wearers, people in touch with their feelings, generally the more "with it" crowd
Best Song Title: "God Moves On the City"
Plans: Paul's "Make A Living Tour" is currently under way.
Website: paulcurreri.com
3.
Name: John D'earth
Performs in: Thompson D'Earth, The John D'Earth Quartet/Quintet
Core band: Jamal Millner, guitar; Daniel Clarke, piano;
Pete Spaar, bass; Robby Sinclair, drums; Colin Killalea,
saxophones; Dawn Thompson, vocals, percussion; John D'earth, trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet.
Type of music: Sometimes simple, sometimes off-the-wall jazz
Point of reference (reminds me of): Imagine Duke Ellington and John Coltrane transported to the modern world, educated in the latest sounds, and then performing a duet.
Frequently plays: Miller's
When formed: "Nobody knows anymore"
Influenced by: "Miles, Trane, Sonny Rollins, Louis Armstrong, Tony Williams' Lifetime, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Hendrix, Beatles, Police, Bartok, Ornette Coleman, Raga, Salsa, Good Music, Myth and, to a small extent, Reality."
Most recent disc: Thompson D'earth, Mercury
Farthest tour site: Bakersfield Jazz Festival (California), May 2002
Audience appearance: A wide spectrum, from true jazz afficionados to pseudo-intellectual UVA'ers.
Best song title: "Frog Gnosis"
Plans: "Write more, play more, get more gigs, practice, schedule rehearsals"
Website(s): thompsondearth.com, johndearth.com
4.
Name: Hackensaw Boys
Members: Tom Peloso, lead vocals, bass, fiddle; David Sickmen, lead vocals, guitar; Jimmy Stelling, banjo, vocals; Jesse Fiske, mouth harp, guitar, bass, vocals; Bobby St. Ours, lead vocals, banjo; Rob Bullington, lead vocals, mandolin; Justin Neuhardt, charismo, vocals; David Goldstein, squeeze box, vocals
Type of music: Bluegrass with a punk DIY edge
Point of reference (reminds me of): Nothing really on the radio, except maybe tracks from the "O' Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack. To me they sound like home.
Frequently plays: Starr Hill
When formed: 1999
Influenced by: "Woody Guthrie, Gid Tanner and The Skillet Lickers, Bob Dylan, Black Flag, Minute Men, and The Melvins"
Most recent disc: Keep It Simple
Farthest tour site: Seattle, WA
Audience appearance: "From 2 to 92. All walks of life, all types of people." With emphasis on the more nature loving folk of the community (earthy).
Best song title: "Harvard Square Breakdown"
Plans: "To conquer the world"
Website: hackensawboys.com
5.
Name: Ostinato
Members: Dave Hennessy, guitar, vocals; Jeremy Ramirez, bass; Matthew Clark, drums
Type of music: Largely instrumental (or at least you can't really hear the vocals), complex rock
Point of reference (reminds me of): Fairly original sound, though I hear strains of latter day Radiohead-minus Thom Yorke, and a pinch of 80's prodigies New Order.
Frequently plays: Tokyo Rose
When formed: 1997 with several hiatuses
Influenced by: "Sun Ra, Stravinsky, and Sonic Youth"
Most recent disk: Unusable Signal
Farthest tour: Boston to Atlanta
Audience: The indie-rock contingent, mostly.
Best song title: "Jagganath"
Plans: Playing the IG Music Art Film Festival in Atlanta, releasing their second CD, which they are currently recording, eventually changing name to Ostinato Project.
Website: ostinatoproject.com
6.
Name: Corey Harris
Members: Corey Harris & the 5X5- Corey Harris, vocals, guitar; Vic Brown, bass; Jonnie Gilmore, drums; Jamal Milner, second guitar; Darrell Rose, percussion
Type of music: Electric Blues, Folk-blues, World, Reggae (extremely eclectic performer)
Point of reference (reminds me of): Robert Johnson, Ben Harper on the slower, more acoustic numbers, Keb Mo, Funkadelic, etc.
Frequently plays: Starr Hill, when in town
Influenced by: Robert Johnson, Funkadelic, and World music
Most recent disc: Downhome Sophisticate
Best song title: "Where the Yellow Cross the Dog"
Plans: Fall tour with The Dave Matthew's Band.
Website: coreyharrismusic.com
ody knows anymore"
Influenced by: "Miles, Trane, Sonny Rollins, Louis Armstrong, Tony Williams' Lifetime, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Hendrix, Beatles, Police, Bartok, Ornette Coleman, Raga, Salsa, Good Music, Myth and, to a small extent, Reality."
Most recent disc: Thompson D'earth, Mercury
Farthest tour site: Bakersfield Jazz Festival (California), May 2002
Audience appearance: A wide spectrum, from true jazz afficionados to pseudo-intellectual UVA'ers.
Best song title: "Frog Gnosis"
Plans: "Write more, play more, get more gigs, practice, schedule rehearsals"
Website(s): thompsondearth.com, johndearth.com
4.
Name: Hackensaw Boys
Members: Tom Peloso, lead vocals, bass, fiddle; David Sickmen, lead vocals, guitar; Jimmy Stelling, banjo, vocals; Jesse Fiske, mouth harp, guitar, bass, vocals; Bobby St. Ours, lead vocals, banjo; Rob Bullington, lead vocals, mandolin; Justin Neuhardt, charismo, vocals; David Goldstein, squeeze box, vocals
Type of music: Bluegrass with a punk DIY edge
Point of reference (reminds me of): Nothing really on the radio, except maybe tracks from the "O' Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack. To me they sound like home.
Frequently plays: Starr Hill
When formed: 1999
Influenced by: "Woody Guthrie, Gid Tanner and The Skillet Lickers, Bob Dylan, Black Flag, Minute Men, and The Melvins"
Most recent disc: Keep It Simple
Farthest tour site: Seattle, WA
Audience appearance: "From 2 to 92. All walks of life, all types of people." With emphasis on the more nature loving folk of the community (earthy).
Best song title: "Harvard Square Breakdown"
Plans: "To conquer the world"
Website: hackensawboys.com
5.
Name: Ostinato
Members: Dave Hennessy, guitar, vocals; Jeremy Ramirez, bass; Matthew Clark, drums
Type of music: Largely instrumental (or at least you can't really hear the vocals), complex rock
Point of reference (reminds me of): Fairly original sound, though I hear strains of latter day Radiohead-minus Thom Yorke, and a pinch of 80's prodigies New Order.
Frequently plays: Tokyo Rose
When formed: 1997 with several hiatuses
Influenced by: "Sun Ra, Stravinsky, and Sonic Youth"
Most recent disk: Unusable Signal
Farthest tour: Boston to Atlanta
Audience: The indie-rock contingent, mostly.
Best song title: "Jagganath"
Plans: Playing the IG Music Art Film Festival in Atlanta, releasing their second CD, which they are currently recording, eventually changing name to Ostinato Project.
Website: ostinatoproject.com
6.
Name: Corey Harris
Members: Corey Harris & the 5X5- Corey Harris, vocals, guitar; Vic Brown, bass; Jonnie Gilmore, drums; Jamal Milner, second guitar; Darrell Rose, percussion
Type of music: Electric Blues, Folk-blues, World, Reggae (extremely eclectic performer)
Point of reference (reminds me of): Robert Johnson, Ben Harper on the slower, more acoustic numbers, Keb Mo, Funkadelic, etc.
Frequently plays: Starr Hill, when in town
Influenced by: Robert Johnson, Funkadelic, and World music
Most recent disc: Downhome Sophisticate
Best song title: "Where the Yellow Cross the Dog"
Plans: Fall tour with The Dave Matthew's Band.
Website: coreyharrismusic.com
1.
Name: Navel
Members: Wally Worsley, guitar, vocals; Drew Worsley, bass, vocals; and Jason Watkins, drums, vocals
Type of music: Rock/Metal
Influences: "Influenced by almost everything"
Frequently plays: Outback Lodge
Most recent disc: Weight In Gold
Website: navelmusic.com
2.
Name: Man Mountain Jr.
Members: Willie White, guitar; Tucker Rogers, guitar; Ryan McClellan, percussion; Dave Bradshaw, keyboards; BJ Pendleton, bass and vocals; Justin Billcheck, drums
Type of music: Funk-Rock
Influences: "John Scofield; Medeski, Martin and Wood, The Roots, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Beastie Boys (particularly their The In Sound from the Way Out! album)"
Frequently plays: Every other Monday at Orbit, the "Who's in the Funk Tank?!" series featuring musicians from Charlottesville, Northern Virginia, and Richmond
Most recent disc: Self-Titled
Website: manmountainjr.com
3.
Name: Terri Allard/The Terri Allard Group
Members: Size of band varies from solo act to seven players. Terri Allard, lead vocals and guitar; Jim Taggart, mandolin, guitars, violin, and background vocals; Gary Green, harmonica; Sonny Layne, bass, and background vocals; Jeff Saine, lap steel, accordion, and background vocals; Eddie Hall, drums; Donna Hamilton, percussion, and background vocals
Type of music: Folk/Country
Influences: Roots music
Frequently plays: Starr Hill, Dickenson Theater, Old Cabell Hall, Fridays After Five, the Nelson County Festival
Most recent disc: Makes No Sense
Website: terriallard.com
4.
Name: Danny Schmidt
Members: "Just Lil' Pedro, if that's what you mean"
Type of music: Folk
Influences: "Bob Dylan, Richard Thompson, Neil Young, Mississippi John Hurt, Greg Brown, Jimi Hendrix-- and all the songwriters here in town"
Frequently plays: Live Arts, Rapunzel's Coffee & Books, Tokyo Rose, and Starr Hill, when in town
Most recent disc: Enjoying the Fall
Website(s): dannyschmidt.com, mp3.com/dannyschmidt
5.
Name: Small Town Workers
Members: Devin Malone, guitar, vocals; Mike Meadows, vocals, guitar; Whit Sellers, drums; Geoff Sprung, bass
Type of music: Rock and Roll
Influences: "Led Zeppelin, The Chili Peppers, Tom Petty, and anyone else that rocks your face off"
Frequently plays: Outback Lodge.
Most recent disc: Blueprints: Demos 2000-2001
Website: smalltownworkers.com
6.
Name: Hogwaller Ramblers
Members: Spencer Lathrop, drums; Jamie Dyer, guitar, vocals; Sydney Tapscott, harmonica; Rolland Colella, violin; Sandy Gray, lead guitar; Bud Bryant, bass.
Type of music: Americana/Bluegrass
Influences: "Selves & others"
Frequently plays: Escafé Sundays, Blue Moon Tuesdays
Most Recent Disc: Finishing work on the new album, Second Best Western in Middle East America
7.
Name: The Dave Matthews Band
Members: Dave Matthews, vocals, guitar; Stefan Lessard, bass; Carter Beauford, drums; Boyd Tinsley, fiddle; LeRoi Moore, sax
Type of music: A mélange of folk/pop/rock and world music
Frequently plays: Scott Stadium when in town, stadiums across the world otherwise
Most Recent Disc: Busted Stuff
Web site: davematthewsband.com
Honorable Mentions Name: Amanda French
Type of music: Country/folk
Frequently plays: Rapunzel's Coffee & Books
N: Andy Roland
TOM: Sax in all its gusto
FP: Orbit
N: All of 15
TOM: Punk/pop
FP: Tokyo Rose
Web: allof15.com
N: Atsushi Miura
TOM: Quirky alterna-rock
FP: Tokyo Rose (Miura's the owner)
N: B.C.
TOM: Acoustic/cello pop tomfoolery
FP: Tokyo Rose Tuesdays, Mellow Mushroom
N: Beleza
TOM: Jazz/Swing
FP: Tokyo Rose Wednesdays
N: The Belding Principle
TOM: Psychedelic rock
FP: Mellow Mushroom
N: Beija-Flor
TOM: Folk music from south of the border
FP: El Girasol Thursdays, South Street Brewery
N: Bennie Dodd
TOM: Rootsy rock n' roll
FP: Coupe DeVille's Wednesdays
N: Betty Gone Bad
TOM: Rock n' roll originals and covers
FP: Dürty Nelly's, Awful Arthur's, Mountain View Grill
Web: bettygonebad.com
N: Big Circle
TOM: Power Pop
FP: Outback Lodge
N: Buzby
TOM: Pop/Rock
FP: Outback Lodge
Web: buzbyband.com
N: The Chris Winter Band
TOM: "Power blues"
FP: Thursdays at Coupe DeVille's
Web: geocities.com/thechriswinterband/TheChrisWinterBand.html
N: Colonel Catastrophe
TOM: Old timey Bluegrass
FP: The Prism
N: Danny Beirne
TOM: Eclectic piano-driven pop
FP: Outback Lodge
Web: dannybeirne.com.
N: Devon
TOM: Folk
FP: Currently out of town
Web: devonmusic.com
N: Earth To Andy
TOM: Rock
FP: Starr Hill
Web: earthtoandy.com
N: Edamame
TOM: Experimental jazz
FP: Tuesdays at Tokyo Rose
N: Ezra Hamilton
TOM: Songwriterly folk
FP: Blue Moon Diner, Rapunzel's Coffee & Books
N: Frontbutt
TOM: Hip-hop
FP: Outback Lodge
Web: frontbutt.net
N: George Melvin
TOM: Piano bar-tunes
FP: Rococo's, South Street Brewery
N: George Turner
TOM: Jazz
FP: Michael's Bistro, South Street Brewery
N: Grasping At Laws
TOM: Acoustic jam
FP: Dr. Ho's
N: Guano Boys
TOM: Reggae
FP: Starr Hill
Web: guanoboy.com
N: Haider's Five
TOM: Stew of Rock/Jazz/Hip-hop
FP: Mondays, during the school year, at College Inn
N: Halfgrassed
TOM: Bluegrass/Jazz
FP: Miller's, Orbit, Michael's Bistro
N: Holiday Inn
TOM: Countrified folk
FP: Tokyo Rose Mondays
N: Inches to Flood
TOM: Alternative Rock
FP: Tokyo Rose
N: Inner Rhythm
TOM: Jazz
FP: Rapture
N: Jamie and Roland (members of the Hogwaller Ramblers)
TOM: Rip-roaring bluegrass
FP: Blue Moon Tuesdays
N: Lyman
TOM: Rock/Metal
FP: Outback Lodge, every other Wednesday
Web: lymanmusic.com
N: Majahkamo
TOM: Alternative Rock
FP: Mountain View Grill, Outback Lodge
Web: majahkamo.com
N: Matthew Wilner
TOM: Avant-garde guitar rock
FP: Mellow Mushroom
N: Monticello Road
TOM: Southern rock
FP: Outback Lodge Thursdays, Mountain View Grill
N: My Dog Lucy
TOM: Rock n' Roll
FP: Outback Lodge
Web: www.mydoglucy.com
N: The Naked Puritans
TOM: Pure pop/rock
FP: Dürty Nelly's
Web: nakedpuritans.com
N: Nickeltown
TOM: Folk
FP: The Prism
N: Ohms Law
TOM: Multi-genre aficionados
FP: Dürty Nelly's
N: Savoir Faire
TOM: Melodious Rock/Pop
FP: Outback Lodge
N: Sharif
TOM: Rock/Pop
FP: Wild Wing Café Thursdays
N: Steve and Timmy Ryalls
TOM: Dueling acousticists
FP: Dürty Nelly's Tuesdays
N: The Trouble With Harry
TOM: Rock/funk/R&B
FP: Outback Lodge
N: The Victrolas
TOM: Blues/country/rock old and new
FP: High Street Steak and Grill Thursday
N: Wisher
TOM: Pop/Rock
FP: Outback Lodge
Web: wisher.ws
N: William Walter & Tucker Rogers
TOM: Acoustic songwriters bursting with exclamation points
FP: South Street Brewery, Orbit
N: Zofia Drone
TOM: Songwriterly folk
FP: Outback Lodge, Mellow Mushroom
Web: zofiadrone.com
>> Back to The HooK front page
|
