Head or Tail
Nick MacMahon, Staff
April 1, 10 p.m. @ Shannon’s Irish Pub
What’s your musical philosophy?
When I was eight years old, I heard “Billie Jean” for the first time, on a mono cassette player borrowed from the school library. It got me so high that I never quite came all the way down. So when I play or write, it’s always in search of that same euphoria.
What’s your musical style?
Acoustic.
Who or what are your influences?
Leonard Cohen, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, as for songwriters; MJ, Faithless and Blackalicious for the boogie; Tony Rice and Stevie Ray Vaughan for hell-bent-for-leather guitar-playing.
What inspires you?
Amy Goodman, the host of Democracy Now in NYC, is probably the most inspiring person I can think of, but there are brave and crazy people everywhere. Good books inspire me. Cycling in the early morning when there are no cars around.
Who’s in the band right now?
Just me on guitar and vocals. Though there are two other bands I’m starting up that will be hitting the pavement quite shortly.
Do you ever tire of performing the same compositions or expressing feelings from a dissociated past?
Well, I’m a sucker for requests, so I play anything if someone wants to hear it. Last time I played at Shannon’s, there were some very drunk girls hollering for Spice Girls. Fortunately, I remembered the words to “Say You’ll Be There.” That shut ’em up.
Does intoxication prevent your audience from experiencing the true form of your music?
See previous question!
What does music have to offer compared to other modes of expression?
I think that, because music is not as articulate as language, there are ways in which it can resonate with emotions that language has a much tougher time connecting with. It doesn’t need to pass through the gate of the mind; it kind of soaks up through the ground.
(answered by Randy Jamz)
Open mic Saturday from 3 – 6 p.m. @ Dylan O’Connor’s (Pembina)
What’s your musical philosophy?
Our philosophy is simple — playing honest groove-based music with feeling, passion and a commitment that takes over any dance hall or juke joint like a force of nature. We aren’t trying to change your world with our music; we are asking you to enter ours for just a few hours.
What’s your musical style?
Blues-based rock ’n’ roll.
Who or what are your influences?
Our influences start with the performers before us who embodied the philosophy we strive to promote. People like Little Richard, B.B. King, Ray Charles and anyone else whose music oozes the feel, and even the smells, of a Saturday night juke joint.
What inspires you?
We are inspired by watching an audience that lets us know they are enjoying themselves.
Who’s in the band right now?
The band consists of Randy Jamz on drums and vocals, David Turney on bass and vocals, Michael Huhtala on guitar and vocals, and James Walzak on keyboards and vocals.
Do you ever tire of performing the same compositions or expressing feelings from a dissociated past?
Hell, no! The music is personal and, like a conversation, it is always evolving and subtly altered in response to the audience. We never get tired of having fun watching the audience having fun.
Does intoxication prevent your audience from experiencing the true form of your music?
Our intoxication or the audience’s intoxication? Either way, the answer is, “Hell, no!” The more you drink, the better we sound!
What does music have to offer compared to other modes of expression?
Music is the only form of expression that has “real-time” feedback. You can alter your delivery of the medium (and even the content) according to audience reaction as it is happening.
