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15
Charlie Mars Has the
Answer to Everything
Wouldn’t you like to have someone who will/
Tango all through the night/God forgive me if this
is a sin/l’ve walked these streets too many time
and time agains/Well for once I’d like to fly/For
once I'd like to fly like die wind.
Lyrics like diese are just one example of what
secs die Charlie Mars Band apart from all others.
With poetry and talent like his, Mars won’t have
to wait too much longer “to fly like die wind.”
He’s well on his way right now.
Mars has been writing songs and playing die
guitar since he was 15 (lie’s in his early 20s now),
learning other instruments along die way. Not only
can he write, sing and play both acoustic and elec
tric guitars, Mars also plays die harmonica and
acoustic piano.
The Charlie Mars Band united while attend
ing Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
After playing in other hinds and doing his share
of solo shows, Mars met bassist Andy Sample in
one of his cLasses and they began playing with an
other student he knew, drummer Andrew Ham
mer. Matt Ulmer from Jackson joined the band «
few months ago and lends his guitar expertise to
the group.
While some of die band members still have
school to finish, Mars has already graduated with
degrees in advertising and English. The band is
holding off on a major tour to promote their CD,
Broken Arrow, until the rest of the band members
complete their studies as well.
Meanwhile, the Charlie Mars Band has ac
quired quite a following, having opened up for acts
like Jackopierce, Better Than Ezra and 311, and
has sold over 4,000 copies of the album.
Songs on Broken Arrow feature a variety of
moods and sounds. No two songs sound alike.
Songs range from a beautifully soft piano tune
called “The Answer to Everything” to a harder
but equally wonderful guitar-driven “Coping."
In ‘The Answer to Everything,” Mars sings of
die Golden Rule and “Who’s the fool that be
lieved in dial idea.” His lyrics go on to question
and ironically (or purposefully) enough, fail to give
“die answer to everything.” The son" ends with
Mars hauntingly playing the piano and offering
the only answer to everything anyone who is wise
knows to give: “And I know it's not clear enough
to see/And 1 know it's not bright enough to see/
The answer to everything.”
On the other end of die lyrical spectrum is
Mars’ “Coping.” This song is one of the best songs
on Broken Arrow, filled with drive and duality and
a tiny bit of angst. From angry lines like “1 love
you, you’re all my friends/1'm blind to the knives
in my back," to almost sad lines like “Did my hands
grow old to you?/Did my face grow cold to you?/
Were my eyes too young, well 1/1 am coping,” it’s
easy to understand the groundswell of success the
Charlie Mars Band has captured and taken as their
own sweet victory.
The Chariic Mars Band won't have to wait
much longer “to fly like the wind” if they keep
this up. The music industry could stand a few more
class acts like the Charlie Mars Band.
Natalie Chalfin
The Charlie Mars Band plays the High Hat
Wednesday, Nov. 13.
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JOHN WESLEY HARDING:
On a cold. February night in 1990, John Wesley
Haramg had just ridden up on his motorcycle outside
a bar in Columbia Missouri. A line of shivering
collage kids led from the door of tne bar to
the gravel parking lot. As he got off. '<= bike -
Harding noticed the crowd and reached
for his guitar.
Tossing his helmet aside, he
pulled the twelve-string on and
started strumming away. He
cracked a hat full of jokes then
started calling out for requests
As soon as a title was barked
out, he stepped into the chords
and his own version of the
song. He apologized for wreck
ing a line a two and thanked the
crowd fa its attention. He tossed
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play some songs off of his debut album Here Comes the
Groom
Six years later, Harding has a new album, John lVesHy
Harding's New Deal, on Rhino Records Harding does little
to hide his East Sussex accent, but he still makes a very
American album He recaded it ii San Francisco, his trans
planted home. He had grown weary of his oid recad com
pany, so he walked out opting to pay fa the recading
himself.
He calls the album "the antidote to Gingrich's con
tract on Americans.' New Deal combines his engaging
songwriting with a tempered, country' sound where Harding
and co-producer Chris ver, Sneidern pile on the strings,
piano, mandolin and pedal steel. Harding takes a small
step away from the folk label he has wan so proudly.
Most surprisingly. Harding relies much less on his
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to date. He leaves behind the pointed cynicism of his
early breakthrough. “The Devil In Me.' Instead.
Harding lays it down earnestly, focusing on a bitter
sweet irony. He dons the poet's cap, rather than
calling out hypocrites by name.
Harding captures a gentle feel, wind
ing out fender songs with melodies as frag
ile as those of Nancy Griffith or
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While he may have added
more instruments, Harding
keeps his acoustic guitar
planted up front throughout the
album. He is at his best that way
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He has earned an outstanding
reputation for perfaming, being
asked to open fa Los Lobos,
Joan Eaez and Bruce Springsteen, who had toured
w'*hout an opener since 1974
This spring, Haroing played Atlanta's Music Mid
town Festival. Competing with the bla-ing speakers
from another of the many clustered stages, he fought
to be heard. Toward the end of his set, Harding be
gan explaining his theory on the success of ABBA.
He compan d their iakcover of European music to that
of Hitler, knocking off each country one song at a time,
starting with Waterloo.
While he may have painted the conspiracy a little
thick, Harding has a way of making everything sound
believable. Whether telling yokes a taking the time to
play fa a crowd of frozen kids, Harding thrives on
entertaining. More than that, though, he seems flat
tered at even having the chance.
Neil Swanson
John Wesley Harding plays the 40 Walt on Satur
day, Nov 16.
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