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Dinosaur Jr., Mudhoney, Hiisker Dii, and the mighty
Mission of Burma.
"We used to have this cheap, '80s-guitar amp
sound thing going on," laughs Holder about their
« <irly practice sessions. "I kind of thought of it as a
Red Rockers (note: Holder could have said "Red
Rocks," as in "U2 Live at Red Rocks") meets early
Nirvana."
The punk aggression and hoarse vocals featured
on Nirvana's early Bleach album definitely have
more in common with Urban Henry's sound than
anything on some radio station's "Hits of the '80s"
specialty show. Listening to their CD demos, one can
easily spot the Stooges' "Now I Wanna Be Your Dog"
chord progression in the song "Mr. Handsome," the
fast-paced barre-chord pounding a la The Weirdos in
"Showdown," or even the throaty, bent-note yells
associated with former Athens band The Martians on
"Media."
The rough edges of the still-developing Urban
Henry sound may actually smooth out with the new
rhythm section, however: McDearis' drumming style
is sturdy and consistent and Gonzalez brings an
added vocal accompaniment to the mix.
"We're really excited right now to be playing
with Brandon and Jay." explains Holder. "Things are
moving much quicker as a band and we re always
trying to make our sound more melodic and
//T.C someone's on stage screaming their brains out about
XI something or other, it can get pretty old," says guitarist-
singer Eric Holder of local band Urban Henry. "And if someone's
on stage screaming their brains out about something and they've
got a real message, that can get old. too."
The loud rock quartet hasn't even played a dozen shows yet
and already they sound concerned about wearing thin on their
growing audience.
"When I'm not looking down at my guitar neck on stage,
trying to figure out what it is I'm doing, I'll look up and see a lot
of wide-open eyes in the audience." he says. "Surprisingly, most
of those people don't walk out, which is a pretty good sign."
Urban Henry formed last spring under the direction of Holder
and fellow guitarist Matt McFerron. The two went through several
drummers and bass players before landing drummer Brandon
McDearis (formerly of Year Zero) and bassist Jay Gonzalez
(recently of Loveapple). The four twentysomethings have solidi
fied a strong set of aggressive, guitar-heavy riff-rock molded
horn rubble leftover from such '80s and '90s post-punk bands as
tighter."
Even with a more refined, melodic sound, it's doubtful that
Urban Henry will surrender their lyrical animosity any time soon.
"Some of the songs are about social and political issues," says
Holder, “but most are about things that get on my nerves — like
my job or my boss...or girlfriends. Hell, most of my songs are
about girls dumping me! That's something to scream your brains
out about."
Ballard Lesemann
r
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WHO: Urban Henry, Blind Lamont Jefferson
and The Really Old Men
WHERE: High Hat Musk Club
WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 9
HOW MUCH: $4
A
J
Exchange
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Q _ _ folks simply cannot believe a j(ist God exists when we
• y L/ II 1live in a world where LeA.in Rimes and Garth Brooks
are allowed to sell millions of records. As close to the true soul of
country music as the Backstreet Boys are to the Temptations,
today's new country — radio-friendly pop sung by Suh-nuhs in siliy
hats — has irked more than a few admirers of the more traditional
artists and styles.
To wit: on the ins»de cover of their self-titled debut CO,
Carbondcle, III. natives the MoJoDeans proclaim that they want to
"disassociate ourselves with what contemporary countiy (has)
become and go a little closer back to what it used to be." Live, the
band throw*, in tunes from Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Steve
Earle. Of course, they also olay numbers from Alice Cooper, the
Grateful Dead, and, urn. Spinal Tap. What, country fans can't have a
sense of humor?
"We'll play a beefed-up version of [Haggard's] "Mama Tned" and
people will get into that, but nobody wants to hear traditional ver
sions of those old songs," explains MoJoDeans singer/guitarist Joe
Swank. "People wanna hear Tim McGraw and Neil
McCoy, and I don't even know who those people are."
In some respects, the MoJoDeans — rounded out
by guitarist/singer Ratliff Dean Thiebaud, bassist Joe
Beck, and drummer Chad Shaffer — are a classic bar
band who honestly do want to give the audience
something they’ll enjoy, whether or not that includes
certain facets of modem country music. In Drive-By
Truckers type fashion, the MoJoDeans are an
ensemble who began with heavy country leanings on
their first album but have now progressed into a mote
Southern-rock onented affair. The effect is apparently
similar to fellow Carbondale natives Jason and the
Scorcheis. The group uses this range to cater any par
ticular performance for the local audience - if slower
numbers like "What If I Showed Up at Your Ooor"
don’t faze the crowd, the band can toss in a rocking
cover of the Stones' "Dead Flowers" to get some
attention.
"It's a push and pull kind of game, ’ according to
Swank. "You've got to read the room. But it's just a
matter of effect. It's the same country songs, the
same chords and arrangements, but it's just louder."
The MoJoDeans have spent much time on the road
■*’ ** since their first album, and the band is eager to
release another disc that shows how they've grown.
They've been spending some time at the home studio
of Dave Schultz — former member of October's Child and Bucktown
and current grad student in mortuary science — laying tracks for
the next disc, which they hope will be completed by early May.
"Dave explained to us why he didn't play ir. bands anymore,"
recalls Swank. "It's something that happens too often to good song
writers. He said, 'I sold everything and went fcr broke three times
now. I'm tired of buying my own TV back.' I hope it's something we ll
avoid."
John Britt
WHO: The MoJo Deans, with Wild Gumbo ^
WHERE: Lunch Paper
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 4
HOW MUCH: Call
Explore die World
with Chef
Lamar Thomas!
Special
Valentine's Menu
Make Reservations for the
Upstairs Dining Room
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FEB
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• Accepted . •
FEBRUARY 3, 1999 FLAGPOLE S3