Artists on Trial

Artists on Trial: Cody Wyoming

(Photo by Todd Zimmer, at 2011's Murder Ballad Ball)

 

This week we’ll be featuring some of the artists playing at Murder Ballad Ball, this Saturday, December 8, at Davey’s Uptown. This will be the fourth annual Murder Ballad Ball, and benefits Midwest Music Foundation.
 
One of Kansas City’s most versatile performers is Cody Wyoming. He’s a multi-instrumentalist, a vocalist, an actor, a director… basically, a performer who’s had his hand in a number of local projects that have seen great success (Exile on Main Street, The Wall, A Bucket of Blood, and several others). He is again involved in this year’s Murder Ballad Ball, and we learn a bit more about him here.
 
The Deli: Gun to your head, 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?

Cody Wyoming: I play good music.
 
The Deli: Tell us a bit about the projects you’re involved in.
 
CW: I've been working as a sideman and multi-instrumentalist for Tiny Horse and David George and A Crooked Mile. I have also started a new band of my own called Sugar Skulls who you will likely see in early 2013.
 
The Deli: What does “supporting local music” mean to you?

CW: Seeing shows, buying records, and telling everyone you know about how much better local music is here in KC than damn near anywhere else.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite “local” musicians right now?
 
CW: It’s a looooong list. And I’ll try to keep it to people I don’t play with: David Regnier, Amy Farrand, Mike Stover, Betse Ellis, Federation of Horsepower, The Big Iron, Mr. Marcos V7, Clairaudients. And everyone that I'm lucky enough to play with, and I'm lucky for that to be a lot of people.
 
The Deli: Who are you looking forward to the most at Murder Ballad Ball this year?
 
CW: Something always surprises me, and usually it's Mark Smeltzer. Is he playing this year? (Smeltzer will be performing with the Rural Grit All-Stars)
 
The Deli: Tell us a bit about what songs you’re playing for the occasion.
 
CW: I'm playing a few that I wrote and some old favorites. This year I tried to find new instruments and different arrangements than I usually use. I tried to choose songs that fit.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?

CW: Keith Richards, Mike Nesmith, The Clash.
 
The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?

CW: Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Cheap Trick.
 
Wyoming will take the stage at 8:00 on Saturday. The event kicks off at 7:00 pm at Davey’s. There will be stages on the bar side and on the venue side; Wyoming will be performing on the venue side. Facebook event here. Below is Wyoming's performance of "Stagger Lee," which he played at 2009's Murder Ballad Ball.
 

--Michelle Bacon

Michelle is editor of The Deli Magazine - Kansas City and plays drums in Deco Auto, Drew Black & Dirty Electric, and drums/bass in Dolls on Fire. She memorizes phone numbers, dates, and license plate numbers, but not on purpose.

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December 07, 2012    

Artists on Trial: The Silver Maggies

(Photo by Todd Zimmer) 

This week we’ll be featuring some of the artists playing at Murder Ballad Ball, this Saturday, December 8, at Davey’s Uptown. This will be the fourth annual Murder Ballad Ball, and benefits Midwest Music Foundation.
 
The Silver Maggies are no stranger to murder ballads, having performed in Murder Ballad Balls of the past. The 5-piece group plays its own brand of dark Americana that lends itself to the music that will be presented on Saturday. We talk with guitarist Patrick Deveny (also owner of Jaykco Guitar Straps) a little more about the band and what we can expect this weekend.
 
The Deli: Gun to your head, 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?

Patrick Deveny: High Desert Gothic Country Noir.
 
The Deli: Let’s talk about what you have coming up. What can we expect?
 
PD: Our debut full-length is mixed. Should be released in February or March at the latest.
 
The Deli: What does “supporting local music” mean to you?

PD: Going to see shows. Purchasing recorded music.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite “local” musicians right now?
 
 
The Deli: Who are you looking forward to the most at Murder Ballad Ball this year?
 
PD: Finally getting to see Victor and Penny.
 
The Deli: Tell us a bit about what songs you’re playing for the occasion.
 
PD:  Terrence and I have an affinity for murder ballads. We will actually not be playing all of the ones that we and the band know. From my side we will be covering a song from about ‘58 or so called, “It’s Nothing To Me,” written by the great Leon Payne. It’s a great example of hard honky tonk. Boy meets girl in a bar, girl’s boyfriend kills boy in that bar.
 
My song, “It All Went South” is about the first murder my cowboy killer commits. It blends well thematically and musically with a Lee Hazlewood song we like to do called “Summer Wine.” Amy Farrand will sing the verses on the Hazlewood song this year, giving it a twist.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?

PD: Beachwood Sparks, John Doe, Neal Casal, Calexico, Neko Case.
 
The Deli: Would you rather spend the rest of your life on stage or in the recording studio?
 
PD: In the practice space with the band would be my preferred, but onstage if I had to choose.
 
The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why?

PD: Carl Perkins: Of the famous Sun guys he was the only one that did it all: wrote great songs, sang well, and was a virtuoso player. The others were 2 outta 3, or in Elvis’s case, 1 outta 3.
 
Buck Owens and Don Rich: Great, straightforward pop songs that had meaning in a country style. Both were KILLER guitar players as well; Buck was a session player for years before his singing career took off.
EmmyLou Harris: A great voice, an artist with a vision that has made great, daring records when most others are trying to cash in. Also she is THE STANDARD by which all female harmony vocals are judged.
 
Hendrix: Versatile, world changing.
Merl Travis: One of the greatest guitar players that has ever lived. Great singer and somngwriter.
Johnny Cash.

The Deli: All right, give us the rundown. Where all on this big crazy web can you be found?


The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for the Deli audience?

PD:Watch out for our bass player. He’s shifty.
 
The Silver Maggies are:
Patrick Deveny
Terrence Moore
Jonathan Knecht
Felix Dukes
Steve Tubbert
(often with a host of guest performers)
 
The Silver Maggies are slated to continue the evening in a raucous fashion, performing around midnight on Saturday. The event kicks off at 7:00 pm at Davey’s. There will be stages on the bar side and on the venue side; the band will be performing on the bar side. Facebook event here.
 

--Michelle Bacon

Michelle is editor of The Deli Magazine - Kansas City and plays drums in Deco Auto, Drew Black & Dirty Electric, and drums/bass in Dolls on Fire. She owns a paisley Jaykco strap but needs a new one because her puppy thought it'd be cool to chew on it for awhile.

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December 06, 2012    

Artists on Trial: Dream Wolf

Imagine being able to soar across the night sky, weaving your way in and out of celestial bodies and dodging meteors. Listening to Dream Wolf is sort of like that—a refreshing trip through the atmosphere, with the help of bright synth hooks, propelling guitar solos and layered vocals. This 5-piece outfit has found local success and looks ahead to releasing its self-titled debut album this weekend. Let's hear what they have to say.
 
The Deli: Gun to your head, 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?

Dream Wolf: Catchy, quirky, space rock… or a laser beam hitting a gong!
 
The Deli: Let’s talk about your debut full-length album. What can we expect?
 
DW: Synths, guitar solos, the mother of all vocal harmonies, arena rock disco jazz, and a story about a boy named Crook who was raised by wolves and falls in love with a girl named Baby and then flies to the moon.
 
The Deli: What does “supporting local music” mean to you?

DW: Seeing some shows, kissing hands, shaking babies, and sharing the stage! It’s a big musical world in Kansas City right now.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite “local” musicians right now?

 
The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?

DW: Dirty Projectors, Dr. Dog, Sparks, Van Halen, Deerhoof.
 
The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?

DW: Dirty Projectors, Dream Wolf, Steel Panther.
 
The Deli: Would you rather spend the rest of your life on stage or in the recording studio?
 
DW: On stage!! Recording studios get really smelly after a while.
 
The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why?

DW: Brent: Ginger, Posh, Baby, and Scary. Why? Because I never cared for sporty spice.

The Deli: All right, give us the rundown. Where all on this big crazy web can you be found?


The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for the Deli audience?

DW: Take it seriously like it’s your job or something. Avoid the clap, eat a lot of fiber, and thanks for reading! Hope you like our music!
 
Dream Wolf is:
Megan Zander – lead vocals
Chris Tady – guitar
Tess Jehle – drums
Katelyn Boone – synth/keys
Brent Jamison – bass
 
Dream Wolf is throwing a big party at The Brick this Saturday, and you’re invited. The group will be celebrating the release of its first full-length album, along with The Ned Ludd Band and Molly Picture Club. If this show doesn’t get you dancing, nothing will. 
 
 
--Michelle Bacon
 
Michelle is editor of The Deli Magazine-Kansas City. She plays in Deco Auto, Drew Black and Dirty Electric, and Dolls on Fire. She is really grumpy today and has nothing prolific to put here.

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November 28, 2012    

Artists on Trial: The Latenight Callers

(Photo by Mat "Slimm" Adkins)

Five shadows emerge from a table in the corner of a dark room. The table is littered with empty liquor bottles, half-smoked cigarette packs, Zippos, playing cards, guitar picks. A Gretsch baritone crunches and rings out, followed by swaggering rhythms and vocals, dripping with sexual overtones. The sights and sounds you’re hearing are characteristically those of The Latenight Callers, Kansas City’s favorite noir band. We feature them in this week’s Artists on Trial, so pour yourself a glass of bourbon and read on.

The Deli: Gun to your head, 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?

The Latenight Callers: "The house-band at David Lynch's pool-party...and is that a Walther PPK?"

The Deli: Let’s talk about your upcoming shows or recordings. What can we expect? 

TLNC: We've got lots of shows in the next few months, but we're REALLY excited about hitting the studio during the dark days of winter. We're planning on 2013 being a lucky number for us.

The Deli: What does “supporting local music” mean to you?

TLNC: These days, it seems that the best definition would be to GO SEE bands performing live! It's great that you can download anyone's music, anywhere, anytime, online, but truly the only way to literally support the local scene is to be part of it by putting yourself in front of the bands, themselves!

The Deli: Who are your favorite “local” musicians right now?

TLNC: We're quite fond of a pretty broad variety of music, including The Quivers, The Cave Girls, Steady States, Federation of Horsepower, Victor & Penny, The Silver Maggies, The Hillary Watts Riot...but honestly, there are just too many to mention!

The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?

TLNC: We're in love with The Royalty (El Paso), which have an incredibly catchy 60s garage-soul-pop sound, and Overcasters (Denver), who have this huge and doomy Americana rock sound. Check them out when they come to town again!

The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?

TLNC: Oh, the two bands listed in the prior question! The Latenight Callers, The Royalty, and Overcasters would be crazy awesome, and as different as those two bands are, TLNC is sort of a crazy halfway point between them!

The Deli: Would you rather spend the rest of your life on stage or in the recording studio?

TLNC: It'd be easy to do both, but the stage is really where we really have the most fun... plus, no one can see you all dressed up in the studio, right?

The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why?

TLNC: Tom Waits, Billie Holliday, Nick Cave, Patsy Cline... because you'd have to have big personalities up there that you'd never get tired of their influence.

The Deli: All right, give us the rundown. Where all on this big crazy web can you be found?

TLNC: thelatenightcallers.com

http://www.facebook.com/TheLatenightCallers

Pretty much anything anyone needs to know about us.

The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for the Deli audience?

TLNC: Stick with brown liquor.

The Latenight Callers are:
Julie Berndsen – lead vocals
Ellen O’Hayer – guitar, vocals
Nick Combs – keyboards
Gavin Mac – bass
Krysztof Nemeth – baritone guitar

You’re in luck, because you can catch TLNC tonight with two of their favorite local bands, The Quivers and The Cave Girls. KC Rockabilly is presenting this great show at Aftershock (FB event page). The Quivers take the stage at 8:30, TLNC follows at 9:30, and The Cave Girls at 10:30. Then, on Saturday, December 1, TLNC will be at recordBar with Deco Auto, Now Now Sleepyhead, and In Back of A Black Car (FB event page).  

--Zach Hodson

 
Zach Hodson is a monster. He once stole a grilled cheese sandwich from a 4-year-old girl at her birthday party. He will only juggle if you pay him. I hear he punched Slimer right in his fat, green face. He knows the secrets to free energy, but refuses to release them until "Saved by the Bell: Fortysomethings" begins production.

He is also in Dolls on Fire and Drew Black & Dirty Electric, as well as contributing to various other Kansas City-based music, comedy, and art projects.

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November 14, 2012    

Artists on Trial: Dolls on Fire

Dolls on Fire is one of the newest bands to hit the Kansas City music scene—a group of local music veterans with a penchant for melody and a collective ear for sound song structures. We talk to the foursome about what we can expect from its music, including its upcoming debut release Ladies and Gentlemen…

The Deli: Gun to your head, 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?

Dolls on Fire: Zach: Vocally-driven, high-energy synth rocktastic explosion of dramatic merriment.
 
Rachel: Singy, synthy disco necktie rock out!
 
Mark: Buzzy, fuzzy, synth-rock diversity.
 
Michelle: A vocally-driven synth rocksplosion.

The Deli: Let’s talk about Ladies and Gentlemen… your upcoming debut LP. What can we expect?

DoF: Zach: Lots of sing-along hooks and dynamic rock n’ roll performance. It's a big, bursting rock record, yet still tastefully crafted and arranged.
 
Rachel: Sass. Lots of sass.
 
Mark: The only thing you can expect...is the unexpected. Ever.
 
Michelle: Stellar songwriting and unicorns.

The Deli: What does “supporting local music” mean to you?

DoF: Zach: Everyone will say "Go to shows. Buy merch. Yell loudly." Those are very true and appreciated, but in these technological times, I would also add social media support. Like and share statuses, retweet, actually follow a band on the Interwebs. We know nobody can afford to go to every show in the city on every night, but people can (more or less) freely navigate the web. The more people that know how much awesome stuff is going on artistically in this town right now, the better. It's the whole "they tell two friends, then they tell two friends, then they tell two friends" kind of thing. Community is more than just trying to impress the people that are already there listening. It is helping others find new people to listen. In turn, they will do the same for you.
 
Rachel: Screaming “WE LOVE *band name*!!!” during a quiet moment from right in front of the stage.
 
Mark: Show up, yell and scream, and be unafraid to go outside your musical comfort zone.
 
Michelle: Unicorns (note: Michelle has answered these questions before, so her answers will likely make no sense).

The Deli: Who are your favorite “local” musicians right now?

DoF: Zach: She's a Keeper, Maps for Travelers, Molly Picture Club, Tiny Horse, Thee Water MoccaSins, Radkey, Antennas Up, and seriously, so, so, so, so, so many more.
 
Rachel: My fellow Dolls, of course! Those guys are the bee’s patella.
 
Mark: Zacrachelle (as I will now call my bandmates), Kara Taylor (of Shudder), Julie Berndsen (of The Latenight Callers).
 
Michelle: Since I already answered this last time, I will just say that I get to work with my two favorite female vocalists in Kansas City, and that makes me feel cool.

The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?

DoF: Zach: The Rentals, Nada Surf, The Neon Trees, They Might Be Giants, Lollipop Factory, the Avett Brothers, the Civil Wars, Ben Folds (and his Five).
 
Rachel: Aesop Rock, Utada Hikaru, Jem and the Holograms.
 
Mark: Les Claypool and Danny Carey.
 
Michelle: Due to recent concerts, I’m currently in a Regina Spektor and David Bazan phase. I won’t kill myself, don’t worry.

The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?

DoF: Zach: They Might Be Giants, The Get Up Kids circa Yahoo Outloud tour, the Who circa Who's Next?, Queen (really any time for them).
 
Rachel: Jon Bush-era Anthrax, Morning Musume, and Bjork.
 
Mark: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Weather Report.
 
Michelle: One Direction! I actually don’t know what this band sounds like, but they sold out Sprint Center in minutes! That must mean they’re great.

The Deli: Would you rather spend the rest of your life on stage or in the recording studio?
 
DoF: Zach: The studio. I love playing live, I really do, but I am a crafter. A refiner. A polisher. Put a coffee pot and a cot in the back corner of the control room and I'll see you in six months.
 
Rachel: Stage. It’s the only time I get to wear my hair in pigtails.
 
Mark: Contrary to "studio-owner" bias, I prefer stage lights and bandmates to hours of mixing and mastering.
 
Michelle: Does the studio have nice black or red leather couches? If so, studio. I really like to nap. The couches have to be black or red leather.

The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why?

DoF: Zach: Pete Townshend—the work that man did with synthesizers is still just stupid impressive. John Lennon—Plastic Ono Band is probably the pinnacle of songwriting as far as I'm concerned. Michael Jackson—say what you want about any of the non-music crap, that man had absolutely no holes in music repertoire. And John Linnell, for proving that even quirky, slightly goofy-looking white guys can be rock stars.
 
Rachel: Keyboard Cat, Maru, Lil’ BUB, and Hello Kitty because… cats.
 
Mark: Jaco Pastorius, Buddy Rich, Jimmy Page, Ella Fitzgerald—for unique, timeless, unquestioned talent.
 
Michelle: My last one was silly so this one will actually be serious—Beethoven, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dave Brubeck. All musicians that will transcend time.

The Deli: All right, give us the rundown. Where all on this big crazy web can you be found?

Twitter: @dolls_on_fire

The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for the Deli audience?

DoF: Zach: You can always, always, always try harder. "Good enough" is neither good nor enough. Life is short, so get on with it.
 
Rachel: The turkey vulture’s main defense mechanism is to projectile vomit. So, always carry a poncho.
 
Mark: Always forgive, never forget. Every minute is precious—spend each one accordingly, as it is forever gone afterwards.
 
Michelle: More Ovaltine, please.
 
Dolls on Fire is:
Zach Hodson – lead vocals, guitar
Rachel Jaggard – lead vocals
Mark Johnson – drums/bass, vocals
Michelle Bacon – drums/bass
Kelly – background noises and things (Kelly could not be reached for comment)
 
Dolls on Fire will be releasing Ladies and Gentlemen… this Saturday at The Brick. The show kicks off with The Hillary Watts Riot at 10, followed by Dolls, then The Quivers. (Facebook event page) Sure to be damn good times for all.
 

--Terra Peal

Terra is a musician who has been around the Kansas City music scene for over 22 years. She is the singer and bassist for The Quivers and holds down the low end for Drew Black and Dirty Electric. She is also the official calendar girl for The Deli Kansas City. She's a lil pep, a lil spice, and a lil Ginger.

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November 08, 2012