Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
So the Beatles are still selling enough records to keep themselves on Billboard’s Hot 100 over two decades after the band broke up. Their music still sounds fresh today because great songs, wonderful harmonies and brilliant arrangements don’t go out of style. Which is exactly why all those fans, young and old, should now check out The Butch Berry Band.
At a recent benefit for the Pacifica elementary schools' music programs, Berry and his trio proved they learned their lessons well. He delivered all the songs from his most recent CD, Unlimited, plus several new ones. Berry's songs are all tasty pieces of radio ear candy, dressed up in punchy, crunchy arrangements, crisp-as-lettuce vocals, and his thought-provoking, get-under-your-skin lyrics prove Berry has learned from the best and is well on his way to reserving his own star in pop heaven. Citing Cheap Trick, Jellyfish, XTC, Foo Fighters, and Elvis Costello among his many diverse influences, it’s still those famous four mop-tops who paved the 28 year-old Berry’s winding road.
Berry uses local musicians he found on Craigslist to perform live, and bassist/singer Robert Teitlebaum has become his partner in crime for the next CD as well. Teitlebaum’s background vocals are a fine addition, and hopefully Berry will find another voice to build those fab three part harmonies. No slouch on guitar, Berry surprisingly covered the delicious musical hooks effortlessly without missing a note – singing or playing!
Berry's are the type of songs with crystal clear vocals you find yourself humming in the shower, brushing your teeth, running through your brain while you try to fall asleep at night. Even if you want to, you just can’t get away! Each one is instantly memorable and carries a message about love or life that is easily identifiable. The driving opening track, “Miss Mystery” is about meeting someone on the Internet. Berry digs deep on cuts like the “We Two” and the haunting “Butterfly”, about a lost soul he deeply wants to connect with, but isn’t sure he can anymore. But it is on the anthemesque "I Want To Be" that Berry shows the world what he’s really got going on, as he declares: "I want to be…and so I am."
This single-minded drive to create and execute his vision has permeated every aspect of Berry’s career thus far, and with his new CD already in preproduction, he’s only just begun.
- Grapevine
Waky waky all you freeks for powerpop, because here is new discovery who plays charming powerpop how it was done in the late 70s and early 80s ala Nick Lowe Elvis Costello And The Attractions, XTC and Cheap Trick. I must say though, that there are two sides of the powerpop scene. The one that Bruce Bodeen on Not Lame loves that are a little more rough and naked like Butch stuff, and the over produced bombastic powerpop that I’m more a fan of. This is category one and a little to "Straigh ahead, naked and honest" if you understand my point for my personal taste. I know a lot of people who puke on my ideals when there are hundreds of harmonies on each refrain, and who loves this kinda pop with just a straight ahead rocknroll feeling instead. Butch is doin’ that sort VERY good though and there are melodies, hooks and harmonies all over. So if you’re into that scene of powerpop, like in the case of Matthew Sweet, you sure have a new loverboy in this man! - melodic.net
"Brilliant Power Pop songs written and recorded for your perusal by a San Franciscan Singer/Songwriter who grew up with razor sharp melodious hooks and angelic vocal harmonies. Butch Berry could make Matthew Sweet blush like a chubby little schoolgirl on pharmaceuticals."
- real.com
"If you like any of the following: a) "stick to your brain cells like superglue" songs with killer hooks, harmonies, etc. b) The Beatles c) Cheap Trick d) cute boys who kick ass e) all of the above -run, don't walk and grab a copy of this SF Bay Area Butch and his Berry Band of music makers' stuff." - SF Herald
"Welcome please, pop fans, your new favorite band. Okay, well one of them, but out of nowhere The Butch Berry Band blasts forth with a gripping control of pop formula that eeks of fresh fruit and sunny days."
- Notlame.com
Discography
Butch Berry-Butch Berry (4 song acoustic ep)
Love-LP
Live at the Skylight Cafe-live acoustic LP
Unlimited-LP
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Back in 1979, Nick Lowe titled his classic album (featuring the smash hit Cruel To Be Kind) Pure Pop For Now People. He might as well have been describing the timeless breath-of-fresh-pop air that is Butch Berry, and his new CD Unlimited. 13 tasty pieces of radio ear candy, dressed up in punchy, crunchy arrangements, crisp-as-lettuce vocals, and thought-provoking, get-under-your-skin lyrics prove Berry has learned from the best and is insuring his own place in pop heaven. Citing Cheap Trick, Jellyfish, XTC, Foo Fighters, and Elvis Costello among his many diverse influences, it's those famous four mop-tops who have paved Berry's winding road. It's a refreshing and mature tip of the hat to what still resonates today, given the resurgence of Beatles popularity over the last few years.
"The Beatles are just a huge influence on every aspect of my writing: from the guitar, bass, drums, arrangements and melodies," Berry explains. "I love the way they do three-part harmonies, counter melody harmonies. It gives a song such a boost. I don't think we hear enough of that today."
Berry grew up in the industrial suburb of Fremont, CA, right outside of San Francisco. His dad, a music store manager, was a musician and singer himself. It didn't take long for the younger Berry to follow in his father's footsteps. When most kids were picking up bats after school, the ten year-old Berry and his chum Charles Campbell, (who has produced and played drums on all of Berry's CDs) found other toys right at home.
"My dad was in bands and had practice at our house, so all the instruments were there. Charles and I would play all the instruments until we found what we were best at."
Berry spent the next decade honing his chops recording demos, playing at parties and school functions until he turned 16 and could play in clubs. In 1992, he sent a tape to Joey Gmerek at Hit And Run publishing in NY, who flew out to see the band and offered him a three song development deal, and an opportunity to work with Matt Winegar (Primus.) This led to indie deals with Cobra and Spinrecords and multiple #1 slots on mp3.com.
When his childhood musician friends went onto pursue their solo careers or a family life, Berry went to the "craigslist" Website (www.craigslist.com) and found bassist/vocalist Robert Teitlebaum. After seeing the band in several shows, drummer Joe Russell approached Berry and Teitlebaum with overwhelming interest in being a part of the band.
"The guys are really cool and want it just as badly as I do," he says. "They participate in all the band responsibilities and are eager to offer their services, which is really rare."
Berry wrote all the songs and played all the instruments on Unlimited except drums. He financed the entire album as well. Songwriting is the fuel that drives him.
"I hear the melody/rhythm/beat of the song in my head and then I have to sit down to find the chords around it," Berry explains. "As I sing the melody, words just flow out. They may just be sounds. The real words come last, and I have to really think about what I want to say. Sometimes it's about how good or how bad a relationship makes me feel; sometimes it's inspirational thoughts about improving life. I find that I have to complete the whole song in about an hour, or else I lose the flow of the story."
Berry has many stories to tell. In Same Breath, he fantasizes about actress Rose McGowan, after meeting her at a friend's wedding in LA.
"She was cute, we hit it off, but I didn't talk to her again. Her movies started coming out, and I was starstruck. Hence, the line: I watch you play your part so well/ it gets to being where I see what you'll unveil. That was before she met Marilyn Manson," he quips.
Berry digs deep on cuts like the We Two, and the haunting Butterfly. But it is on the anthemesque I Want To Be that Berry shows the world what he's really got going on, as he declares: I want to be, and so I am.
"I went into the Sacred Grounds Cafe in San Francisco one night, and I listened to one songwriter after another singing about how awful life was and how the government is out to get you," Berry says. "I just thought they could change their lives and their perceptions any time they wanted. It was inspired a lot by the book Conversations With God, which I was reading during that period."
This single-minded drive to create and execute his vision has permeated every aspect of Berry's career thus far. Recently, he received a Wammie nomination, SF's equivalent of the Grammys, and has been a finalist for VHI's Rock Across America and Ed McMahon’Äôs Next Big Star on PAX. Berry has appeared on Bay TV's The Show and FOX's Local Only. He was a featured performer in 2002 for Nadine's Wild Weekend, the biggest musical showcase in Northern California and was one of 16 artists selected to be on a compilation CD, which was sold at Bay Area Tower Records. Berry was included in the promoters' list of Top 50 bands for Intern
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