Music
Press
Colossal Head promises to deliver 'funkytonkfolkadelic'
By CINDY WATTS
cwatts@dnj.com
Band: Colossal Head
On stage: 9 p.m. Thursday, March 23, at The Boro Bar and Grill, 1211 Greenland Drive in Murfreesboro. Door charge is $3. Money Pants and Chump Change will also perform.
Colossal Head is: Micah Barnes (guitar, banjo and cavaquino); David Crockett (bass); Shaggy Wray (drums); Sarah Matzke (piano); and Pat Gulley (double-neck steel guitar, guitar and mandolin).
Genre: "Our staple is funkytonkfolkadelic," says Barnes. "That seems to sum it up pretty well. Our first record had a heavy, rootsy, bluegrass, country sound, but our next album will be a lot more electric."
Who the music appeals to: "Whoever likes Jim Henson, J.J. Cale or Kurt Vonnegut," says Barnes.
A little history: Colossal Head was born on the heels of the breakup of Barnes' last band, 27-B Stroke 6. While still in the band, the singer had penned several songs that didn't fit for 27-B, and after the members parted, Barnes decided to start Colossal Head to showcase his new songs.
"27-B was a democracy," says Barnes. "Colossal Head is a dictatorship. I recorded all the demos and played all the instruments myself. I found it easier to play the demos for potential band members and say, 'This is what I want the band to sound like.' They could take it or leave it. The next criteria was we all had to be friends. I didn't want to go out and just hire a bunch of players because then I would have had a group of musicians and not a band. Next, they all had to be able to play the parts. The parts are relatively simple, but the interplay is not."
Goal: "I didn't want to showcase instruments or musicians in the band," says Barnes. "I wanted to showcase the songs and at the same time keep the music approachable for non-musicians and interesting for musicians. Anybody can have the chops if they just take the time to do it."
To hear the music: "All of the band's music is online for free," says Barnes. "It's my little 'up yours' to the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America). It's at www.colossalhead.net. There's a link there that says, 'here's the song for free, but if you want to click here to send me money.' Some people have done that."
Originally published March 16, 2006
- Daily News Journal
Discography
We currently have 2 albums floating about. The first "The Losing Kind" was when other members played other instruments. The second album "Two" was released in 2006 and we are currently toying with the thought of working on a third.
Photos
Bio
colossal head began as a pet project for performing a collection of songs Micah had written while still with 27bstroke6. By comparison, colossal head is a technically simple group, focused more on the songs than the elements that make them up.
The Sound: [ fokadelic funkytonk ] Colossal Head is an approachable Sunday afternoon armchair rock'n'roll filled with sonic textures and wheelies. The orchestration is taylored to achieved maximum auditory pleasure while the arrangements are customized to fully enhance the sonic tapestry. The songs range from the gentle contented sigh of a Summer's afternoon to the maniacal angst of a serotonin starved insomniatic night when paranoia and depression would be an improvement. But most of it is pretty feel-good stuff that readily maps a deep wrinkle in the temporal lobe.
Musical Influences: Brian Wilson, the Electric Mayhem, Roger Miller, David Byrne, JJ Cale, CSN, Guster, Beastie Boys, Jimmy Bryant & Speedy West, Buddy Emmons, Zombies, and Steely Dan.
Lyrical Influences: Kurt Vonnegut and Robert Pirsig
Colossal Head started in 2003 with a few different members and is now comprised of what we think is the best group around. There is no need to describe how we are different from other bands...simply listen to a take or two.
Currently we are trying to play more shows out of state while still being able to keep our jobs here in the "home" town.
Links
