About the band:
If you don't like Centro-matic's incredibly catchy guitar rock, there could be something wrong with you. The Denton,Texas based band is playing at Randy Bacon's Gallery Sounds on Friday night with Monahans (from Austin) and J.R. Top of Sweetwater Abilene. If someone asks you what you're doing on Friday night, here are some things you can tell them about Centro-matic:
- They have released nine CDs since 1997. That doesn't even include their side projects and related bands.
- South San Gabriel is their side project band. It's basically Centro-matic plus their friends. That sounds nice.
- Here's a quote from Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard about the artfully wounded lyrics of Centro-matic's frontman, Will Johnson: "What makes (Johnson) such a phenomenal lyricist is that he opts for the simplest language when painting an abstract picture." That's from a New York Times article.
- The band is named after a model of an old Italian harmonica.
- Centro-matic has played over a 1,000 shows all over the world, but they're only touring for one week in 2009.
- At the show on Friday, you can enter a contest to win a Will Johnson house show. That means he'll come to your house and play a show for you and up to 20 friends.
- You can also try to win the "Centro-matic For Life" contest. It includes every Centro-matic, South San Gabriel and Will Johnson album past and future and two free tickets to any show anytime for life.
About the show:
Centro-matic with Monohans and J.R. Top
When: Friday, May 8, 8 p.m.
Where: Gallery Sounds at Randy Bacon's
Tickets: $8
Interview (with guitarist Mark Hedman and Will Johnson):
You guys have so many songs and albums. What's the one song you would play for someone if you want them to like your band?
Mark Hedman: Wow. I don't know. I think that over the years I've had folks tell me an extremely wide range of albums and songs from our catalog were their favorites. Maybe that doesn't give us the best "laser-focused marketing strategy" to woo people over to our music, but we're really grateful to all the folks that have come to care about Will's songs and our bands.
Since you're not touring much this year, does that mean you're working on a new album?
MH: Yes, we are planning to record the next Centro-matic album this summer. Before that comes out, Will has completed an album with Jason Molina that is scheduled to be released this fall. I believe they are planning to tour on it around November. Will recorded another solo album a month or so ago. Plus, Will and Scott will be doing some touring this year in Patterson Hood's band to help him support his solo album, "Murdering Oscar." So there is a lot going on beneath the quiet surface.
Will Centro-Matic tour more in 2010?
MH: The Centro-matic album could come in early 2010, but it's a bit early to say for sure since we haven't started recording yet. I'm sure we'll do a fair amount of touring on it after it comes out.
What's the most impressive thing about your live show?
MH: I'm afraid I'll have to leave that up to the folks at the show to decide.
What's the most ridiculous thing you've witnessed at a Centro-matic show?
MH: Well, a show we played in Bisbee, Ariz. leaps immediately to mind. We were set up in an art gallery, and a curious collection of characters wandered in for the show. One older gentleman with a long grey beard was dressed like a wizard, except he had tiny bells attached to his robe and communicated through honking a horn like Harpo Marx. A very tall woman in some fantastic sci-fi looking garb was twirling in front of us, fueled on a cocktail of substances that seemed to have taken her to another plane of existence -- one that required constant, rapid eye blinking. Just when we started to get accustomed to the scenery, a couple of dogs started copulating directly in front of us. I think it might have gotten weirder from there when someone broke out the absinthe ... but best to leave those memories alone.
Do you think Denton is cooler than Austin?
MH: Denton has some great folks, a musical legacy to celebrate, some good rock clubs, and a cool sense of community support amongst the artists and musicians. But I think Austin probably wins the cool kid vote.
Do you remember anything nice about Springfield from the last time you played here?
Will Johnson: Of course. I played there solo with David Bazan two years ago and we had a real nice night there at Randy Bacon. We stopped at Wal-Mart before that. I remember he bought some t-shirts and I bought a straw hat. The weather was nice and the crowd was good that night, and we enjoyed beers. We stayed at his friend Cam's house and made a fire out back after the show.
Did you know Brad Pitt is from Springfield? Do you think that's impressive?
MH: I didn't know that, but as celebrities go you seem to have done pretty well for yourselves.
WJ: I did. I think he had an impressive mullet at one time, yes?
Yes.
