Quick Q and A with Pesky J. Nixon, Part 1
 by Kathy S-B  ·  8 July 2009

Pesky J Nixon, a unique band with a growing following. Band members Ethan Baird, Jake Bush, Zack Root, and Dan Carp took some time during a recent rehearsal to respond to some questions about their sound and their future projects. Their energetic performances captivate their audiences. Their harmonies are impeccable and the fact that they have such a good time on stage makes each show an infectiously fun experience. Sample some of their music on this site. You can also watch a video of their performance at PACE in Easthampton, MA.

A lot of people wonder about your name, care to elaborate?

Ethan: Okay, guys. I tell this story all the time, your time to tell it.

Dan: Well, the truth is that we’re a deeply religious band [chuckling from the other members] and the J. well it stands for . . . you know . . . (looks up)

Jake: No, no, no . . . good one though. When we first started out it was going to be a secret, but after a week of telling everyone we knew that we were starting a band and that we were Red Sox fans — well the secret was essentially out. I think Ethan came to the group and asked what everyone’s favorite player was and brought Pesky into the idea. Dan and I both said “Jason Varitek” at the same time, and Ethan told us that one of us would have to choose someone else, so we pulled Trot Nixon in. (Johnny) Pesky J(ason Varitek) (& Trot) Nixon was the result.

Ethan: I don’t think I’ve actually told you guys, but I had really already come up with the name and when I approached you all I was just praying in my head “Please go for Jason and Trot, Please go for Jason and Trot.” As much as I love them both as players — and I do — I really just liked the aesthetic of the name.

Jake: And it worked!

Ethan: Pesky J. Youkilis just didn’t have the same ring to it.

Dan, Zack & Jake: (Laughing)

Ethan: It also was a bit of a shout out to Ellis Paul whose stage name — and I hope I’m not telling any secrets here — is really just a combination of his first name — Paul — and his favorite Red Sox player at the time — Ellis Burke.

You have had a ton of experience singing in A Cappella bands in college and beyond, how would you describe that experience vs. what you’re doing now with Pesky J. Nixon?

Jake: For one there’s far less choreography.

Ethan: Amen, I don’t have to lean in preset directions. Also we don’t all dress in jeans white shirts and ties.

Jake: Both of which are a welcome change.

Dan: (UPenn’s R’nanah 1997–2000) Well, just on the technical side it’s a rewarding challenge — I mean you see a lot of guitarist/singers and a lot of piano/singers but not a lot of drummer/singers. I remember one show with Eddie from Ohio where members of the audience could ask them questions between songs. I had to ask Eddie Hartness (the group’s drummer) specifically if he found it difficult to sing and play at the same time — particularly in a group where the harmonies were truly important to the musical product. Every member of the group chimed in on the concentration it took to do both, and Eddie told a story about how the first time he was mic’d while drumming he not only couldn’t sing but let out a series of embarrassing grunts & noises. For me it was nice to know I wasn’t the only one challenged by it.

Jake: (Brandeis University’s Spur of the Moment 1995–1998, Beacon 706 1999–2001, Altavoz 2000–2002, Six Appeal/Playback 2003–2006) Honestly I think it was good for us because we brought the larger group experience with us. I know for me dealing with all the different opinions and all of that is useful. When you have the experience of dealing with 16 different opinions dealing with only three or four is really easy.

Dan: I disagree.

Ethan: I agree.

Jake: I win with the majority! See!? That would have taken an hour and a half in most a cappella groups.

Ethan: (Swingtown 1995–1998, Spur of the Moment 1998–2002, 2000 ICCA New England Champions and HotLips Vocal Percussion Winner, 2002 CARA Nominee “Best College Arrangement,” 2003 CARA Best Collegiate Disc Runner-up for Up the Octave’s UTOpia — producer) I can’t really speak for you guys, but I did the solo singer/songwriter stuff before I fell into a cappella and the a cappella experience and I just became so enamored with what you could do with a group of people that you really couldn’t do alone. But after a while of doing that I realized that by definition a cappella limits you to just voices and I thought well . . . what if you could do both. Get the intimacy and energy of the playing with acoustic instruments but also the versatility of utilizing those voices at the same time and I think there are couple of tunes where you really get that feeling that you’re listening to a vocal group while the instruments are growing — during our tune “Lord Have Mercy” for instance we’re really trying to give you that choir sound in this kind of southern gospel piece (written by our dear and departed friend Bob Moynihan) at the same time.

For me it’s tying together all the different section of my life into one process and product. As Jake said, working with a group isn’t always the easiest thing you can do — in some sense for us it’s just more authentic to really vet our product with each other. There are some great songwriters out there who work on their own and that’s their process, but for me it’s really about having a family to bring these intensely personal pieces to and working together to make it all it can be, without the a cappella experience that would have been a significantly different experience for us.

Interview continues >