Quick Q and A with Kevin May (The Guggenheim Grotto)
 by Kathy S-B  ·  5 April 2011

The Guggenheim Grotto equals Ear Candy. Their melodies are exquisite, their harmonies are outstanding and their songs have a way of penetrating into the listener’s heart and soul upon first listen. That’s no small feat.

The Guggenheim Grotto’s newest CD, The Universe is Laughing, is beyond good. It’s receiving kudos from all over. Here’s a video of one of the classic songs on that recording. For more information about Guggenheim Grotto, check out their website.

I’m sure you get asked this a lot — but where did your name come from?

Myself and Mick tried a number of different names and found quite a few that we liked however whenever we researched them we found that they had already been taken. One night we did a brainstorm and used word association and somehow arrived at The Guggenheim Grotto which didn’t really mean anything to us but we liked how it sounded. Soon after someone from the Guggenheim museum in New York contacted us and wondered if either of us had ever worked there and is that how we had known about the room in the basement where the art handlers throw parties and which they called their grotto.

How would you describe your “sound”?

We’ve been described as Dark Folk which I like.

Do fans or music critics compare your music to any other artists? And, if so, do you agree with those assessments?

Sometimes I agree — for example when people name check bands like Kings Of Convenience, Simon and Garfunkel, Crowded House, Rufus Wainwright. Other times though I really don’t see the similarity. While I’m a big fan of Radiohead I’m not sure I can hear any Radiohead in what we do but people have compared us to them.

If you had to name the most influential musicians you’ve listened to over the years, who would you cite?

Leonard Cohen got me into this racket. More recently I’ve begun listening to a Norwegian artist by the name of Thomas Dybdahl who is a wonderful songwriter and records the most beautiful albums. He arranges and produces himself and however he does it — it is like magic to me.

In the past year or two, you’ve been known to hold “residencies” at big city clubs in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Diego. Did this technique of building a fan base and street team work for you?

Yes I think it does help build a fanbase. All of our residencies grew into a larger crowd as the month progressed. It also pushes you to rework your set so that you don’t repeat yourself each week which is a good thing.

Quick Q and A with Eva (Hot Club of Cowtown canine star)
 by Kathy S-B  ·  18 March 2011

Eva James is not just any kind of dog. She is a perky corgi who often travels with the Hot Club of Cowtown. Her mom, Elana, is front and center in the band and plays a hot fiddle. Eva doesn’t play any instruments but she loves to watch the band rehearse and play on stage. Kathy S-B’s best friend, Sniff, asked a few questions to the lovely Miss Eva.

If you want to find out more about Hot Club, please check out their website. Here’s a video of the band playing the ever-popular “Orange Blossom Special.”

Eva, that’s a beautiful name, I must say. Were you named after anyone in particular?

Not that I know of. Early on that’s the name I was given. But it suits me because it is beautiful and because it’s based on Eve, of course, who brought life. I bring life and joy to a lot of people and situations, so it’s perfect for me.

Have you ever thought of asking the band to change their name to “Hot Club of Dogtown” Personally, I think you’d get a whole lot more dogs comin’ out to your shows if you did. Just sayin’

Thanks, Sniff. Of course that makes sense to you and me, but, you know, I try and keep a healthy perspective. Apparently the idea of “Cowtown” is more western than “Dogtown.” But I am extremely popular with the band’s fans, so if there were a way to get the idea of a dog being involved in the organization, well, you know, it would really grow the core demographic, but they don’t consult me about stuff like that yet.

So what’s it like being on tour with your human friends, Elana, Jake, and Whit? Are they easy to travel with?

I do love Jake, and I think he loves me. He’s great at belly rubs. But you know, Elana is my mom. She takes good care of me, and when I fly I have my own crate outfitted like a princess’s palanquin—you know, pink blankets, my own pillows, snacks, the works. I really love touring. The long hours in the van are much better when I am up on the bench seat, but it’s not always possible. One of my greatest joys on tour is when we get to the hotel, however late at night it may be, to run as fast as aI can down the carpeted hallways. It’s unlike anything. You need to try it.

Did you get to meet Bob Dylan when Hot Club toured with him? If so, what was he like? He doesn’t seem like a dog kinda guy to me but I’d love to hear otherwise.

When I first met Bob it was when we were hanging around backstage. He’s chill. We went up on his bus later on the tour so Elana could show him some fiddle ideas and I immediately jumped up on his leather bus couch. Very nice. I love the smell of leather. I felt very comfortable there—accepted on my own terms.

I dig the pic of you and Willie Nelson. Did he give you his bandanna or is that part of your own wardrobe? I gotta say — I think bandannas are totally rad. . . .

Thanks! I think we bought the bandana, but he did give me my own signed baseball at the end of the tour, signed to me personally. I treasure it and it’s displayed on the shelf at home.

Quick Q and A with David Wilcox
 by Kathy S-B  ·  11 March 2011

David Wilcox is the perfect example of the quintessential singer-songwriter. His fans gravitate toward his lyrics which are inspiring and for lack of a better word — substantial. A dose of David Wilcox a day is a great remedy for anything that ails you. To learn more about David Wilcox, check out his website. Here’s a video of him performing one of his most loved songs, “Eye of the Hurricane.”

I am always fascinated by musicians who cite Joni Mitchell as an influence. Was it her open tuning technique that grabbed your attention right away?

Joni Mitchell was my first love musically. It wasn’t just the open tunings. It was her soul and her heart and her voice and the way she wrote in such an intimate trusting way.

For those of our readers who are not guitarists, could you try to explain the mechanics of a partial capo and what it does to the sound of the song?

The partial capo gives the guitar more interesting voicings and a wider tonal range . What it means for those of you who aren’t guitar players is that the instrument has a more compelling sound a more varied personality.

How much of each year is devoted to touring?

I spend about 100 days year traveling playing gigs. But I don’t do it all at once. I love to be home part of each month and usually part of each week. I I just do long weekends if it’s east coast or, if it’s west coast, a ten day run will be enough gigs for a whole month so I can be home the rest of the time.

When you’re not on the road, do you spend part of each day involved with some part of your music career or do you ever just take time off and be a homebody?

What do I do when I’m home? I wish I had time to be a full-time dad and partner full-time fixing stuff around the house and a full-time musician. It used to really bug me that I couldn’t be as good as I wanted to be at each of these things. But now I’m better at making my peace with spreading myself thin. Real job of a musician is to live a life that’s inspiring and worth singing about.

You have quite a few songs about cars. Have you always had a fascination with our four-wheeled friends? Do you have a dream car or are you a simple kind of guy who is simply happy if the car starts when you turn the key?

And now for the car questions. I have written a few songs from the point of view of vehicles as if they were alive. It’s the normal way to view cars that I grew up with: They were to be respected and they had personalities. I can communicate with cars and they tell me what they need so that I can replace the right part when fixing them. And I there have been miraculous coincidences where cars have saved my life and stuff like that. But I am not a car collector. I have no interest in collecting hunks of metal and making them shine. I’m writing about the mystical way of viewing everything in our lives. I put it in the context of automobiles because it doesn’t come across as preachy.

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