A shout-out to Amy Davis, who announced last night that she was permanently shuttering her blog, The Lovely Mrs. Davis Tells You What To Think. Amy announced the decision with a post that featured her characteristic wit and enthusiasm for the kids music genre. Amy will be helping Bill and I once more with the Fids and Kamily Awards this year, but I will miss Amy's writing, not just on kids music, but generally. Best of luck, Amy, though if the Diamondbacks somehow squeak back into the playoffs this year, I'm still cheering against your Cubs.
Interview: Matt Pryor (The Terrible Twos)
Matt Pryor leads a double life. Or is it a triple life? Matt's best known right now for being the leader of the band the New Amsterdams (the band he formed after his prior band the Get Up Kids dissolved), but right now he's also promoting his first solo album. That's not uncommon -- people do that all the time. But to be also be the ringleader of the kids' band The Terrible Twos, well, that's a third thing for Matt to keep track of.
Matt swung through Phoenix last month promoting not only his solo debut Confidence Man but also the Terrible Twos' second kids music CD, the excellent Jerzy the Giant (review). After his Terrible Twos show, but before his solo show for adults later that evening, we had a chance to chat briefly about Led Zeppelin's influence on their latest album, the best thing about playing for kids, and Pryor's plans for the next Terrible Twos album.
The funniest part of the entire interview? When I went into the tiny green room after the Terrible Twos show to interview him, mentioned that I was glad for the quiet, at which point one of the bands opening for Matt later that night let forth with an awesomely loud chord. It took us a good 15 seconds to stop laughing...
Zooglobble: What's it like writing songs with your kids?
Matt Pryor: My daughter Lily would walk around the house singing these melodies that would come into her head. All I would do is take those melodies and expand them and write a rhythm guitar part or a piano part. In the case of "Great Big Poop," I told my drummer, "Play like John Bonham -- it's duh, duh, duh, duh-de-duh-de-duh, and then you can do whatever you want." It's one take, and then built everything on top of it. We've haven't sat down much to collaborate -- it doesn't go as well as when I just steal one of the melodies.
Is Lily your oldest?
She's the oldest. My middle son Elliott is the one who tours with us most frequently. He plays maracas on stage... he'll be meeting up with us on Friday...
So I read somewhere -- and who knows how it was taken out of context -- where you said people take kids music too seriously. What's your feeling about kids music and why you do it?Austin Kiddie Limits 2008 Preview: mr. RAY
We're nearing the end of our ongoing series of previews of the artists who will be playing the Austin Kiddie Limits stage at the 2008 edition of the Austin City Limits Festival. Today it's mr. RAY. (Previous artists: Buck Howdy with BB, Uncle Rock, Jambo, The Jimmies, Big Don.)
First, the technical specs...
-- Official Website (or here if you're British)
-- Videos
-- Myspace page
-- Zooglobble archives.
mr. RAY might just be the biggest artist to play the AKL stage this year... if you're British. That's right, the New Jersey-based mr. RAY (aka Ray Andersen) is signed to Universal Records for the UK and Ireland and has a big following across the pond. Here in the US, his fanbase isn't quite as big yet, perhaps, but those of you in Austin next weekend will get a chance to hear his Beatles-y pop for preschoolers and see what'll definitely be the coolest guitar on stage barring the surprise appearance of Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen.
mr. RAY plays 1:30 Saturday, 2:30 Sunday.
mr. RAY - "Roy G. Biv"
One more video after the jump.
Review in Brief: You Can't Rock Sittin' Down - The Mighty Weaklings
With several albums for adults under their belts, you would be forgiven for thinking the New York band The Mighty Weaklings was just cashing in on the kids music trend with the recent release of their first kids album You Can't Rock Sittin' Down.That wouldn't be entirely fair, seeing as singer/bassplayer Matt Vogel's been a Sesame Street puppeteer for a dozen years and they've already had a video on Jack's Big Music Show.
This album will seriously appeal to families with a powerpop weakness."The Monster Under My Bed" tells about a kid who's best friend is a monster, and rocks in doing so.The album's best song, "The Grumpy Song," features a banjo-inflected bluegrass tune, vocals Sesame Street/Muppet Show/Fraggle Rock puppeteer Jerry Nelson, and a chorus of kids (and adults) shouting "I'm Grumpy" in such a way that is guaranteed to put a dorky grin on the listener's face.
The album as whole has a very strong Muppet Show vibe -- interspersed among the 9 songs are 5 skits.At times I thought the skits were pitched squarely at me the thirty-something parent and wouldn't entertain the younger listeners at all.The knowing humor didn't really match the earnestness of the rest of the songs like "It's Sunny When You Share" (get it?), the imaginzative "Rocket Ship" (from Jack's, and the try-try-again theme of "Fallin' Down."You could easily find the materials for an episode or three of The Mighty Weaklings Show inside the album -- it's not hard to picture a TV show, even without puppets.
The 33-minute album's pitched mostly at kids ages 4 through 8.You can hear samples here or listen via the player embedded past the jump.Despite some awkwardness from the skits themselves, the songs here are solid kid-friendly power-pop.Your kids will find that You Can't Rock Sittin' Down ranks high on the "rock" scale and low on the "sittin' down" scale.Recommended.New Biscuit Brothers in 2009
No secret that we're big Biscuit Brothers fans 'round these parts. Currently we're watching their Go Make Music Vol. 1 DVD just about daily, with Little Boy Blue asking constantly, "Watch tuba?" (one of the episodes is loosely tied around a tuba that is inexplicably producing high notes rather than low ones).
So it was with a "woohoo!" that I read in the Brothers' latest newsletter that they're working on new Biscuit Brothers episodes to air starting in early 2009. Not only that, they've produced Christmas and Holiday specials for airing this year. Perhaps a DVD for those of living in areas with PBS stations insufficiently clued in to start airing the show isn't far behind...
I'd also note that although I happen to think our soiree in Austin next weekend will be lots of fun (6 PM Saturday the 27th at Ruta Maya, just $5, hint hint), I'm also very impressed by the lineup the Brothers have put together for their Austin Family Music Festival the following Saturday, October 4th. Besides the Biscuit Brothers, the Festival will feature performances by Mr. Steve (aka SteveSongs), Lucas Miller, Super Pal Universe, and maybe coolest of all, Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison. Plus lots more.
So go to Family Music Meltdown a week from today and AFMF two weeks from today. Or move to Austin.
Austin Kiddie Limits 2008 Preview: Big Don
We're continuing our ongoing series of previews of the artists who will be playing the Austin Kiddie Limits stage at the 2008 edition of the Austin City Limits Festival. Today it's Big Don. (Previous artists: Buck Howdy with BB, Uncle Rock, Jambo, The Jimmies.)
First, the technical specs...
-- Official Website
-- Videos
-- Myspace page
-- Zooglobble archives, though this entry is it for the moment.
For those of you thinking you can't break into Austin Kiddie Limits, Big Don (aka Austin hip hop artist Don Robinson) proves ya wrong. How do I know? When I was at Austin Kiddie Limits last year, I got a copy of Big Don's Big Beat... because somebody was passing them out to any interested party. I'm assuming Tor Hyams was one of those people who got the CD, too. Anyway, the album is nothing too complicated, just good, solid hip hop for preschoolers, mostly. I have no idea how he'll be in concert, but I'm looking forward to bopping along.
Big Don plays at 2:30 on Friday and 11:30 Sunday.
Big Don - "Humpty Dumpty"
