Rotten Belly Blues Releases New CD - October 7, 2009
Rotten Belly Blues Releases New CD
by Missy Guiser
Nineteen different players can be heard on the latest album by Rotten Belly Blues, the ever-changing and evolving band that has put down some roots in Pennsylvania over the past two years, and each player has his or her own talents that mesh and mingle with the core blues feeling of the whole group, giving the band a richness that pleases band original Rotten Belly Michael.
“The band on the new record is the core,” he stresses, when speaking about the latest configuration of the band.
“On the last cut, ‘Oh What Love Can Do,’ there are 14 players!” he proudly shares.
A jokester and a bit of a mystery man, Rotten Belly Michael declined to give his full name, insisting he be referred to only as Rotten Belly Michael, but about his bandmates and his musical philosophy, he’s more forthcoming.
“This band is great, a lot of talent,” he noted.
As for the style of the music, Michael says, “It’s blues because we say it is, and it’s real; there are no overdubs; it’s live!”
The blues is the common spectrum, through which other musical styles, like country and rock, are shot through, becoming infused with the blues.
The album, which is the first of the band’s to be released nationally, features 13 tracks, and it’s being sold for $13.
“The only outlet in Juniata County is the Back Home Trading Company in Mifflintown, and the only outlet in Mifflin County is Moonlite Tattoo in Lewistown,” Michael said.
The album is a testament to the musicians who took part in the sessions, which were recorded at one of the country’s premier studios, Right Coast Recording in Columbia, PA, produced by Bobby Gentilo, who says, “Some of those songs give me goosebumps!”
Performing on the CD were: vocalist Erica Shellenberger; bassists Jon Mertz and Matt Gochenauer; guitarist/harmonica player Dave Crane; pianist/guitarist/vocalist Kyle Morgan; pianist/vocalist Will Markley; guitarist Dave Groninger; percussionists Mark Auker and Alex Smith; drummers Dominick Billett, Dale Wise, and Jason Hoffheins; and horn players Jason Roach and Ben Frazier. The 13 songs were all penned by Rotten Belly Michael, singer, guitarist, and songwriter.
Michael admits that listening to the record, you’ll likely hear “a thousand oblique references in the music.” But, as he points out, “That’s because this group of musicians is conversant in a lot of different musical languages.”
Sometimes boozy rockin’ blues, sometimes hauntingly stripped down acoustic blues, the album runs the gamut, with songs of disillusion, absolution, purchased passions, and love gone wrong. It’s got a little bit of everything that the blues lover will want in a recording, especially considering the live presentation.
As bassist Mertz put it, “When we decided not to do any overdubs, that meant (producer) Bobby (Gentilo) had to be prepared to deal with a lot of crazy stuff, and I imagine riding herd over the lot of us must have been a challenge.”
But, the results were worth it, as the listener will hear the joy and love of creation in the album, with its barrel-house piano, thumping drums, and rowdy choir-like sing-alongs.
Potential fans can get a taste on the band’s website, www.rottenbellyblues.com, where Michael says, “The first thing is going to be ‘The Worst Thing,’” alluding to a free download of the song that is currently available.
Michael’s style is more than a bit reminiscent of Bob Dylan, a fact that Michael believes is due to the two men having some of the same influences ... Willie McTell, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, the Beatles, etc.
Those influences explain the eclectic assortment of styles heard on the album.
“We’re outside convention,” Michael says proudly. “We’re for real.”
Rotten Belly Blues recently opened the Big Tree Festival in Arch Rock and will be doing shows next in Tennessee and Kentucky, but the band will be back in the region this fall, when they are set to perform at the 2nd Annual Save Thanksgiving Juniata County Food Pantry Benefit Concert.
Band bassist Jon Mertz explained why the benefit was important to the band members. “When we did the first one last year, we had a sense of giving something back. We had been having such joy and celebration playing together, and realized that wasn’t true of everyone, so we thought how can we share the positives we’ve been enjoying. Our gift is turning something intangible, our music, into something tangible that people can put into their stomachs. We didn’t know things would be even worse (economically) this year.” He went on, “It’s not like we’re wealthy, but we are fortunate, having fun and enjoying ourselves, and we want to share that with others.”
The Save Thanksgiving Benefit Concert is slated for 7 p.m. on Friday, November 20 at the Central Juniata EMS building outside of Mifflintown. Watch for details on it and on future performances of the Rotten Belly Blues Band on the calendar section of the band’s website.
(reprinted courtesy of The Times, Port Royal PA)