ROTTEN BELLY BLUES
It’s very humbling to watch a child grow and develop, mature and become more complex. Such is the case with the new baby from ROTTEN BELLY BLUES. The foundation of the band, Rotten Belly Michael, has been traveling across the country in recent years spreading a new blues, “a blues for the 21st century” as he calls it. Twice now, Dead Sea Records has had the opportunity to assist ROTTEN BELLY BLUES with Southern California tours, playing everywhere from coffee shops to the Ramona Bowl in Hemet, Ca.
The most recent release, their self-titled third album, ROTTEN BELLY BLUES, consists of songs with local roots, and is in fact available on Dead Sea, a fine addition to our growing musical family. From the first notes of “Mr. Barton,” there is a vintage Dylanesque feeling to the song and the album as a whole, but with a fresh twist to it,a new energy. Michael’s uplifting sense of musicianship is a great contradiction to his often-biting lyrics. “Believe” enters the room slowly strollin’, sexy as hell. The guitar fades in and out like a long, long night of drinking. The lyrics to “The Worst Thing” remind me of best friends come and gone and loves lost. “I don’t mind / your girlfriends know everything we do/well I don’t mind the worst thing about you” are lines that hit close to home and make me smile and squirm at the same time. A piano plays in the background, offsetting the blues with dark cheer. “Money Is For Spending” becomes one of my favorite songs the instant I hear it. It has a backporch-grandma-in-a- rockingchair sound that makes me want to learn how to play the banjo. Beautiful simplicity. His jaded love lyrics are so true to life that he makes me stop on the train tracks and just listen. “Money is for spending/with gold you could make a ring/but your heart is hard as diamonds/to you love don’t mean a thing.” Nice. “Last Lovin’ Thing” is an orchestration of horns and vocals that tell the last wonderful words Michael heard as the door hit him. I don’t think his lyrics are bitter: I think they are cuttingly wise.
If I ever said, ”I’ve got a hundred dollar bill that says you like me” to anyone, I’d have a red handprint on my face, but not ROTTEN BELLY. He says it with a smile and enough years behind him to know what he’s talking about. “Hundred Dollar Bill Blues” is a cheerful stab that bleeds sarcasm like muddy water.
There is a strange irony to the song, “Lytle Creek Gold.” It speaks of the gold that was stolen from the hills of Lytle Creek and how the town suffered from the ravaging of its treasures. Tragically, a great deal of Lytle Creek was burned in a fire at the beginning of this month. I can only hope that this song, although its subject matter is different, can help bring attention to Lytle Creek and its need for help right now.
ROTTEN BELLY has a very powerful sense of imagery in his lyrics. Lines like,” I’ve stumbled on every stone in my path” make “Every Stone” a mental classic, the words playing in my head long after the CD has finished.
The jazzy closure of “Oh What Love Can Do” gives us all a little hope for dying love and the future of music. The album ends with a lyrical smirk and a desire to hear it again. Thanks Michael.
Rotten Belly Blues: Press
from the Fall/Winter '09 Blues Society of Central Pennsylvania newsletter:
Genuine Houserockin' Music
by George B
el PresidenteAt the Mississippi Rail Road show in July, I gently reminded a young man to kindly git his butt over to the admission table for a wristband. Half an hour later, he walks up and hands me a homemade demo CD; handwritten on it is "Rotten Belly Blues". He was still not wearing a wristband.Not really thinking much about it, I stuck it in the cd player on the way home. There were five songs.I could not believe what was coming out of the speakers; the ride home was a blur. I do remember, however, sitting in my driveway and listening to the whole thing a second time.
Fast forward to the IBC in September. Rotten Belly was entered and by the luck of the draw, closed the show. The right band at the right time. Their version of Genuine Houserockin' Music captured my heart that day and I have not been able to stop thinking about them since.
They sent me the production cd (it came out last Tuesday and is available on CDBaby)- every night, same drill. Upstairs, grab the guitar, & jam with Rotten Belly. Absolutely LOVE 'EM.
Dave Groninger of the Cornlickers (l) with Rotten Belly Jonnyat Right Coast Recording, March 2009, recording "Best Girl" on
Rotten Belly Blues' new album.
National performer expands his Rotten Belly tunes
Posted: 11/09/2009 03:53:36 PM EST
The York members of Rotten Belly Blues (from left) Matt Gochenauer, Kyle Morgan, Alex Smith and Will Markley pose with group founder Rotten Belly Michael (far right). (Submitted)Band: Rotten Belly Blues
Members: Rotten Belly Michael, guitar and vocals; Matt Gochenauer, bass and percussion; Kyle Morgan, piano, guitar and vocals; Will Markley, piano and vocals
Studio musicians include: Alex Smith, percussion; Jason Roach, saxophone; Ben Frazier, trumpet; Dave Crane, guitar and harp; Jon Mertz, bass; Dave Groninger, guitar; Dominick Billett, drums: Dale Wise, drums; Erica Shellenberger, vocals; Jason Hoffheins, drums.
Who we talked to: Rotten Belly Michael
Where are you from originally? Actually, my address is Stewart County, Tenn. The truth is that my brother moved up here from Memphis, and he needed someone to drive his furniture up here. When I came up here, I met some of these players, and right way, we just hit it off and started playing together. From that point . . . I came back for three more trips. These fellows here have pretty much stuck with me. The reason . . . I believe is that they're really starting to find themselves in the music.
How long have you been performing together? The core of the band formed around the end of last November. But I wound up going out West and doing a California tour. I worked up a lot of the rockin' songs. When I came back, I knew that I had to be able to work with Kyle and Will and Matt. Those guys were such fabulous performers that I knew they had to be part of the band. When we went to the studio (in March) and realized the possibilities . . . we've worked together from then on and they did the Tennessee and Kentucky tours with me.
Describe your sound/style. I think that it's organic. Everybody is allowed to be themselves. We cut (the album) in several different sessions. But in each session for the most part, everybody learned the song right there at the session. There were no pre-rehearsals. There were five of us on the first session. The next session . . . all of a sudden the band (had) eight players. By the time we got to the last sessions . . . we had the horn players (and percussion and piano) from York. Everybody knew that we (were) doing some big work, and they wanted to come and be part of it. Will actually hustled back from Austin and the South by Southwest shows . . . because he was actually one of the main players from the . . . Rotten Belly Blues in the Northeast.
So there are different pockets of Rotten Bellies scattered across the country? (The Pennsylvania Rotten Bellies have) gone to Columbus (Ohio) and met up with the Columbus Rotten Bellies. As we went down to Tennessee . . . we got together with the Tennessee Rotten Bellies. We're planning on - some of us, at least - all going together to the West Coast swing this winter (and meeting the Rotten Bellies out there).
What connects the Rotten Bellies? What really happens is that you get the sense inside of you. You know instinctively, intuitively what we're about to play. Nobody has time (to rehearse). Everybody lives so far away from each other. But people know the basis of the songs. They know the first two albums. If I call out a song . . . they just know it. These guys are so good. They just play what they have in their hearts and that is what makes the music sound so honest.
Where does the name come from? I'll give you the short story of it. We (were) in Colorado and it was bestowed on me by an (Native American) princess. At that point . . . I was proud to take it on. And now, as we turn to Rotten Belly Blues and these fellows come on board . . . they just sort of earn it. The music itself is organic and keeps it growing. Really, the band just keeps growing. If another horn player comes along, we'd be happy to have another horn player.
Are you happy with the album? It's something that I think all the players on can take real pride in. There's nobody showing off. It is a band. Everybody is playing to each other's strengths. Everybody in the band is capable of being the star of their own band . . . and they all play their own gigs. But what's cool is that they know these Rotten Belly songs and they go out . . . and play some of them themselves.
What are your influences? I would say that I listened to the blues and that's pretty much how I learned how to play. But I also grew up listening to Hank Williams and, of course, I listened to The Beatles, and I listened to the Rolling Stones. Our record label Dead Sea is a West Coast label. It's a very punk label. When they first took to being interested in Rotten Belly Blues, I was wondering what they were thinking. They feel like we are to the blues what punk was to rock 'n' roll music. It's called the outsider blues. We don't imitate any kind of music. In this core group . . . each one of them has their own style that they might follow. A little bit of that style gets mixed with the blues. These guys bring this energy and this rockin' vibe to everything. That has taken our blues roots and really energized it.
- ERIN McCRACKEN, FLIPSIDE STAFF
Blues and Guitar Skills - Two CD Reviews
by Andrea Cumbo
This past week I received two great CDs in the mail - David Wilcox’s Open Hand and Rotten Belly Blues’ self-titled album. Both CDs speak to the traditions and roots of American music with their heavy reliance on guitar and their honest, storyteller-like vocals. Great stuff these two.
I have been a fan of David Wilcox’s work for a long time. His songs like “The Kid” and “Deeper Still” have been long-time favorites of mine, songs perfect for those times when you want sound but sound that is quiet and soothing. He’s a masterful guitarist, and this record doesn’t disappoint. The stylings are great, his voice is lyric, and the sound, well, let’s just say it eased the wrinkles out of my soul. Pick up a copy if you feel a bit wrinkly, too.
Rotten Belly Blues, well, they grab the wrinkles in my soul and pull them out into their voices to show them off. They have a great eclectic blues style that ranges from New Orleans all the way up to the hills of Appalachia. Some songs made me want to spin around in circles, and some asked me to ease back into a soft chair and settle in for some hard thinking. The musicians are excellent, and the sound gruff - just like blues should be. If you like blues, then get hold of some Rotten Belly.
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Rotten Belly Blues
Rotten Belly Blues
DEAD SEA 23316
What's in a name? When this one floated across my desk I didn't know what to think. I put it in the player, hit play, and was completely blown away. This is reminiscent of Bob Dylan and classic blues. Their influences are clearly evident, but they are not imitators in the least. The musicianship is right on the money. All of the tunes were written by "Rotten Belly" Michael and are delightful. Michael is an accomplished storyteller who has a real way with words, and the band is honestly one of the best I've heard in some time, especially given the fact that they are regional artists. One look at the liner notes was all it took to explain the phenomenon. Among the performers are several members of the Cornlickers, the band that regularly backs the legendary Big Jack Johnson. This band has a sound that refuses to be put in a box. They are unique, refreshing and totally entertaining. Given the opportunity, go out to see this band. If the disc is any indication, they're well worth the cost of admission and then some. Rotten Belly Blues is a band with something to say that is well worth hearing.
-Bill Wilson
