Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to [email protected].
All praise be to #Thurogod.
About two weeks ago, we were out at the opening of the super-impressive Wire Road Studios. As part of the tour, they had three separate bands working on music so you could see exactly what the process looked like.
Following the tour, while trying to eat as many of the free foodstuffs as possible without offending anyone (really a delicate exercise in stealthdom), local rapper #Thurogod approached. The middle of the conversation:
#Thurogod: Did you get to hear Hazy Ray play today? Us: No. #Thurogod: Make sure you check them out. They are incredible.
He smiled, because that's what he does, but there were thunderclouds in his eyes. So we looked them up. And holy crap. They were, in fact, incredible: A wave of horns and funk and amber vocals that make your eyes squint like sunlight does.
Go to SoundCloud right now and listen to the acousticized, heart-bending live version of "I Keep Your Letters." It is downright religious.
Anyway, praises, praises, praises. Interview ahead.
Rocks Off: First, tell everything they need to know about Hazy Ray in exactly six words.
Hazy Ray: Shallow, organic, beat-driven, deep grooves. (Many compare it to whiskey sex.)
RO: This is kind of weird, and maybe totally stupid, but sometimes when you're singing or riffing or whatever, it sounds less like you're saying words and more like you're saying sounds and bleeps and blaps. Is that on purpose? Or are we being totally obnoxious?
HR [laughs]: Your are being less obnoxious than insightful, and honesty is always best. On purpose is less accurate than spontaneously appropriate. All in all, the sound of my words, bleeps, and blaps is me having the time of my life.
RO: You have a song called the "Superman Song." Why? Why not the Spiderman song or the The Incredible Hulk song?
HR: After she was hurt, the muse for this piece spoke of meeting someone who would pridelessly (like Kent) use all the powers in his possesion to protect her family and her heart. If I new Mike Hayes (Trombone) when I wrote this song, it would surely be called "Spiderman Song" because he is, of course, the the greatest super hero of all time.