The Hellblinki Sextet can be an everchanging, rotating cast of characters, often including violin, cello, horns of various shapes and sizes, male and female vocals, all manner of percussion, and, of course, the drunken and deamonic howls of the audience... but at this moment in time Hellblinki is manifest as a three piece,
Andrew (Vocals, Drums, Guitar, Accordion),
Valerie (Vocals, Glockenspiel, Melodica, Accordion, assorted knick nacks and devices),
and Brad (Bass, Percussion, Accordion),
or sometimes Rodney (bass of all varieties)...
Influences
Some primary influences.
(everything seen or heard, felt, imagined?)
Sesame Street, Louie Armstrong, Woodie Guthrie, Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Rasputina, The Legendary Pink Dots, Kurt Weill, Burthold Brecht, The Residents, The Butthole Surfers, The Talbot Brothers of Bermuda, Godspeed you Black Emporer, Nina Hagen, Mr. Bungle, The Minutemen, Captain Beefheart...
Some wonderful folks, perhaps in our vein,
that we've discovered along the way.
Gogol Bordello, Tiger Lillies, Dresden Dolls, Humanwine, Hope for a Golden Summer, World Inferno Freindship Society, Devotchka, Circus Contraption,
Rev. Glasseye, El Radio Fantastique...
Sounds Like
Gypsy, Pirate, Hoodoo, Blues with an extremely experimental bent...
The Hellblinki Sextet is a Shape-Shifting conglomerate of eclectic musicians from Asheville, NC serving an oddly beautiful musical vision envoking Broken tooth blues in a Tux, Choral fantasies for agnostic angels, and peg-leg waltzes on the rim of Mt. Vesuvius. In the studio or on the stage Hellblinki is prone to suprises, tension, and dramatic release; its material is refreshingly unusual, while remaining accessible to mortal ears.
The band has been known to perform as a true sextet, composed of male and female vocalists; acoustic electric and bass guitars, brass and woodwinds, multiple percussionists, violin, keyboards, samples, radio, various toys and empty wine bottles. In its present incarnation, Hellblinki is, Andrew the one-man band on guitar, vocals, drums and the occasional cornet, or accordion, joined by additional percussion, strings and voices provided by a rotating cast of characters.
This Hellblinki takes its raw pirate blues into the bloody public arena with careless abandon, and has been seen conquering entire unwary audiences: victims halt conversation and dance like mad drunken fools, joyously participating in the madness boiling over the boards.
Thanks for adding me. I don't usually do this, but I just have to say, after discovering your existence, that you guys are absolutely amazing! Gonna have to get my ass down there to see you sometime.
"Ticklin' The Strings" by Sweet Hollywaiians
Amazing Japanese hot string band playing 1920's, 30's, 40's style hawaiian, swing, calypso, blues, italian music and originals,featuring vintage instruments.3 songs with Robert Armstrong and Tony Marcus(from Robert Crumb and His Cheap Suit Serenaders)
"The Sweet Hollywaiians have probably the best feel for this 20's music of any string band working today. They manage the rare feat of sounding relaxed even when their playing is hot, are top notch musicians with tasteful arrangements and a full, rich, warm sound.Plus, they have a nice gamut of tunes, from King Nawahi to Giovanni Vicari to Bobby Leecan. See them live, if you can, for an unforgettable experience. If you can't, buy their Cds!" ~ Terry Zwigoff
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