James Apollo
with any number of the following ace-in-the-holes:
Kevin Hunt.
Matt Palin.
Noah Strom.
Clifton Hyde.
Gary Atturio.
Mike Savino.
Austin Schumacher.
Nate Lamusga. Devon Wilkerson. Justin Roeser. Benjamin Obee. John Tomlinson.
Influences
scott fitzgerald, roads, alan lomax, john litmus jr, big empty gothic churches on a new moon night, nina simone, ennio morricone, faulkner, herb albert, most things between 1890 and 1960, tom waits, billie holiday, melodrama, cactus flowers, washington phillips, suits, shiny suits, rhinestones and brimstone.
Sounds Like
c. baker, e. costello, b. dylan, t. waits, w. nelson, h. gelb, m ward, a bird, all the people one category up, well oiled theremins, hand tooled leather, low weeping willows
James Apollo is restless as a willow in a windstorm. If he's not breaking his legs in motorcycle accidents, or barreling down highways to get to the show on time, he's screwing his life up at home, leaving a trail of wreckage usually left to generals and junkyard foreman.
While his music often has some pervasive themes, namely love, loss, loneliness and deceit, Apollo steeps it in so much melancholy that even the most dire of tales has you wondering whether he's cheering for the victim or the cause. And though there may be a sly smile between castanets on his latest, How Hard a Heart of Gold Can Be, for Apollo, this is about as steady as he's going to get.
Apollo, who recorded his two previous albums near his home in Brooklyn, travelled back to the bluffs of the upper Mississippi, where longtime musical compatriots joined him in setting these songs in stone. The session took place in a short window between tours, leaving Apollo just enough time to shake the dust off his jacket and onto tape.
The result, How Hard a Heart of Gold Can Be, cries out from the dark side of lover's lane. Apollo recalls “A fellow asked me the other day about being on the road. He said it must be tough to keep a relationship going when you're away from home. I said no, being away is the easy part. It's when i'm home that times get rough”
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“Wherever I am in life, the core values of being a cheap, lowdown tumbleweed are probably going to prevail.”
interview excerpt, One Times One
haunted, western-rich folk.
The Onion
A high plains drifter on the dark side of tumbleweed roots rock.
El Paso Scene Weekly
an earthy blend of haunted melodies and dusty rhythms.
Sheffield Star
a master of melancholy, his smoky voice haunting each front-porch tale.
Relix
gritty, rootsy, adventurous.
Star Tribune
rustic semi-pop...[those] with a penchant for channeling gothic Americana in song will feel right at home
Pulse
Get "Hide your heart in a Hive" now at the official James Apollo site
great gig at the green side on the 3rd man.it was shit hot supporting youz for our first gig.oh aye and what at fecking party after words.cheers lads.good luck for the rest of your tour.take care.biscuit and the rest of the metro gnomes.peace
THANK YOU VERY MUCH JAMES APOLLO! HE IS EVERYTHING A PLEASURE AND AN HONOR, TO HAVE TO MUSICIANS LIKE YOUR IN MY PAGE. YOU ARE A PHENOMENAL MUSICIAN AND I LIKE YOUR MUSIC. THAT YOU ARE VERY HAPPY AND THAT YOU HAVE MANY PERSONAL SUCCESSES AS MUCH AS PROFESSIONAL. A STRONG HUG FROM GRAN CANARIA (CANARY ISLANDS).
Looking forward to supporting you on the 4th October at the Country Club@ The Bay Horse, in Manchester. We did meet a few years ago when you were playing the blue cat, and I've got your album.
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