Joe Moore, Hartwell Littlejohn, John Kengla, Andrew Thomas, Russell, Serena Jean Southam, Adam Klein, Raphael McGregor, Paul Weinfield, Mike Shobe, Jason Binnick, Reid Paley, Eric Eble, Mike Cobb, Grant Zubritsky, Tom Ward, Bryan Murray, Jeff Gray, Jesse Bryson, John Caselli, Julia Haltigan, Daniel Smith, Dare Dukes, Libby Johnson, Mike Santoro, Jimi Zhivago, Oscar Rodriguez, Paul Garisto, Ralph Covert, Tommy O'Brian, Brian Sheehan, Michael Alban, Mike Levin, Eric Athey, Dave Boquist, Brook Duer, Jan Nigro, Ken Zeserson, Mike Stark, Marc Benning, Marc Smith, Drew Glackin (RIP), Sean Beal, Barry Hensley, Dan Cochran, Jessica Kane, George Rush, Charlton Pettus, Erik Kristianson, Dan Finn, Sibel Firat, Keith Christopher, Mark Lanegan, Ben Shepherd, Mike Johnson, Marc Olson, Mark Notermann, Dave Schmitt, Mark Patterson, Scotty Summers, Brian Kenny, Spike Priggen, Mark Spencer, Jimmy Ryan, Diana Darby, Amy Allison, Bob Hoffnar, Buddy Woodward, Danny Weiss, Mick Hargreaves, Jon Graboff, Pete Droge, Sean Mugrage, Dave Ellis, Ann Marie Correa, Maria Mabry, Sean Goodrich, Damon Logan, Don Pawlack, Erika Porteen, Epick, Brett, Spike, Scott Yoder, Mike McCready, Vinnie, Christian Carbone, Burnie Booth, Chubby Smith, Will Murphy, Terry Eason, Mike Lasley, Jim Boquist, Steve Saunders, Jimmi Black, Bud Duea (RIP), Harry Boquist (RIP).
THE PRODUCERS:
Henry Hirsch, Daniel Wise, Michael Tudor, Matt Saccuccimorano, Eric Athey, John Agnello, Martin Feveyear, Dave McNair, Walter Salas Humara, Merle Chornuk, Tim Hatfield, Marc Benning, Eric Roscoe Ambel, Mark Spencer, Charlton Pettus, Brian Deck, Dave Schmitt, Mark Notermann, Gary King, Michael Shuler, Kevin Suggs, Pete Gerrald, Rich Hinklin, Mike Lasley, Chris Osgood, David Ayers.
Influences
Steve Cannon Morgan Mundane Ma Linger Backlash LaRue
as well as
Jo Jones Freddie Gerger Ringo Starr Hal Blaine Jim Gordon Russ Kunkel Charlie Watts Mick Fleetwood Keith Moon Zig Modeliste Bun E Carlos Phil Rudd Topper Headon Chris Mars Sam Ulano
[o1] Being Your Stranger written by Libby Johnson (Libby Johnson Music BMI) performed by LIBBY JOHNSON--piano, guitar, vocals; Jimi Zhivago--guitar; Mick Hargreaves--bass; Mark Boquist--drums recorded in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania at Soundmine Studios in December 2007 produced by Daniel Wise; engineered by Dan Malsch from Perfect View (Wrong) 2009
[o2] Lucas Goes To The Demolition Derby written by Dare Dukes (dare dukes BMI) performed by DARE DUKES--vocals, guitar, keyboards; Kirsten McCord--cello; Paul Garisto--bass; Mark Boquist--drums recorded in New York, New York at Puremix Studios in August 2007 produced by Dare Dukes; engineered by Michael Tudor from Prettiest Transmitter Of All (Star Land) 2008
[o3] Sundown written by Gordon Lightfoot (Early Morning Music/Moose Music) performed by ERIC ATHEY--vocals, guitar; Dave Boquist--guitar, lap steel, vocals; Mike Santoro--bass; Mark Boquist--drums, percussion, vocals; Ken Zeserson--saxophone; Marta Milans--whispering. recorded in Ithaca, New York at Electric Wilburland Studios in August 2005 produced by Eric Athey, Matthew Saccuccimorano, and Mark Boquist from Time / Distance (Marchbrown) 2006
Eric Athey had been playing music for a long while before he found his own voice as a singer/songwriter. He's from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and he has a real job and a real family and stuff. It wasn't until a couple years ago that he began writing his own songs instead of spending all his free time fishing (umm, same thing?). With encouragement from Kenny Zeserson, he followed his gut, developed his ideas, and somehow found my brother Dave, who steered him towards me. Over the phone, via emails, and with the demo cassettes he was sending in the old-fashioned mail, we de-constructed and brainstormed the songs that became his debut, Open House in 2004. After a long weekend of recording upstate in Ithaca, New York, we came away with 13 songs telling a ubiquitous story of heartbreak, frustration and loss. It was a country record. Go figure.
Our process for the follow-up record Time / Distance was similar only in the detailed work ethic that we brought to it. The substance of Athey's songs had grown and his characters were being fleshed out not only lyrically with depth but musically also, with hooks and pop arrangements. His second record embraces powerpop as well as soul, country, stark blues, and rawk; it's all over the map like the good records that we all know and love. It's another concept record that tells a woeful story and because of our extensive preproduction, we were able to record the bulk of it over another long weekend upstate with a band consisting of my brother Dave and my long-time bassman Mike Santoro.
Sundown has always been one of my favorite songs ever and Gordon Lightfoot's sound has always exemplified the perfect mix of acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass and drums--warm like a wood cabin in the winter. The lyric is about his cat. Marta Milans whispers sexy things in Spanish on the front and back end of the song and Santoro--the most transparent bass player ever--lays down the solid groove bass line that is the signature of the tune. I think Jim Gordon's drums on Gord's 1974 hit were double-tracked but mine are just one pass through. Dave plays the lap steel like a spooky airplane hovering around at dusk. I'm singing back-up vocals for free (usually costs at least $100.00). It's one of two covers on Time / Distance -- the other one is The Kinks "The Way Love Used To Be." Sundown, you better take care...
[o4] Caroline written by Marc Benning (eighty two fifty music/bmi) performed by 34 SATELLITE (Marc Benning--vocals, guitar; Marc Smith--guitar; Mike Santoro--bass; Mark Boquist--drums & percussion) recorded in West Creek, Colorado at Hideaway Studios in July 2001 produced by John Agnello; engineered by Jim Vollentine from Stop (Hideaway) 2002
Drew Glackin introduced me to Marc Benning in 1999 at The Lakeside Lounge on Avenue B in New York. Drew and I, along with Mike Santoro, were scattering ourselves about playing with a bunch of songwriters and bands—we were all playing with Alex Dezen (The Damnwells) at the time. Benning had a project called 34 Satellite that was based out of Sedalia, Colorado and he brought in Walter Salas Humara (The Silos) to help produce his second CD. Benning had come to New York looking to form a band to help him finish the recording and then support it on the road. With Benning’s lure of touring and recording his good songs deep in the Rockies in Colorado, Santoro and I joined 34 Satellite and, along with guitarist Marc Smith from Raleigh, North Carolina (and Patty Hurst Shifter and Snatches of Pink), we began criss-crossing the country several times a year in a Ford van with a soundman named Tim. We did really well in Joplin, Missouri.
Our first record together, Radar, ended up -- for better or worse -- in the schwag bag for SXSW 2001. Our second record -- Stop -- didn’t enjoy such wide distribution. My guess is that there are boxes and boxes of them somewhere in someone’s garage.
The sessions for Stop took place at the Hideaway Studios in West Creek, Colorado during the summer of 2001. We had been touring so heavily throughout 2000-01 and had come together as a band despite being so geographically displaced from each other. There were two producers involved, Dave McNair and John Agnello. Thus there was two separate blocks of time set up to record with each of them throughout the beautiful Colorado summer. We all played a lot of whiffle ball as we adjusted to the mountain air.
I don't remember working Caroline up from one of Benning's home demos, it came together in the studio during the Agnello regime of production. I built a bunch of percussion tracks (cabasa, tambourine, shaker) on top of the basic drum track (my beloved '67 Ludwigs) with Jim Vollentine and then John mixed the whole mess perfectly at The Magic Shop on Crosby Street in NYC during the week of the attacks on the World Trade Center.
Stop was marred by a lot of death and tragedy -- so many things burned while we made that record, and so many people and relationships died. Not a surprise that that incarnation of 34 Satellite broke up shortly after the record came out. Lots of great powerpop songs on that one, Stop remains sorely underheard.
[o5] Vertigo written by Marc Benning (eighty two fifty music/bmi) performed by 34 SATELLITE (Marc Benning--vocals, guitar; Marc Smith--guitar; Mike Santoro--bass; Mark Boquist--drums & percussion) recorded in Deckers, Colorado at Hideaway Studios in July 2000 produced by Marc Benning and Walter Salas-Humara; engineered by Dave McNair from Radar (Hideaway) 2001
[o6] Don't Forget Me written by Mark Lanegan (published by Justice Artists Music [bmi]/Ripplestick Music [bmi]) performed by MARK LANEGAN--vocals; Mike Johnson--guitars; Keni Richards--piano; Ben Shepherd--bass; Mark Boquist--drums. recorded in Seattle, Washington at Robert Lang Studios in April 1999 produced and engineered by Martin Feveyear from Field Songs (Sub Pop) 2001
I used to hang out with Ben Shepherd at the OK Hotel when I lived in Seattle and we'd drink and talk shit. I always wanted to play that Stooges song 'Shake Appeal' with him in his band Hater. Of course, it was all a bunch of shit-talking--Ben and I didn't budge much beyond our barstools at Steve and Tia's lovely bar under Alaskan Way. Patrick kept the drinks coming and filled in with a story when the conversation lulled. In 1997, I moved to New York.
In the summer of 1998, Ben called me on the phone and asked me if I'd like to go on a European tour with Mark Lanegan. He had never called me before, ever. Ben Shepherd on the phone is peculiar and beautiful. Anyways, plans were set in motion to tour Europe with Mark Lanegan, a guy I had never met but supremely admired from afar, his record Whiskey For The Holy Ghost had always been a favorite.
Lanegan had never toured behind his solo records and by this time his band The Screaming Trees had broken up and we would be going to Europe in support of his 3rd record Scraps At Midnight. The touring band consisted of Lanegan's longtime collaborator Mike Johnson--formerly of Dinosaur Jr; Ben Shepherd--formerly of Soundgarden; and Marc Olson--NOT the one who used to be in The Jayhawks. Rehearsals consisted of bowling in Ballard. In Europe we headlined big rooms and as the tour gathered steam and press, it was like we were the fucking Beatles or something--this is on the tail end of the grunge thing and Mark, Mike and Ben had done a lot of ground work. Me, I had never been there. Fun tour.
When we returned to the States, we took a tour down the West Coast in November and recorded this first incarnation of a Mark Lanegan Band playing some covers at Martin Feveyear's Jupiter Studios. Songs from those sessions turned up on I'll Take Care Of You . Then, in April 1999, we reconvened for more recording at Robert Lang Studios up in Shoreline and Don't Forget Me is from that session.
Recording a Lanegan song is a leap of faith, it's like driving a car blind. I never knew a chorus from a verse from a middle-eight, and each song's vocals were a variation on Lanegan's soulful voice singing "BaNaNaNa Naaaa" because he hadn't really gotten around to finalizing his lyrics for any of the songs. I ended up calling Lanegan's songs "field songs" because they sounded like American Slave's blues chants that you couldn't really make out the words to. He surprised me by naming his record Field Songs
The song Don't Forget Me is the only song I've ever played--much less recorded--without using a matched grip on my sticks. We were at Robert Lang Studios and I was just goofing around with a feel for this thing that Johnson was fucking around with and ended up with a traditional grip on my left (snare) hand when we recorded it. That might explain the weird stutter beat that has no real pattern. A happy accident caught on tape. Remember tape?
[o8] Girl Up The Road written by Dan Finn (Bovine Music/bmi) performed by THE DISCIPLES OF AGRICULTURE (Dan Finn--vocals, guitar; Sibel--cello, vox; Erik Kristiansen--guitar, vox; Keith Christopher--bass, vox; Mark Boquist--drums, vox) recorded in Brooklyn, New York at Fireproof Studios in July 1997 produced by Eric Ambel; engineered by Adam Lasus from This Same Fate (Kranepool) 1997
In 1997 I moved from Seattle, Washington to New York City, chased all across the country by a fierce blizzard while driving a 16 foot U-Haul truck pulling a flatbed trailer with my little red Toyota pick-up truck on it. It was a harrowing journey, a story unto itself.
I had been visiting New York since 1991 or so and had made acquaintance of Eric “Roscoe” Ambel—guitar slinger, band leader, record producer, griller, bicyclist and bar owner. He had just opened up The Lakeside Lounge on Avenue B and aside from having the best jukebox in all of New York City (courtesy of The Hound), it also featured cheap drinks (Milwaukee’s Best in cans!), a dirty photo booth, and great live music 7 nights a week. The Lakeside also worked as a sort of musicians union hall for those of us participating in “The Great Roots Rock Scare” of the late 1990s. This is where I met Dan Finn, Sibel Firat, Eric “The Kidd” Kristiansen, and Keith Christopher—The Disciples Of Agriculture.
Dan wrote the songs and he wrote about what he knew: his stomping grounds up in the Catskills (Bovina) had morphed and changed. Whole towns and acres of pasture land were flooded to create reservoirs for NYC waterworks while other dairy farms and fields were developed into mansions and golf courses for wealthy New Yorker’s and their leisurely ways. His songs took a bitter and sepia view of over 100 years of change in his region and the struggles of the real people evolving with the times and the land.
And then there’s the Girl Up The Road, a longing song about one who never knew.
The sessions for This Same Fate took place at Adam Lasus’ Fireproof Studio in the dead heat of August 1997 with vibe-meister Roscoe producing. We tracked everything live in one big room with the drums set up dead center in the middle. On Girl Up The Road, Sibel and The Kidd trade off solos while Keith Christopher—the best bass-man I’ve ever played with—plays the recurring hook from The Vogues “Five O’Clock World” until the whole band joins in with him in the wistful melody. Hep!
When Ramadillo disbanded in 1992, I was left with the rehearsal space that we had been sharing with Lazy Susan. It was a big room that always reminded me of a high school cafeteria with floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the Interbay Railyard. Interbay was the beginning (or end, depending on which way you looked at it) of The Highline – the main east-west rail artery that served the northern states of the USA. Playing music in that room was a treat and there’s no doubt in my mind that those trains affected the music that was made there (umm, check out the Ramadillo song “Demons After Me” above).
Before Ramadillo split up, I had invited my Minneapolis friend Mark Notermann out to Seattle with hopes of him joining the band on guitar. He auditioned but Pete Droge opted to add a pianoman (Dave Ellis) to our three-piece instead. So, Notermann had moved to Seattle with his guitar and not much else and the band I was hoping he’d join me in wasn’t an option. But then, just as our disappointment sank in, Ramadillo was split up and our new musical opportunity commenced.
Dave Schmitt was another Minnesotan who had recently moved to Seattle from Chicago. After we were introduced by Patrick Keller at The Pioneer Square Saloon, he passed along a demo tape that he had been working on with Brian Deck at Chicago Recording Company. I was blown away. Dave’s songs reminded me of Neil Diamond’s and his voice was true and strong. He was a gentle soul and along with his friend Jimmy Lee, hosted jams out at their place in South Seattle that they had dubbed ‘The Ranch.’ It was Dave Schmitt who played Jew’s harp on the Ramadillo hit “Get A Job.” Furthermore, Dave's father Red worked on The Highline -- he worked on the railroad all the live-long day.
It was a natural for Notermann—guitar player, songwriter and singer, and Schmitt—singer, songwriter and guitar player and I to start a band together. Since I had the rehearsal space – with the rent paid ahead a couple months as my severance package from Ramadillo – all we needed was a bass-man.
There were few bands that I liked in Seattle in 1992. Most everybody seemed a poseur and what was beginning to happen there seemed hype and media driven (yup, that’s all it was). I had come from the Minneapolis scene where Midwestern earnestness and real-ness was the hallmark of not only the sound but the way bands presented themselves.
Nevertheless, there was one band that I took a liking to right away: Blind Horse. Like Ramadillo, Blind Horse had split up just as they were getting started. So as Schmitt, Notermann and I explored the songs from Dave’s demo as well as new songs from the both of them, I searched for Mark Patterson, the bass-player from Blind Horse. It was probably Clay Bartlett who made the connection for us – Clay is instrumental like that.
Patterson and I named the band Kitchen Radio as we shot pool in our practice space overlooking the rail yard while Schmitt and Notermann fussed with songs and harmonies and all that. We hit the ground running, picking up momentum where Ramadillo’s had been prematurely cut off. We had songs, guitars, hooks, beats, harmonies, and, best of all in Seattle of the 1990s, we had zero pretension and bullshit. We just went out and played good songs. Everywhere. All over. On any given night. We played a lot of gigs.
Our first recording was an EP called Scratch that we did at the House Of Leisure with Gary King. It came out in March of 1993 and got a little airplay on KCMU and a lot of airplay at various bars—we knew a lot of bartenders. When it came time for a second recording, what subsequently became another EP called Hick’ry, Dave enlisted the help of his friend Brian Deck as producer.
We hunkered down in Avast! Studios for a week late in 1993 and became the only band to ever register a noise complaint from the cops. (Notable only because Avast! is where Soundgarden made all their good records). Working in the studio with Brian and Dave was tedious. Both were technicians as well as artists and both were always up for experimentation and Itchy Bone is a direct result of that vibe. The various percussives in the song – the rumbling sound at the beginning, the clanking and clunking and itching within, as well as wall knocking and engines running that are buried way deep in the mix – are collaborative efforts of Deck (a drummer), Schmitt, Keller, Seth, and nearly anyone who wanted to get recorded playing something anything. Patterson’s fretless bass gives the bottom an elastic feel and Notermann's arpeggiated guitar figure relentlessly punctuates Schmitt’s bitchy and jaded vocal. I just played a simple beat and stayed out of the way. The song is all about the middle eight. The good ones usually are.
During that recording session, Brian Deck tipped me off to a trick on my snare drum that I am forever grateful for. We were having trouble because the string holding the snares in place was constantly breaking. Over and over, it was just impossible to count on getting a take. He took me down to the hardware store and he got me some medium gauge piano wire to hold ‘em in place. And to this day, those same wires hold the snares on my pink Powertone, I have never had to adjust them. It’s like the Brooklyn Bridge or something.
Hick’ry was the recording that got Kitchen Radio our 'deal' with Glitterhouse Records when we showed up in Austin in March 1994 to play at No Depression’s first SXSW BBQ at the old Liberty Lunch. We had no sanctioned gig there at SXSW, we were just crashing the festival on a tour we booked ourselves. Reinhard liked what he heard and ‘signed’ us on the spot. All of the other songs on Hick'ry were reworked and added to Kitchen Radio's proper debut Virgin Smile while Itchy Bone remained a staple of our live show and the third song on our second EP.
[1o] Demons After Me written by Pete Droge (Straylin Street Music/ASCAP) performed by RAMADILLO (Pete Droge--vocals, guitar; Sean Mugrage--bass; Dave Ellis--piano; Don Pawlack--pedal steel; Mark Boquist--drums) recorded in Seattle, Washington at Reciprocal Recording Studios in October 1991 produced by Rich Hinklin and Ramadillo from West Of Here (Stop Roadkill) 1992
I moved to Seattle from Kansas City, Missouri in 1989 on a whim and a prayer. I wasn’t aware of what was going on in the Emerald City and how my timing couldn’t have been better. At the time, my knowledge of Seattle was mostly gleaned from scene reports in Maximum Rock & Roll throughout the 8os. While I was living in Kansas City, I remember looking up from my game of High Speed long enough to check out the band Cat Butt play at Harling’s Upstairs while they were on tour. I was unimpressed. I’d heard Mudhoney and I knew Ray Charles and Jimi Hendrix had Seattle ties, but I was really unaware of what I was getting into when I moved there. Mostly I was trying to escape the Midwest—it was a whole new place to redefine myself and make a band.
The first unit I hooked up with in Seattle was called Voodoo Chile and it featured a kid named Vinny on bass, Mike McCready on guitar, and a singer who I can’t remember. We didn’t play any gigs but we practiced religiously, McCready would smash his guitar and kick his amp, the singer smoked a lot of weed, Vinny and I held down some kind of groove. After about 3 or 4 months of this woodshedding, I got a call from Pete Droge. I had been hearing about Pete ever since I’d moved there, people spoke of him with awe and reverence. When he called me, he told me he had heard that I was unhappy playing with Voodoo Chile. I wasn’t really but, I heard him out. He said that he was forming a band and needed a drummer with "finesse." Thus began Straylin Street and then, Ramadillo.
We started out as a solid 3 piece with Sean Mugrage on bass but then expanded to a 4 piece with Dave Ellis on piano and organ. Later, we were often accompanied by The Chickaroos –our back-up singers Anne Marie Correa, Maria Mabry, and Erica Porteen. We also had an MC—Johnny “Seattle” Evison—and a theme song that we’d begin and end each show with called “Kentucky Fried Woman.” In 1990 in Seattle, we were an unwitting novelty act: a young country-rockin, boogie-blues, singer-songwriter oriented band that could expand or contract as needed.
We worked a lot, playing the joint-cover scene down in Pioneer Square as well as the marquee Rock & Hair clubs that were popping up in the wake of the Grunge Movement that was happening all around us. We played the Crocodile Café’s opening weekend as well as opened for Pearl Jam at Rckndy when they released their first CD Ten. There were a ton of gigs from Eugene OR to Bellingham WA and points in-between. In Seattle we were selling out clubs and setting barroom records for drinks sold.
We recorded a lot of material in a short time (1990-92) but Ramadillo’s only official release came out on cassette. Recorded at Reciprocal by Rich Hinklin, West Of Here contains ten songs that capture the band at its varietal best. Nearly a month after its release in 1992, Droge broke up the band. For better or worse, we were essentially a vehicle for his songs and the kick-start to his continuing solo career. Demons After Me is a driving meditation that features Don Pawlack’s pedal steel dueling with Dave Ellis’ piano while Mugrage and I hold down the solid 2-beat for Droge and his lazy affected drawl.
PLUS there are links within the blog up there in case you want to hear or buy some of the harder to find records. But really, I'm pretty sure me and my nephew are the only people who buy records anymore.
27 more obscure hits from -----DARE DUKES-----34 SATELLITE-----MARK LANEGAN-----KITCHEN RADIO-----ERIC ATHEY-----JESSICA KANE-----THE DISCIPLES OF AGRICULTURE-----BIG BACK FORTY-----STAINLESS STEALERS-----RAMADILLO-----THE SPADES-----and-----GOOD JOE----- are streaming across the internetian airwaves HERE :
HEY MARK! Hello from Finland! It's a name-dropping FRENZY!!! I just released my new cd featuring Alejandro Escovedo, Mark Lanegan, Steve Berlin (los lobos), Chris and Carla from the Walkabouts, Peter Case, Scott McCaughey (YFF, REM)and Jim Roth (built to spill). CD has liner notes by Biographer Charles R. Cross (BackStreets-Springsteen...Heavier than Heaven-Cobain...Roomful of Mirrors-Hendrix...etc. Also I have finally put "Passing Thru" on my site as well for you to hear...this is the one with Eddie Vedder, Victoria Williams, and Carla Torgerson trading verses with me...it has not been availablé for a long time, and I also have it on i-tunes, etunes, amazon and rhapsody. Okay...I hope you are doing well!
Jessie Murphy In The Woods Would very much like you to come and see us play in NYC this Wednesday, November 19th at Fat Baby 8:00 PM Sharp Please do accept this invitation. It should be an exciting affair - dry ice may be involved. Love and Brambles, The Woods
Fat Baby is at 112 Rivington Street between Ludlow and Essex
you, baby! yes, i'm really pleased w/ it- they are all coming out beautiful. i'm planning to come to yr show w/ Dare (next week i think, got it marked) love, L
hey mark. thanks for the encouragement, man. you are definitely "no-nonsense back-beat." ha. love these tunes up here. killer version of "sundown." surprised you don't list levon as an influence... he's always been my favorite. and i LOVE walter salis & the silos...saw you worked with him. they were my brother-in-laws' first band he ever booked. such good guys.
give me a shout anytime! you're an incredible player. let me know if you ever want to come to nashville & play in a country band! :)
