maybe august exists mostly to give life to their original songs. Though each song has one or two primary songwriters, every member of the band contributes to writing & arranging each song. With influences like John Hiatt, Dave Mathews, Glen Phillips, & Bare Naked Ladies, the songwriting bar is set high. Their songs are not vehicles to get to the next sappy chorus, but rather are well-crafted stories & observations that attempt to connect to the lives of listeners. Real people know a few things about life -- it's not always pretty and nice; sometimes people are ugly and unkind. Love, stability, and even sanity are fluid; and true happiness is transient. It's the beauty of interpretation that makes the writing (and life) poignant, powerful, and captivating. maybe august is music for people who have lived real lives and have stories to tell. People who work all day, sometimes play at night, raise families inbetween, and live the hell out of every today.
The lead electric & acoustic guitarist & mandolin player in the band is Mike Robertson. With a resume that includes everything from glam rock with Mr. Hyde to power pop with the Groove Junkies to two years on the road with roots/country icon Mavis Montgomery, Mike is nothing if not versatile, but he always longed for a songwriting/harmony vocals based project. After years on the road as a sideman, Mike decided life was too short not play what he loved. He set out to form his dream project. maybe august is that band.
Mike is a few years older than his brother Scott. After being on the road for years, Mike didn’t know that the lead singer he was looking for was in his own family! From an early age Scott had shown the amazing ability to sing any style of music & play many musical instruments. Mike & Scott formed the Michael Scott Band to perform their own songs & later merged with former members of the seminal blues/funk band Blues Controversy to form maybe august. Scott’s voice meshes beautifully with his brother’s, and together, they sound great with Rosco, singer & harmonica whiz.
Rosco is a harmonica player like no other. He developed a one of a kind sound during his years with the landmark acid jazz/blues fusion band Blues Controversy. This is not Neil Young & it’s not John Popper either. From delicate work on ballads to shredding VanHalen sounding riffs, this is cutting edge harp. Rosco has been a featured performer & teacher at numerous harmonica festivals (yes, there are harmonica festivals.)
Keith Carolan plays bass. He is also a veteran of Blues Controversy. Keith is able to blend melodically smooth bass into ballads & on rockin’ tunes he slaps the wood like a lonely 15 year old. Keith also has a big hand in helping to create & arrange maybe august’s original tunes. Keith is one of the world’s leading experts on electric bass trading. He’s owned & played every high end bass brand ever made.
m.a. has developed a devoted following in a relatively short time by touring their asses off, playing shows that are consistently off-the-hook great, & taking time to get to know their fans. No one is a stranger for long at a maybe august show.
In the band's words: "greetings we're maybe august. that would be the adjective not the noun. we're 5 guys that have played music together for a few years...wanted to for several... we all have lives, families, joy, sorrow, love, anger and hope for tomorrow...we write songs about our own little worlds...and getting out of them...and how it feels to be in them...we like to laugh...a lot...we do it often while we're playing...we cannot help but do it when krank is in the room...we look forward, with great enthusiasm, to making music together...when we play we remember why we woke up that morning and forget what keeps us lying awake at night...we want to be a voice for people who love music...thank you for listening... cheers - m.a. "
i'm not looking forward to my hungover bike ride back to killkennys, but its worth it. last night was lots of fun guys, you guys are awesome. thanks for letting me play and getting me drunk! woo!
Check out the new FACEBOOK SONG and if your a Facebook member be sure and join the group "Fans of AJ Downing". Stay tuned on a new album due out by the end of the year!
