After losing their second major label record deal in ten years, The Massacoustics may understand the term "dropping" better than the folks at Huggies® and the Nashville Zoo combined. One might assume that The Massacoustics are a mere two-man (but three-piece!) band (you read correctly!) owing to economics, or as a weird visual gimmick. No, the truth is that Andy's antisocial attitude and Matt's non-stop noisemaking makes prospective band-mates increasingly difficult to find and keep around. James DiGirolamo (keyboards) says, "these guys are some of my favorite people.... in strictly controlled doses." King Williams (engineer/bassist) says, "Never again will I work with these clowns! Though (sighs), I said those same words after the last two records."
Now in their thirties, you'd expect these guys to have the music business figured out. Nope. What keeps them going? Love? Habit? An internal nuclear furnace of white-hot rage? Liquid magma? It's hard to say.
It's even easy to mistake The Massacoustics for veteran musicians, as they have played with The Little River Band (2003), Shannon Brown, Radney Foster, Willie Nelson (Andy 2005), and Lee Greenwood (Matt 2006). Preposterous!
With their unique sound, edgy stage performance, and crafty song-writing, it may surprise you to learn that there are many bands out there getting along just as well, and in some cases, even better than The Massacoustics (see www.themassacoustics.com for a list). Despite this (or because of it), the duo has racked up an impressive resume of "under the radar" song-writing credits, including: the theme-song for NBC's Big Shots (starring a very dreamy Dylan McDermott); a recurring song in Fox's least-viewed-hit-series, The Loop; a tune in a lil' movie called Ace Ventura 3 (yup, you guessed it- straight to video); and the music to which some guy gets it in the crotch on America's Funniest Home Videos.
Their most successful song "Who's The Man?" is about kicking people's asses. Come on! The Massacoustics together hardly break 300 pounds. Unlikely as one would be to catch them, whose asses are they really going to kick?
Maurice Worm
I first met Matt and Andy years ago, when they were just teenagers opening for the Schmenge Brothers in Worcester Massachusetts. I immediately recognized their talent but also realized they were a bit eccentric. They both had this odd habit of staring at your ears while engaged in conversation with you. I noticed it when they were talking to other people as well, particularly attractive girls. We become re-aquatinted years later when they started playing at The Hogs Breath in Key West. They often stayed with us and I noticed they would get up very early and go out for long runs through the lower keys, sometimes not returning for 4 or 5 hours. It was strange because they never had a drop of sweat on them but always returned with a mesh sack full of various sea shells. They would lay them out our on deck to dry, popping in and out of their room every 10 minutes or so all day long to check on them. It was maddening! My wife then noticed that almost all the shells had a strange resemblance to the human ear. What's up with that? On rainy days they never came outside at all, but would hunker down all day long eating raw hot dogs and watching endless Star Trek reruns. And then there was their manager and spiritual advisor, Basil Loinley. Basil was an elf of a man with dark eyes and brows and very large ears. He hailed from the Channel Islands and claimed he was the original manager for ABBA, supposedly coming up with the name before they sacked him just before making it big! He was very bitter about that and used to sit in the corner of the bar with a pot of tea and a flask and leer at the hordes of girls who always showed up to see the guys play. I got drunk with Basil one night on sake and he told me many of the girls were actually aliens from other planets! Of course I thought he was nuts but then began to notice that all these gorgeous young woman did seem to appear out of thin air and disappear just as quickly once the guys left town Who knows? I'm also certain that Basil came up with that crazy name The Massacoustics. I guess the guys trusted him because of the ABBA thing. He doesn't travel much with them any more, but believe me, he's the wizard behind the curtain! Once in a while he will come to Key West and pretend he's working in the parking lot next to the Hog's Breath, just to keep an eye on them. And then there's the legendary problem keeping a bass player. I've seen them play with dozens over the years! None ever last. I know of 3 who have left to join the priesthood and at least 6 who have given up music altogether. One became so de-ranged he opened a surf shop in Nashville, completely squandering his family's fortune. Completely bonkers! There's also a rumor flying around that Barack Obama played bass with them for a while. That's bullshit! He did sit in with them once at a gig in Boston while he was on the faculty at Harvard, but never was in the band. But make no mistake, they are tight! If he's elected watch and see who plays at the inaugural! I love the guys and their music, but man they are strange! And there's that
ear thing.......look for that the next time you see them.
-SCOTT KIRBY
I know. It is tuff to make money in Nashville. My guys are goin' up to Michigan for a 5 day tour. They leave tommorow morning. It's so much easier to make money traveling.
Am I gonna have to go to Key West, FL to see you guys again?!.. :-) How is it going? I wanna come see you guys some time soon. any chance you will be in Nashville area in the near future?
okay my first thought was (wimps!) :P haha just kidding. it is getting cold here and only will get realllllllly cold. you have a good plan to go south this time of year! i'm the idiot for living here. ha.
he was here in my town Rochester, MN. there's an Americana series at the local theatre and last night they had Don Henry, Sally Barris, and local artist Brandon Sampson. It would've been a really great night if I didn't have Brandon's drunk wife behind me chatting with her girlfriends all throughout the show. I couldn't believe it. So disrespectful. I was so thrilled when Don played "Back on the Farm"- i was like I KNOW THIS SONG!!!! every single word!
Well, I guess I won't be in Key West in Oct for your shows. :-( My friend, who was going w/me had to back out. We are planning the Nov trip though. Miss you guys! I need a live "pick-me-up" tune or two...or three...infinity...lol.
I truly wish we lived in the States so we could have requested a song on Radio Margaritaville but we missed it because of the time difference. You're mine and my husband's favorite group but we live in England and we only get to catch you live when we're in the Keys, which isn't often enough, but we look forward to seeing you again sometime soon.
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