TROY GUINN
guitar, mandolin, bass, vocals. Has played in Scrotum Dog, Aarrgh!!, Vincent Van Gogh, Plastic Paddy, the Jump Gypsies, and THE LOST OCTOBERS. Also plays in THE EXOTIC ONES.
FRANKO HASHIGUCHI mandolin, guitar, percussion, tin whistle, flute, bass, saxophone, vocals. Also plays in The Jump Gypsies.
MALIN TIMBS vocals, guitar, flute, percussion.
ROSTER OF PAST SECRET COMMONWEALTH MEMBERS, 1993-2004 (click on each member's name or their other bands to see their myspace pages!):
CALPERNIA ADDAMS, fiddle. currently working as actress/model in California
KEVIN ARROWSMITH, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, vocals. has played in Blue Merle, the Coalmen, Plastic Paddy, has toured with SheDaisy and the Oak Ridge Boys.
ERIC TORSTENSON accordion, tin whistle, flute, vocals. Has played with Mambo Gris-Gris and the Jump Gypsies.
The extended TSC family, those who guested for some shows, sat in on some songs, or otherwise added to the TSC musical cacaphony:
THE SCREAMING BLUE WODIES! this consisted of varying lineups of drunken TSC buddies, who would link arms and join us for ragged singalongs of "Rambling Rover", "The Maid of Amsterdam", etc.
ARGYLE BELL, mandolin, harmonica, steel guitar. Played in Plastic Paddy as well as touring and sessions work with many artists. Died April 13th, 2001.
DREW FEDAK, fiddle and vocals.
HUNTER LEE, bagpipes, uillean pipes, tin whistle. Played in Ceili Rain. Died Summer of 2005.
MICHAEL MCCANDLESS, fiddle. Also played in Ceili Rain, Plastic Paddy, Hank III. Died February 1st, 2003.
GRETCHEN PRIEST, fiddle, has played with Ceili Rain, currently plays in
Plaidgrass.
JIM ROBERTS, percussion. Has played with Capetown. Also produced The Secret Commonwealth's "Uninvited Guest" album.
WENDY WINDSOR-HASHIGUCHI, hammer dulcimer, accordion, percussion. Has played in Baby Mary, currently plays in The Jump Gypsies.
Influences
The Pogues, The Dubliners, Fairport Convention, Pentangle, The Chieftains, Al Stewart, Steve Earle, Folk music of America, Eastern Europe, & The British Isles, Silly Wizard, Old Blind Dogs, The Shakers, The House Band, Cumberland Rose, Tannahill Weavers, Ewan Macoll, Jethro Tull, Solas
Sounds Like
Like a glass of Guinness that's drawn just right, The Secret Commonwealth offers all the essential vitamins and nourishment to quell the most ravenous of adventurous musical appetites...and a good frothy head of fun on top to boot! One of Nashville's most consistently popular folk acts, TSC unleashes a "heady brew" of Celtic, Eastern European, and American music styles that grab your attention and keep you guessing what's coming next. On any given night, you might get a chilling ghost story...a bawdy drinking song...a moving ballad...a science fiction movie theme...or rock and roll sung in Swedish! This band of songwriters, vocalists, and multi-instrumentalists perform original compositions alongside traditional songs dating back hundreds of years. In fact, the only thing predictable about a Secret Commonwealth show is that the audience will be enthralled, entertained, and will leave wanting to come back for more.
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The best way to sum up The Secret Commonwealth is to think of it as an unplanned, ongoing accidental experiment.
It's a tale oft times told, but let's get it one more time: In 1993, Troy Guinn and Jack Hunter Daves, Jr., longtime friends and roommates at Middle Tennessee State University, had a few weeks before their traditional St. Patrick's Day party, and they were cooking up a surprise for all the friends who would invade their apartment that coming 17th of March. Jack and Troy, who'd kicked around the idea of doing a music project together for some years now, had started collecting Celtic music, as an extension of their love for both music and the history of the British Isles. Hugely influenced by The Pogues, an English/Irish band that seamlessly blended the energy of punk rock with the sensibilities of traditional Irish pub songs & ballads, Jack had the inspiration of learning a handful of songs and springing them on the unsuspecting St. Pat's revelers. Jack, who had never performed music in any setting to that point, bought a tin whistle and carried it around with him religiously. By the time of the performance, he'd have the basic nuances of the whistle down pat, and had discovered a heretofore unknown ability to quickly find his way around musical instruments of many types.
Meanwhile, a newer acquaintance, Rob Campbell, had gotten in on the action and turned out to be a perfect compliment, musically and philosophically, to the project, which Jack had named The Secret Commonwealth. Come the 17th, the trio was ready to perform the 8 songs or so they had worked on nearly every night leading up the party. Jack's St. Pat's parties were already eagerly anticipated, so the apartment was filled wall-to-wall with green-wearing Guinness drinkers. Jack, Rob, and Troy were JUST able to squeeze into a corner and run through their tunes, a mix of Pogues songs and old Irish rousers. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and after a performance by their vastly talented friends, The Shakers, TSC took the corner again for an encore of their 8-song set. Of course, there had been some time to drain some Guinness in the meantime, and Rob Campbell would later attest that he had no memory of playing that second set.
It might have ended there, but the enthusiasm of their friends prompted TSC to take their songs to an open-mic night at The Boro, a popular Murfreesboro hangout. Soon after that, their first headlining gig, and then suddenly, they turned around and they had become an official band!
Again, all unplanned...without ever a sit-down discussion on goal, direction, needs or purpose, some magical things still managed to fall into place. Before 1993 was over, TSC had expanded to include a fiddler, Calpernia Addams, and an accordion player, Eric Torstenson. Two years later, when it was suggested that a female vocalist might be a nice addition, not one but two talented ladies auditioned on the same night. Both Danielle Johnsen and Laura Joseph were welcomed into the lineup, and Laura would go on to be the longest continuing member of TSC after the founding trio. When Danielle and Laura made their debut at the 1995 St. Patrick's show, audiences saw what was to become the classic components of TSC for the rest of the initial ten-year run: Jack as the loquacious, jolly Falstaff at the center of the mayhem, Rob and Troy carrying the rhythm by trading off bass, mandolin, and guitar duties, a fiddler and/or accordionist to tear into those rousing instrumentals that Celtophiles adore, and then two female vocalists to interweave lovely harmonies and bring transcendence and magic as a counterpoint to the bawdy, manly tunes of war and drinking.
The faces changed often, oh yes...so many talented players made unforgettable music in TSC, and because of the democratic nature of the band, they got to contribute to both the songwriting and in building the repertoire of traditional and cover tunes. After Addams, Torstenson, and Johnsen left the band in 1997, their roles were filled by fiddler Kevin Arrowsmith (who tours today with Jessica Simpson) accordianist Seth Timbs (a multi-talented songwriter with the popular band Fluid Ounces) and Swedish songstress Malin Jonsson, who introduced songs from her Scandinavian homeland to add another exciting element to Secret Commonwealth.
During their solid run from 1993-2003, TSC became middle Tennessee's most popular Celtic band, entertaining folks in rock clubs, pubs, weddings, Scottish games, you name it. Their annual St. Patrick's Day shows at The Boro in Murfreesboro were a packed house every year. They also recorded two albums, a self-titled debut in 1997, and The Uninvited Guest (2002) a concept album collecting their many Halloween and supernatural-tinged original songs. Their true home, though, was The Sherlock Holmes Pub, where every month for years they played 4-hour shows for a loyal following of fans, friends, and family. It was at the Sherlock Holmes that the true spirit of TSC and their extended family was forged. Amongst the raised glasses, the laughter, and the music, many friendships were made...and some folks became more than friends! There are even some kids around now whose parents met at Secret Commonwealth Saturday at the Sherlock Holmes!
The ever-changing lineups, plus Jacks deteriorating health, always worked against the band's plans to carry their music to an audience beyond Nashville and Murfreesboro, but it could never be considered anything but a success, when that success is measured in great times, great music, and tons of memories.
Kevin Arrowsmith and Seth Timbs ended their run with the band in 2000, and fiddler Jennifer Halenar brought her great attitude and fine playing to TSC in the fall of that year. The family feel of the band was enhanced when Troy Guinn's younger brother, Jeremy, joined to play bass. Over several months in 2002 and 2003, first Laura Joseph and then Malin Jonsson and Jennifer Halenar left the lineup. No matter how much fun it had been, after 10 years it was decided that a break was needed. TSC went on indefinite hiatus so that Jack, Rob, Troy and Jeremy could launch The Exotic Ones, a garage-rock horror/sci-fi band that Jack and Troy had been planning since they first became friends.
TSC played two reunion shows, on St. Patrick's Day, 2004, and one more appearance a month later at The Sherlock Holmes...which would turn out to be Jack's last performance with the band, as he died on the 23rd of August, 2004. In October, 2004, there would be one final performance at The Sherlock Holmes, as nearly all the past TSC members joined to play and pay tribute to Jack.
TSC reunited to play St. Patrick's Day at The Boro every year from 2005-2007, in addition to one-off appearances at a few Celtic festivals. Their fans said it was not enough...they wanted their Secret Commonwealth back! In the Fall of 2007, their wish was granted as TSC returned with a brand-new lineup which includes long-time friends and Nashville music-scene vets Uncle Don Clark and Franko Hashiguchi. Fiddler Ron Ault was introduced to the band and the chemistry was immediately apparent, and Ron was brought on board to complete the lineup. The initial performances from TSC II brought back raves and smiles...but what about those lovely female vocals that were part of the band's signature sound? Happily, those are back too, as now we are welcoming Malin Timbs' return to the lineup! The former Ms. Jonsson married ex-TSC member Seth Timbs and they have a beautiful daughter, Ester. There's no question, The Secret Commonwealth and their fans are a family united by music...and Ron, Rob, Don, Troy, Franko and Malin promise that the good times have just begun!
That's the story so far...but IT'S NOT OVER YET! Subscribe to our blog for forthcoming news on future shows, albums, and other Secret Commonwealth adventures! And in the meantime...drop yer pants and holler WHISKEY!!!!
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Thank you
Thanks for being a Friend!! Please stop by leave a comment and let us know what YOU think of our music. Your opinion is very important to us! We just added new mixes of our 5 song EP from our Producer, Brett Hestla (Creed, Framing Hanley, Tantric, Dark New Day) we released all 5 songs on myspace. We are going back in September and Brett will finish recording our album for us. Have a GREAT week/weekend!
-Aerias (prepare to be surprised rock to ballads)
****We will be playing at the French Quarter Cafe on July 8th with Jonathan Balas at 8pm and we hope to see you there. Thanks!
To our new friends - THANK YOU so very much for coming to Sparta, TN to The Neon Stage to perform at "For the Love of music"!! Your unique music is wonderful, to say the least!! We wish you all the very best and look forward to seeing you again SOON!! You are welcome to come and bring your music to The Neon Stage any time!! Again, THANK YOU, THANK YOU very much for your music, friendship, and support!! The Neon Stage Crew
Sounded real good tonight! I like to hear Troy and Uncle Dog, I mean Don, sing. The soundguy obviously lost his ears at that '74 Led Zeppelin concert, but your goodness shone through anyway!
High! Pablo here, reporting from Inner Space to wish you a great 2009! (we interrupt this comment with a brief announcement): The New Psychedelic Masterpiece "Take Two" Is Here! (16 tracks of sugar coated insanity) Hear 4 new songs! (P.S. the new album is best appreciated on a higher plane....;))
About that, how do I find out about future shows? I looked on your profile to see if you had a schedule. But, didn't see one. Also, do you have the English lyrics written down for Varulven? I'd love to know those. I'm going to dance to that song a our next Hafla.
What's Goin' On? I hope you're well. I've got a new song up titled, "Honky-Tonk Honeymoon." And I'm having another drawing for a free KC Roberts hat, the hat is in my pics. 116 people entered the last drawing by commenting on the song "She's Mine." And the winner is.......................Nancy, of New Market, Tennessee. To Enter the next drawing, All You have to do is send me a comment letting me know that you've listened to "Honky-Tonk Honeymoon," and preferably whether you liked it, and I'll enter you into the October hat drawing. The deadline is Nov.1 at midnight. So stay warm this winter in a Brand new KC Roberts hat. I hope you win. Thanks for your support. -KC
this consisted of varying lineups of drunken TSC buddies, who would link arms and join us for ragged singalongs of "Rambling Rover", "The Maid of Amsterdam", etc.
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