SIMPLY SIX: Assembly of Dust

Assembly of Dust is a band from New York that lists as their influences the Beatles, the Band and Neil Young.

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer. For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later. Is there such a defining moment for you?

I was in a talent show at summer camp when I was about 9 and I dressed up in jeans a white T shirt and shades and sang a song that my counselor ( an Echo and The Bunnymen type hipster from Montreal) had written. He hammered out the sloppy acoustic blues riffs while I dutifully belted “see my lovin’s gonna generate ya penetrate ya owe and drive you crazy”. The entire place went nuts and I have been hooked ever since

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to? Who are some of your favorites?

I love Gillian Welch and Neil Young. I listen to a lot of Bill Evans – he is like Xanax for me – calms me. Truth is I listen to a ton but they are those are my “go toos”

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

That is always such a hard question to answer. I would have to say performing at Carnegie Hall with Sonya Kitchel is way up there. Playing Bonnarroo was a high. The odd thing is some of the greatest moments come in the most unlikely places – like some poorly attended show in rural Vermont when things just clicked

4. Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to? How much can music influence current events?

I know this is a potentially controversial thing to say but I believe music is like religion for many people. It’s not an either or decision (although for some it is) but it gives us hope, something to believe in, something to inspire us, somewhere to hide when the day beating you down, something to belong to. I think it is a powerful part of our culture – how exactly it influences current events is hard to say.

5. How has technology affected the music industry? How has technology affected your career as a musician?

I think it goes without saying that technology has flipped the music industry on its head. There is a mixture of panic, confusion and desperation on one end and optimism and possibility on the other. Technology has done nothing but good things for my career – from making good recordings easier and cheaper to make to distributing music to communicating with fans: three thumbs up on technology!

6. Now for my Barbara Walters question: If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

Ballerina slippers

Will Hoge at Bonnaroo

This review originally appeared on my blog altrjiranga mitjina on July 1, 2005:


Most people have heard of the famous quote about Bruce Springsteen...."I have seen the future of rock and roll and its name is Bruce Springsteen." Now I'm not going to argue that point. But I will say that if there is a future for rock and roll it will be due to people like Will Hoge.

Will played what they called the cafe tents at Bonnaroo. These were small tents set up that sold beer or coffee. They had tables set up and probably held a hundred people if everyone was jammed together. From what I gather this was the first year they did this. The state of Tennessee was pushing Bonnaroo to feature more local acts. So Bonnaroo decided to use these cafe tents to showcase some of the local acts. Will is from Nashville and got the call to come play. He played two shows at the fest.

Will played the first show like his life depended on it. He played as if this was going to be the last show he ever played and decided to go out in a blaze of glory. This was the third time I've seen Will play and all times he's given a great show, but there was something about this one that was more intense. He played with an intensity that most performers never exhibit.

All the shows I saw at Bonnaroo were great, but Will played more with his soul and heart than almost anyone else there. (I have to say Joss Stone gave a soulful show also.) It's hard to decribe, but you know what it is when you've been to one of those shows. You can walk out of a show and think it's great, but than every now and than if you get lucky you walk out of a show and feel like you've been beat up, as exhausted as the singer, like the singer has taken your life and just looked inside it and told you secrets that you never imagined. That was what this show was.

Will knows his rock history. He dedicated Bye Bye Johnny to Johnnie Johnson, the pianist that played with Chuck Berry and helped shape the future of rock and roll. He always throws in a few covers that work great. My only complaint is that normally he ends his show with no instruments or backups at all. He steps away from the microphone and just sings, with nothing but his voice powering the lyrics. It's a great ending, this time he didn't. But it still was a great show.

The first time I saw Will he opened for John Hiatt, during John's acoustic tour. Will perfomed with just his guitar and no band. Normally opening acts aren't worth listening to, but he was great. After his show he stayed around selling copies of his cds and signing autographs and talking to anyone that wanted to talk.

Will and his band travel all over performing. They've released a couple cds, their newest one is a live cd. Go to WillHoge.com and check him out.

It's nice to know that there is still a future for rock and roll.

Will Hoge

I've seen a lot of great musicians. I've listened to a lot of great albums. One of my favorites at the moment is Will Hoge. Will is a singer/songerwriter/band leader from Nashville Tennessee. He's had one album on a major label, Blackbird On A Lonely Wire, that came out on Atlantic Records. Due to creative differences he left the label to put his music out on his own. Since than he's put out more than a few albums. His first album was Carousel, followed by his Atlantic debut and than his more recent offering is The Man Who Killed Love. Two recent live albums are During the Before and After and Again Somewhere Tomorrow.

Will brings a passion and honesty to his music that is missing in many of today's biggest name stars. He writes his songs from the working man's perspective. He writes about love and life in a way that matters. He's not afraid to write political songs either. His Bible vs. Gun is one of the best anti-Iraq songs I have heard. After Katrina he wrote a song called Washed by the Water that to me is one of the best songs about the destruction caused by the hurricane. The first night I heard him play this song live I have to admit to having tears in my eyes, like most of the people at his concert that night.

As good as his live albums are Will shines live. He is one of the best performers I have ever seen live. His concert at Bonnaroo is one of the best shows I have ever seen. The passion he brings to his recorded music he more than doubles when he performs them live. On stage Will is a presence to behold. He sings his music with a love for music that it lacking in so many other singers. Will's knowledge of music is deep, he isn't interested in just who the newest pop star is or what they are performing. Not long after Johnnie Johnson, Chuck Berry's pianist died, I saw Will live. On stage Will dedicated a song to the man and told of his brilliant contributions to rock and roll. How many bigger stars would even know who Johnnie Johnson was?

So if you have a chance to see Will Hoge live don't miss it. Try his cds. I've turned quite a few people on to Will Hoge and no one has complained yet. He's that good.