Rob Mehl: Beach Boy

Aloha, Rob! Tell me about growing up in Southern California in the late 50’s…

California for me was "beach innocence". For the first few years of my life we lived in Oceanside, a block from the beach. The beach was my world and I was always in the water. Life was like "Leave it to Beaver" on the beach. It was great. When I was three, we moved a few miles south to Leucadia and a few more blocks away from the beach, near highway 101. There was no freeway yet (the 5 didn’t show up until the late sixties) so I could still walk to the beach.


Then your family moved to Hawaii?

When I was eight, we moved to Waikiki. This was pre-statehood. I went to Iolani Boys School, a private school across the street from the Ala Wai canal. My back lanai was probably twenty-five yards or so from the water and I had all summer to walk up and down the beach. Back then, the Outrigger Canoe Club was where Duke's (“Duke's on Sunday”!) is now. It wasn't long until a couple of the Waikiki beach boys were paddling me out into the waves. 


What are your first recollections of music back then?

Kuhio Beach Park and Kapiolani Park in Waikiki was where the Kodak hula show was. People like Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman, and Arthur Godfrey would play there. My dad worked for KPOI radio in Waikiki (in a basement suite of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel), then another station where he had a remote show from The Treehouse, at the entrance to the marketplace with J. Akuhead Pupule.  Duke’s restaurant was pretty much right behind The Treehouse and eventually uncle Don Ho made his home there. Dad would sneak me in sometimes and I got to see Alfred Apaka, Mahi Beamer, Marty Robbins and others. Amazing! Dad was a jazz and standards dj ... so Thelonius Monk, Dave Brubeck, Toots Thielman, Howard Roberts, and Louie Armstrong, along with Frank Sinatra, Jack Jones, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, John Gary and others were always playing in our living room. I could only listen to my music in my room, but I liked it all. And dad kept adding to my record collection... it was cool! When we came back to California in the early sixties all I wanted to do was surf ... so moving back to Encinitas, which was fully entrenched in the surf culture, was a-ok-fine with me! The Surfaris, Chantays, Ronny and the Daytonas, Dick Dale, the Ventures all were such an inspiration…but not to play music, to surf! Then came the Beach Boys, the Sunrays, Jan and Dean, the Hondells and on and on. Musically, while I loved all these guys, it was still the old Waikiki Beach Boy music I loved the most.


What made you go from listening to music to making music?

Some of the early Beatles, Beach Boys, Kingston Trio and Brothers Four, as well as some Dylan and Donovan Leitch, reminded me of the old Waikiki music ... Middle to late sixties. THAT'S when I started getting poetic stories in my head. I didn't play guitar, and wasn't really interested yet, but I wrote all the time, mostly just poetry.


Reading books also had a big influence on your early songwriting, right?

Since I had wanderlust, but couldn't travel on my own (yet!) reading was my escape ... It was like seeing the world right from my own house or backyard or beach. Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, Jack London, Walt Whitman, William Butler Yeats, Carl Sanburg, Robert Frost and others back then. Also C.S. Lewis, Clive Cussler, Frank Perretti. It still NEEDS to be a big influence ... "words in, words out!"


Tell me about your first guitar…

It was a Yamaha I bought in Japan, while on leave from Vietnam... it was cheap and it had strings. I had a Neil Young “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" eight-track and a chord book for that album and as we steamed back to the Gulf of Tonkin from Yokosuka, Japan I began to teach myself how to play those songs. Then, I started applying the chords I'd learned to melodies I had in my head for my own music. It still wasn't as much about the music as it was putting my stories to music.


You’re a “Beach Boy” heart and soul. What are some of your favorite beaches and why?

Waikiki Beach is magic, that's all there is to it! It's not the prettiest beach I've ever been to, it's certainly the most crowded beach I've ever been to, but there's something about it. Whenever I go back for a visit the first thing I do is walk up and down that beach ... I look for old friends, and in my head, I'm back in 1958 and it's paradise! It’s the sand, it's the waves, it's the beach boys, it's the aloha.

Honolua Bay on Maui... I love it and it will always be my favorite surf spot in the world! It's in trouble now, too ... look it up!

Tofo in Mozambique ... The sand squeaks, there are Whale Sharks 30-40 yards off the beach, and the waves are amazing, and there's hardly anyone there!

Chiquita Island in Subic Bay, Philippines ... Ahh, the memories. Walking alone around the whole island, watching shark feeding-frenzies at the reef's edge. And the quiet!

Any beach on Ngeruktabel Island in Palau ... Many of the Palauan Islands are "rock islands", so there is no beach, but the ones that do have sand are breathtakingly beautiful ... and empty!

Punta Abreojos on Baja Sur ... The first warm-water surf spot past Guerrero Negro. Long, long rights and uncrowded.

Sunset Beach, O'ahu ... Well, maybe not so much the beach, but what waits when you paddle out! ;)

Swanzy Beach, O'ahu ... Uncrowded, quiet and nice sand, great waves, but a long paddle out!

Threes, O'ahu ... A surf spot, not a beach ... When it lines up it's the longest ride in town.

Big Rights, O'ahu ... Same as above!

Ahhh, so many beaches, so little time! ;)

How much time do you spend on the road now?

I try to tour once a month. Jerry Gontang (Stars On The Water) told me, “You can't make any money if you stay home.” 'Nuff said!

What are some of your favorite things to do when you’re not out playing….Do you still get to surf?

Hang with my family... it doesn't get any better than that! Fam first ... everything else next. But, next comes surfing and chilling with good friends!


How do you feel about House concerts?

House concerts and music festivals are all I really do (although, when I'm not on the road I do play a Hawaiian sushi family restaurant here locally on Friday nights!) Kelly and I and so many others of us see eye to eye in this regard ... many of us really are into the stories more than jammin' for the party, so the house concert venue is the bomb!

The name of this blog is Beaches, Bands & BARS. Where do you like to hang?

Either at home drinking the sweet nectar of my honey's love! (Was that too risque?), at the Marine Room in Laguna with a glass of port, or at Anthony's Fish Grotto in the harbor with a moscato.


How do you feel about the term, “Trop Rock”? 

"A rose by any other name ..."! At first I thought it pigeonholed me, but I think that's only something we do to ourselves. To me the term "trop rock" can mean a Buffett-cover band to someone who wants to sing about margaritas and springbreak girls and everything in between. Sam Rainwater said it first (I think!), in terms of a common denominator ... "It's all about the backdrop!" To which I added, "the beachfront". It's the music of people who like the beach. In fact, that may be the only thing we have in common! I'm afraid I don't normally call my music "trop rock", though it is. I usually call my music either "my music" or "beach music". I do think, though, that the term "trop rock" is as broad a term as "singer/songwriter" ... especially if you're a "troprock singer/songwriter" like I am! 


I know asking a songwriter what his/her favorite song is, is like asking a parent, "Who is your favorite child?" But do you have a couple of your songs that stand out for any particular reasons - because of the lyrics, the writing process, a recording session or maybe a particular crowd response?

I've been told by some surf instrumental legends from the sixties that "Slow Down Summer" is a classic oldies-type song ... One of them said, "Robbie, songs are supposed to become oldies classics ... but you just wrote a new oldies classic!" What an honor! I love writing songs that give props to my friends ... though John Frinzi says I'm just a shameless name-dropper! Songs that I've written specifically to dedicate to friends, or songs that friends have specifically said, "that's MY song" ... those mean a lot! And "Poet's Son" I wrote for my folks.


Anything else we should know about Rob Mehl?

I think we're blessed so we can be a blessing. I think we need to choose our words carefully, appreciate every second that's given to us, and be kind to everyone. I think we need to be aware of things we can't recover: the stone after it's thrown, the word after it's said, the chance after it’s passed, and the time after it's gone. I think we need to realize that in the end it'll be the things that we didn't do more than the things we did that we'll regret. I think we need to remember where we've been so we can appreciate where we are, while at the same time I believe we should leave the past behind and press on toward the high call of what's ahead. And lastly, my head hurts, my feet stink, but I do love Jesus! Not preachin' ... just sayin'! ;)


Maholo, Rob! Always a pleasure....

Step into "The Yard"

The 2011 Trop Rock Awards are happening on Friday, November 4^th at the Casa Marina in Key West, Florida. One of the most recent categories to be added is “House Concert Venue Of The Year”. I’ve covered The Bat Cave and the home of Terry and Marianne Higgins in earlier posts. Now, meet Mark and Sharon Leverett, long time Trop Rock fans and proud owners of 2010 winner, “The Yard” in Tampa, Florida, nominated again this year.

Mark – who has lived in the area all his life - and wife, Sharon, (she moved there in 1976) are members of not one, but TWO Parrot Head Clubs in their little corner of the Gulf Coast, Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor. When asked how long they have been into songs about sand and sea, they answer “All our lives,” and point to Jim Morris as the first Trop Rock artist they ever saw perform live. Like many fans, the Leveretts say it’s more than just steel drums and lyrical escapism that draws them to Trop Rock, saying, “If you don’t feel it in your heart, you won’t understand the love of music.”

As to how they got started hosting House Concerts, it all goes back to Mark’s talents with a hammer and saw. A retired General Contractor, Mark began by building a large tiki hut in their back yard.

Shortly after it was finished, they were approached by Texas troubadour, Kelly McGuire, about hosting a concert in their backyard. They agreed, Kelly played. That was in 2008 and they haven’t looked back, hosting a veritable who’s who of Trop Rock artists over the last three years, some of whom have played the venue more than once: Jim Morris, Jack Mosely, Hugo Duarte, Brent Burns, John Frinzi, Latitude, The Trop Rock Junkies, John Friday, Jimmy Parrish, Captain Josh, the late Troy Allen, Doyle Grisham, Jerry Diaz, Loren Davidson, Rob Mehl, and Mike Miller, to name just a few. By the end of 2011, they will have hosted nineteen concerts just this year (Scott Kirby is scheduled for December 3^rd). Mark’s building bug didn’t stop at the Tiki Hut. The Leveretts have added outdoor bathrooms and are in the process of putting in a bunk house, so visiting artists have a place to crash after they perform.

 

With plenty of space – there is room for up to 100 people in their one acre backyard – and comfortable accommodations for both audience and artists, it’s easy to see why the Yard has become such a popular spot. “We started with mostly Parrot Heads from the two clubs we belong to”, say Mark and Sharon. “We would send emails out” to the membership. Club members would bring friends, who enjoyed the music and atmosphere. Then, they added a Facebook page and started getting people from there. “Plus, the artists have their own fans. Now, we have about 50/50, friends of the Yard and Parrot Heads coming to the shows.” The have never had a problem with the “open door” policy – “The type of people who come just want to have a good time listening to the music.”. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own food and beverage of choice, with a $15 donation to the artist collected at the door.

“Artists love House Concerts,” the couple says. So, it’s not hard to find Trop rockers willing to play. If you’re thinking about hosting one, they suggest you start by inviting local Parrot Head friends, as they did. They also believe you should, “find something unique about your place” and name it after that. “People like to associate a name with a place.”

One of the other unique things about a show at the Yard, is your chance to take home some handcrafted artwork or jewelry. “Mark makes a wooden sign for each show, with lyrics from one of that specific artist’s songs,” Sharon told me recently. “I make jewelry. During a break in the performance, we’ll do a raffle and the winner gets what we have made.” For a long time, proceeds from the raffle also went to whoever was performing but, recently – with encouragement from the artists – the Leveretts began using that extra money to help offset the costs of putting on their shows, as well as for the extra construction. “Although it’s a lot of work, we love the music and musicians. That is what makes it all worthwhile.”

House Concert Of The Year Nominees: The Higgins

Meeting of the Minds, the annual pilgrimage of Parrot Heads and the Trop Rock phaithful to Key West, is just around the corner. In addition to tons of parties and performances from many of the best known artists of the genre (many of whom you can read about on this very blog) the event calendar includes the 2011 Trop Rock Awards. This year, a category has been added for “House Concert Venue of the Year”. House Concerts have become an integral part of Trop Rock – in some cases the ONLY way people in some geographical regions of the country would get to see their favorite artists without travelling to a festival or phlocking. One of the five nominees for HCVOTY is the Bat Cave, which I wrote about a couple months back. I thought it would be a good idea to also feature some of the other nominees, for those who might not be familiar with all of them. For those not going to MOTM, I also hope the venue owners might share some of their insights into hosting House Concerts – to encourage others to do the same (and maybe make it onto next year’s ballot! First up is Terry & Marianne Higgins, of Parrish Florida.

The Higgins moved to the Sunshine State from the Midwest back in 1996, following Terry’s love for sun, sand, and tropical tunes. They joined their local Parrot Head Club as soon as they settled in and are currently members of the Charlotte Harbor club. Terry claims the first artist he liked that played what might be considered island music was Bertie “Key Largo” Higgins (no relation), but says he didn’t really get into what would currently be called Trop Rock until about 2005. Jim Morris was the first Trop Rocker he saw perform live. When I asked Terry why he and his wife started hosting House Concerts, he replied simply “We like to host gatherings and share the love of the music”. And share the music they have, hosting shows over the last six years by Sunny Jim and John Frinzi, Rob Mehl, Matt Wahl, Kelly McGuire, Mark Mulligan, Hugo Duarte, Keith Sykes, Jerry Diaz, Leo Dean, Gary and Kerri, Jimmy Parrish, John Reno, Brent Burns, Island Bill Haughey, Don Middlebrook, John Patti, and Scotty Bryan and Dan Hower (aka The Drunkin’ Monkeys).

The two Gulf Coastal Parrot Heads generally host their shows outside. Terry notes that they can seat about 30 people in their lanai and around their backyard pool. One of the things their events are noted for is the great food. Marianne offers up a full spread inside the house and guests are also encouraged to bring dishes to share. Unlike some House Concert venues, the Higgins have a top notch sound system on site, so all performers need to bring is their instruments and mics.

One of the questions that always comes up when I get asked about hosting a House Concert is who to invite and how to get them there. In the Higgins case, they draw most of their guests from local Parrot Head Club members in the surrounding Bradenton/Sarasota area – and as far away as from Tampa. But, Terry is quick to point out that, while they do send out emails to clubs in the area, word often spreads by mouth and the invitation is always open. If someone knows someone else who might be interested in seeing and hearing an artist, they are welcome to come. Quoting Rob Mehl, Terry says “It’s all about the music”. Unlike most House Concert venues, Terry and Marianne don’t charge a cover. They pay the performers from their own pocket (Terry is in the Horticultural business and works full time as the VP and GM for a company).

As for suggestions to others who might be thinking about hosting House Concerts, the Higgins offer two tips: First, make sure you have the space to hold 30-50 people or more comfortably and secondly, be sure you have a large enough network of friends and Trop Rock fans to pull from if you are going to try to cover the entertainer’s expense with a cover charge.

Wanna host a House Concert? Take a peek inside the Bat Cave

Move over Gotham City. There's a new Caped Crusader in town and he's made Shiloh, Illinois his home. Only this "Batman" is more likely to be found flipping burgers than bad guys, and his "trusty sidekick" is...his wife, Jill. Tom Melendez originally earned the moniker a few years back when he donned the Dark Knight's costume for a Halloween party. His "crime fighting" antics that night are the stuff of local legend, but the nickname stuck. So, when Tom and Jill started hosting parties in their renovated basement, it was only natural that the space be christened "The Bat Cave". Now, the Bat Cave is also earning accolades for being one of the busiest House Concert venues in the country.


"We bought this house about seven years ago," explains Tom. "A buddy had turned us on to Jimmy Buffett, and we had a boat that we would take out on the local lakes, but we didn't consider ourselves 'Parrot Heads'. Then, one day, Jill and I were out in front of our house cleaning our boat. Well, in all honesty, we were doing more talking and beer drinking than cleaning - I think it probably looked worse when we were done than better. But, in any case, we were ATTEMPTING to wash our boat, and we were listening to Jimmy Buffett while we were doing it. A neighbor saw us out there and - I guess because we had all the right stuff; beer, a boat, and Buffett - said 'You guys should join the Parrot Head Club!' So we did."


The closest Parrot Head Club was located in St. Louis, about fifteen minutes from Shiloh. The Melendezes started attending meetings and events and, as often happens, were introduced to the world of "Trop Rock" through other club members. "We started hearing all these other artists and thought, 'wow, this is pretty cool!', says Jill. "Next thing you know, we're buying new cds and listening to them on our boat. The first Trop Rock show we went to was at Table Rock Lake with Eric Stone and John Reno." And, as I often hear from people around the country I talk Trop Rock with, it was a trip to Key West and Meeting Of The Minds that turned them into full fledged Trop Rock fans. "MOTM changes you forever," adds Tom.


How did you guys get started hosting House Concerts?

Tom: "We went to see Paul Roush and Troy Allen at a St. Louis Parrot Head Club event. After it was over, we were talking to Troy and telling him about this big 4th of July party we throw at our house every year. We asked him, 'Why don't you come to our next one and play?' That 4th of July - 2010 - Troy came up from Texas. In addition to our usual group of friends, we invited the Parrot Head Club and anyone else who wanted to hear him play, and that was our first 'House Concert'!""

Jill: "Hearing the stories behind his songs was really cool. That November, we went to Meeting of The Minds and first heard about DJ Jeff Allen and BeachFront Radio. We started listening to it when we got back home and got introduced to a lot more artists there."

Tom: "We had a great time with Troy at the 4th of July party - he wound up hanging out with us for three days - but, Jill and I never really said to each other, 'Let's do another one!' But, then we were in Key West, meeting people like Hugo Duarte, and I thought - 'I'd really like to get some of these artists up to our area, so people who don't get to go to the events we do can see and hear them' Gee, if we could just find a place for them to play...".


So, how did it go from "Wish we had a place for them to play in our area"..to "We HAVE a place for them to play!"?

Tom: "Our house is on a lake and we have a big back yard. Plus, the basement - the 'Bat Cave' - is already set up for entertaining. Pretty much as soon as we started thinking about places for Trop Rock artists to play in the area, we thought of our place. We never really looked anywhere else. Honestly, it's partly selfish. Part of the reason for bringing the artists to our area is so that WE - Jill and I - get to hear them play. We love having people over and love seeing them have a good time, and the artists get their music and stories heard. Everybody wins this way."

Jill: "All of a sudden, we've become a venue!"


How many House Concerts have you hosted now?

Tom: "We've done six so far. We did three just this month. We didn't really plan on having so many in one month, it just worked out that way. "


Tell me a little about House Concerts at the Bat Cave, for others who might be interested in hosting their own...

Tom: "We generally do shows on Friday or Saturdays, so most people don't have to worry about going to work the next day. But, it depends on when the artist is available. Our basement - the Bat Cave - holds about 30-35 people with the seating we set up, couches, etc. But, we prefer to do shows in the back yard, weather permitting. I will get the grill going after work and invite people to come over about 6. We provide burgers, hot dogs, that sort of thing and ask people to bring side dishes, chairs to sit on, and whatever they want to drink. Shows usually start around 7pm, go until about 10 or so. Then, we have a 'meet and greet' after the performance so people in the audience can talk to the artist, get their cds signed, pictures taken."


What about "production", sound and stage?

Tom: "The artists usually bring their own sound equipment. Outside, we have a small 'stage' - pretty much some plywood covered with old carpet - but it works. We even did one show on the boat dock, with the lake for a back ground. We'll string some lights up and that's it. Nadirah was another story!"


Tell me about that one.

Tom: "It was Paul Roush, then Nadirah Shakoor. We rented a big tent - like a circus tent - to hold all the people and got one of the Parrot Head Club members who has a sound company to bring a P.A. and lights. It was like a professional show! (laughs)."


You said you do your shows outside whenver possible. Have you ever had any problem with neighbors complaining about noise?

Jill: "Only once, and that was Nadirah's show. The cops came - they were very nice - asked us to shut it down by 10:00, which we did."

Tom: "Nadirah was on a Tuesday night, too. Like I said, our back yard is big, and behind us is a lake. Plus, we live on a cul de sac. So, there aren't alot of neighbors to bother. And we make sure to invite everyone around us - at least let them know we're going to be doing a show. And we finish early enough so it's usually not a big problem."


Do you have any rules for the audience?

Tom: "We generally let the artists tell us what they want. Each one is different. Some prefer quiet during the show, others don't mind a little talking. Some prefer to have the time during their break, if they take one, to themselves. Others don't mind talking to people between their 'sets'. We ask them, then I'll get up before the show and let the audience know what's up for that night."


How do you let people know about the shows?

Jill: "I'll put something on Facebook and ask people to RSVP.The rest are neighbors, and people that we meet through work. Tom is an accountant and he tells his customers, people we know will bring co-workers to introduce them to Trop Rock. So, it's mostly all friends and friends of friends."

Tom: "If it were up to me, I'd invite EVERYONE!"


How involved is the St. Louis Parrot Head Club?

Tom: "We keep the House Concerts separate - they're not officially a club function -although, most of the people who come to the shows are club members. We couldn't do it without them."


You've got anywhere from 35-65 people coming in to your home every couple of weeks - ever have any problems?

Tom: "We're sort of used to it - having hosted big parties for years. And the people who like this music aren't looking to cause trouble. Also, we have set it up so we don't have many people going through the main part of the house most of the time. If it's indoors, we have a separate entrance to the Bat Cave and a bathroom down there. If it's outdoors and a bigger event, we'll rent a couple of port a potties."

Jill: "The place can get messy. But, I'm lucky. We have some great friends who help us keep an eye on things during the event, then help clean up after."


You mentioned earlier that you provide some food, and had sound and lights for Nadirah. Now you say port-a-potties. So, there is some cost to you for hosting these?

Tom: "Some. Burgers, hot dogs. Some times we'll get a tent to put so the performer has something over his equipment, in case it rains. For Nadirah and Paul we did it up big... Overall, it's not really that much of an expense and we think it's worth it, to have people we like and admire coming to our house."


What do you charge?

Tom: "Generally, it's $15. We collect it at the door and every bit of that money goes directly to the artist. We don't take a dime. The peformers also sell their cds, t shirts, whatever they bring, and they get all that money, too."


So, what's next at the Bat Cave?

Tom: "We plan to keep doing these as long as we can."

Jill: "Although this month was a little hectic!"

Tom: (laughs) "Yeah, we may start spacing them out a little more. Ideally, one or two a month. But, we don't get to see these guys alot so it's a big deal for us when we can host them here. We're really excited about our next one. It's August 5th. John Patti is coming with Scott Bryant and some other guys. It will be John's first 'headlining event'. You should come, Fred!"


Thanks for the invitation! If I was independently wealthy, Georgia and I would do nothing but run around the country every week going to Parrot Head events and House Concerts. Unfortunately, there are those annoying bills. Maybe one day when this blog takes off...


And with that dream still in my head, we'll leave the Bat Cave and the home of Tom and Jill Melendez. If you are interested in hosting your own House Concerts, you can look them up on Facebook or contact the Atlanta Trop Rock Alliance, a group that was formed largely to host House Concerts - specifically in the Atlanta area - and help spread the word about them around the country, at atlantatra@yahoo.com.




http://stlphc.org/

http://www.beachfrontradio.com/home.cfm

http://www.nadirahshakoor.com/fr_home.cfm

http://www.paulroush.com/

http://www.johnpatti.com/

http://www.phip.com/MOTM.asp

Meet the Beckers. They have an "Offer You Can't Refuse"

You often hear of people moving to the beach to escape the corporate rat race. But, it's not often you hear of someone packing up the wagon and heading for blue water to escape a musical one. That's basically the story behind Tom and Michelle Becker, the award winning musical duo known as Latitude, and the force behind the Margarita Mafia and annual Trop Rock Music Awards in Key West.


Pedigreed musicians in their own right - Tom was once a member of the New Christy Minstrels and an established solo artist and Michelle was making a good living as a songwriter and singer in mid 90's Nashville when they got an offer from a resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to come spend the Summer performing there. While, for many, playing as many as eleven shows a week might not be called a "break from the daily grind", for the Beckers it was the down time in between working shifts that offered them a new perspective on life. "We were away from Nashville for an extended period of time...and found we didn't miss it!" That's how Michelle put it in a recent phone conversation I had with the dynamic duo. "We were really looking to make a change, we just didn't know it," she continues. "Coming here to the beach gave us some time to look at our lives, what we were doing, and decide that we needed to make the break." In the following interview, I spoke to them about their music, the Margarita Mafia, and the future of Trop Rock. You should know that, when you talk to the Beckers, their combined enthusiasm and energy means it's often difficult to separate the point at which one stops talking and the other starts. It's more like "layers of conversations"! That explains why many of their answers below are attributed to both Tom & Michelle.




At the time, it wasn't being called "Trop Rock". But, were you two playing that type of music back in the 90's and early 2000's?


Michelle" "Being in Nashville I was writing mostly for country artists. Some of the songs would now be called Trop Rock, I just didn't realize it at the time. I knew that the artists weren't 'getting' some of my material, and those songs I kept for myself".


Tom: "Later, when we moved to Myrtle Beach, we discovered Carolina Beach Music (Tams, Drifters, Chairmen of the Board, etc). I knew the artists, just didn't know all of their songs."


T&M: "After living here for a little while, we started writing new material. And, as I'm sure many artists who write and perform the type of music we do will tell you, we were influenced by the surroundings - the water, boats, beaches, etc. It wasn't long before we started attracting local Parrot Heads, who encouraged us to write even more of our own original songs. Then, a couple years later, we went down to Meeting of The Minds in Key West - not with any plans to play, just to see what it was all about - and that changed everything for us. We were introduced to a whole world of people and other musicians. So, it wasn't like BAM, we're now Trop Rock artists! It was more gradual. But, definitely a direction we moved in naturally. We find things work out if you'll just get out of your own way."




The term "Trop Rock" didn't come into popular use until just a few years a go, and you two were instrumental in coining that term...


T&M: "We were in Put-In-Bay, Ohio, at the Phlocking of the Phaithful a couple years ago. It was Sunday, the event was over, and a few of us were sitting around with some boat drinks talking about the music and how we could help it grow. Jerry Diaz was there, DK the DJ, and some others. We decided that one of the first things we needed was to come up with what to call the type of music we play - beyond just 'it's like Jimmy Buffett'. There were terms like 'Caribean Country' being used, but no one way to describe it. Nashville artists like Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich, and others had the 'Muzic Mafia' ("Big & Rich termed the creative collective 'music without prejudice' - a place where saxophones and conga drums can peacefully coexist with fiddles and steel guitars", according to CMT.com - Fred) so we came up with 'Margarita M.A.F.I.A. MAFIA being an acronym for 'Musicians Artists Fans In Alliance'. That's really how that got started. It was a way to get everyone who does original music in this style on the same page, an umbrella. A high tide raises all ships."





From there came the Trop Rock Awards. When did you decide to start those?


T&M: "People had been pushing for some type of Trop Rock awards for years, to show people that there is such a large universe of this kind of music, lots of different people involved - and reward those people for their efforts and hard work. But, if you're going to do something like that, you need the people there who are going to receive the awards. Being that many of the people involved don't do this full time - they have other jobs and responsibilities - they can't just pack up and fly off to an awards show. Meeting Of The Minds in Key West was the one place that we knew we could have most of the artists and other important players in one place. We held the first one at Durty Harry's in Key West during MOTM and we've kept it going since."




And it keeps growing...


T&M: "Yes, it does. Because this is a song driven format, we added a category for "Songwriter of the Year" last year. With the popularity of house concerts, we added a "Best House Concert Venue" And, this year, we will have categories for small, medium, and large market radio stations - to recognize commercial stations like Southernmost Radio and Steven Youngblood's station in Panama City Beach (Trop Rock 1290 - Fred) that devote at least some of their weekly programming to this type of music. As Trop Rock expands, so will the Trop Rock Awards"




Are you still looking for sponsors to help with the costs of the awards show?


Tom: "Yes, we are. Anyone who is interested can go to the Margarita Mafia website (see below - Fred) and they'll find a link for sponsorship there."




You mentioned house concerts. There is no doubt they are growing in popularity, with new venues popping up all the time. Does Latitude do alot of house concerts?


T&M: "We're doing more all the time. As songwriters, we love doing them. It's a chance for people to hear the stories behind the songs. And, as far as the Margarita Mafia goes, any time we can help find new places for artists to play and get their music heard, that's a good thing. One thing we want to get across to people is that 'house concerts' don't have to be only in houses. They can be held in an apartment complex's club house (many of the Atlanta Trop Rock Alliance's shows are - Fred), any relatively quiet place where you can host a group of people. The Truman Shows in Northern Virginia started in the back room of a Mexican restaurant!"




Back to your band, Latitude, which has won a number of Trop Rock Awards for Duo Of The Year and, Michelle, for Female Vocalist Of The Year. Any new music you're working on?


T&M: "We are working on a new cd. In a perfect world, we'd have it ready for this year's MOTM. But, it's tough. We're so busy in the Summer - with at least one long road trip a month - and, in the Winter, we spend most of our time down in Southwest Florida. But, our studio is here. We already have some songs written and recorded, are working on some more and would like to have some guest artists play on them."




The name of this blog is "Beaches, Bands and BARS" so I always like to ask people about some of their favorite  beach side places to hang out and/or play. What are some of yours?


T&M: "Around here (Pawley's Island/Myrtle Beach, SC), we play most Thursday nights at a place called Creek Ratz. It's in Murrell's Inlet, on the Marsh Walk - in the middle of alot of restaurants and bars. It's a great place. And down near our Winter home, the Nav-A-Gator is one of our all time favorites. We bet you hear that from alot of Trop Rockers. It's just a quirky, fun place. We're professional musicians and we do this for a living. We play places that want to hear Jimmy Buffett and other covers and we're happy to do that. But, as songwriters, we also like any place that really support the artists - that encourages original music. We also feel as though we're ambassadors for Trop Rock and we have a responsibility to help introduce it to new people. Like here in Myrtle Beach. We play a place at Boardwalk on the Beach, a Buffett night. People who come there expect to hear Jimmy Buffett and we give them that. But, then we also slip in some of our own songs. Sort of an 'if you like that, you'll also like this.'"




And you do a yearly cruise...


"This will be the fourth one we have hosted - in February of 2012. The 'Aloha Cruise' and this year we're going to another one of our favorite places in the world - Hawaii. Sunny Jim is coming with us and will also be performing. There are only about nineteen cabins left. One of them has your name on it, Fred!"




What about "Back Home Again" - the John Denver Tribute show you do?


T&M: "We do about seven or eight John Denver Tribute shows a year - including one in September up your way, in Covington, Georgia! We have a great band - Jimi Pappas and some guys from Sunny Jim's band - and have alot of fun doing that. We actually just signed with a management company out of Nashville to help us promote that show."




I have this conversation all the time with people who live and love Trop Rock - just earlier this week talked to Jimi Papas and "DJ Jeff" about it...What is next for Trop Rock in general?


T&M: I think some times we get caught up in the big picture and long term goals, and that's important. But, at the same time, we have to look at what is right in front of us. I'd like to know that, twenty years from now, Trop Rock has grown and we're still part of it. But, the immediate goals need to be smaller. Production has got to get better for all the music - and we include ours. A professionally done, quality, syndicated radio show that could get on commercial radio stations around the country would be the next logical step. More commercial radio stations playing it - and then a weekly or monthly chart. But, for that, we as artists would have to be in the 'singles' mindset and we're not. We all release cds to outlets and say 'play whatever you want'. We talked about Beach Music and you know it - you lived here on the Carolina Coast and play it now as a dj. They have radio stations playing it, charts, magazines and newsletters devoted to it. We look at that as a model, as what Trop Rock could be. We also have to expand it outside of the Parrot Head world. We know Parrot Heads like Trop Rock, now we need to introduce it to other people  - people who like the beach, flip flops, etc - but don't even know this music exists, other than Jimmy Buffett or Kenny Chesney. That's why it's great when, at house concerts, people will bring friends and co workers out. And, then there is the question of age. We need to make sure we're cultivating the next generation of Trop Rockers - fans and musicians."






Thanks guys, and I'll see you in Georgia in September - and then in November in Key West!

For more information on booking Latitude or Back Home Again - A Tribute to John Denver, joining the Margarita Mafia, or on any of the people or places mentioned in this interview, please see the links below.


http://latitudemusic.net/

http://johndenvertribute.net/index.htm

http://margaritamafia.com/margaritamafia/

http://www.phip.com/MOTM.asp

http://southernmostradio.net/

http://www.troprock1290.com/troprock%20home.html

http://thetrumanshows.com/

http://www.creekratz.com/

http://s213659397.onlinehome.us/nav-a-gator.com/

Kelly McGuire: on House Concerts, Trop Rock, and Fishing for Songs.

In an earlier blog I offered up the ABC's of "House Concerts" - a popular way for artists to connect with their audience in an informal and intimate setting. One of the most avid supporters of House Concerts is singer/songwriter Kelly McGuire.

Although Kelly is widely known as a Texas troubadour, his story actually begins in Missouri. A self described "shy and inhibited" guy, he grew up with a guitar playing dad who taught him his first chords. Kelly also played accordion and clarinet as a kid, but his first real taste of the spotlight came in the early 70's, when he sang The Drifters' "This Magic Moment" in the cafeteria his junior year of High School, surprising classmates who didn't know he could sing. A leading role in the Senior Spring musical (as King Arthur in Camelot), then a stint in a friend's band followed until, finally, Kelly landed a gig that would last almost fifteen years - playing solo for a pizza chain called Shot Gun Sam's, with locations in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. It was during one of those five night a week performances that Kelly decided to make the Lone Star state his home, moving to Dallas in 1979.

While playing in Houston- this time at a rib place named Tony Roma's - Kelly drove drove through the Clear Lake Area on the Coast, known as the "Yachting Capitol of Texas". As Kelly puts it, "I drove back to Dallas, packed my bags and moved!" Already an avid sailor, he bought a live-aboard boat, landed a job as a yacht broker and sailing instructor, and moved there full time. Eventually, the grind of playing other peoples' songs 4-5 nights a week started to weight on Kelly and, in the early 90's, he put down his guitar for a year. He only decided to pick it back up after deciding he was going to write his own material - the first of which became the songs on his debut cd, Redfish Island, in 2000. Club Blonde followed in 2002, then - what many consider his signature cd, Boat In Belize (which won the Texas Music Award's Album of the Year), six years later. This year, McGuire released his fifth cd (a live album came out in 2009), King of The Island. Along the way, Kelly also spent time as a jingle writer, and has won numerous other awards, including "Indie Entertainer of the Year" from the Country Music Association of Texas.

After almost 30 years of playing - over 20 of those in bars and nightclubs - McGuire and his band now spend about half of their time playing corporate events and private parties and the rest perfoming at House Concerts around the country. I had a chance to speak to Kelly just before he travelled to Atlanta, Georgia for his first House Concert there.


Let's talk about House Concerts first, Kelly. You do alot of them. What is it you like so much about them?

"Corporate events are great - and we're happy to do them. They want cover songs, but they pay us well to do that. Bars were a great learning experience for me, and I made my living there for a LONG time. But, they're also meant for cover songs and often you're basically background noise. They're not set up, for the most part, to be a great listening environment. Once you start writing and performing your own material, you want people to hear your songs, your lyrics, and a House Concert is the best place for that. They are meant to be a place where people can come listen to an artist perform their songs, and tell you about the stories that went in to writing them. I did my first one - In Key West during Meeting of the Minds - back in 2002. I didn't even know they existed! Right now I probably do about 30 of them a year, all over the country - sometimes just me, sometimes with my band - and sometimes with other artists, guys like Mark Mulligan and Gary Seiler. "


The term 'House Concert' can be a misnomer, because they're not all held in someone's house. Tell em about some of the more interesting "House Concerts" you've played.

"Oh yeah, a House Concert can be held just about anywhere, as long as the environment is right. The biggest was one we did for about three years in Arizona. It was outside of a barn - up on a trailer that would be decorated with hay bales and things. There would be 150 people there, sitting on blankets and chairs. It was great. Another one, in San Diego, had 100 people. But, it's not about the numbers. Most House Concerts are between 30-60 people. And I enjoy that as much as playing for 3000, maybe even more. Because those 30-60 people are there to LISTEN to my songs."


What can people expect to hear from you at a House Concert?

"It really depends on the place. Each House Concert is unique and different. You can come see me at five different places and you'll never see the same show twice. I don't have a set list - haven't in fifteen years. And I keep adding new material, so there are always new songs to play. I can remember when I didn't have thirty minutes of original songs to play, let alone two hours! Plus, the audiences at each one are different, what we TALK about is different. Usually, I tell folks about the stories behind the songs. But, at a recent one, the audience wanted to talk about the music business. So, we did.   "


How do you feel about the term "Trop Rock"?

Well, I appreciate it because it's describes that particular niche - right away you know what you're talking about. There are going to be songs about boats and beaches, and I do alot of that material. It's where I started, writing about what I knew living on the water. But, I write songs about alot of subjects. Some of my songs are country, some more folk, reggae, rock. My main influence, like so many people like me, was Jimmy Buffett, no doubt. But, also the songwriters and groups I was listening to in the 70's - the Eagles, Jim Croce, James Taylor. Lots of people. I look at it like this: we are the legacy of Jimmy Buffett. To most of us, he was (is) a huge hero. You can only write so many songs about tiki bars and getting drunk, though, so you have to expand out. . 'Boat in Belize' was thematic. I had more songs for that album but they didn't fit with the material. So, I saved them for the new album, which has a variety of stuff on it and, so far, people seem to really like. I consider myself a songwriter who does some Trop Rock."


I don't want to go into the stories behind your songs - although there are alot of great ones I'd personally like to know about (like "Great Bicycle Disaster"). I'll leave those stories for people to hear when they attend a House Concert with you. But, I do want to ask about your songwriting process.

"It's kinda like fishing. You throw your line out and nothing happens, sometimes for a long time. Then, one day, you throw your line out and WHAM! That was the day for that song. One of my newest songs, "Woman Behind The Wheel", I had the title and the idea for seven years. One day, I was going through my notes and it just happened. When they're ready to be written, they come out. Like fishing, you have to be patient."

www.redfishisland.com

www.kellymcguire.net

email :  Kelly@redfishisland.com

For Booking: 281-332-8595

Some source info for this post from:

http://margaritamafia.com/margaritamafia/

www.billypeoples.com

Mi Casa es Su Casa: The ABC's of House Concerts

House: "A structure serving as a dwelling for one or more persons, especially for a family."  Concert: "A performance given by one or more singers or instrumentalists or both."
Definitions courtesy of American Heritage Dictionary...

When it comes to places to catch a live show, most folks are familiar with the usual venues: bars, cafes, theatres, concert halls, festival stages, and stadiums - both indoor and outdoor. But, what if you could sit with a small group of dedicated fans and hear one of your favorite artists perform in a really intimate setting - say some one's living room? That's the idea behind "House Concerts", a concept that has been catching on with both audiences and artists, especially in the area of Trop Rock. So, what are they, how do they work, what are the advantages and disadvantages, and how does one go about booking a house concert for themselves?

Unlike, say, miracle weight loss products and most people in singles chat rooms, a House Concert is exactly as advertised: A concert in (usually) a house. I say "usually" because it is often literally held in some one's living room, den, basement rec room, or backyard. But, a house concert can be held in any open space. All you need is a relatively quiet area (more on this later) with enough room to hold a small "audience" of anywhere from 20-100 people. Wilmington, NC's Hugo Duarte, one of the most ardent proponents of house concerts, tells of performing in a Yoga studio after hours and the Atlanta Trop Rock Alliance (full disclosure: I'm one of the founders) is hosting a number of them in an apartment complex's clubhouse this Summer. The other key is that the space be FREE, to assure the minimum cost to the organizers and, in turn, that the maximum amount go to the artist.

The set up is simple: The performer(s) are given a designated "stage" area - usually just a corner and a couple of stools, if available - and the rest of the room is left for seating, which can be anything from carefully pre-arranged folding chairs to pillows on the floor. Sound and power requirements are minimal, since both the crowd and the space are usually (and purposely) limited. For a small enough setting, shows can be all-acoustic - with no amplification at all - or, if some sound reinforcement is desired, most performers travel with their own portable PA's, plenty of power to fill the room. The goal is that everyone can hear, but no one is blown away.

Cost: Unless they recently won the lottery and have no further need for something as frivolous as money, performers want - and deserve - to be paid for their time. But, unlike other venues, at a house concert there is no promoter or bar owner to pick up the tab. So, what the artist makes at a house concert is determined by two factors: how much you, as the host, feel you can charge, and how many people come out to see them. Prices for shows can range from "passing the hat" and hoping folks are generous, to $10-$20 per person - usually collected as people come in the door (although, you can sell "tickets" in advance if you expect a sell out...the Atlanta Trop Rock Alliance utilizes Pay Pal for this). Entrance fees aside, there is usually no other cost to the attendees. If the show takes place around lunch or dinner time, food can be individually "byo" or in a pot luck style. As for adult beverages, being that we're talking about events involving Parrot Heads and Trop Rock fans, it would be difficult to do a house concert without them. But, unless the space you're using has it's own liquor license (such as a VFW hall) and you want to allow guests to purchase their own, providing or selling alcohol on your own is inadvisable, for legal and tax reasons way above my pay grade. Whether you, as the host or organizer, get any reimbursement for your time and efforts is a sticky situation and one that is, again, governed by those pesky business and tax laws. In any case, the general idea is that the performers get all the proceeds. Using the ATRA as an example again, our rule is that ALL money goes to the performers. Oh, to further cut down on expenses, it's customary for someone to put the performer up if they're coming from outside the area...A guest bedroom or pull out sofa and a couple of square meals is usually sufficient.

Pros and Cons: Let me go on record as saying I love live music - in any setting. I've been on the working end of the concert business and involved in the ownership/management of several bars that featured live music. So, I understand and respect the service those places perform. House Concerts aren't meant to REPLACE other venues by any means, just an additional way to see your favorite performers. So, you may ask, "Why would I pay $15 to see someone I can see for free at places like the Bull or Hog's Breath in Key West, or the Nav-a-Gator in Arcadia?" Go ahead, ask, you know you wanna. My answer? While it's true that many of the places that Trop rock acts play don't charge a cover, at how many of those can you sit with a completely attentive audience of real fans and actually HEAR the stories your favorite artist has to tell? Not only that, but ask questions - and get an answer?! That's one of the other great things about a house concert; besides being intimate, it's also interactive. And, think about it, even if you pay nothing to see an artist in a "live venue", you still have the added costs of drinks and/or food. As I mentioned above, except in special circumstances, you bring your own to a house concert - no $5 beers, $10 hamburgers, or bartender/waitress tips to budget for. Face it, a "free" concert can easily cost you upwards of $30-$40 (more if you've paid a festival fee or convention registration). So, paying $15-$20 for a house concert is often a bargain. Performers also seem to love the concept. And why not? One of the main "rules" of a good house concert is that the audience be respectful - of the artist performing, as well as everyone around them. That doesn't mean the event has to be church quiet or that you have to hang a "no fun" sign, just that everyone who comes should be prepared to LISTEN. So, you've got a cozy, (usually) smoke-free environment, where the artist doesn't have to fight to be heard over the sound of people talking, plates banging, and glasses rattling. And, best of all, they're playing to a fully receptive audience, one that is there just to see them perform. That means they can play their own material, as opposed to all the covers they would have to have for a barroom set list. And, they can take the time to tell the stories behind the songs. A win-win, any way you look at it.  

Ready to host a house concert but not sure how to get started? It helps to have a receptive audience you know you can draw from...a Parrot Head Club or a group of Trop Rock fans in your area. To make a house concert work, you're going to need at least 20-30 people. Then, find a venue; some one's home or suitable substitute, like the ATRA's clubhouse. Next, reach out to one of your favorite Trop Rock artists. All have websites and/or Facebook pages. In addition, there are several top notch artist management companies - like Deb Grisham Entertainment in Nashville (debgrishamentertainment.com) and Gates Music Management in Tampa (gatesmusicmanagement.com) - that will be happy to help. Find a date that works, email all your friends, then sit back and enjoy a truly unique musical experience. For more tips and info, you can always contact us at the Atlanta Trop Rock Alliance. Find us on Facebook at AtlantaTRA@groups.facebook.com or email us at atlantatra@yahoo.com. Good luck!