Feature • Deal's Gone
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---------------- Feature • Kenny Taylor --------------- KT Goes Surfing By Michele DeVinney Anyone familiar with Kenny Tay- lor knows that he always has plenty to do and something new to offer to Fort Wayne music fans. A veteran of the local music scene and known for his involvement with everything from Blue Moon Boys to Deuce, Taylor continues to have a lot of projects which allow him to share his love of guitar music and his eclectic taste for -------------- Feature • Deal’s Gone Bad ------------- and encyclopedic knowledge of musi- cal genres not always tackled by other musicians. One of his more inventive endeav- ors is the Tikiongas, an instrumental surf music combo which is turning some iconic songs into tiki classics. One Big Bashment Much as Todd Rundgren did more than a decade ago with his CD With a By Mark Hunter sort of time traveler. Yet he’s got a style all Twist, a remarkable reworking of his his own. So does the band. own catalog to make it tiki bar suit- Deal’s Gone Bad have learned how to Corcoran had been listening to Fishbone able, Taylor is finding a unique way make things go right. With their eighth stu- and other bands from the California skate- to express some very familiar songs in dio recording set for an early fall release, an boarding scene, and when he started digging unfamiliar ways. incredibly tight and energetic lineup and a into the music those bands played, he dis- “I wish we had a Polynesian tiki growing fan base, the ska/reggae/rocksteady covered the music coming out of Jamaica in bar here,” says Taylor. “I really love revival pioneers from Chicago are gearing the 50s and 60s. “At that point I just fell in the records of Martin Denny who was up for a major tour next spring. Since 2007’s love with that music,” he said. an American jazz musician. He had a The Ramblers, Deal’s Gone Bad have honed Deal’s Gone Bad first formed in 1994 record called Quiet Village and about their sound and style, adding country and when the so-called third wave ska revival seven other albums that had these exotica would love to do a whole night of Dick Dale rock flavors to their solid Jamaican-inspired was nearing its peak in the United States. covers, and he’d have these jungle noises in songs.” chops. The band played so infrequently, however, the background. His drummer did bird calls, The Tikiongas had their origins several Deal’s Gone Bad return to the Botanical that Corcoran pegs the beginnings of DGB and it was all of this great surf music. I grew years ago when Taylor first started formulat- Roots Outdoor Concert Series Friday, Au- around 1997, when they began playing more up hearing surf music on television, and ing his plan to pay homage to surf music, but gust 30. Unlikely Alibi open. around Chicago. Their first major release some of the Elvis movies had a surf sound, it took him awhile to get the project off the Topping a re- Large and in Charge and I really thought it was cool.” ground. cord as nearly per- DEAL’S GONE BAD came out that year. Finding old records at places like the “I first started the Tikiongas six or seven fect as The Ramblers Constant changes Salvation Army, Taylor found yet another years ago, but it just fizzled out after three is no small or easy w/UNLIKELY ALIBI to the lineup, how- way to make his guitar talk. With the Tiki- months or so. But I never completely let go task, but, according Friday, August 30 • 8:30 p.m. ever, prevented the ongas he’s merged everything from alterna- of it and just decided a year or so ago that I to drummer Mike Foellinger-Freimann Botanical band from refin- tive rock to pop classics to put a surf spin just needed to do this.” Corcoran, the chal- ing and defining its on well-known songs. A video for “Surfs One of the obstacles Taylor faces is lenge has been good. Conservatory sound. More than Like Teen Spirit” can be found on YouTube, time, the enemy to anyone who has too Corcoran, one of 1100 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne just a band that sim- a conceptual video Taylor speaks of with many great ideas and not enough hours to two original mem- Tix: $6 (12 and under free) ply mimicked the pride. accomplish them all. His full-time job since bers (guitarist Dave sounds of Jamai- “I really think that’s a fun video. It usu- May has been as guitarist for Fort Wayne Simon is the other) 260-427-6440 can musicians like ally takes a gestation period of six or seven legends Spike & the Bulldogs, which Taylor has lived and played www.botanicalconservatory.org Prince Buster, The weeks to get it all right, but after playing it says has allowed him to further expand his through the lineup Skatalites and The for awhile we finally got that song to sound abilities. changes and thinks the new record finds Wailers, Deal’s Gone Bad were always striv- right. We also do ‘Surfin’ with the Devil,’ “It’s a real honor to play with those guys Deal’s Gone Bad in even better form. ing for their own style. When Hembrook which is from ‘Runnin’ with the Devil,’ and and to play music from the 50s and 60s. I’ve “After The Ramblers we became a tight- joined, they were one heavy step closer to ‘Sultans of Layla,’ which is ‘Layla,’ but the played 50s music before but not much doo- er band,” Corcoran said. “We did a world finding it. middle guitar section becomes ‘Sultans of wop, which requires forceful singing while tour to support that record, and all the play- “Over the years our biggest changes Swing.’” playing the guitar. It’s a real learning oppor- ing – we did like 180, 200 shows that year – came from lead singer to lead singer,” Cor- Helping him accomplish this surf reviv- tunity for me. I’m just a cog in the machine, really got us together as a band. We became coran said. “What we really wanted to do al are drummer Jamie Simon and bass player and I have to learn my parts, which requires a live band. The new record shows it. It’s from the start was Jamaican soul. The Ja- Andy Pauquette, and Taylor says they’re al- me to be more disciplined.” going to be really fun to listen to.” maican musicians we admired were all lis- ways looking for more songs to remake in He also plays a couple times a year with That’s a no-brainer. Deal’s Gone Bad tening to American music. Obviously they their surf glory. El’s Angels, an Elvis tribute band, along are always fun to listen to. The rhythms are had their own culture of music, and that was “We just worked out an arrangement with various solo shows and the Farmland tight, the tunes yank you out of your seat influenced by R&B. What we wanted to do for Madonna’s ‘Material Girl,’ and we have Jazz Band. and, with Todd Hembrook on the vocals, the was add our influences of Chicago blues and people come up to us a lot and suggest other “The jazz band isn’t my band; it’s the sound transforms you. Hembrook, who for funk. The last record we really got the clos- songs that would be really great as a surf band of Ed and John Renz. I’m the old guy years fronted Fort Wayne ska favorites Ska- est to that.” song.” in the band, which is cool, and I get to play vossas and Heavy Step, started singing with Along with Corcoran, Simon and Hem- Another inspiration for Taylor’s love of the banjo in a Dixieland style. I’ve had this Deal’s Gone Bad after moving to Chicago in brook, the band includes Mike “Spider” surf music is Dick Dale, a guitarist that Tay- banjo around for years just waiting for a the early 2000s. Hembrook’s voice is remi- Hobson on bass, Aaron Hammes on sax and lor is especially quick to praise. chance to play that kind of music.” niscent of the singers who defined the Stax vocals, Pedro Hernandez on trombone and “I hear songs all the time and think, Records sound. And he’s got just enough ‘This would be a great song for Dick Dale.’ I Continued on page 7 Motown in him to make you think he’s some Continued on page 26 6 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.whatzup.com -------------------------------------------------------------August 22, 2013 The Butler Did It -------------------- Feature • Acme Bar & Grill ------------------ Tops at the Box: Whoa. How did this hap- pen? Can we only assume ScreenTime A Fort Wayne Favorite that this is the Oprah Ef- fect? Somehow Lee Dan- GREG W. LOCKE The Acme Bar is one of those Fort Wayne land- iels’ The Butler took the marks that still embodies the charm of the local wa- No. 1 spot at last weekend’s U.S. box office, selling a stellar $25 mil- tering hole while being a family-friendly restaurant. Brew Review lion in tickets over a very competitive weekend. I’m not saying the film After its brief closing in 2009, it underwent some HEATHER OSBUN SMITH shouldn’t sell big – I hear it’s great and the cast is certainly solid – but updating; without losing any of its appeal, it quickly how did it slaughter both Kick-Ass 2 and Jobs, not to mention We’re reclaimed its “local favorite” status.