Macabre Melodies
The Macabre Melodies of The Pine Box Boys
Although bluegrass is not exactly my first love, I am no stranger to
it. As a teenager, I once sat on the stage with the great Lester Flatt
and Earl Scruggs, mainly to avoid the ire of some unruly patrons at a
bluegrass festival. My life temporarily spared, I was soon dazzled by
their amazing picking. Years later I found myself mixing the likes of
Washington, D.C.'s famed Seldom Scene, the wonderful Del McCoury band,
and Pete Seeger among others.
So it
should come as no surprise that I have found yet another wonderful
band to enjoy. The purveyors of "Uncut Southern
Horrorbilly", The Pine Box Boys are San Francisco's latest
addition to the bluegrass tradition, albeit a hilariously macabre one.
Led by Lester T. Raww, the Pine Box Boys are one funny, stompin' good
time!
The
Pine Box Boys are rounded out by Alex "Possum" Carvidi on
banjo, vocals; Col. Timothy Leather on bass; and S. "Your Uncle"
Dodds on drums and washboard. Lester told me last weekend, that the
boys are preparing for an east coast tour and some shows in
Europe.
My
first introduction to the "Boys" was at the CD release party
for their latest recording, "Arkansas Killing Time", at Thee
Parkside in Potrero. Packed to capacity, their show was a lively and
raucous affair, complete with a "woman in a coffin", made
out of a giant quesadilla!
"Arkansas Killing Time" (Trash Fish
Entertainment Corp.), is a sort-of musical rogue's gallery celebrating
these killers and their acts. Although the songs have clearly been
"dragged, like a bloody sack, through some very tall
bluegrass", they are unmistakably original. At once repellent and
enticing, some of the horrors are titled, "Just A Crush,"
"I Had To Cut Her," and "Beauty In Her
Face".
The
Pine Box Boys are a truly great bluegrass band with a murderous twist
of black humor and down home fun. As Mr. Preston always says,
"Don't miss this!"... And please, don't let Granny drive her
'56 Chevy on the mountain!
E. "Doc" Smith is a musician and recording engineer who has
worked with the likes of Brian Eno, Madonna, Warren Zevon, Mickey
Hart, Jimmy Cliff, and John Mayall among others. He is also the
inventor of the musical instrument, the Drummstick. He can be reached
at drummstick@earthlink.net