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photo by Zak Casaar
Sometimes I wish that random, scattered moments of my life, good and bad, blissful and exquisitely painful, was recorded on wobbly 8mm film that would never decay so I could reflect on all of it on a Bell and Howell projector from my youth. Life is full of regret, reinvention and ultimate acceptance, if you're lucky. This imagery and the grandness of life, flooded my brain as I listen to the amazingly endearing, nostalgic "Bill Viola" by singer-songwriter, musician, producer, shape-shifter Mike Viola.
Mike conjures up a sonic film strip against a framework of music that creates tension, pushes emotional buttons. The incredible guitar shapes pushed along by gentle dissonance sounds so artful within the context of this genre hybrid with dramatic build ups and striking down beats. It feels as art rockian as it does late 70's vox populi radio rock. The layers of guitar, sonically, compositionally so rich, so fucking artful. After many listens, I find the song totally cinematic. I wish it was a movie. It would be a fantasy, a surreal drama / comedy about a man reflecting on his time here on earth and meeting versions of himself.
Press notey stuff reveal the context of "Bill Viola":
[Another song about the construct of self seen through the lens of a handheld VHS. Mike Viola changes to Bill Viola changes to Frank Viola at Fenway Park watching a ball fly over the Green Monster, a home run. A song about ambition, swinging for the fences, shape shifting, the past stays alive in images in songs, movements in cameras, ever changing. “Scotch n’ Sounds was a club in a bowling alley on the outskirts of Boston. While writing this song I visualized myself as a teenager in the 80’s playing there, a kid brain packed with the know-how of older Mike now. If I only knew now what I didn’t know then fantasy.”]
Bits and pieces of those wonderful lyrics stand out in my brain like:
"Pulled up to Scotch N' Sounds, there was fresh snow on the ground
Our sneakers got wet
Kim lugged a huge cam-corder to capture our performance on fresh VHS
When we saw ourselves on TV, I didn't look a thing like me"
Kim lugged a huge cam-corder to capture our performance on fresh VHS
When we saw ourselves on TV, I didn't look a thing like me"
And, of course, the soaring (mind blowing chorus):
"Frank Viola, cherry cola, swinging for the fence
Swinging for the fence"
Swinging for the fence"
Against dramatic rock orchestrations, Mike appears to be looking in a translucent mirror. These magical glass sheets coated with silver in some way are time machines because if you look hard enough at your own reflection you will be sucked into your past and self reflection can lead to self actualization and ultimately a happy death.
Mike Viola's new upcoming album, "Paul McCarthy", will be released in this year (2023) on Good Morning Monkey/Grand Phony in the US, Lojinx in Europe and SONY Japan.
Paul McCarthy was recorded over the summer of 2022 on 1/2” tape at “Barebones” Viola’s home studio in Los Angeles. Joined by his friends Jake Sinclair on bass and Brendon Urie on drums. Viola says, “I set out to make a sonic monster using the legs of James Gang Rides Again, the heart of Black Sabbath Paranoid, with my kid brain inside my greying middle aged head on top. I’ve hit a point in my life where instinct has taken the reigns fully, logic now waits in the wings to sweep up the stage and pay the taxi fare home. This album is the result of committing to this path fully and laughing all the way".
Paul McCarthy was recorded over the summer of 2022 on 1/2” tape at “Barebones” Viola’s home studio in Los Angeles. Joined by his friends Jake Sinclair on bass and Brendon Urie on drums. Viola says, “I set out to make a sonic monster using the legs of James Gang Rides Again, the heart of Black Sabbath Paranoid, with my kid brain inside my greying middle aged head on top. I’ve hit a point in my life where instinct has taken the reigns fully, logic now waits in the wings to sweep up the stage and pay the taxi fare home. This album is the result of committing to this path fully and laughing all the way".
Swing away, Mike.
-Robb Donker Curtius
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://www.instagram.com/themikeviola/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr5EFsnti4oL_GP-sfiXCjg
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7027i6bTkbkTpEmIeEBIHy
Mike Viola is a producer, musician, songwriter and singer. Decades into his career, Viola is cranking out more music than ever including the fan favorites; The American Egypt from 2019 and Godmuffin from 2021. His music continues to resonate with and inspire new generations of musicians and music lovers.
Viola may be best known for his work with Panic! at the Disco, Andrew Bird, Ryan Adams,Jenny Lewis and Mandy Moore, but his solo career stands on its own starting with the acclaimed records as the leader of New York based cult favorite Candy Butchers and 7 critically adored Mike Viola records. His original music has been featured on soundtracks for movies such as That Thing You Do!, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Get Him to the Greek.
A new album, Paul McCarthy, will be released in 2023 on Good Morning Monkey/Grand Phony in the US, Lojinx in Europe and SONY Japan.
Paul McCarthy was recorded over the summer of 2022 on 1/2” tape at “Barebones” Viola’s home studio in Los Angeles. Joined by his friends Jake Sinclair on bass and Brendon Urie on drums. Viola says, “I set out to make a sonic monster using the legs of James Gang Rides Again, the heart of Black Sabbath Paranoid, with my kid brain inside my greying middle aged head on top. I’ve hit a point in my life where instinct has taken the reigns fully, logic now waits in the wings to sweep up the stage and pay the taxi fare home. This album is the result of committing to this path fully and laughing all the way.
A new album, Paul McCarthy, will be released in 2023 on Good Morning Monkey/Grand Phony in the US, Lojinx in Europe and SONY Japan.
Paul McCarthy was recorded over the summer of 2022 on 1/2” tape at “Barebones” Viola’s home studio in Los Angeles. Joined by his friends Jake Sinclair on bass and Brendon Urie on drums. Viola says, “I set out to make a sonic monster using the legs of James Gang Rides Again, the heart of Black Sabbath Paranoid, with my kid brain inside my greying middle aged head on top. I’ve hit a point in my life where instinct has taken the reigns fully, logic now waits in the wings to sweep up the stage and pay the taxi fare home. This album is the result of committing to this path fully and laughing all the way.
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