Gaylord

Not as Popular as Beethoven

originally published July 16, 2008

Between the lines of flamboyant heavy metal, funky prog-rock and jazz fusion, there are bands that intentionally defy categorization. Even discussing categorization, as such, is an on-the-surface offense to many folks. Thing is, though, that an overwhelming amount of people need some frame of reference before they’ll engage another person’s art. Insofar as this can prove problematic for artists in general, we can surmise that it's particularly problematic for Rochester, NY/ Atlanta, GA band Gaylord.

Currently playing behind its 2007 release Resplendent Locution, the band will make its first ever visit to Athens this week. Composed of members Jeff Steverson (bass, keyboards and vocals), Andrew Verstraete (drums and vocals) and Core Atoms (guitars, keyboards and vocals), the band has an undeniably active sense of humor but encourages audiences to be just as broad-minded musically. When asked if the band's varying styles and upfront humor ever impedes being taken seriously as a rock and roll band, Atoms says, "I think a band named Gaylord probably gets accused of many things, but that always changes once people hear us. The three of us have a certain sarcasm and humor which has allowed us to have a lot of fun while still keeping our musical integrity. I think if anyone pays attention to our lyrics they’ll get serious politics, as well as our sense of humor." As to the band's musical menu, Atoms says, “We are all quite eclectic. We all share a love of everything from metal to classical to funk and bluegrass. My all time favorite musician is Stevie Wonder. I think of artists that defied labels, like Stevie, Frank Zappa or Joni Mitchell, they just played what they felt and wanted to hear. When there’s so much to say, why limit your vocabulary?”

Indeed, Gaylord does not heed any limits. It’s really not a terribly long stretch, though, to understand why the band has managed to gain such an intense underground following. Considering that nearly every band out there these days is intensely utilizing the Internet as a marketing forum, the members of Gaylord seem to employ the technology only as much as they absolutely must. The band's response to an inquiry about its seemingly intentional low-profile reveals that it’s all really about keeping control.

“I like to think we are more ‘indie’ than most ‘indie’ groups. In the early days, we wanted to keep our artistic control so we did everything ourselves,” says Atoms. “D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) is a lot of work, and increasingly we have been seeking some support. Unfortunately, I think as a whole the music industry, promoters, major and so-called ‘indie’ labels would rather polish a rock than dig for a gem, but we’ll see.”

Some advance buzz about the band here in Athens has centered around the fact that Gaylord’s original drummer was Mastodon member Brann Dailor. While this is true, and the band is still friends with Dailor, it’d be a misstep to assume Gaylord was anything musically close to Mastodon. But the association did play a large part in the band's relocation from Rochester, NY to Atlanta. Atoms says, “We were planning on moving to a warmer climate for a while, and our good friends Brann Dailor and [Mastodon member] Bill Kelliher urged us to consider Atlanta. Warm climate and a strong connection to Martin Luther King, Jr., whom Gaylord has celebrated many times in song as well as birthday shows, seemed like a good alternative to another prolonged winter in Upstate New York.”

For many audiences the jury is still out on whether humor and a mixed musical palette translate directly to a good time, but the guys in Gaylord have made a solid go of it. Addressing the point directly Steverson says, “The third movement of a typical four movement symphony from the Romantic Era was frequently called the ‘scherzo.’ This directly translates as ‘joke.’ It is not uncommon for the most serious musicians and composers to utilize musical jokes within their compositions. Jazz composers and players do this all the time. Even Beethoven has an immense humor in a lot of his compositions. So, while we may have many such musical jokes in our music, and although we have the best senses of humor on the entire face of the planet ourselves, we are a very serious band. We’re just not as popular as Beethoven or that zany jazz craze.”

Gordon Lamb

WHO: Gaylord, Black Tusk, The Dumps
WHERE: The Caledonia Lounge
WHEN: Friday, July 18
HOW MUCH: $6 (21+), $7 (18+)