A. Che Why

originally published December 19, 2007

It's easy enough to describe Athens and its music scene in terms of stasis: low expectations, consistent number of bands, those who leave being replaced by those who arrive. But there's also continual growth and experimentation. You'd think that Bob Hay, having been in The Squalls and Athens, Ga.: Inside/Out, would rest on his laurels, but then he went and started Bob Hay & the Jolly Beggars to play Robert Burns songs, and he formed The Squallz to do quieter versions of the old Squalls songs, and the Noogeez to do very similar things but with drums and altered arrangements, and Supercluster, with his wife, Vanessa Briscoe Hay of Pylon, and a lot of younger folks. You'd think that this would be enough.

But there's also A. Che Why, Bob's solo project, which he describes on MySpace as "Pop/Disco House/Other" and is pretty much exactly that, only pared down to the molecular origins of those genres. Is there singing? Sort of. Bob says, "My working definition of a 'song' for this project is a beat with some sounds thrown in, topped with some words." Could you do that in your own living room if you had a sequencer and some spare time? The answer to that question is another question, which is "What, exactly, is wrong with that?"

There is a joy in screwing around musically with no expectations, and one of the things that's particularly impressive about Bob is how willing he still is to do that.

Flagpole

How many bands is too many bands to be in? Also, techmologie: what are its costs and benefits? Yea or nay?

Bob Hay

I don't know what would be too many, but I know how many are enough. The thing about bands is that sometimes scheduling practices and gigs is a real difficulty. That's one reason I got started with A. Che Why.

When I feel like playing music I just turn on the sequencer and just start messing around and maybe play along on guitar. It's not the same as playing with a band, but so what? There's room for lots of different approaches to music.

I guess this ties in with the question about "techmologie." People versus machines. I am a little apprehensive about the future. Things have changed so much in the last 25 years. It's hard to grasp what it all means. But in one way, it's a dream come true. Twenty-five years ago, you could record songs on a cassette deck, and you had one cassette. Now not only are low-budget recording tools incredibly more capable, but you've got immediate world-wide distribution, potentially.

Flagpole

Is this just an excuse to hang out at Go Bar more than you already do?

Bob Hay

Yeah, probably so.

Flagpole

What do you want for Galaxy Day [which was Dec. 18 and is the subject of one of A. Che Why's songs]?

Bob Hay

Yeah, just what we need - another late-December holiday.

Flagpole

If A. Che Why were a beverage, what beverage would it be?

Bob Hay

Café Bustelo with milk and a shot of scotch.

Hillary Brown

Spotlight is a regular feature looking at newer or emerging local acts.