Dec. 24, 2008 - Issue #688: Les Tabernacles!

The Wheat Pool

The Wheat Pool’s Robb Angus may not remember where the band played New Year’s Eve last year, but he sure feels it’s a privilege to be ringing in January 1 at the Black Dog this year.

“It’s one of those things that is kind of a notch in your belt,” Angus says. “I can remember, going back six or seven years, seeing Old Reliable playing New Year’s at the Black Dog, and that’s still a memorable show to me, so to be able to step in and play a show there for New Year’s—we’re pretty glad and pretty humbled to be asked.”

 

It isn’t such a stretch, though. The local band’s juicy, country-fried rock and down-home lyrics call out to re-unite friends, new and old. The words —penned by both Angus and his older brother Mike—wind down longing roads and around wistful hearts. 

 

“I don’t know if there was ever a moment where I decided [that storytelling with lyrics is important], but I can tell you  I’m a really big Bruce Springsteen fan and I’m a really big Steve Earle fan,” Angus says, “and those guys are storytellers for certain. I guess it’s one of those things when the people you look up to and the people that you feel have mentored you as a songwriter, writing that way is kind of a natural progression.” 

 

Of course, Angus can’t put himself on par with these mentors—which include his brother—quite yet, but he is taking some very conscious steps to improve his own songwriting for the band’s sophomore album.

 

“One of the first things I tried doing when I made the decision to take that first step is to try making a conscious effort to stop using the word ‘I’ or ‘me’ in songs. I wanted to be able to write about things outside of myself, outside of my experiences,” Angus says. “I can’t see how I could even last as a songwriter if I just relied on things that happened to me and that kind of stuff. I think it’s necessary if you want to have any kind of longevity, to be able to create in that aspect.” V

 


Wed, Jan 31 (10 pm)

The Wheat Pool

Black Dog, $10

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