Page 22 - SPIRE Digital Version JAN-APR 2024 8th Issue
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My father was a player and I heard all the brother who had a vast record collection,
classic country, British invasion and early show Sharkey learned from the best and has a
tunes from him growing up. Tink calls me the natural grace as a player.
‘Human Jukebox’ because all these songs live in
my head and can make a surprise appearance In 2022 your album “A Very Unusual Head”
during a show, keeps everyone on their toes. was released to rave reviews! A
I still listen to the Beatles a lot, especially the monumental undertaking, recorded over a
out-takes. The best concert I’ve been to four year period in five recording studios
recently was The Lumineers at Bethel Woods, and two countries. To say it’s eclectic is an
they know how to build a very intimate yet understatement! The brilliance shines
bombastic show. Thought they were fantastic! through every track and leaves you wanting
more! May we have some more? Please tell
TINK: I had older sisters, so the radio was on all us what’s next in the recording studio.
the time in our house in Falls Church (the
counter-culture capital of Virginia). Esoteric JOZIAH: ”A Very Unusual Head” was a
classic rock was king on FM radio. mammoth project to pull off due to the times
I also grew up playing flute, which made my (Cootie Festival, etc, etc!). It had been so
tastes eclectic. To be honest, I had a kind of long since our last studio album we decided
classical music awakening in high school - to pull out all the stops and create a
Brahms really did it for me. One of my favorite cornucopia for our fans, (14 songs and no
singer-songwriters over the last few years is filler!). We are very proud of it.
Anais Mitchell, anything she does is just quirky
enough and beautiful enough, (as well as TINK: Joziah’s always writing. Lots of new
unpredictable) to keep me interested.
songs and a couple of musicals in the making.
Our guitar player, Sharkey McEwen, is from
L.A. by way of Louisiana. As a child he listened JOZIAH: We are itching to get the next
to his father play the ‘Great American album cooking. Most of the songs are
Songbook’ while he hung out under the piano. written. We are hitting the studio in January
But if you listen to his playing, you can’t help to do the bulk of recording. We’ll be ready to
but hear a definite Allman Brothers vibe play a few of the brand new ones at The
sneaking through - we owe that to his older Spire, let’s hope we remember the chords!
PHOTO: LEE HETHERINGTON
L-R: Tink Lloyd, Sharkey McEwen, Joziah Longo, Matthew Abourezk, Bob Torsello, RJ McCarty
