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Herbal Medicine
An interview with Uva Ursi
By Eddie Fleisher |
Somewhere between indie
rock and roots music, Cleveland’s Uva Ursi have found a comfortable niche
for themselves. While the strong, confident vocals of singer/guitarist
Avril McInally will likely get your attention at first, the tasteful melodic
playing of bandmates Tim Gilbride (guitar), Joe Milan (bass) and Rich Ellis
(drums) is just as impressive. Wisely, all this talent has been mustered in
the service of finely crafted songs. The result is a sound that is
accessible without pandering to the commercial.
Utter Trash: What is the
name Uva Ursi all about?
Tim Gilbride: I used to work in a food co-op and Uva
Ursi was one of the herbs we carried. I picked it purely for the sound of
the words the slight alliteration and because I thought it would be
meaningless to most people.
Joe Milan: It's all about Baerentraubenblatter.
UT: What's your opinion
on the Cleveland music scene?
Rich Ellis: From my limited exposure, there's
definitely some talented folks, but Cleveland doesn't seem to care.
Joe Milan: Cleveland is a good place to exercise your
obscurity.
TG: As ever, it's a microcosm of the larger music
scene. There's always a lot of shit to wade through, but there's also
always something interesting and original happening, though you might have
to dig for it.
UT: If you had the
choice: Mega millions of dollars for a couple of years of stardom, or less
money, but a cult following?
Avril McInally: Cults = Scary $$$$$ = Good.
JM: Cultdom could mean perpetual travel throughout
uber hip European Bohemia well into our 60s. We better get started.
RE: Stardom seems pretty hollow. Aren't librarians
technically a cult?
TG: Oh, $500 a week and a cult following - I could
live on that!
UT: What are your
influences?
TG: Neil Young, Velvet Underground, Television, Pell
Mell, John Fahey; Christopher Alexander's book "A Patterm Language" and
George Martin's book "All You Need is Ears".
JM: Andy Rourke of the Smiths is one of my models. I
try to form counter-melody, and use all my fingers. It's annoying. Then
there's the admirable things Jeff Curtis (former UU bassist) did that I try
to re-create, such as on "The Gales." You should know that my opinion of the
Velvet Underground is going to get me kicked out.
AM: Dionne Warwick and watching Jimmy Scott perform.
Old Britrock stuff like The Buzzcocks, The Fall, Tubeway Army and Gang of
Four. Lyric tongue-in-cheek stuff like Jonathan Richman, Magnetic Fields,
and the Sparks. From Cleveland: Chuckie Ellis of the Y O Y O's and Modern
Art Studio. Good lit!
RE: Musical - Beatles, Stones, Zep, The Clash,
Literary - Phillip K. Dick, William Burroughs, Charles Bukowski, Spiritual -
Johnny Cash, Lenny Bruce, Herman Munster.
UT: What's your
favorite place to play in Cleveland?
AM/TG: Patty's in the Flattys.
RE: I'm not so picky. Any place with a decent PA and
cold beer suits me fine.
UT: Hot Dog or Hambuger?
AM: A nice greasy cheeseburger with mushrooms and
onions from Stevenson's on Lakeshore B'lvd. in Euclid.
TG: I'm a vegetarian most days of the week, and
indulge in chicken and fish occasionally, though I eat neither in
cylindrical or disc form.
RE: Hamburgers from Swensons and Oscar Mayer
Bun-Length wieners burnt to perfection on the grill.
JM: I think that's really asking how fine you want
your waste products ground. Hamburgers from a reputable source, though
Johnny's Hot Dogs at the West Side Market can hit the spot.
UT: Being from Cleveland,
where metal and punk are the norm, how have you been perceived with your
more pop sound? Not that you're Britney Spears, but you get the idea.
RE: Being a drummer from Cleveland, I have enjoyed
playing a lot of different styles of music, but always with an interesting
melody, a good hook and a feel. Perception is out of my control.
UT: Why should people
listen to Uva Ursi?
AM: Our music will make you faster, more powerful,
smarter, richer and more good looking.
RE: I never was much of a salesman, but I think there
is a certain breadth to our songs that is worth investigating.
TG: We've got hooks galore, well-crafted songs, we
sound familiar without sounding derivative of anyone in particular, Avril's
poetic lyrics and her sweet voice.
JM: I'm seeing Robert Mitchum's fist in "Night of the
Hunter." Which one, I'm not sure.
UT: What is on the
horizon for you guys? New record? Shows, etc?
JM: We're gonna record, play, tell jokes. Avril's
going to trip over some equipment.
TG: We just laid down basic tracks for our next CD
with Mike McDonald and Rich Ellis, our drummer.
UT: Is the internet a
good thing for getting your band heard? What's your take on the whole
downloading music deal?
RE: I haven't participated, but anything that scares
the shit out of the record industry has got something going for it.
UT: What are you
listening to lately?
TG: New unreleased My Dad is Dead record (excellent),
unreleased Wombats record (brilliant), unreleased Pale Blue Sky recordings
(hey - less drums, more GUITAR!)
AM: Flamin' Groovies ‘Shake Some Action’, Chuck Berry,
Dream Syndicate's ‘Days of Wine and Roses’, Liz Phair's ‘Exile in Guyville’...stuff
with cool singing and good guitar playing.
JM: Belle and Sebastian, but I'm not sure I like it.
RE: Whatever's on the juke at Mitzi's.
UT: Lastly, which member
of the band is most likely to become the rock star?
JM: Well, we talk about that a lot, but Avril seems
particularly obsessed.
AM: Joe, because he's already crossed over into
acting! He's also the best dancer - HANDS DOWN - in a local original band.
TG: Avril, because she'd be the last to think so!
RE: You haven't seen Avril's velvet jacket?
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