#todd beene

[nofatclips]

Mind Eraser by Nicole Atkins from the album Italian Ice - Video by Big Howl

[elawgrrl]

Ben Nichols @ FEST 13 * 11.1.14, a set on Flickr.

Via Flickr: Ben Nichols & Todd Beene play FEST 13, Gainesville, FL, November 1, 2014. Note: Please share, download and use these photos for non-commercial purposes but be sure to abide by the creative commons license by crediting the photos to Nicole Kibert / www.elawgrrl.com and if using online, add a link back to this page or to www.elawgrrl.com. This license does not permit commercial use. Thanks.

[dearbennichols]

Submitted by Simon Bray: Todd & Brian, Thanksgiving 2012 at the TW Forum in the UK. Picture by Carolyn Gray.

[gutfeelingszines]

Food. Music. Art.

We’re looking for artists to illustrate recipes by musicians for our zine. Recipes by Frank Turner, Jamie N Commons, Todd Beene of Lucero, Rob Crowe of Pinback, Mick Gallagher of The Blockheads, Dave Catching of Eagles of Death Metal, and Danny McGough of Social Distortion.

Email [email protected] if you're interested.

[michellepostshere]

Glossary perform Joey Kneiser's "Bruised Ribs"

Maybe I'm just a fool being foolish.

Maybe I give up.

[rosiecam-blog-blog]

This is the most magical version of "Bruised Ribs". Goddamn it's good!!

[fuckyeahbennichols-blog]

[dearbennichols]

Going to a Glossary Show

I'm going to go ahead and quote Ben Nichols here: Glossary is the best band in America. 

If you don't know who Glossary is, you should. They started up around the same time as Lucero, and if you've seen Lucero in the last few years and noticed that bearded guy in the Alabama hoodie sitting down in front of a pedal steel then you know Todd Beene. He's been a member of Glossary far before he joined Lucero, playing guitar, steel, and even singing for the band from Murfreesboro. The two bands have toured together for years, one of Glossary's records came out on Lucero's 'Liberty & Lament' record label, and Ben plays Joey Kneiser cover "Bruised Ribs" all the time. It's safe to say these two bands are intertwined. 

It's not always easy to find the similarity in the lyrical or musical content. Sure, there's "Bruised Ribs" and rock and roll anthems like "Save Your Money for the Weekend" and "When We Were Wicked", but Joey writes about drinking less than he mentions graveyards. He mentions graveyards a lot. Seething under the surface in his music is the knowledge of man's mortality. If you haven't listened to Glossary, you need to understand that this is not a 'negative' or 'dark' thing. Joey Kneiser has come to terms with death. He's not trying to fight it, and it's part of his music. Glossary isn't a band united by death, it's a band united by a love of life...it just happens to be his opinion that you can't really have one without the other. 

If you haven't listened to "Long Live All of Us", their most recent effort, you need to. Go do that, immediately. Groove along with the band, enjoy how fun the music is, get sucked in to the soft voices of both Kneisers. Listen to the album all the way through without trying too hard to figure out what he's saying. Chances are your body understands it better than you do already. 

That kind of emotion and energy is exactly what Glossary brings to their concerts. They play with the utmost sincerity, and no one more than Kneiser himself. Before I went to the show I was wondering if he was a writer in any other medium, thinking that his worldview and way with words would make him an excellent novelist. Finally getting to watch him perform live, it was clear that music is the best way for Joey Kneiser to tell a story. He puts everything into ir, riding the song's highs and lows the same way that the crowd does. Eric Giles and Bingham Barnes, their drummer and bassist respectively, are so into what they're playing that they seem to be in a different place than everyone else, keeping the heartbeat of the band thumping. Kelly Kneiser's voice is ethereally beautiful, and Glossary's songs just wouldn't be the same without her tambourines or maracas. 

Then, of course, we have Todd Beene. Some of you may not know this, but Todd was in Glossary for years before he ended up joining Lucero. He usally co-pens and sings a song or two per album with Joey, and if you're a Lucero fan who hasn't heard his stuff you're really doing yourself a disservice. It's fun to see Todd get to stand up, stretch his legs, and play a solo on a six-string guitar from time to time. He plays like that kid who's spent years practicing his instruments, and I bet it's because he has. His steel on Lucero songs is always fun and usually beautiful, but in my opinion he really shines in Glossary. Check out "Bend with the Breeze" and revel in Beene's musicianship. 

It's hard for me to describe seeing Glossary perform. Everyone believes in what they're playing and singing. Every person on that stage is enjoying themselves and having fun with each other. I saw them in a crowded restaurant, playing through folks eating their dinner, and everyone was pulled in. You can't help but be. The tightness of the music took me by surprise- there were solos and breakdowns I knew were coming but still hit me square in the chest. Check out their website for their tour dates and some music downloads. Even if you don't think you like their music, head out to a show. I guarantee this is one band that will win you over. After all, this is the favorite band of all your favorite bands.