Thanks to a friend, I recently discovered the music of Michael Hurley. To say I am late to the game is an understatement. Hurley has a prodigious career that spans more than 56 years and is highly prolific with over 21 albums released and three more in the works. At age 79 he is still going strong and will be playing three sold out shows at Union Pool this January 15, 16, and 17.
Hurley grew up in a musical household in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. About his childhood he says, “Music was always around me. My parents sang, and I was unconsciously learning the songs they sang. They bought jazz and pop records. My sisters sang songs together in harmony. But I didn’t really start to play an instrument until I was about 15. I started playing a mandolin, which was built by my uncle. He also gave us guitar, banjo, and autoharp.”
Hurley remembers New York City looming large in the background. He got to Greenwich Village in the early 60’s and began auditioning in coffee houses to no avail. “I’d occasionally go into NYC to audition at some of the coffee houses like the Fat Black Pussycat and the Cafe Wha?, but I never got a gig. In recent years I’ve played the Living Room, but now it’s all about Brooklyn.”
However, he eventually landed a deal with Folkways releasing his debut First Songs in 1964. The record is a classic from the Greenwich Village folk cannon, both of and ahead of its time, clearly influenced by Woody Guthrie and Hank Williams, yet innovative for unusual vocal techniques, such as “lip trombone” and horror themed songs like “Werewolf”, a character of interest that pops up throughout his work.
About that first record and song Hurley says, “I liked playing guitar and singing so much, it seemed like I had to start making stuff up new material. I enjoyed commenting on things that interested me, things that I thought were funny or cool. I was just inspired by old horror movies. It’s no deeper than that.”
During the 1960’s and 70’s Hurley worked with Jeffery Frederick & The Clamtones and Peter Stampfel of the Holy Modal Rounders, best known for “Bird Song” on the Easy Rider soundtrack. Stampfel’s wacky vocals playfully contrast with Hurley’s steadier, mellow approach, most notably on their classic country fried album Have Moicy, named “the greatest folk album of the rock era” by The Village Voice’s Robert Christgau.
When asked which of his many records he likes best, Hurley states, “Parsnip Snips: I made it mostly on a Wollensak home recorder. It’s kind of lo-fi, but I like the tunes that were selected. I sorted through the tapes from about ‘65-71, put it together, and it came out on a German label. There’s one song called “Light Green Fellow.” I was living in Philadelphia, just flipped on the recorder, and started singing without knowing what I was gonna do. I sang it all the way through, and the recording on Parsnip Snips is me just making it up as I go along, and that’s the way I sing it today. It’s an interesting sample of an original tune being recorded. If I hadn’t done it that way, I would’ve forgotten it for sure. It’s still one of the most requested songs.”
Other songs require more effort. Hurley says, “Another song I have took about six years to put together. Other times it can be a phrase that comes to me, like the song “Extra Love.” Someone gave that to me, and I thought, ‘that’s a good song title.’ A lot of songs go like that, off of the titles or something someone would say.”
Today Hurley thinks of his music as “…spontaneous; I like it to be naturally occurring with constant improvising, even if I’ve sung it hundreds of times. Perfect music gets to be completely boring. I like music to careen a little bit, step in a few pot holes here and there. As long as you keep the beat. Or you can drop the beat and pick it up in a way that isn’t too obnoxious.”
And when choosing material for an album, he states, “I try to see if the listener can be pulled right through the song. There should be a thread. Imagine the listener being pulled by its nose. I’m always listening to see if it has that continuity. But if everything’s so perfect, you know what happens next, so it’s boring.”
Consistent throughout Hurley’s work is a homespun quality that gives his music authenticity and warmth. But there’s more to Michael Hurley than just music. He’s an accomplished painter and has designed the majority of his album covers, working mainly in watercolor, as well as painting instruments and cases in acrylic.
“I’m not touring so much, so I’m enjoying painting a lot and am producing more. Lately, I’ve been painting instruments. I’ve done guitars, banjos, fiddles, and a standup bass case once. I painted my own fiddle case so it’d be obvious if someone was trying to steal it. Someone saw that and wanted me to paint their fiddle case, so that’s how that got started. Painting cases for identity purposes,” Hurley says. “I’ve also designed a cartoon for a beer can that has thought balloons recently for Fort George Brewery in Astoria, Oregon.”
Ever productive, Hurley has three new albums in the works with Mississippi Records in Portland, Oregon, and Feeding Tube Records from Massachusetts. He says, “I’m working on a new album, for which I’ve been collecting songs for about 2-3 years, and it’s coming to the finishing point, and Sweet Corn, which will be released on Mississippi. Then Feeding Tube will put out Blue Navigator, which was initially stunted when the studio burned with the master tapes. So, I’ve got three albums coming out. I’m also working on a release for a label from Glasgow, Scotland, also possibly coming out this year.”
Though he’s played all around the world and even released an album recorded live in Slovenia, these days Hurley mainly plays English speaking countries, including the USA, the UK, Ireland, and Canada. About his fans he says, “I call them ZZC: zig-zagging citizens; meaning at first they’ll go one way and then another. I wouldn’t trade my fans for anybody else’s group.”
Recently inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, Brooklyn is lucky to have a living legend live at Union Pool this week. All shows are sold out, so those interested might have to catch him next time, but for now, fans can check out his music and art at: www.snockonews.net
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