{image1}Looking at mild-mannered musician Jerry Bakkus, bespectacled and covered in clothing that helps him blend in with the crowd, no one would mistake him for a talented musician. But like the fabled comic-book character Clark Kent, beneath his composed exterior lies something more extraordinary.
Bakkus is the vocalist/guitarist of the aptly-titled trio of musicians Bakkus. Along with bassist Matt Miller and drummer Steve Fix, the trio has released the even more mystifying album "Seventy-one Six," 12 tracks that provide an outlet for Jerry's nervous energy that is laced in melody and sarcasm.
From the shadowy figures of the band on the cover to even the title, the album is power-pop rock fueled by some sort of private joke that the band members will let you in on, if you get to know them.
So, how did this league of mysterious gentlemen form to become Bakkus? Jerry recalls:
"Matt Miller and I both attended Carroll College and we met in jazz band sometime around 2000. At this time I was playing with a hard rock band based out of Madison/Milwaukee called Mindota. Things kind of fell through with that and Matt was interested in starting a project with me. Basically, I was tired of playing in bands that weren't playing out or were stylistically different from the artistic vision I had at that time."
Influenced and inspired by the likes of The Lemonheads, The Meat Puppets and Jeff Buckley, to name a few from the long list of musicians they admire, Jerry and the rest of the band tried to forge a path in the direction that they thought was best for them, as opposed to what others thought they should do.
It seems clichéd, but some musicians with undesirable visions for Bakkus have graced the halls of their practice facility, however, Jerry doesn't run the band like a dictatorship. He respects both Miller and Fix and each has a say in the band's musical direction.
"There was one particular member who wanted to try and change the band into more of an '80s hair band, but for the most part the majority of members were on a much closer page," Jerry says. "There were a couple guys that I had to let go because they didn't want to take the time for regular practices. It was a hard decision because they were very good players.
"As far as songs development goes, basically what I do is bring in the basic ideas, chord changes, melodies, any riffs that I 'hear' going along with the tunes and bring them to the table. Matt and Steve can say 'this works' and we'll keep working with the song idea, or they can say 'it sucks,' in which case it'll get scrapped.
"Bakkus isn't a solo project; it's collaboration and often times a compromise. The finished product might end up turning out completely different than I first envisioned it, and it'll be much better than what I could have done alone. Matt will put in a lot of strange guitar effects that add so much. And Steve will come up with a lot of rhythmic ideas that fit perfectly."
But that is only the tip of the iceberg of revealing the mystery that is Bakkus. "Seventy-one Six" is the first full-length release, following several EPs. It's the result of three years' hard work and a perfect compilation of the material that has worked best at the band's shows over the years. With Fix producing, mixing and mastering, the 12 tracks were recorded over an accelerated period in Cudahy.
"The recording was done pretty quickly, in a matter of days," Jerry says. "Steve pushed things along at a brisk pace. When we recorded our EPs we had a lot more time to sit around, change parts and tinker with effects. The album is mostly straightforward rock. We tried to capture our live sound, and in some ways we succeeded. You'll notice no more than two or three guitar tracks on most of the tunes. ... The energy of the songs is the real standout difference."
Jerry remains sketchy at some of the stories behind the songs, particularly "Roxtar," which obviously has some sort of narrative behind it.
"('Roxtar' is) partly about a member of the local music scene a couple years back that I worked with briefly," hints Jerry. "He was sure he was going to the top and nothing was going to stop him. Maybe he got that deal now, who knows?
"A lot of the music that I write is a response to personal experiences. Good, bad, whatever; it'll work its way in. Some of the lyrics are sarcastic. Some of the lyrics are written based on the mood I'm in. Often, I'll just follow my emotions. Not all of my lyrics have a revelation behind them. I will say that some of my lyrics are a response to the state of our society right now. It seems hate's the popular thing, which doesn't sit too well with me.
"Hopefully after hearing the CD (listeners will) have a couple of songs stuck in their heads, or be willing to take a chance on us live, or to get out and support local music in general. It's not about Bakkus really. It's about the Milwaukee music scene, and going out to a show in the middle of the week instead of turning on the TV."
The future looks to take the band Bakkus into a different direction and Jerry is looking forward to it. One thing you can count on from the trio, besides further mystery, is the ability to take some chances musically and to remain persistent. Most mild-mannered musicians have to take some chances to save the world.
Bakkus performs at Rucker's in Big Bend on Wednesday, Oct. 27. Bakkus' Web site it www.bakkusmusic.com.
(Late-breaking news! Jerry Bakkus informs us that the band is undergoing a change due to the unforseen out of state move of Matt Miller. He assures us that a new version of Bakkus or an entirely new band will be up and running by the end of the year. -ed.)
