When Quinn Scharber and the... take the stage, you never know what you're going to get. Will it be Quinn Scharber and the Temple of Doom? Perhaps this time you'll bear witness to the one and only Quinn Scharber and the Combustible Huxtables?
Confusingly, these revolving monikers always refer to the same set of musicians -- Scharber out in front with the microphone, Thom Geibel beside him on the bass, Josh Gjellestad shaking something and Joe Kirschling behind them banging the drums -- which is why the band most commonly bills itself using the ellipses suffix.
Less confusing is the music it makes, most notably the eight polished tracks making up "Being Nice Won't Save Milwaukee," released this Saturday, July 19 on Milwaukee's Bus Stop Label.
If you're a Replacements fan, you'll instantly hear and appreciate the influence, which might contribute to the palpable Midwestern feel to the album as a whole. Scharber's honest, good-hearted voice shares weathered tales of booze, girls and the blues over catchy power pop hooks. The result feels instantly classic.
"I think one of the other things that produces the 'Midwest sound' is the fact that the winters are so damn long here," says Scharber. "So people spend a lot of time indoors, usually in bars. And when you're taking part in that sort of anti-activity you tend to get introspective and isolated. And, I think that's where you get that sort of heart-on-your-sleeve style of song writing."
We caught up with the frontman to chat about the new record, Saturday's release show with Tim Schweiger and the Middlemen and Hayward Williams, and Milwaukee's "stifling level of apathy."
OnMilwaukee.com: "Being Nice Won't Save Milwaukee" comes out on Saturday. You guys have been serenading us with live shows for a while now, but is this the official introduction to Quinn Scharber and the...?
Quinn Scharber: I'm really not sure. I suppose it will be for some people, but we've had the same crowd at our shows since the beginning. But, it seems we are gaining some momentum. More people are coming out and I'm really happy about that. It's been a steady ride that, to me, keeps getting more successful, little by little.
OMC: Your bio and album title touch on Milwaukee's fickle market -- that audiences can be devout or completely disinterested, usually within the same venue. But do you think that's a uniquely Milwaukee quality? You've toured around -- aren't music scenes generally similar everywhere? Or, does Milwaukee really need saving, as the title suggests?
QS: It's hard to say because the only other city I've lived in is Boston. When we travel, though, we seem to go over well and people are grateful that we came to play for them. We are a sort of what-you-see-is-what-you-get type of band. And I realize that some people just want to be entertained with matching outfits and 8,000 instruments onstage.
But, I think the thing about Milwaukee is that there seems to be some kind of inferiority complex. As if we are waiting for approval from a bigger city saying "this is good" or "this is not good." Joe pointed out something interesting when we were talking about this album title. It was concerning the art museum addition. It seemed the people of Milwaukee were kind of apathetic about it until an article ran in The New York Times about the quality of architecture, etc. And at that time it was all of sudden "Wow, this is great, huh?" To me, the album title is a comment on the stifling level of apathy in this city.
OMC: The record has a very Milwaukee feel, and I don't mean that in a "you sound like a local band" way. Perhaps it's because all the members have been involved in the music scene here for so long, but there is something distinct about your brand of pop that says "Midwest" -- and that's a good thing.
QS: I think there's a Midwest sound, too. At least I hope there is. I think it involves a lot of things. I think one of the factors is that people here can spot bullsh*t when they see it. For instance, if I was playing in some math-rock / art-rock band none of my friends would let me get away with it because they know that I don't even have a college degree and I think that genre of music lends itself to people who are more technically minded and frankly, much smarter than me.
I think one of the other things that produces the "Midwest sound" is the fact that the winters are so damn long here. So people spend a lot of time indoors, usually in bars. And when you're taking part in that sort of anti-activity you tend to get introspective and isolated. And, I think that's where you get that sort of heart-on-your-sleeve style of song writing.
OMC: I know that the second part of your band name changes frequently. Can you tell me a few of your favorites?
QS: The name change thing was a beer-induced idea that one of us had and has stuck somehow. Some of my favorites have been: Quinn Scharber and the Temple of Doom, Quinn Scharber and Here Comes Treble (which we stole) and, most recently, Quinn Scharber and the Combustible Huxtables.
OMC: Your record release show is set for July 19 at the Cactus Club. What can you tell your fans and listeners to expect from the evening?
QS: They can expect to hear a lot of songs off the record, lots of new songs and some special guests on stage with us. And possibly Thom wearing something ridiculous. Should be good times.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
