BLACK ROVER BLOG

To explain, a friend recommended a book by Anne Lamott called Bird by Bird. She describes having to write a huge book on birds, lots and lots of birds, and feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of the project. Her advice, just take it bird by bird, and before you know it, it's done. Bird by Bird. For Black Rover, it's song by song. We have ambitious and exciting plans to perform a show in Brattleboro's Latchis Theatre early next year; that's our working goal right now, getting a really strong set together and producing a fun concert at that amazing and surreal space. But it's gonna be like 12-14 songs. An evening with Black Rover. It's a lot of birds. But this is where we are. Bird by Bird. We've made a decision not to fuck around. Two full rehearsals a week plus at least one preferably two sectionals as well. Me and Darcy, the Percys, practice our vocals together without having to involve Bob and Benzo. She and Ben will get together and work out details ...

 Our first rehearsals as a band were inauspicious. At the time I was spending a lot of time at the Latchis Hotel/Theater/Pub/Gallery/Shop complex in Brattleboro. With our friend Dan we had access to a streetfront space on Flat Street (across from what used to be the Flat St. Nightclub, a venue that once hosted Aerosmith.) The space was chock full of Dan's stuff. Collectibles, audio equipment, instruments, boxes of Legos, literally piled from floor to high ceiling.  Those first days Darcy and I wedged ourselves into a corner office of that space, Dan provided a couple of amps and a little PA, and we were off.  It was not particularly comfortable. We barely had room to stand up, and were in almost constant danger from wobbly plastic totes teetering in great stacks above us. Just getting in and out of that little room was an exercise in choreography. And then Dan brought his drums. We got very loud and had some pretty serious laughs. But we also discovered each other as musi...

As of this past spring, when the eclipse happened, my knowledge of Led Zeppelin was limited at best. Stairway to Heaven! Free Bird! Wait, they didn't do Free Bird. OK, Stairway to Heaven! Now I grew up in the 70s and 80s so of course I was aware of Led Zeppelin. I'd listened to a lot of Physical Graffiti in the attic of my friend Tom's house while we played pool. So I knew some of the tunes, sure, but probably not what they were called. Black Dog, you say? Really? That's the name of that tune? Cool. But basically, it was: Stairway to Heaven!!!  Then the eclipse flew over West Brattleboro, Vermont and Darcy and I were chatting on the banks of the Whetstone Brook. Pretty much from then on I've dedicated myself to what I not-too-pretentiously think of as my doctoral dissertation on the music of Led Zeppelin, This written/oral/instrumental/vocal/analytic study of Led Zeppelin will culminate soon, when we play our first set on a stage in front of people. It will be from ...