Q&A: Scott Carney
Tonight, Scott Carney will have a chance to do something he normally can’t when he takes the stage: sit down.
Usually, when the lead singer of the Louisville, Ky.-based band Waxfang takes the stage, it’s to hurl himself around, usually in a costume (sometimes covered in paint), rocking the theramin and contributing to a near-deafening din of eclectic, experimental, pop-influenced rock.
Without the backing of bassist/keyboardist Jake Heustis or drummer Kevin Ratterman, however, he’s getting a chance to perform a solo show to kick off JJ’s Bohemia’s fourth anniversary weekend. In addition to getting to pop a squat, Carney said he’s excited at the chance to showcase his vocals, which are usually lost in the band’s collective roar.
“We’re just so freaking loud, especially in a small club,” he said, laughing. “It’s always fun for me to play these kinds of shows, because I get to hear myself sing, which is not always a luxury I have. I’m looking forward to it.”
Getting to play a one-man show is one more thing for Carney to celebrate in a year that has included a string of high points, including a performance at Pavement’s All Tomorrow Parties Festival in the U.K. and a special theme performance of Prince’s “Purple Rain” album in full purple-suited splendor.
After a three-year dry spell of new material, the band also released “The Astronaut (Part 1),” a 17-minute epic digital single in the vein of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.” The piece, inspired in part by Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey,” won’t be part of tonight’s show, but Carney did promise a few covers and to debut new material from a trio of new projects set for release next year.
After an 18-month absence from the Scenic City, Carney said it’ll be nice to be back, even if he ends up feeling too awkward to sit down in the middle of the festivities.
“I like to sit down (but) since it’s at JJ’s and it’s a big celebratory kind of thing, I’m wondering if I should stand up,” he said. “We have all the respect in the world for (owners John Shoemaker and Jeni Brown) and their place. It’ll be great to come down and hang out.”
IF YOU GO
* What: JJ Bohemia’s fourth anniversary weekend with Scott Carney of Waxfang, Justin Wilcox of Moonlight Bride and Non-Commissioned Officers.
* When: 10 p.m. today.
* Where: JJ’s Bohemia, 231 M.L. King Blvd.
* Admission: $7.
* Phone: 266-1400.
* Venue website: www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia.
RELATED LINKS FOR WEB:
http://www.waxfang.com
* Related links at fyi.timesfreepress.com.
WHAT’S NEXT
In the next year, Waxfang lead singer Scott Carney said the band will release a trio of projects, though none has a solid date yet. Carney said he is 60 percent to 70 percent done with the band’s third full-length album, has an EP all but ready for release and is working on a follow-up to the band’s 17-minute rock epic, “The Astronaut (Part 1).”