Half of Uncle Scratch, Brother Ed
Two guys, cardboard drums, pictures of Jesus and Willie Nelson on stage, cracked symbols, megaphone and a tag lines like, ‘I’m gonna kick the Devil in his nuts,’ who else could ask for anything more?
Uncle Scratch is a two man band from Lakewood, Ohio: Brother Ed at vocals and lead guitar and Brother Ant at drums. The Brothers have a very unique way of testifying – they said they tour to spread the Good Word and ‘to kick the devil in his nuts.’ According to the Brothers, God pulled them to the side and said, ‘I need you to go out there and kick the devil’s ass.’ Some consider the band a parody, some see it as an act, but either way it is one crazy spectacle of a show.
This write had the pleasure of seeing them at the Heavy Rebel Weekender in 2007 in Winston-Salem NC and again most recently at the Horse Backstreet Choppers Smokeout Rally at Rockingham NC. Uncle Scratch’s Gospel Revival didn’t put on a show at the Smokeout 10 East this past year – they were the show.
Uncle Scratch has had tremendous underground success thanks to their humble nature. They prefer playing not on stages but rather hallways or beside bathrooms. But one of their bigger claims to fame would be playing at the MTV Headbanger’s Ball (well in the parking lot at least). They performed while Godsmack was playing on the main stage. They performed under the name ‘Devilsmack,’ saying, ‘No one was going to smack our God around.’
During one of the songs at the Smokeout, soaking in sweat (the funny thing was the band started sweating before the show started as they assembled the “portable Jesus” and their own PA) Brother Ed, dancing and grooving, starts his solo. The guitar solo consists of Brother Ed kicking over Brother Ant’s cardboard-milk-crate-duck-taped-drum set.
“Guitar solo!” yells Brother Ed as he soccer kicks Brother Ed’s milk crate into the air. Brother Ed is notorious for resting his foot on Brother Ant’s head as he climbs on top of the drum set.
You didn’t read that wrong. Brother Ant plays with things other drummers throw out, literally. One of his symbols is cracked all the way around, his other is a steel milk crate turned upside down. His drums? Well they are two cardboard drums, one upright and the other on its side. His microphone? That is a megaphone with a mike duct taped to a steel harmonica holder around his neck. Like I said, the Brothers don’t play a show - They are the show.
Late into the set the band begins to pull a few of their many props on stage. As they protest that Tom Cruise has captured Katie Holmes and brainwashed her and that Brittany Spears is true evil and they hold up posters of each.
“Do not look it in the eyes!” screams Brother Ant as Brother Ed unfolds the poster. “It is true evil.”
Along with the list of popular figures Uncle Scratch distrusts, they have chosen words for Wal-Mart. They have a petition for Wal-Mart’s name to be changed to Satan-Mart. They definitely are not afraid to be politically incorrect as they list evils.
“We are too blessed to be depressed,” exclaims Brother Ed as he throws the posters to the side and the music picks back up. This particular exclamation was inspired by a Church sign he saw when driving across the mid-west.
The band even went so far as to take out a restraining order against the devil. They filed a restraining order with the State of Ohio against, ‘the Devil aka Satan,’ for “Aggravated menacing, or menacing by stalking, or menacing, or aggravated trespass,” according to a photo copy of the order issued by the Cleveland Municipal Court Again, Uncle Scratch doesn’t play a show – they are the show.
“We’re tired hungry, we’re horny, we’re broke,” exclaim the two Brothers as the set rolls on.
The turn out under the tent was poor but those that were there were jamming. The audience moved like they weren’t listening to a band of two but a chorus of hundreds.
“Are you ready to testify? Oh yea! Are you ready to multiply? Hell yea,” screamed the Brothers as they entered the next number.
Quickly into their short time on stage, Uncle Scratch begins with a song inspired by one of the greats. “We’re not going to play a Johnny Cash song. We wrote one about Johnny Cash,” yelled Brother Ant through the megaphone. “We’re not that good yet.”After the Johnny Cash song they continued with another song, a personal favorite of mine.
“I can’t bang you on a Sunday. I guess I’ll have to do it on a Monday,” starts Brother Ed.
“Couples only to the dance floor,” exclaims Brother Ant through his megaphone and the show that is the Brothers continued on.
Comments