Mixed Business, an Americana and rock band from the Baltimore-Annapolis area, is getting ready to release a self-titled album later this month. There are nine original tracks -- a unique, gritty mixture of country-inspired ballads -- and a Tom Waits cover. Band members Mark O’Dell (guitar, vocals, mando and percussion), Joey Mitchell (bass and percussion), and Brian Forte (guitar, vocals and banjo) seamlessly blend bluegrass, rock and jazz into each song. It’s sort of what you’d hear if you walked into a saloon with a modern-day twist. I got the chance recently to speak with Mark, Joey and Brian to discuss their band and what can be expected from their highly anticipated album.
How did you meet?
Mark: “Brian and I are a Craigslist success story, perhaps the most successful Craigslist music match-up I’ve ever heard of!”
Joey: “Brian and I met in Eighty1South. We had our auditions the same day. We had a great time in that band, so we started doing duo gigs together. Mark and Brian started a band called Activity Bus while Eighty1South was still in operation. When Eighty1South split, we brought the bands together and out came Mixed Business.”
What are your musical inspirations?
Mark: “Backyard bluegrass jam sessions and all-night music parties -- the ones where your girlfriend gets really bored and wants to leave. My father and his legendary Baltimore bluegrass band, Windy Ridge, was the soundtrack to basically my whole life.”
Brian: “I love Tom Waits, the Beatles, Jack White, Mississippi John Hurt, Louis Armstrong, crooner jazz like Tony Bennett and Johnny Hartman, Johnny Cash, Chet Atkins, the astronomer Carl Sagan, Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, and my mom and dad, whose taste in Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison and Creedence Clearwater Revival shaped me immensely.”
What makes your music unique from other country music today?
Brian: “Our music is certainly different than Nashville pop. Our instrumentation is expansive -- upright bass, banjo, mandolin, electric and acoustic guitars, steel drums, beer bottles, chains, etc. -- and our sound is intentionally eclectic. Some of our songs sound polished, and some sound like they were recorded in an old saloon, out-of-tune piano and all.”
You seem to have that Americana, gothic style of country going, which is unique and refreshing. What drew you to this style of country?
Brian: “Chance did, I guess. Chance and the experiences of our lives. It is just what we do. We certainly didn't sit back and formulate a concerted plan to produce Americana music. In fact, labeling ourselves as Americana was an afterthought, and a tough one at that. I wish I could justify it better for you, but it's just what we do.”
How long have you been playing music?
Mark: “I think the band has been playing 75 years collectively!”
What bands would you compare yourself to, sound-wise?
Joey: “I have no clue. It's not that I think we're the most original thing out there -- it's just that when I listen to the record, nothing really comes to mind. People request the Avett Brothers, Zac Brown Band, Old Crow Med Show, Ryan Adams and Mumford & Sons from us a lot, so I guess we bring those bands to people’s minds when they hear us live.”
Are there any other local, upcoming bands that you’d recommend?
Joey: “I play in a Delta Blues duo called Swampcandy that's been doing pretty well. Ruben Dobbs, the singer/songwriter of that band, recorded our album. I like Pressing Strings and Sweet Leda a lot. I also really like Unified Jazz Ensemble.”
Most of your songs are amazing originals, but I love what you did with “Tango Till They’re Sore” on the album. What made you decide to cover Tom Waits, and why did you pick that song? Can we expect any more covers from you in the near future?
Brian: “Thank you, we love it, too. I was the one to bring Tom Waits to the band. He has a very unique sound, and he is my favorite lyricist/musical dude of all time. When you listen to the original, it sounds like a drunk guy in New Orleans playing his own funeral march. I heard different things in it. I think that the idea of the song is still the guy thinking he is going to die. I heard sharper rhythms and a different melody. During the guitar solo, I bring back the original melody of the verses. I wonder what Tom Waits would think of our version? We started out as a bar band, and we have lots of covers in our arsenal. Any one of our shows would have a few choice covers sprinkled in.”
Mark: “People who come and see us live will hear other covers that we feel we've made our own: “The Letter” by the Box Tops, a killer version of the Beatles' “A Day In the Life,” and the theme from Baltimore's own TV series, “The Wire.” And as far as we can tell, we're the only band in the area playing a certain foot-stomping Led Zeppelin song. People will have to come see us to find out which one!”
How would you describe your music?
Brian: “I always say "folky" first, but I don't know how accurate that is. If you look at some of our clips on YouTube, for instance, you probably wouldn't use that word first either. I guess “country,” but usually we have to stress that its not pop country, which many people don't understand. We are a great band, and I would love to hear how fans describe us, like which genre they would put us in. But if there was a catch-all category for bands that are hard to pin down but are great, we would be in that category.”
You can catch a solo performance from Brian Forte playing at Castlebay in downtown Annapolis this Thursday, March 3, or see the full band Friday, March 11, at Kooper's Tavern in Baltimore. For more information about Mixed Business, first listens of their songs, and a more extensive list of upcoming shows, check out the band’s official website. Also, check back later for more information on their upcoming Baltimore CD release party at Mick O’Shea’s on March 26.
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