Doing Toggle Switch has given me the excuse to re-establish contact with a number of talented music makers and music lovers in Hampton Roads. Bill Gaunce, a Norfolk-based songwriter, is at the top of that list. I just listened to a pair of his tracks, which are among the best I've heard from local tunesmiths. "You Don't Look Good in Blue" and "Cherry Avenue" are conventional, straight-ahead rock tunes (think Tom Petty or recent Graham Parker) but they're crafted with such smarts and strong melodies that I'm surprised that Bill isn't already working in Nashville or NYC. Then again, if you can produce lovely tracks like this in Norfolk, why pay Manhattan rent?
I was introduced to Bill's music through his work with the Stationary Poets, a band (or recording project) that released a self-titled CD back in 2001. These days, he's recording under his own name. His collection "Sex, Junkfood & Low Fidelity" is available through CDBaby.
2 comments:
Man, I haven't heard of really any of the artists you've been posting about. It's incredible to think that there might actually be a decent music scene around here! I really, really like what you're doing with the blog. Rock on, homie.
Thanks, Misty. Another band you should check out is Denzelle and the Washingtons. They're pretty nifty.
Post a Comment