Peanut Butter Fairy...New Friends...Town Pump

Asheville, North Carolina is tough to leave. Blue Ridge Mountains how could we live without thee?! It reminds me of San Francisco but much cleaner, no golden gate but golden What are these happy pills that people ‘round here take? I must know. Everyone is “quite a guy” or “what a gal” and falling into a ravishing love with these gregarious people and their finely tuned city is an every moment happening. A shout out to our friends Lisa and Jamie for letting The Harvest City raid your humble home!

 

The show at The Town Pump Tavern (this is actually just east of Asheville) was the best yet! Dancing bears, olde cincy friends, local organic beers, slip and slide invitations (yellow plastic on black-top with no water mixes like oil and water) we played for hours laughing our faces numb and rolling through our set with comfortable confidence. After our set I went outside to mingle and meet. “Is that Chuck Berry on stage?” someone asked me. “Sure sounds like ‘Johnny B Good’, to me.” I responded with no surprise at all. Tommy had taken the spirit of rock and roll to new heights with the epic crowed pleaser. I watched with my fist pumping into the air, proud and elated with the surprise tune. I stood as a spectator watching my 3 fellow band mates and thinking to myself of how blessed I was to have found such a talented group of guys. What great friends to share a uniform devout passion with. We shall return Black Mountain! We keep you in a heart-shaped box Town Pump Tavern and will be back with new songs and stronger, withered hands.

 

On Friday, Josh Eagle and The Harvest City had the day /night off…. or so we thought! In our attempt to find flowing waterfalls and liquid holes to cool off in, we lost our way into the sticks. Being lost is With all riders remaining calm and patient, we eased our way into Warren Wilson College and by shear luck….a fairy…Green dust bursting from her peanut butter Jar…a smile of a saint. She give us directions to the trail and watering hole where we ran into a beautiful Utah Green and her violin player/comrade AnnaBelle.      “A HOY!....Anything exciting happening today?” I asked “Music tonight….we play ‘bout 30 minutes from here in Madison County.” … “Neat. Do you need an opener? No preasure… we are not creepy dudes…” Later that evening I was doing a solo thing in Madison County. The Bridges are nice. The air is cool in the nighttimes.

Onward to Charlotte! 

Flat Tires, Shoney's, Laughter, Knoxville

Day two of The Harvest City tour released wild men. All five of us - Tommy, Mark, Jeremy, Colin (our road assistant/go-to man), and myself – have officially become dirty ole’ men with dirty ole’ potty mouths. To go into detail would be too much for anyone to bare and I would have to place an “Explicit” sticker upon this blog. Let’s just be vague and say that our mothers (and now that I think of it, most of our friends) would not approve.

            “Our tire just popped.” Drummer Mark says casually. “Our fender is also gone.” I joke you not, mi amigos. Markie says this as if it actually wasn’t happening or if he were to be highly sedated on perks and snoss berries >(fictitious). Killer! Good thing that the fine folks of southern KY feel the need to put a Shoney’s Restaurant chain every 2 miles apart. With the abundance of Shoney demand, they wouldn’t put 5 of their star stud eateries directly next to each other. That would be stupid and bad business-like. Any who…we were lucky to have an exit to change our busted tired. Changed. Fun. Story to tell, etc. One avid Shoney consumer even informed us that it was Karma that brought us this misfortune: “Maybe if you boys weren’t playin’ that rap music, you wouldn’t be in this mess.” Thanks to you fine sir, for you tickle our bellies.

 

ONWARD! Tennessee!

 

Market Square in downtown Knoxville has changed a bit over the last five years when I was here watching Wilco at Tennessee Theatre. The streets are now packed with lunch goers, friendly day drinkers and street musicians.  I play acoustically for a few hours before the storm takes over and the 2^nd coffee of the day making me cracker-jacked out of my mind….onward to our Black Mountain show tonight! TBC

 

Cheers. Hug and kiss someone today.

 

 

Harvest City Tales of First Days

“Vegas Baby, Vegas”. These words from the classic flick “Swingers” come to mind as we cruise at an unshakeable 5mph crossing the Ohio River.  Outside, it is raining tricks and ponies and the once fatty bag of chocolate chip cookies are down to crumbs.

            Pure. Natural. Real. ALIVE! These are the feelings we have as we head towards our first gig on tour in Lexington, KY, but the excitement is pressed tightly due to the sickly weather and rush hour fender benders. No need to worry! F-that! People watching is fun. This stagnant highway is filled with “Guess Who” characters on this day! I think I caught the heavier set bearded man smoking a pipe and the majestic balding man with glasses, brown-baggin’ it.Goodbye Queen City! We shall miss you and sing to the South about your fresh renaissance.

What kind people live in Lexington.  The southern hospitality is lit up as the security guy greets us with sincerity, smiles and handshakes. EXAMPLE: I don’t know many door men that smile like reading rainbow kids, but this one is proud to have our little rock band on this night at Busters. Three bands are on the bill and Josh Eagle and The Harvest City plays in the two spot.  Killer set, great response. Onward for a whiskey, a wine and warm bed to sleep in (it’s good to know kind, hospitable people).

We awake at 8a.m. so that we can get to Knoxville, TN for a lunchtime acoustic show. We are like giddy loudmouths kids eating banana breakfasts and famous Kris Becknell zucchini bread as the teasing of my freshly trimmed moustage chimes on.

 

 All is great fun.

The car smells like it should and the music sounds so good! Sorry about the ramble, friends!

See you all tomorrow!

 

 

Running With The Bulls, Broken Ribs and Annie Hall

I think last night was Josh Eagle and The Harvest City's greatest show. Seriously, no doubt in my tiny, yet spongy brain. An audience can certainly make or break a show for the band. What a glorious exchange! It was hot and sweaty, loud, stinky, lights dimmed just right...A sense of courage was handed out to us from that audience. Jeremy was playing injured with a displaced rib and for a moment we strongly considered the idea of him sitting down for the sets entirety. No no! Once that room filled up and we struck the first notes, it was clear that there would be no sitting. Adrenaline is paramount. There is no fighting it even if it induces excruciating pain and delivers bloody tears to a man's eyes. I love adrenaline so much that I think I actually LERVE it. Yup, I feel so strongly about this I actually tremble when saying the word to make it become a new one. Now, that I think about this, I believe I've stolen this from Woody Allen in "Annie Hall". I would "Lerve"  Diane Keaton too, especially during that time spent next to the Brooklyn Bridge (Cincinnati connect/fact: the majestic Roebling Bridge we are blessed with was built by the same man, John Roebling). I think I have gotten off track here. Cheers to my beautiful minded good friend, and untouchable talented guitar player, Jeremy Smart. He runs with bulls. 

Josh Eagle and The Harvest City will not return to the Cincy stages for a while. Last night at Mayday was our last show as a full band until Sept. 17th at Northside Tavern. On this night we are lucky to be playing alongside a two stellar acts: The Hiders, (my favorite local band), and Scotty Anderson and his crew (Cincy guitar legend).  Fuck yeah for the Cincy music scene! It is like a wild dog right now. What now Austin? What now Minneapolis? Nashville can suck a....nevermind. Sorry, I just can't get over the overwhelming musicianship in this town.

So we are off. On the road headed South through KY, TN, N.C. and later on IN...

We will keep things posted here so stay tuned! 

Smooth high fives to 89.7 WNKU. Those cats have been spinning our disc a friendly amount. This to me is the only local radio station that one should ever listen to. They are the epitome of Fuck-Off Clear Channel and if that isn't cool enough for you then I am flabbergasted and confused by your coolness judgement. 

So it goes. So I ramble. 

Peace to you. Listen to Warren Zevon.  and almost more importantly, listen to yourself and be patient and diligent with whatever is going on in your world. 

Love,

    Josh Eagle and The Harvest City

CD Release. Babbas. Ants. Becknell.

Holy Hell...

 

I just looked at the date of our last post and said to myself "holy hell, josh! write something. it is what you do...tell the people something......" We have lots and lots of something to spill...

 

Things with this band could not be better. On May 2nd 2010 Josh Eagle and The Harvest City released SHOW YOUR TEETH, a record of 12 songs written, record, mix and master by us four. We hope you listen for LONGTIME.

 

The cancer society gig that shortly followed at Baba Buddan's was special... I believe they raised 800 bones or so. Fuck cancer and its demon trickery snicker. "Where They Landed" played a set following us that made the folks dance dance dance....Peanut Butter Solution opened the show with their unique sensible tunes that at times, reminded me of Johnathan Demme's film "Stop Making Sense"....funny how that works out....it must have been 'solution's' lead singer's suit and his jivin' brain-to-bone-to- muscle wiggle. 

 We are doing a weeklong tour once July comes around. Lexington, Asheville,  Charlotte, Raleigh, Louisville...and some minnie stops as often as we can to play in parks, play for kids, play in record stores, and on and on and on. Gotta keep on movin' like groups of ants with work to do!!! SIDENOTE: ants just conquered my coffee that was sitting decadently on the pretty grass next to my stoney fire hole. No more coffee for Josh and no more life for ants...o well...they died high as kites! An overdose of caffeine before the drowning, I am sure of it...real horror show more on my side, for I am out of my favorite Joe! 

New songs keep a comin'.

 Writers block is spoken of as a deep and dark pain of the ass, but does it actually exist? Is it an excuse us pen and paper addicts use to just fall back on when we are being lazy artist, physically and mentally stagnant(They go together, ya know). Or, are we just more creative sometimes more than others, for no reason what so hellfuckever? Creative Portals open wide which mean they - as all things do- have a counterpart that slams shut..Just go get it. Hop in and tell yourself "You are a writer and writer's block is not real."TANGENT #2 CLOSED

Mark Becknell is the drummer for Josh Eagle and The Harvest City. He likes motorcycles, dark microbeer, Dan from all over, spicy burritos, teaching Josh Eagle how music works scientifically, and writing songs that simplify our over-the-top, busy days. 

PEACE and Grow a bunch of food.

Music is...Pretty Much a Good Idea

What a weekend (i know it's thursday)...Clifton Heights Music Fest. was a killer event! Kudos to Rome and all his little helpers (that sounds like he is the black Santa!)...this year Santa will bring Christmas presents on a 2 wheeled, reindeerless Segway... 

Saturday night was off the chain. After starting the night with a PBR and the worlds greatest Pad Thai (Thai Express), we cruised down the avenue to listen to Where They Landed at Christie's. These cats are talented:  the Horns are familiar comrades; tight yet loose and jivin', Dustin the drummer is energetic and quick with his improve rolls. I think they even did a Outcast cover...or maybe Big Boi and Andre stole "So Fresh and So Clean" from this talented bunch. If you were/are fans of Cincy's departed Ray's Music Exchange, these guys are for you. We are sharing a bill at Baba Buddan's the Saturday following our May 2nd CD party...May 8th I believe it is....hey you should come...whoever you are...you are somebody...

It was very gentleman of Rome to have a gathering on Tuesday Night for all those who worked hard for this festival and I can say for everyone involved-this  biannual Clifton activity is only going to get stronger and stronger...

Off to the North this weekend! Josh Eagle and The Harvest City will be making an afternoon in-store appearance at Omegas Records in Dayton and then off to Vandailia to play at Stubbies Bar...

Lots of good to come as the official line up for our CD release show is intact: The Hiders, Frontier Folk Nebraska, and DjDq (SICK!)...May 2nd @ the 20th Century Theatre will be a day of goodness....4pm...it is a potluck!

All together I would like to quote Justin Vernon of Bon Iver: "Music is...pretty much a good idea"

PEACE

MACS AND SUCH GOOD THINGS

A lot of time has passed since we last played at Mac's Pizza Pub and to be honest, I was a little wary about the Saturday night gig. If you don't know Mac's, it is the sort of place where fresh 21's and horny drunkards of all types like to sometimes find too much of a good time. Attractive young men and women heavily curious about there fragile bodies and limits of intoxication that gift no boundaries. I've been in that zone before (I am a mere 25, so it wasn't many moons ago) and it was fun while it endured, so I mustn't knock the lifestyle or the venue... 

Last time we had played music in this college bar was a year or so ago. A time in which I had not been as sober minded as I am now, Mark (drums) was not married yet to his beautiful wife, Jeremy(guitar) had yet to have his daughter Lila, and Tommy ....hmmm...hmmm...ummm..... Tommy still plays a wicked fucking bass line. Our hearts and minds have shaped up a bit, I'd say, and going back to macs  ( which now that I think of it was our first gig together as a band), surprised me so. ----What energy! What a conundrum of Calamity Janes and Wild Bills! Say what you want! Do what you do! Come one come all, for all are welcome! Why is it that we have to be so calmly quiet and reserved now that we are adults? This night was perfect for our folkie rocker souls. 

Dusty Bryant opened the show for us with his bourbon rasp vocals and very Joni Mitchell curious guitar tunings and playing. What a strong few sets he played... We salute you Dusty boy! 

Seeing old friends is always delicious and no matter how much we change as a band, we can never forget where it is we came from. Mac's is where our foundation is and our roots are never to be forgotten~CHEERS mate

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE

*I fell in love 3 separate times. 

*A dashing fresh 40yr old showed the bar her full left breast 

*Debuted an original tune Swell Stereo as well as Neil Young's Cortez the Killer and Gram Parson's A Song to You

* We all got to be together