Smokey Maverick

Band: Electic Six
Discovered via: Impact 89FM

I’ll be honest – I used to feel guilty for rocking out to this band. They have great energy, catchy and amusing lyrics, rousing beats and guitar riffs, and came complete with a pounding piano sound in every other song. What’s not to love? Small catch: there is no real depth to this band. You won’t find Detroit-based Electric Six gushing on about a love lost, longing for years past or attempting to rally thousands against political injustices. Music is such a powerful communication medium – if you go to all the trouble to dedicate your life to it, you should take a stand, make a difference, etc.

As I was excitedly explaining to a friend all this band had to offer, their only drawback being that they didn’t have any real depth or message to their music, he quickly whisked that “con” aside. He referenced AC/DC’s attitude: their goal is to just rock. Not to cure world hunger, not win a girl back, not cut greenhouse gases 12% by 2015. To just rock, and rock to the absolute best of their abilities. Sounds like a wonderful goal – and armed with this new outlook I can enjoy and promote E6 as passionately and guilt-free as I wanted to in the first place. Nnwwwice.

I convinced a friend to road trip with me to Cleveland, where we saw Electric Six live at the Grog Shop last winter, and they put on a great show. Lead singer Dick Valentine was bouncing off the walls with energy, and they played most all of their hits (save for “Devil Nights”). There were no over-arching political or personal agendas shouted into the mic that night – just loud, glorious, sweaty rock n’ roll.

We need artists who push us, make us feel uncomfortable, who provoke our brains, who remind us of the those “living in the hopeless, hungry side of town,” who validate and amplify our own passions – we just don’t need every artist to do that. So I’ll continue to gladly partake in jamming with Electric Six, and actually hope they continue to put a hold on the U2-political-type-rants. Won’t you join me?

Electric Six just released their 5th album entitled Flashy this past October, and the single, Formula 409, falls right in line with their carefree, pointless rock. They attempted to head back to the well with “Gay Bar Part Two,” hoping to cash in on a new version of the popular song.

Tags:   Electric Six · Impact 89FM · Rocking Rock1 Comment