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Q&A with the The Bourgeois Gypsies |
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Written by Morgan Kriz
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Tuesday, 22 April 2008 |
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 Featuring freewheeling musical wanderings through the continents of raucous countrified blues, seductive swamp ballads and homegrown hillbilly heartbreaks, the Bourgeois Gypsies pit slow-burning, porch setting music against poignant punk rock lullabies that make you tap your foot, clutch your heart and shake your head all at the same time.
With more than 150 dates in the last year in juke joints, smoky bars, festivals and roadhouses across the country, armed with riotous swamp romp songs and a devil may care sentiment the Gypsies are quietly building both a following and a career the old-fashioned way, one night at a time.
Their second all original CD “Faulty Fairytales” is full of songs that cling like spider webs in your mind: All lit up and glistening in the afternoon sun; songs of knightless dragons and princesses without towers. Capturing a shambling syncopation that flirts with dissonance and entrances the ears. It’s full of funky urban barn dance music with lyrics that peek through the window of another era.
Live shows that evoke the reckless abandon of sweat and skirts flying and rhythm pulsing against your skin, inviting show goers to get nitty gritty and get down.
Kaisa MacDonald, vocals and guitar of the Bourgeois Gypsies took the time to answer a few questions about the band and the direction they are heading:
Tahoe World: How did you get the name Bourgeois Gypsies?
Kaisa MacDonald: We were just combining random words and liked to ring and contradictory meaning of those two.
TW: For someone who has never been to your show, what can they expect?
KM: Foot tapping swamp pop wrapped in a good time.
TW: Who are the Bourgeois Gypsies (names of everyone in the band)
KM: Arnold Mitchem on vocals, lead guitar and slide; Kaisa MacDonald, vocals and guitar; Taylor Williams, bass, harmonica and vocals; Peter Miller on drums and occasionally Kieth Rutherford on guitar and vocals.
TW: I read some background that Arnold and Kaisa met at an open mic night. Does anyone still continue to play at open mic nights?
KM: The last time we did an open mic was at Red’s Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi in August, 2006.
TW: What approach did the Gypsies take on the new album “Faulty Fairytales”?
KM: We recorded it with the whole band and it is finished, we are working on new material for the next one. The new CD is called “Faulty Fairytales.”
TW: What do you like about playing on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe?
KM: That’s it’s North of the South Shore and the people don’t have a South Shore accent (so it’s not so hard to understand what they’re saying).
TW: How do people respond to your music here in Tahoe?
KM: They tap their feet, clutch their heart and shake their head all at the same time.
TW: Please feel free to add to anything you would like …
KM: Large pizza with all the toppings.
But seriously, you can hear songs off the new CD “Faulty Fairytales” at www.sonicbids.com/bourgeoisgypsies. The first seven on the page are from the new CD “Blue Morning.” Check out their Web site at www.bgypsies.com
The Bourgeois Gypsies will perform Friday, April 25 at the Tahoe Biltmore and Saturday, April 26 at the Hyatt.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 22 April 2008 )
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