Rest In Pieces: Hunchback

Live, they would frighten you immediately, then melt your face off with a savage guitar solo. Or, they might first get your foot stomping in a solid grove, then rock your face off with a full band assault. Either way, your face was coming off, but that was the point. With your brain fully exposed and that layer of pretense stripped away you were better prepared to appreciate what they were doing.

Sadly, they won't be doing it much longer. Hunchback is calling it quits after almost ten years. They'll be playing three more shows in November, and that will be it. Their last show will be especially sad, since it will also be The Ergs' last show. That will be a sorry night for the Garden State, and when the last shriek of feedback fades the Jersey Devil will no doubt wail for hours before he passes out drunk on a pile of pine needles.

If you don't know who these bands are, you should find out. We were lucky to have them while we did.

I'll remember Mike pushing his glasses back into place in the middle of a guitar solo. I'll remember Miranda killing it with no toms. I'll remember Jay and Mike doing the intro to "Respect for the Dead" together at double speed. I'll remember Craig screaming, hitting his head on something, bleeding all over his keyboard, then blasting out the harmonica on their version of "Heart of Gold."

That's just me, though. Like any live show, you had to be there. Find a way to make it to one of their last three shows. If you absolutely can't, they came as close as anybody to recording it on "Step into My Parlor," the closing track of Ugly on the Outside. In a moment sure to make any punk (past or present) smile, the distinction between the band and the crowd breaks down near-perfectly into a screaming chorus of "I like spiders."

Sometimes other people say it better. Sometimes other people say it better and I can't remember exactly what they said, but I still know they said it better. I read an article about Hunchback where the writer said something like, "Music and art are not supposed to be all easy, and you can tell Hunchback gets that. You can tell they suffered for their music." I know for a fact that they did, too. But when I'd go to see them live, whatever might have been worrying me would get pushed aside. I hope playing live was as liberating for them as seeing them play was cathartic for me.

On a personal level, if there was no Hunchback, there'd be no Glad Hearts, and I'd still be very confused about what to do with my life. While I was croaking into a handheld tape recorder in my dorm room and piling up tapes I was sure no one else would ever hear, they were out playing shows, writing great songs, and making great records. When I'd get discouraged, their example would help me along. When I played some of my first demos to Craig, recordings which were definitely not "fucking awesome," he said they were anyway, and that kept me going and excited about writing more songs.

On an even more personal level, I consider Craig, Mike, Jay, and Miranda my friends. Craig and Mike took me to see Dawn of the Dead for the first time. Miranda and Jay were at my first vegan barbecue. I'm lucky to have such friends, I was lucky to get to see them play together, and I'm lucky I'll have their music for the rest of my life. Thank you all very much.

Hunchback is dead; Long live Hunchback!

http://www.myspace.com/hunchback

Thanks!

Thanks very much to everybody at the Millcreek Tavern and Wilmington Urban Bike Project shows. We had a great time, and I hope you did, too! -Ryan

October and November shows

Here we come again! Brooklyn, Philly, and Wilmington, we're headed your way!

Friday, 24 October
The Millcreek Tavern
with Kettle Pot Black and more
4200 Chester Ave
Philadelphia, PA
millcreektavernphilly.com
215-222-1255
9p; $8; 21+

This is our first time playing here. It looks rad, and they'll have $6 pitchers. $6 pitchers! At that price, you could just get one for yourself and drink straight from it like you're Jack in the giant's castle at the top of the beanstalk.

Saturday, 25 October
Wilmington Urban Bike Project
Benefit show and Open House
with Backwards Breathing and Deaf Not Dead
1908 N. Market St
Wilmington, DE
urbanbikeproject.org
973-747-8998
7p; $10 (all proceeds go to the project); all ages

This is a benefit show for a great organization in Wilmington. They work towards making bicycles available to people from all walks of life, and they just teamed up with the city of Wilmington to help get replacement bikes for kids who get their bikes stolen. There will be a raffle with prizes (including a Glad Hearts T shirt), bike demos, and an open house, Bike Project style.

Friday, 14 November
Ryan solo
The Little Big Show in the Small Wonder
7 Arts Studio
1139 West 7th Street (at the corner of North Harrison Street)
Wilmington, DE 19805
6p; free; all ages

This is a regular show I've been putting together at 7 Arts Studio. It's a small room, so get there early.

Saturday, 15 November
Goodbye Blue Monday
with Tape and Wire and more
1087 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11221
myspace.com/goodbyebluemondayinc
718-453-6343
8p; free; 21+

This should be a blast. We're playing with a bunch of old friends, including Jimmy's old band, Tape and Wire. Plus, there's going to be a literal circus going on while we play! Like juggling and all that. For real.