The Hot Spot

“ I couldn't have ever imagined that playing a metal pipe could turn into such an adventure. I'm a lucky beotch...”

For years, That One Guy has been stunning crowds with his remarkably peculiar one-man show, applying his stand-up bass prowess to a monstrous, homemade instrument. Standing nearly seven feet tall, The Magic Pipe is a chaotic collage of galvanized steel, duct tape and electronic gadgetry, run through an array of samplers and effects boxes.

For centuries, the one-man band has been on the outskirts of our musical consciousness, surfacing on street corners and carnival stages, wowing crowds with remarkable coordination and musical pyrotechnics. That One Guy not only lives up to this bizarre tradition - he blows it into another dimension.

This year you’ve toured as the opener for G.Love, Buckethead and Particle. As a solo artist, how does it work to play in conjunction with larger ensembles?

I love the contrast of sharing the bill with big ensembles. It's great having the stage all to yourself, and then watching ten guys running around, bumping into each other. I like contrast in general. The more different the acts are, the better the show. I've played on so many eclectic bills: punk, jazz, blues, metal, avant, space, polka. The more mismatched, the better.

Any new instruments in development?

Lots of ideas. Always. But functionality and efficiency rule the day. I tour a lot and I'm just "one guy", so I try and make my primary instrument, the Magic Pipe, do as much as possible. The general rule for adding a new invention/instrument, is, if i can't make the sound on the Magic Pipe, then I build or modify something else to do it. i.e. the Magic Boot, Magic Saw, etc... Then, once those things are officially part of the band, they have to carry their own weight and make a lot of sound and continue to evolve so they are indispensable to the show.

Tell us about your best or worst summer job.

One summer at the Alameda County Fair, when I was 15, I used to sell popcorn and cigarettes at the horse races. I liked watching the horses, but the people were scary jerks. There was this one guy who used to bully me daily into giving him a free pack of Kool's. Everyday, at the same time, he'd find me and say, "give-me-a-pack-a-dem-kools", and I would...

What would we see on the That One Guy Reality Show?

It's a one-man-band, so it's a different kind of drama. More internal struggles. Me arguing with myself about what to play, what to wear. Stuff like that. Each week the audience votes in on which sound engineer they thought did the lousiest job "mixing" my "one channel" correctly (duh). This lucky person is sent back to school and forced to find a new trade, never again being allowed to work in the music business.

But most folks will tune in to my reality show for the scenery. Freeways, mountains, gas stations, the smiling faces the awkward places, rock and roll. When you tune in, you'll get to see my America. The highs, the lows. Same time and channel next week...

What’s your most memorable live performance?

This New Years Eve at The Woodford Festival in Queensland, Australia has to be it. Biggest and best crowd ever. I had been playing there all week, and by this last show, the whole festival turned out for my set. Everyone knew every word. It was so high energy. The sound system and lights were epic. I was told by a friend after the gig, that the sub-woofers were so throbbing, that it made her nauseous, and that's the whole point...This year has been a blast so far.

UPCOMING TOUR DATES

June 3, 2006 - Eugene OR - The Secret Vineyard - With Everclear &Presidents of the United States of America

June 23-25, 2006 - Taos NM - Taos Solar Music Festival

July 7-9, 2006 - Winnipeg, MB - Winnipeg Folk Festival

July 14-15, 2006 - Grass Valley, CA - California Worldfest

July 28-30, 2006 - Calgary, AB - Calgary Folk Festival

August 14-27, 2006 - Edinburgh UK - Edinburgh Fringe Festival

August 31, 2006 - Groveland, CA - Strawberry Music Festival

September 9, 2006 - St. Paul, MN - Wildriver Music Comedy and Film Festival

September 17, 2006 - Laytonville, CA - Earthdance Festival

LINKS

that1guy.com

myspace-that1guy