Episode 013 : Bill Janovitz of Crown Victoria + Buffalo Tom
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Boston, Massachusetts is a town known for its musicians playing in multiple bands and juggling various projects--and even by those standards, Bill Janovitz is one busy guy. In addition to his solo music, continuing shows with Buffalo Tom, The Bathing Beauties, and writing a book, Janovitz has a new release on Q Division Records with his new band, Crown Victoria. Entitled "Fireworks on TV!," the CD will be released September 7th and shows are confirmed for Boston, New York, and beyond.
As frontman, singer, guitarist, and songwriter for Buffalo Tom, Janovitz released a total of six original CDs with the band: 1988's "Buffalo Tom," 1990's "Birdbrain," 1992's "Let Me Come Over," 1993's "Big Red Letter Day," 1995's "Sleepy Eyed" and 1998's "Smitten." The band also released two compilation CDs, including "A Sides" in 2000 and "Besides: A Collection of B-Sides and Rarities" in 2002.
A perennial favorite on college radio and modern rock stations throughout the '90s, Buffalo Tom was a three-piece band that wrapped together a love of punk and classic rock with dynamic, soulful playing, and Janovitz's emotional, nearly-too-hoarse-to-sing-another-note vocals. They delivered a number of gut-wrenching songs and albums, including my personal favorite, "Let Me Come Over." Do yourself a huge favor and get it if you don't own it already.
Janovitz also sought an outlet for other material he was writing along the way, working with the members of Giant Sand/Calexico for his 1996 solo album, "Lonesome Billy," and the equally quiet "Up Here," with singer/songwriter Chris Toppin in 2001. Janovitz also speaks about his 2003 collaboration with Graham Parker and Kate Pierson of the B-52's on the CD and tour of "The Lost Songs of Lennon and McCartney."
Crown Victoria, a band Janovitz actually started about five years ago, includes Buffalo Tom sideman Phil Aiken on piano, organ, and vocals, Tom Polce (Se?or Happy) on drums and vocals, and Josh Lattanzi (Ben Kweller, Juliana Hatfield) on bass and vocals. "Fireworks on TV!" is a hook-laden release that sounds like a celebration of pop music from the past 40 years, delving into the band's love of soul, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll. One of the last records recorded at Fort Apache before the studio closed up shop in Boston, "Fireworks on TV!" is a record that engrains itself in your memory after a few listens and is one of Janovitz's most memorable works.
Tom Perrotta, a friend and fan of Janovitz's--and author of the novels Little Children, Joe College, and Election--says in the press release for the new CD that "you can feel it in the music: there's a ragged, spontaneous electricity at work here...the sound of a band coming together in the moment, living inside the songs they're making."
Janovitz is currently finishing up his contribution to the Continuum Books 33 1/3 series with Exile on Main Street (the series also includes Joe Pernice's Meat is Murder, which Pernice reads a selection from in his Well-Rounded Radio interview from earlier this year). Janovitz's focus in on the Rolling Stones' 1972 classic, double album and how his understanding of "Exile" changed over time and how Robert Frank's photography and relationship with The Rolling Stones impacted him. The book will be released in the spring of 2005.
I recently spoke with Janovitz at Q Division's studios in Somerville, Massachusetts to discuss:
* why he doesn't want to get hung up on music business complaints--and rather figure out ways to help his projects see the light of day
* how the iPod is changing how he listens to music and what he's listening to most these days
* what's next for Buffalo Tom, Crown Victoria, the Bathing Beauties, and his solo performances.
Samples from Bill Janovitz's CDs featured in the Well-Rounded Radio Interview include:
IN PREVIEW: Sinking (Fireworks on TV!)
1) Almost Beating (Fireworks on TV!)
2) Think of All (Lonesome Billy)
3) Goodnight, Wherever You Are (Up Here)
4) Believe (Fireworks on TV!)
5) Minutes of the Day (Fireworks on TV!)
6) I Found Out (Fireworks on TV!)
7) Fireworks on TV! (Fireworks on TV!)
8) A World Without Love (The Lost Songs of Lennon and McCartney)
9) Step Inside Love (Kate Pierson from The Lost Songs of Lennon and McCartney)
10) Never Notices (Buffalo Tom: Besides: A Collection of B-Sides and Rarities)
11) Revealed (Fireworks on TV!)
12) These Pictures (Fireworks on TV!)
13) My Radio (Fireworks on TV!)
14) One, Two, Three (Fireworks on TV!)
If you like Bill Janovitz, give a listen to the Well-Rounded Radio Interviews with Mission of Burma and Joe Pernice.
Bill Janovitz and Crown Victoria on Q Division Records available direct from Q Division.
Bill Janovitz's Exile on Main Street for the Continuum Books 33 1/3 Music Series will be published in Spring 2005.
Bill recommends the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
A site Well-Rounded Radio recommends: Downhill Battle - Music Activism.
