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Time to see what's musically news on the eastern side of Ohio and the Deadbeat Poets came up on the radar. Made up from parts of some pretty well known regional acts like Blue Ash, the Backdoor Men, the Infidels and Slackjaw, the group has just come out with their initial 11 song release, NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND. Garrettsville guitarist Terry Hartman not long ago traded some thoughts with OhioOnline music correspondent Peanuts about where the act has been and what is on the horizon. |
| OO: |
What inspired you to play music? |
| TH: |
"I was born in Cleveland, later moved to Wade Park, where my family owned a furniture store and, eventually, Fairview Park. There were a lot of dances and a chance to hear a lot of local bands which inspired me further. Finally, thanks to the Mike Hay Combo, later known as the Tree Stumps, friend and fellow songwriter Dan Cook and I started a psychedelic garage band, the Backdoor Men, in 1967. In 1969, I recorded an album with the late Peter Laughner. The Backdoor Men reformed in 1977, after I finished college. The music scene was exploding in Cleveland and we just dug out our old material from 1967, plus many originals. In 2002, we had a reunion disc, MOHAWK COMBOVER, that was recorded to a fair amount of critical acclaim." |
| OO: |
What artist inspired you to write originals? |
| TH: |
"Bassist Frank Secich and I both became interested in music through listening to the radio. Nothing can compare with the great feeling of turning on the radio and hearing exciting new songs nearly every day. But, it was Bob Dylan's songs in particular that led to our life-long interest in songwriting. After listening to Dylan, we realized the extreme possibilities of songwriting. Frank was greatly influenced by British pop music, while I listened to the older artists. But, being from northeast Ohio, you can't escape the music of the Choir/Raspberries, Blue Ash, James Gang, etc. Now we are probably influenced by what we read in books." |
| OO: |
Any Ohio bands you'd like to split a bill with? |
| TH: |
"We've played with the Rainy Day Saints, who we are crazy about. We love Dave Swanson's music and we are pretty good match-up. We recently played at the Rock Hall in Cleveland with Poobah and have been invited to play South By Southwest next year in Austin, Texas." |
| OO: |
Give me some background on the disc. |
| TH: |
"We recorded it at Ampreon Studios in Youngstown. We could not have been more pleased. They use state-of-the-art Pro Tools software, 24 track board and a veritable plethora of new and vintage instruments." |
| OO: |
Favorite club to play in Ohio? |
| DP: |
"Of course, we love the Cedars Lounge in Youngstown. It's right in downtown Youngstown, but, for an urban venue, it has easy access for bands unloading equipment to the stage and a huge parking lot next door." |
| OO: |
Where did the band's name come from? |
| TH: |
"Frank made up the name. We wanted something that reflected our interests in lyrics without being too pretentious. And we are definitely not poets. Deadbeats, maybe, but not poets." |
| OO: |
Long term plans? |
| TH: |
"Our long term plan is to live long enough to do another disc. Or at least play next week's gig." |
| OO: |
Any topic we didn't cover? |
| TH: |
"In India, a caste of elderly Hindu males, after raising their families, leave home to pursue an intense commitment to their religion. That's kind of the way Frank and I are approaching this project with the realization of the importance songwriting has played in our lives. And, in Ohio after all these years, that there is nothing better than playing in a rock and roll band." |
