Howdy,
Knoxville News-Sentinel
2-5-99
Bare Jr. rocks with a "perverse twist"
Wayne Bledsoe, KNS Entertainment Writer
When Bobby Bare Jr. began writing songs, he didn't immediately go to his
songwriter father for critique.
Instead, Bare Jr. sought out family friend, songwriter, author, cartoonist
Shel Silverstein.
"Shel critiqued everything I did for two years," says Bare, who will bring
his group Bare Jr. to the Tennessee Theater on Monday to open for the Brian
Setzer Orchestra.
Silverstein, known for his books "The Giving Tree," "Where the Sidewalk
Ends," and others, also wrote many country classic songs, including the
Loretta Lynn hit "One's on the Way" and Dr. Hook's "Cover of the Rolling
Stone."
"His idea is to take something already over the top, push it way over the
top and then put a perverse twist on it."
Bare Jr. took the advice to heart. One of the standout tracks on "Boo-tay,"
the debut album by Bare's group, Bare Jr., depicts a high school femme
fatale who asks -- "Do you care enough about me to beat the hell out of the
one who really loves me the most?"
While that contains the perverse sense of many of Bare Sr.'s lyrics ("Drop
Kick Me Jesus" remains a Bobby Bare favorite), Bare Jr.'s style is ragged
rock 'n' roll rather than country -- albeit rock with a lap dulcimer adding
its odd twist.
The hottest rock act to come out of Music City since Jason & the Scorchers,
Bare Jr. was signed by Immortal Records, the same label that signed the hard
rock outfit Korn.
While Bare cites Silverstein as his main sounding board, he says his father
*is* a big influence on art. However, Bare Sr. did try to influence his son
to not choose music as a career.
"People in music don't lead normal lives," says Bare. "There's not anybody
who's done it that will say it's a breeze. It's not good for relationships.
My parents are the only people I know who've managed to stick together--
except for Waylon [Jennings] and Jessi [Colter]."
Yet, Bare says that his father was supportive when he realized he was
committed to chasing his musical aspirations. The elder Bare even sings
guest background vocals on one song on "Boo-tay."
While Bare grew up in Nashville, he's very familiar with Knoxville. He
graduated from the University of Tennessee, majoring in psychology in 1989.
"And, I went to a *lot* of keg parties."
# # #
Take care,
Shane Rhyne
Knoxville, TN
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
NP: Countrypolitans, Tired of Drowning
