Some things just have to come back around. And that’s what’s happened in the case of Chet & the Molesters (Chet Harger, Jimmi Powers, Kevin Book and Nick Hamilton). Wiser, distinguished and still bringing the thunder, here Book tells about the band – the old days and new – and some stuff kids should know…

 

N4U: First off, 20 years since the band started. Jesus. That was three presidents ago.

KB: All four of us have been able to stay playing and making money playing in the area too and that's a hard thing to do. We've outlasted several bars and bar owners and managers as well. It's not an easy business to be in or to work in.

 

Take us all back to those days. What do you remember about starting the band – the rehearsals, the gigs, the side stories?

When I first saw Nick play, Chet and I had already been together for a while. I saw Nick at the old Victory Theater, and I immediately saw how he looked like Eddie Van Halen, and how all the girls were screaming at clawing at him. I knew his energy and excited attitude were a perfect fit. He is exactly the same way today. His attitude and energy and laugh are very infectious. He really loves what he does and is a fantastic person.

            I think it was Nick who actually came up with the name; I remember we all hit the floor laughing. It was shocking, and outrageous for a local band to have a name like that. When we played a bar in Petersburg and they actually had protesters, we knew we had a winner. They ended up having to put "band" on their sign. It was hilarious.


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The music scene in Evansville was different in many ways when C&TM were routinely playing. But what's stayed the same, in you opinion?

Nothing's the same to me, honestly. The money, profits, bottom lines are all different now. The biggest change to me was when both the main local rock radio stations went corporate. That put an end to any kind of local support for any band or bar or event.

Luckily, you have Myspace, Facebook and YouTube to get your word out yourself.

 

Your activities since Chet and the Molesters are well-known to Evansville-ites, but for those who don't know, tell about what you were up to after C&TM first split.

I laid low for about six months, then started BSR up. That's been going ever since. Through thick and thin. BSR also set some standards in the area a few years back as far as creating a certian "rock" scene and/or a bar to go, to be able to see some heavier bands. We opened the door for some other heavier bands to have a bar to play. Good ‘ol Jim Dandy's… ah I miss that bar. We have released a new CD as well; BSR's website is www.bsrband.com

  

Give people an idea of the songlist (without giving TOO much away) that you'll be serving up this time around.

We'll still be playing some stuff bands either can't or won't do. The three part harmonies really open up possibilities. Songs people that have seen us in the past wouldn't think we'd do, and songs that people haven't heard a band do in a while. That's part of the whole point. Doing it a little differently and not being confined to any certain formula. It's all party rock and designed to get the girls up as well. Kevin Book stills loves the ladies, that's for sure.

 

The year is still pretty new, with a lot of 2010 left to go; what will you guys be up to for this, next, and further years?

I don't think it's a big surprise or coincidence that bands like Chet and the Molesters, The Crowd and some other guys that played the scene are getting back together now after all these years. I think it's a need that the scene and the people running the bars are showing. That's not a put down on any band in town either. It's the ups and downs of the business and the fact that people are fickle and want something different, all the time. And the scene is kind of stale right now. We have what you need. Just ask Todd at the Southside in Boonville. We just played our first show on January 16 with almost no advertising,

just word of mouth, and his place was packed like I've never seen it.

            Every time we play, [we want] something special about it that brings people out. We're in this to make money, but we want to make the bar that we play in to make money as well. We want to put the spark back into the scene, just the way we did it 20 years ago. We have no time line as far as duration. As long as there's interest, we'll be booking.

 

Give younger musicians some advice.

Learn how to play more than one style of music. I see all kinds of shredders out there that can play an arpeggio sweep, and it's super boring. But ask them to play a blues lick in E minor, they look at you like they've seen a ghost. Less is more and if you wanna make money playing music, slow down. If not, you'll be sitting at home on the weekends instead of playing music for cash.

 

C&TM return to E’Ville’s O’Brian’s February 27 and 27. See the Nightlife Guide for more wheres, whos and whens…

 

* Click here to hear the full non-space-saving version of the interview!