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Bob Dylan meets the Wiggles
by Matt Wallace
Bombadil is not the kind of band that takes itself seriously. And neither does its fans.
At one of the gigs earlier this month, the group performed to a crowd of intoxicated nurses who were giving each other IVs. That macabre scene injects a picture of rock star status unparalleled to date. Still, rock star is pretty much the polar opposite of these guys. They're nice, and moreover, fun. And, they actually care about their crowd.
Oh, and that show with the nurses, it was really a graduation party for some nursing school friends of theirs. Rest assured, the IV tapping was for practice purposes only.
"I'd say we put on an interactive show," said Daniel Michalak during a recent phone interview.
This "interactive show" includes Brian Rahija playing anything from the bass to keyboards, Daniel Michalak on anything from the guitar to the harmonica, Stuart Robinson on anything from a whistle to the tympani and John Michalak on anything from the drums to the washboard.
The Durham/Chapel Hill band has been known to pass out kazoos at shows and invite the audience to play along. They even provide guides with maracas so you know when it's time to play. Daniel's younger brother, John Michalak, sometimes even gives the crowd noises to make, which coincide with their already creative songs.
A lot of these songs feel like they could be on the soundtrack for a "Monty Python" movie. You don't know whether to laugh out loud or stomp your heel to the music.
The song "Caterpillar Tree" starts off playfully enough, then glides into a knee bouncing beat. About a quarter of the way through, the piano comes in to smooth out the melody, and we're back to the blossoming of the caterpillar.
"Read Tom Robbins and you'll understand our music," said Daniel. "See, you get this ... variety of instruments and creativity, and you find that it all fits together in the end."
Still want a more thorough explanation of the Bombadil sound?
All right, imagine the lovechild of Bob Dylan and the Wiggles.