Elktones! Meet the Elktones!

(sung to the tune of the Flintstones theme…)

Elktones! Meet the Elktones!
They’re an instrumental kind of group/
From the town of Newark-
Read below and you will get the scoop!

If you think the best part of Pulp Fiction is hearing Miserlou run over the opening credits, then the Elktones are for you. If you are tired of all the sucka-emcees and wish they would stop running at the mouth and play some music, then the Elktones are for you. If you just want to know what “a cheese steak soaked in alcohol, set on fire and thrown in a chipper/shredder” sounds like, then the Elktones are the band for you.

The Elktones (Tom Dougherty, Jeff Green, Ken Herblin & Jacque Varsalona) are tearing it up and winning over “herds” of folks with their self described brand of “Psychidelisurferbilly” instrumental rock. Yes, thats right- instrumental. ALL instrumental. Lucky for you it is more the surf-guitar-god-Dick-Dale school of instrumental than Longine-Symphonette style.

Formed just over a year ago, all of the members of the E-tones have had experience playing with “bands with singers”. Their individual interests in bands such as The Reverend Horton Heat, Link Wray, The Ventures, Lake Trout and Phish got them jamming together. Their collective affinity for heavier bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath got these 3 kats and a kitten truly rocking together.

After a few months jamming & rocking and some well received shows under their collective belt, the ‘Tones knew they had something going on and wasted no time in getting into the studio. They wanted to capture their dynamic live sound as authentically as possible, so they did it old school: all tracks recorded live to 2″ tape in a marathon overnight session, (with local recording pro Cliff Hillis).

The finished product is a CD simply titled ELKTONES. Pop this baby into your car player and the next thing you know your commute will be a bit cooler. Your life suddenly has a soundtrack. Road signs will whiz by in time to the music. Cloverleaf curves seem a bit more dangerous. You will saunter into work like John Travolta or Uma Thurman (your choice).

Can’t wait? Check out http://www.elktones.com. Join the Elkherd. Numbering in the hundreds, this group gets to know the insider skinny about gigs and free stuff. Or you can support your local music retailer and pick up their CD at Bert’s in Newark.

Better yet- check out the Elktones when they play their home base, The East End Cafe on Friday 11/14. Details at http://www.elktones.com, baby.

Groupiegear

House Industries- AYYYYY…..Its the FONTS!!!!!!

(Hopefully you don’t have to be a design geek to appreciate the wonderful world of type fonts. Just think if every printed word in the world was suddenly converted to the Arial 10 point of a common email. Pretty boring, huh?)

As readers of my Unchained column know, I have a thing for cool old places and funky signs. The oversized brushed steel letters of Pala Brothers in Elsmere and the perfectly circular “o” in the old Welcome to Rehoboth sign are things that I notice, and sometimes preserve in a snapshot or two.

When I read about a gang who takes this notion to the next level- designing alphabets inspired by such signage and pop culture artifacts, I was impressed. When I found out that this group of internationally known designers are based in quiet Yorklyn Delaware, well, I almost had a fit! With blessings from the Bystander I donned my “design-groupie” tee and called on the folks at House Industries.

Originally started in 1993, three school pals- Andy Cruz, Rich Roat and Alan Mercer opened up their own design firm, Brand Designs. While working wonders developing client directed projects, the team knew that they wanted to do more than design for others. The digital font scene seemed to be where it was at, and House Industries was created as a separate entity, as not to affect the Brand name.

 

As the word spread about the originality and inspired type styles, House gained more design world recognition and soon overshadowed the original Brand prototype. Now topping the scales with a whopping six more employees -Ken, Lynn, Adam, Tal, Chris & Lou for those keeping track- there is more quality from this small quantity than in many megacompanies bundled together.

 

 

I can see it now on TV:

 

“Mommy, who invented the alphabet?”

 

“I’m not sure honey, but HOUSE INDUSTRIES sure makes it look cool”

 

 

As far as inspiration goes, House is in a class by itself. That class is probably study hall or detention. The place where one desk away from the arty kid studiously reading about Richard Neutra is a motorhead carving a Big Daddy hotrod into his desktop. Across from them might be a pair of D+D players seriously debating the possibility that Planet of the Apes could really happen.

 

The folks at House tap into the collective recognition of images and references from their youth. Things that inspired them before they knew what “design” really was.

Even our lil’ state of Delaware is fodder for the imaginations at work in the House. Their Delvue font family – featured in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum Triennial Exhibition- owes its geometric script style to signs such as those at Carlton’s clothing in Rehoboth, The Blue Surf Motel in Bethany and even the Mid Town Parking Center in Wilmington. (Unchained field trip, anyone?)

 

From museum shows to cocktail napkins, House is everywhere. Their latest pairing is with swinging bachelor pad painter Josh Agle, or as he is more popularly known- SHAG, baby! You know you’ve seen his paintings when you see squares wearing fezzes and pointy bra wearin’ dames sipping cocktails while listening to that crazy bongo beat. House is right there to accessorize these hipsters with lettering and lineart that fit like a sharkskin suit.

 

While you can gaze for hours at the offerings inspired by bowling alleys, haunted houses, cha-cha records, Easter Island heads, and Las Vegas- before the dome, there is also a serious room in the House, that which is occupied by the spirit of Modern designer Richard Neutra .

 

Known for his architecture, the Neutraface type set is inspired by the lettering that adorned many of his buildings. A clean balanced and simple style, this family is a nice contrast to the frantic yet entertaining designs found elsewhere in the House.

 

Interested in making your own house number an homage to the late designer? They can even arrange for you to have your very own message formed in brushed steel like the originals.

 

Need some House in your house? Click on over to the mod gift shop at Houseindustries.com and its time for you to start all of your shopping.

Boomerang chair for hubby? check.

Text inspired tote for mum? check.

Teeny House tees for nieces? check.

Swanky glasses for swigging? check.

 

One of everything? I’ll send you my shipping address.

 

Now that you know a bit about what House is all about, just look around the next time you are out and see if you can spot their handiwork. I’ll give you a few hints- look everywhere from the hangtag on your jeans to the renovated spaces at Dulles International Airport.

atch for the new sassy ad campaign for the Mini. And most eagerly awaited by us “design-groupies” the House Industries 10 year retrospective book. Not out until mid-2004, it will be 240 pages and well worth the wait. A tour is planned to spread the word about the house that House built. Nice to know it came from some swell folks just up the road.

 

Maybe Delaware will be known for something else besides the 3 Cs- Chemicals, Chickens and Credit Cards!