With their first show in April, Starkville officially took Pet Boy Sherman as a fresh local rock ‘n’ roll band of four. Just last Friday night, the talented band preceded Young Agent Jones at Roxy’s triple band extravaganza.
Skillfully playing some of their favorite songs by other bands, Mike Yeager, Todd Rowan and twin brothers Kevin and Keith Spivey played the widest variety of songs that Starkville has seen from the local scene. In festive costume they performed a broad range from Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees” to The Toadies’ “Possum Kingdom” to Tenacious D’s “Explosivo.”
But these guys aren’t lacking in creative talent, either. Drummer Mike, lead guitarist Kevin, bassist Keith and guitarist/lead vocalist Todd are all writing and composing together. Todd writes the music while Kevin and Keith add their own twists and tweaks. They’ll soon be recording their own CD at Scary Uncle’s, Mike’s studio.
Todd has 11 songs on his Web site, ToddRowan.com. “Persona Non Grata,” the first on his download list, has a rare painful tension you can only grasp when hearing it. All are available for free download.
Todd is shockingly humble when comparing himself to his friends. Standing in the doorway smoking a cigarette, he explains how the band sounds phenomenally better together than they do apart.
“I’m not the greatest musician, but playing with these guys would take anyone to the next level,” Todd said.
And he means it when he professes his appreciation to Keith, Kevin and Mike. They seem to have been playing music, laughing and hanging out for years. Though they’ve all played since they were children, Todd’s right about how they perform as a band. “We look at each other and smile and know when we mess up,” he said.
During the interview Mike sits on a stool drinking a Bud Light. He doesn’t say much, but he does explain why he wanted to start another band outside Young Agent Jones.
“It’s a different dynamic. It gives me a chance to do something different. We have a wide variety stylistically,” he said.
Keith and Kevin started playing music together when they were only five years old, after their dad bought guitars from a pawn shop and taught them to play. Their untamed curls, Kevin’s long and pulled back, Keith’s short, seem to indicate their non-phony character.
Kevin says that leading the band in guitar in front of an audience is the best he ever has. “I feel like I just got laid by rock ‘n’ roll. It’s a complete relief of things stuck inside me or whatever,” he said.
When asked why he started another band when his other one is successful, Keith jokingly said, “I’m just in it for the money.” He plays bass because “anything with more than four strings just confuses me.”
During their hysterically comic interview, Keith finds a rusty bear trap outside the warehouse in which they practice. “How do you set this thing?” he asked before a half-hour experiment with the trap.
This spontaneity fortunately carries over in their performance as a band.
While the band practices, they have just as much energy as they do in a crowd. “Of course we drink during practice! Who doesn’t?” said Todd, laughing at the absurd question.
While discussing a possible performance of rock version of an ’80s new wave song, Todd uses his legs as drums, mouthing out how the guitar would be, sounding all too much like an improvisational jazz musician.
About their gigs, Todd said, “I don’t care if it’s 20 people or 200. We’ll give it all we’ve got every time.”