These Questions Go To Eleven: Dead River Company

July 15, 2009 - 9:36am — Katie Camosy

Each week ZIO asks a different musician the same 11 questions via email. Visit Zoom In Music every Wednesday for a new installment or subscribe to the RSS feed.

This week the eleven questions are tackled by to two members of The Dead River Company: guitarist Ross Bollinger, and mandolin player Raccoon Johnson. The Dead River Company promises "... to show the world one hell of a good time and in the wake of its rock and roll tsunami, remind everyone that life is fleeting and should be celebrated!" Known for their quirky folk songs about subject matters such as growing mustaches and Mr. Boston Flavored Brandy, The Dead River Company are comprised of eight members, playing instruments like the washboard and the kazoo.

The Dead River Company have been labeled "one of Brooklyn's most rapid rising musical acts" by Free NYC, and will be headlining TRASHBAT tomorrow at Williamsburg's Public Assembly.

1. What music was played in your home while you were growing up?

Raccoon Johnson: We had speakers wired through the whole house that played James Taylor and Jim Croce twenty four hours a day seven days a week. Mostly James Taylor though.

Ross Bollinger: As a little child my mother wrote lots of music that she played for me. I also listened to a lot of Bowie, The Police, Beach Boys, Travelling Wilburys, Old and in the Way...I had a Buckwheat Zydeco tape for kids that I listened to over and over again.

2. Who is the best artist we have probably never heard of?

RJ: Jim Croce

RB: Some friends of mine from my hometown, the Extraordinaires, now in Philly. They had a big influence on me.

3. What is your favorite song lyric?

RJ: ” I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain. I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end. I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend; but I always thought I’d see you again.” –James Taylor, Fire and Rain

RB: I like a lot of John Prine lyrics, one of my favorites: "We used to laugh together, and we'd dance to any ole song. Well I know that she still laughs with me, but she waits just a second to long."

4. What song do you want played at your funeral?

RJ: I got a name- Jim Croce What better for a sad song, that one moment when it really picks up! Hot Damn!

5. What is your favorite b-side?

RJ: What's a b-side?

RB: Bombers by David Bowie. It was originally recorded for Hunky Dory but got cut and then released later. It's great!!

6. Which medium do you prefer: vinyl, cd, or download?

RJ: I play my music so loudly it transcends all mediums.

RB: They all have their pros and cons. I used to be into vinyl and purchasing CDs and stuff, but now I download probably 95% of my music. I do feel slightly bad from time to time, like I am ripping off artists, but also I embrace the sea change occurring across all media. Besides, in the past I would have had to have far deeper pockets to acquire such specific musical tastes. Now, anybody with enough desire can get ahold of anything.

7. Which artist would your fans be surprised to find out you like?

RJ: James Taylor and Jim Croce

RB: Maybe Tin Hat? They are a neo-classical chamber group form San Francisco. I think that I listen to a surprising amount of classical music.

8. What musician would you choose to cover one of your songs?

RJ: James Taylor or Jim Croce

RB: I'd like to see my work sampled by hip hop artists.

9. Who is the most overrated artist?

RJ: Jim Croce

RB: That's a tough question...anyone who is amassing a large amount of popularity must be doing something right, but I think that typically the overrated artists are ones with great PR guys and just a dud of a product. Those sort of artists just evaporate given enough time.

10. What musician or band do you wish you’d seen play live in their prime?

RJ: James Taylor

RB: Django Reinhardt in Parisian jazz clubs in the 30s.

11. What non-musical influences do you have?

RJ: Was Jim Croce in any films?

RB: Day to day life, the Internet, books, nature. That's probably in descending order.

Visit The Dead River Company's Myspace and Official Website

To see how The Dead River Company, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and Stephen Colbert are connected, read Zoom In Music's blog Booze, Busking, and Bunsen Burners

Read Knocks from the Underground's editorial on The Dead River Company here

Watch a clip of The Dead River Company jamming on a subway platform

Discover Jim Croce and The Extraordinares

Check out more installments of THESE QUESTIONS GO TO ELEVEN:

Adam Green
Art Brut
Camera Obscura
Chin Chin
The Cribs
Darlings
Fool's Gold
Fujiya & Miyagi
Golem
Jukebox the Ghost
Talib Kweli
Ben Kweller
Jeffrey Lewis
The Low Miffs
Lights
M83
Man Like Me
Marina & The Diamonds
Meg & Dia
A.C. Newman
Cale Parks
Silvery
Tapes 'n Tapes
Tiny Animals
The Von Bondies
White Rabbits
Wild Light
Yo Majesty!