Interview with Hoochie Coochie Men on Their New EP, ‘Big Blue Tree’

I freely admit I am a fan of the Hoochie Coochie Men (HCM). When recently introduced to a variety of new artists, HCM was the EP that grabbed my attention and had me humming along. “I’d Rather Go Blind/Don’t Let Me Down” became a personal favorite. Catching the HCM live at The Bitter End a few Saturday nights ago, was something I was completely looking forward too.

Hoochie Coochie Men lack any form of pretense, which makes them even more enjoyable to watch and listen to. The young men are experimenting, challenging themselves, and having a great time jamming together.  The band (Zach Gold on vocal and guitar, Joey Tumulty on vocal and keyboard, Alex Musso on slide and lead guitar, Grant Kempski on bass and Brian Duke on drums) played a combination of blues, rock, and folk music. They played seven songs, blending genres to create danceable sing-a-long songs that spoke to the audience.

Slated between Memo and Que Lunel & the Mosaic Movement, the night spent enjoying the HCM gave off an overall country, ’60s vibe that brought to mind Peter, Paul &Mary, Bob Dylan, Pete Seger, and even The Doors, during the folk choruses. Filled with a mix of groupies, a wide age range, and people who originally stopped in for a drink, the Bitter End had an audience captivated with Musso’s guitar solos, Tumulty’s voice, and the harmonies of Gold and Duke.  

Although Gold and Tumulty’s voices could not be more diverse, they complement each other, switching the mood from fast, dancing music to a slower, story-telling vibe. The harmonies between Gold and Kempski were tight. Gold has a voice that is radio-ready and marvels in its own uniqueness — the Bob Dylan inspiration is is obvious. There’s nothing overly processed — the music is very organic. The keyboard brought the audience vibe up a notch every time Tumulty fronted a song.

The last song of the night truly echoed another era. Closing your eyes, the passion was there. The wisdom of the lyrics would have seemed to come from older men, but HCM were able to grasp a variety of subjects. The lives and heartaches they sang about became completely believable.

I was able to catch up with band members after The Bitter End performance to learn about the creative process, mashing songs and the most challenging parts of being in a band.

Americana Lady: Can you tell me how the band was formed? Did you plan to sing blues, rock?



Alex Musso for HCM: Zach and I have been playing together since 2011. We met in college and were playing in separate bands at the time that had more of an alt-rock feel to them, but we really just wanted to play the blues. We met up with Joey and the three of us began playing blues covers at the local bars around our college. As our sound got bigger, we added bass and drums. We’ve had a few different bass players and drummers along the road, but found the right match with Grant and Brian. We always planned to be a band rooted in the blues, it’s just what we know. But all of us have other musical influences outside the blues like folk, soul, and jam band type stuff. It’s nice to see how that has affected our music and has been incorporated into our own sound.

Some of you are still in school, how do you balance your time with traveling and performing?

It’s really difficult, with Grant and Brian still in school, but we make it work. During the school year, we try and stick to doing one weekend of practice and about 4 shows a month.

Do any of you have formal music training?

Joey Tumulty: I have taken piano lessons and been in choirs and such.  Grant, Brian, and I have all participated in the music program at Lafayette in some capacity or another, whether it be music courses, jazz band, or lessons. I think the most growing I have done, though, has been playing and singing with groups on campus that are run by students. That of course includes our band. It was usually pretty casual but it also allowed us to approach the music we wanted, as opposed to the structure of a music course.

You debuted your song “In the Water” on Saturday. What emotions do you feel right before you debut new songs? How do you decide when the song is ready to debut? Does the venue or crowd size matter? 

Musso: It is always exciting to perform new songs for the first time. It was a refreshing experience for us and especially for those fans we see coming out to see us show after show.

Tumulty: We like to debut songs as soon as they are ready rather than wait for the “right time.”  Songs really mature the more that we play them, and playing them live gives us a new perspective on the songs.  We are also not afraid to make big changes to songs as we continue to play them.  As a band, we are pretty focused on our live sound, so I think it is more interesting to have songs that can change concert to concert.  One thing I hate hearing at a concert: “They didn’t play the song exactly like the record! Unacceptable!”

How do you decide your set list?

Musso: [laughs] Oh man, first let me say that writing the set list is always a nightmare for us. We usually start about an hour before our set and it’s usually written on a napkin or blank receipt from the bar. Usually one or two of us will get together and write the set then pass it around to the rest of the guys. Songs usually get mixed around until we all are cool with the order. We try and keep a nice mix of high and low energy songs in our sets and break up the high energy ones with the more mellow ones scattered in between.

How would you describe HCM?

Tumulty: Five white dudes getting all their angst out with the blues. Also, we desperately want to be the Allman Brothers. Too real?

One of my personal favorites on the EP is “I’d Rather Go Blind/Don’t Let Me Down.” How did you decide to mash those songs and how does a song have to speak to you before you decide to cover it?

Tumulty: Mashing songs together is one of those things that just happens in the endless hours of jamming we do together.  We originally wanted to cover “I’d Rather Go Blind” because it is such a great song, and there are some awesome versions of it out there. I guess Don’t “Let Me Down” just popped into someone’s head because it’s the same chord progression and it made sense lyrically. When we choose covers, it’s because we love the song and think it could fit in our sound. This doesn’t mean the original artist has to sound anything like us. It’s much cooler to change up a a cover and throw your own spin on it. I think that unless you are in a tribute band or playing weddings, you should always try and do something interesting with the songs you cover.

Can you talk about the writing process? Are you all involved?

Tumulty: We are all involved in some capacity.  For the most part, everyone writes what they play or sing.  There are plenty of exceptions, especially with initial song ideas. Song ideas seem to come from a different place every time and Alex, Zach, and I do a lot of workshopping of songs as they develop. Lyrics come from different places as well, but I usually find it easiest to sing the lyrics I have written and I think Zach feels the same.  When we are all together we discuss the form and feel of the songs as a group which can get a little crazy.  It’s definitely easier to write in small groups. It’s a big mess of contributions and changes to a song.

What other artists inspire you? How does performing with artists like Memo and Qew Lunel & The Mosaic Movement influence your music? You seemed to feed off each other Saturday night!

Tumulty: I am most inspired by the bluesy artists who are doing well now like The Black Keys, Ray Lamontagne, Tedeschi Trucks Band and The London Souls. Blues doesn’t let you use the “I was born in the wrong generation” excuse.  There are a lot of young people who want to hear guitars, drums and an organ rock out on stage, despite what other people may think. Playing with great bands definitely makes us play better.  The energy is higher and if the audience is feeling it, then we are too. It’s also great to have the bands watch and appreciate each other.

Do you have a favorite venue?

Tumulty: I love Rockwood Music Hall.  The sound is always great despite the crowded rooms and they have pianos. We’ve put in our work there and recently graduated our shows from Stage 1 to Stage 2.  So we’ve got that going for us, which is cool.



Musso: We’ve played some cool venues in the city like B.B. King’s in Times Square and Stage 48. But if you’re talking about favorite recurring venue it’s definitely Rockwood Music Hall or The Bitter End. Great sound, great crowd, every time. Just awesome.