Eric Baylies is one of the most active local artists you might find, and has been for a long time. The musician, promoter, and author has been a staple locally, regionally and nationally for over 30 years and has no plans to slow down any time soon. He will be celebrating the 32nd anniversary of Baylies Band, one of his many projects, throughout the month of November with events in PVD and Boston.
In their 32 years of existence, Baylies Band has played 48 states and Canada, sharing the stage with bands ranging from PeelanderZ to Lightning Bolt to Macaulay Culkin’s Pizza Underground to Weird Al Yankovic. Their latest album, Madonna Lives in My Basement, features guest appearances from members of Fugazi, Acid Mothers Temple, Morphine and Capt Beefheart. Their upcoming album, tentatively titled Funky Suitcase Full of Cocaine, was recorded with Chuck Perry. They are just about done recording.
“We’ve played shows as a duo, a nine-piece and everything in between,” Baylies says. “We are probably the only band to play the Station in Warwick and Fort Thunder, as well as CBGB’s, The Strand, Living Room, Dusk & The Safari.”
Baylies Band has had a lot of members through the years. Their current lineup includes KC Camacho on guitar & theremin, KC Goodwin (gym shorts, joyboys) on drums & well digging, and Dwayne Voelker on bass & modular synths (he played w Bob Stinson from The Replacements).
“I sing and dance and play theremin & noise machines from Pittsburgh Modular, Behringer, Mellotron & Moog,” Baylies says.
KAFKAESQUE will take place in two separate cities with a mixture of local and national acts playing each event with Baylies Band. KAFKAESQUE BOSTON takes place at Middle East Downstairs on November 14 with Pissed Jeans, Hammer Party and Midnight Creeps. The celebration ships to The Met a week later (November 21) with Weird Nightmare (singer of Metz), Drunks w/ Guns, Dropdead, Sunburned Hand of the Man, King Missile, and Freakbag.
“I have been playing and putting on shows and occasional all-day shows since before the dawn of time,” Baylies says. “I wanted to try to put a name to something and make annual events instead of doing the guerrilla warfare of sporadic fests or packed shows I’ve been doing all my life. I wanted to add a brand name to it and give back to the music community by having some locals get the opportunity to play with some legendary acts.”
“Kafkaesque was finally going to be just noise rock, but I wanted a bigger tent for other music and people I love,” Baylies says. “I went to Boston Calling a few years ago, there were 800 million bands, but the only good ones were Horse Girl, Weezer and Metallica. What was the point of the other 50 acts that paid to be there and did not win any new fans?”
Baylies worked tirelessly to secure a lineup of bands rooted in, but well beyond, the scope of punk. The stage will feature national and regional bands, while giving some locals their chance to shine in front of a larger audience.
“Choosing the touring acts was a bit of a challenge,” Baylies says. “It was like juggling chainsaws on a spaceship, drunk. I never like being the guy dealing with managers and booking agents. The fun part was asking some local friends to play, though I wish I had room for so many more. I have some bigger regional bands, but I’m excited to give bands like Pons, Garrison Fortress and Freakbag a bigger stage, literally.”
Baylies kicks November off with a two-day Noisefest taking place at AS220 Black Box on November 7 and 8. Approximately 50 noise acts will grace the all-black, rectangular room throughout the weekend.
“The Noisefest is super niche,” Baylies admits. “The usual suspects will attend and have a good time.”
“I expect to be in debt for the rest of my life and be committed to a hospital for the criminally insane,” Baylies jokes. “It would be a pleasant surprise to break even.
“We are here to export the sound of Providence, dirty, distorted, with theremin duets, Moogs, and dance moves that would make James Brown proud, the football player, not the godfather of soul,” he adds.
“I hope in a year or 2 to expand it to New Haven, NYC and Amherst or beyond,” Baylies says. “I have played some crazy ass festivals in Japan, Europe. Mexico & Canada & I want to bring the energy, which cannot be created or destroyed, to this.”