If you want drama — band fights, power struggles, creative differences, hissy fits — don’t train your gaze on Electroliner.
This Americana group, formed less than a year ago in Birmingham, consists of five reasonable, confident, like-minded musicians who aren’t looking to quit their day jobs.
Singer-guitarist John P. Strohm is a lawyer. Singer-bassist Claire Cormany is a graphic designer and art director. Singer-guitarist Bo Butler has a construction and design firm. Drummer Shawn Avery is a paralegal. Multi-instrumentalist Pete Nice is a custom carpenter.
Talent is a given in this ensemble, along with experience and efficiency. The band members say they’ve learned to become good time managers; careers, families and other responsibilities require much of their attention.
Also, three players in Electroliner — Strohm, Cormany and Butler — have substantial songwriting catalogs at their disposal. Instead of starting from scratch on their set lists, some of the essentials are built in.
"There’s so much less pressure this way," Butler says. "Music can be music." "It’s all about how you define success," Strohm says. "We’re all real happy if we walk away (from a show) with a few bucks in our pockets."
Of course, anyone who’s paid attention to Birmingham’s music scene will recognize some of their names and recall their previous affiliations. Strohm has the highest profile — and a national one — as he formerly toured with the Blake Babies and Lemonheads. Other examples: Cormany was the lead singer and primary songwriter of Kiss Me at the Gate. She also played in a band called Jemimah. Butler fronted the Saturdays and Bo Butler and the Niceboys. Avery was a member of Through the Sparks and Wiseblood.
Nice’s credits go back to the 1970s; in recent years, he has appeared with the Niceboys, the Governors and the Hurlers, among others. (Literary footnote: He’s also the nephew of the late Kurt Vonnegut.)
The members of Electroliner bring various tastes and influences to the music, Cormany says. These range from Top 40 pop to raw punk to hardcore country. "I love that we can put something out there to be arranged and colored by the other members," she says.
"Each song can sound totally different," Avery says. "There’s a tension between pop vocals and pedal steel or a dirty guitar solo."
To date, Electroliner has played about five shows, including private parties, and will headline a Jan. 22 date at Bottletree. (Their friend Jesse Payne is the opening act.) "The goal and focus is to get a brand new set of tunes this calendar year," Strohm says. "We’ll debut a few songs at this first show, and will continue to do so."
At Bottletree, listeners can expect to hear the just-minted "Tightrope Walker," along with "Another Losing Season," a cut from Strohm’s 2007 solo disc, "Everyday Life." Kiss Me at the Gate fans may recognize "Come On," a contribution from Cormany.
Electroliner is likely to toss a few covers into the mix, such as Neil Young’s "Powderfinger" and "Bedside Manner" by the Dawes, an up-and-coming band from California. Final note: Although train songs are plentiful in music history, Electroliner doesn’t intend to specialize in those.
"I was delegated to come up with a name," Strohm says, "and I’m keen on trains and names of trains. I thought it would be good for a logo. Mostly I thought it was a very cool word."
