Episode 50: More Mark Messerly

97X, Music, podcast

We continue our conversation with Mark Messerly, a key player in the Cincinnati music scene. In this episode, he talks about the genius of his Wussy bandmates Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker, and pays tribute to John Erhardt, who passed away earlier this year. We also talk about his tour blogging (Robert Christgau loves it and we do too!), his day job as a music teacher… and Superchunk.

Mark’s tour diary entries are profound, poignant… and often hilarious as well. (Who doesn’t love a good Snack of the Day review?) The archive is on Wussy’s website here. Robert Christgau, “the dean of American rock critics” loves Mark’s writing. He loves Wussy too – you can read his brief reviews of each Wussy release here.

Mark and Chuck Cleaver both wrote fond tributes to John Erhardt, who played in both the Ass Ponys and Wussy. Read them here.

Mark and his wife Hollie will be doing an episode of the Wussy livestream on Facebook this Friday (11/27).

Yes, you read that right, it’s the 32nd livestream from Wussy band members… each one is a true gem, showcasing brilliant songwriting and playful banter. Check them out here and if you can, cough up some cash for the tip jar.

100% pure Chuck

Music

The 7/10 edition of CityBeat features a great cover story by Brian Baker about Chuck Cleaver, of Wussy and Ass Ponys fame.

Photo is by Anna Stockton, Chuck’s daughter

Chuck’s a brilliant songwriter, and a heck of a singer. (As he says in the interview, his voice is an “acquired taste” but it fits his songs so well.)

As fate would have it, I had listened to the Ass Ponys album Some Stupid with a Flare Gun the day before the interview came out. Man, what a great album! Just like all the other Ass Ponys albums. And all the Wussy albums. And I’m sure his new solo effort is fantastic as well.

The CityBeat piece is a lengthy profile that runs the gamut of Chuck’s career and captures his self-deprecating attitude so well.

“I don’t consider what I have as a career,” he says without a trace of irony. “I think it’s a passion that sort of went haywire.”

Chuck Cleaver in the CityBeat profile: https://www.citybeat.com/music/music-feature/article/21077295/widelyacclaimed-cincinnati-musician-chuck-cleaver-preps-first-solo-album-of-what-he-doesnt-believe-is-a-storied-career

The article is well-worth a read, and Ass Ponys, Wussy and now solo Chuck Cleaver are always worth a listen or three.