Mike-K - Having Fun

Hear The Track Here

The Germinator rides again!! Said Germinator residing in the hirsute visage of the man, the legend Mike Kohlgraf or Mike-K as he is referred to musically. I say this because Mike is a busy, busy boy and sometimes people forget that deep down he is a musician, just like the rest of us. It's a problem for all those who put their heads above the parapet so to speak. I first met Mike as I started reviewing on Soundclick and I dug out a review of Melancholy (October 2003) which seemed to be the very first time I had reviewed him. Reading this and being fully aware of how much musical water has flowed under the bridge since that long ago day I was bemused to see ' I discovered the most amazing breath of fresh air' being applied to his music from me.

Regular readers will be chuckling a bit here because they are only too well aware of the 'easy listening/smooth' labels I inevitably heap upon his shoulders. The fact is that Mike has a wide musical range, I just seem to take particular umbrage to some of it (soft, mellow = eeeewwww). As well as writing the tune and bringing 'electric guitar, electric bass, 12-string, mandolin and 6 string western' to the party, Mike brings us a slice of near country picking that I have to say raised my eyebrows. I have noticed a new found confidence in his guitar playing of late and if I hadn't already guessed it, this track would have been equally convincing proof. Mike has, through his various internet radio shows (Saturday Night Rocks, and it does), introduced me to some really terrific country players (think The Chairs, Morris P Rainville etc) so the biggest surprise here is that Mike is one of those.

For sure I always knew he was a good musician, which is why I wrote those long ago words, but there are levels, you know? All musicians learn constantly, and its only the amount of real physical labour (ie playing your instrument) you are prepared to put into it that dictates the pace. I suspect Mike has been upping his game quite considerably by a) collaborating and b) having fun. We forget, sometimes, that this is the reason we are all here - at least the sane ones. We know we are not going to get draped in riches and b*tches anytime soon, and that's OK because we are having a LOT of fun making this music. The one thing that is evident from this track more than anything else, is that Mike had a whale of a time putting it together. Which, conversely, means we should have a whale of a time listening to it. So yeaaahhh, little dogies and lets git to gittin'... whatever that means...

MUST HAVE YEEEEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHHH