What\'s the Fishbone

Just days before leaving on a tour that will at one point find his band playing 26 days in a row, FIshbone guitarist Tracey Singleton, or Spacey T as he's commonly known, seems laid back and upbeat during a phone call from his L.A. residence. Though Fishbone is without a major record deal, Singleton can't conceal his excitement about the band's new tunes, side projects and willingness to keep the funk coming, no matter the opposition.\n"We've been doing a lot of studio tracks and experimenting with Pro-tools," Singleton says. "We also recorded for a live video at the Temple club in L.A., two nights -- all killer."\nFounded in 1979 while some of its members were in junior high, the Los Angeles-based act has woven its unique mixture of funk, metal and ska, blended with socially conscious lyrics into a potent high-energy sound that once landed the group a spot on the main stage of Lollapalooza -- all while being labeled 'too black' for rock radio, and 'too rock' for stations playing hip-hop.\nFishbone is comprised of vocalist Angelo Moore on sax and theramin, bassist Norwood Fisher, pocket trumpetist Walter Kibby II, guitarist Singleton (Spacey T) and percussionist John Steward.\nFishbone's tour will also feature opening performances by two of the band members' side projects -- Dirty Walt and the Columbus Sanitation and Angelo Moore's alter ego Dr. Madd Vibe. Blowfly, who has recorded with Fishbone in the past, will also play the show, along with local rockers Classic Smack. Smack bassist Evan Stuann feels the bands' combined fan bases will meld well.\n"They play with intensity and so do we, so we think our fans will match," Stuann says.\nRhino's director Brad Wilhelm expects a packed house for Friday's show. \n"We're incredibly fortunate," Wilhelm says. "This really fell into our laps by the grace of the gods. I expect this to be the attendance breaker."\nSingleton says Fishbone is determined to keep doing what its members love best: making music and having fun, and maybe packing in a house here and there.\n"We just want to see how people support the new stuff, since we're not supporting a new record," Singleton says. "We want to just go out there and capture people's imagination, because we're 'ever moving on."\nBlending horn sections and bass, Singleton's genre-defying guitar work and Moore's dynamic vocals, Fishbone promises to at least keep the audience guessing at what will follow.\n"We've got a new song called 'There a demon in here'. It's kind of like neo-classical funk," Singleton says. "It's crazy because I have this guitar part going, and Angelo has these horns that sound like a Mexican mariachi. We've got another called 'Skankin' go nuts,' that's kind of progressive ska, with reggae parts on the verse."\nSingleton was thrilled to be able to join Fishbone when he was offered a spot several years ago. But most strange is Singleton's late friend had predicted the event years earlier.\n"Ray Jarvis, my friend who died on Valentine's Day, used to come over, and we'd jam and learn the Fishbone songs, and he'd tell me I'd be in the band someday," Singleton says. "My first tour with Fishbone, we came into town and were playing (a club) and when our eyes met, I was like, 'Ray, how did you know?'"\nThough Singleton is proud of what Fishbone has accomplished since he joined the musicians, he says he can't help but feel disappointed when the band sees their peers pass them by and achieve the recognition Fishbone has worked so hard to earn.\n"Here's our twilight zone: We play a show and tell our opening band 'don't be surprised if we're opening for you (in the future),'" Singleton says. "No Doubt, 311, Chili Peppers, the list goes on."\nAfter years of fighting the system and maintaining a distinctly different sound, some of the original members of the band decided to take a small risk -- that is, follow the advice of their label and create a more 'radio-friendly' product on their 2000 release The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx.\n"Eventually the record company came down and said, 'Well, if you water it down a bit and have some guests, we'll back it,'" Singleton says, his frustration evident. Guest performers on their most recent album include Gwen Stefani, George Clinton and Rick James.\nBut even with this added element, Singleton still feels that the group's music may just not be "dumbed-down" enough for radio. "Maybe the music is 'too real,'" he says.\nSmack guitarist Tim Gray can relate with Fishbone's struggle for acceptance outside its fan base.\n"I think it's kind of difficult to be a straight up hard-rock band in Bloomington," Gray says. "A lot of music in the town is candy coated."\nVaried playing styles and interests of Fishbone's members have helped the band achieve its eclectic mix.\n"Norwood is the master of the bass. We've got this new song 'Frayed fucking nerve endings', where we do this new rhythmic thing Norwood came up with, never heard of before," Singleton says as he makes a buzzing sound excitedly, imitating the music. "It's just heavy, jungle, funky live. I can't help it if we're not one-dimensional. We're just trying to be the best that we can be."\nSingleton says his own personal style develops depending on what the music calls for. \n"For one thing, I try to be true to (former members) Kendall and J.B., and just take it to the next level," Singleton explains. "With hardcore soloing, sometimes people don't do that anymore, and I think it's because they can't play … some songs just have to have helluh solos."\nThe guitarist says he'd like to do some work with Prince in the future. \n"We have so much in common musically and with what happened with him and the record companies, but I'd like to just sit down, guitar to guitar," he says. \nSingleton says the band hopes continuous playing and hard work will bring the band the recognition it deserves in the mainstream media rotation, which the guitarist believes would help the band take off.\n"We're going to keep down with what we're doing," Singleton says, "and see all our fans at the shows."\nWristbands for admission to the show will be distributed outside Rhino's beginning at 7 p.m. the day of the show only. Doors will open at 7:30 p.m. with the show beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10.