Bands keep the holidays cheery

It started this summer. Twenty-three bands began to write and record, and now, months later, despite the cold, rainy weather, the holidays don’t have to be so rotten.

That’s the title of their instrumental compilation album — “The Holidays Don’t Have To Be So Rotten: Volume 2” — a project of local label Flannelgraph Records. The proceeds from the album go to Stepping Stones, a local organization that helps homeless teenagers.

“We thought it would be fun to put together an album of new, original holiday instrumentals because it’s just something that we would actually like to listen to,” said Jared Cheek, owner of Flannelgraph Records.

Bands that wrote songs for the album will perform at Flannelgraph Record’s Holiday Benefit Spectacular. The benefit will begin at 8 p.m. Thursday at The Bishop. Instead of cash, a canned good or clothing donation will be accepted for admission. These will go to the Monroe Country Red Cross.

“Making it a benefit album with all of the profits going to charity just seemed like the right thing to do,” Cheek said.

The performance will be the last show of the year for Michael Anderson, the man behind solo project Drekka, before he tours Europe in January and February.    
Anderson’s holiday track is titled “It’s Here (Are You Ready?),” which he called a strange reworking of the “Charlie Brown Christmas” theme song.
 
“It was mostly made on an antique organ called an Optigan,” Anderson said. “It’s sort of a pre-sampler.”

The solo artist described his music as heavily experimental, industrial soundtracks.

He’s also toured the world, from Italy to Iceland, which he said influences his work.

“I do a lot of field recording and incorporate it into my pieces,” Anderson said. Along with Drekka, six other bands will perform, “so you can expect to see some great music with short set times,” Cheek said.

Wet Blankets, She Does Is Magic, New Terrors, Tim Felton of husband&wife, Frank Schweikhardt and Sleeping Bag make up the other acts in the lineup.

Dave Segedy is the lead vocalist for Sleeping Bag, but in an unusual twist for a band, he’s also the drummer.

“Basically, I don’t know how to play bass or guitar, but I wanted to write songs anyway,” Segedy said.

He knew enough of the instruments to get the melody down and to write the arrangements, he said.

His band mates, guitarist Lewis Rogers and bass player David Woodruff, add their own flair to the music with details and solos.

For Sleeping Bag’s song on the holiday compilation, “Missing All Your Best Friends,” Segedy reworked an old demo song into an original instrumental.

At the show, Sleeping Bag will play songs old and new. The pop-rock band, which released its debut album in August, already has all the songs written for its next and has only to record. Fans can expect to hear the upcoming album next summer or fall.
Sleeping Bag also recorded a song for Flannelgraph Records’ first holiday compilation.

Now, after the second volume has come out, Cheek said he hopes to make the show and album an annual event.

“It’s really great to see people selflessly come together to do something that helps other folks out,” Cheek said.