Lit Up is always looking for the best Literary Night Out…
photo by Callie White, courtesy of the band’s website
North Carolina group Bombadil will play Arlington’s IOTA on Friday, Oct. 25.
They’ve got some folky leanings, some Bolivian overtones and lyrics that are worth digging into. They remind us a little of Noah and the Whale or David Wax Museum, and we’ve heard that their concerts are not to be missed.
And with a name like Bombadil (J.R.R. Tolkien anyone?) we had to ask them about their literary tastes!
Band member Daniel Michalak was kind enough to answer our questions for In the Greenroom:
You guys have a lot of literary references in your music. Is there a book that was particularly inspiring to you?
I am a huge Roald Dahl fan. I have read all his books several times. Never thought about the guy while writing music, but I am sure I get some of my whismy and fantastical lilt from him.
Do you get a lot of reading done on tour, and if so, do you have any recommendations for our readers?
Seems to be mostly magazines and newspapers for us on tour – Time, The New Yorker, Wired, The Atlantic, or The Wall Street Journal. I recommend all of them.
Are there any titles that you think would pair well to read while listening to your band’s music?
I struggle reading and listening to music at the same time – however, I just read Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi and it was woooonderful!!!!
Is there an author you’d like to have listen to your music and be inspired?
John Steinbeck, Tom Robbins, Flannery O’Conner, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Jules Verne…
Where is your favorite place to get lost in a book?
Lake Winnipesaukee, NH in a hammock
To get a taste of their sound, here’s a video of the band playing the track, “Honeymoon”:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3RxGHlDv2k[/youtube]
Thank you Bombadil!