Our series exploring the whereabouts of West Michigan bands and artists who once reveled in the limelight checks in with the duo behind 2012’s ‘Local Spin of the Year.’
SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO AND TO LISTEN TO SIMIEN THE WHALE
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When Grand Rapids rock duo Simien the Whale won the “Local Spin of the Year” award 10 years ago to the day, there were plans to follow up the eclectic and dazzling self-titled, full-length debut with plenty more releases and singles.
Unfurling “break-beat” rock and pop that weaved funk, hip-hop, prog-rock and psychedelia into the mix, Zachary Guy and Tory Peterson capitalized on a magical partnership first cemented years before as members of the Jim Crawford Band.
Of course, life has a way of altering any band’s trajectory, from family obligations to other musical endeavors to time-consuming day jobs.
Still, Guy, 40, and Peterson, 41, have continued to collaborate on “little projects,” with plans for eventually releasing another Simien the Whale album and getting the Jim Crawford Band back together.
“Troy grew a beautiful family and I focused on my marketing career for a while,” said Guy, who works for The Image Shoppe.
“We have really just been waiting for the right time to pick up the project. The task of recording an album can be a lot. I think we’re looking at eating an elephant and wanting to make sure we can get it all in before we take the first bite.”
Over the past several years, Peterson, a kitchen designer, has been involved in a variety of musical ventures, including the atmospheric Americana band Bello Spark, some freelance musical projects and solo work. Peterson and Guy also worked together to create a jingle for one of The Image Shoppe’s clients.
LISTEN: Simien the Whale, “S.H.F.B.”
“We’ve seen Chris Andrus and Middlefield active again, been hearing rumblings of others maybe re-entering the scene,” Guy said of other bands that were active more than a decade ago. “That’s been a real inspiration to us to work on some of the unfinished songs we have in the vault.”
The duo’s full-length debut recorded at Michael Crittenden’s Mackinaw Harvest Studios was described as “brilliantly catchy” and “lush and eclectic,” delivering “intricate, guitar-propelled rock with smart, accessible hooks.”
So, reviving the glow from a Simien the Whale album that Local Spins once regarded as the best local/regional release of the year – topping more than 100 other recordings – and getting the Jim Crawford Band “ready to perform” again are both on the docket for the duo.
Guy said “being reviewed with a positive appraisal” was a Simien highlight lo those many years ago, along with recording a concert for PBS’ “Backstage Pass” that still gets aired from time to time. (Scroll down to view the video.)
“Since we first started playing music together when we were 16 or 17, we considered ourselves craftspeople of the trade of writing and recording a piece of work,” Guy explained.
“Simien the Whale was always meant to be a recording-first experience. The other bands we played in always had a larger focus on the live experience than Simien the Whale ever did.”
And, he hinted, with an air of mystery: “Definitely stay tuned for 2022, as one of our other musical projects will see the light of day. I love the music we made in Simien the Whale, but this project is coming first.”
VIDEO: Simien the Whale, WKAR’s Backstage Pass
LISTEN: Simien the Whale, “Always Something Easier”
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