Lainey Chatagnier
August 2, 2010
Stubbs adjusting to life as head coach
August 4, 2010
They might rely on the age of the Internet and social networking tools to exchange musical inspiration from coast to coast while writing songs, but once they get together, Abigail’s Ghost brings a musical blend that sets them apart from other home-grown bands. And they’re reuniting for the first time in more than a year on Aug. 7 at City Club of Houma.
“The bassist, Kenneth Wilson and I went to high school at Vandebilt [Catholic High School in Houma] together,” said Josh Theriot, the vocalist and lead guitarist for Abigail’s Ghost and a native of Larose.
“We both decided we wanted to go to music school, and got into Berklee College of Music in Boston. Kenny wasn’t into it, so he quit and came back to Louisiana while I stayed up there.” Wilson, who now lives in Kenner, is originally from Schriever.
“So we started writing music via Internet. I’d write and record and send it to him and he’d add stuff, and that’s how our first album was written.”
Theriot compares Abigail’s Ghost’s sound to the 1990s band, Silverchair.
“We have a very dynamic style of music, some of it is very heavy metal and some of it is soft and ballady, but everything is very melodic and we sing pretty much everything,” he said.
And while the band’s music is clearly planned and thought out, its name however, is not.
“The name was created by our drummer, but it doesn’t derive from anything,” Theriot said.
Their first album, “Selling Insincerity,” was recorded in 2006 while Theriot was home for winter break, but didn’t get released until 2007.
“It did way better than any of us had ever expected,” he said. “People wanted to review the CD, and we got a lot of attention we never thought we’d get. And we built up a network of people who could give us exposure and made enough money to do our second record.”
Their second record, “d_letion,” came about during Hurricane Gustav, which left the band, including new members Houma-raised drummer John Rodrigue and guitarist Randy Leboeuf, stuck in Chapel Hill, N.C., for an extra week while playing a festival there.
“It was a really cool bonding experience,” Theriot said.
Since then, Leboeuf left the band to pursue school in Boston. The current members are keyboardist Brett Guillory (a Schriever native), Rodrigue, Theriot and Wilson.
The loyal following Abigail’s Ghost created even impresses Chris Recinos, who has 13 years experience booking bands for various clubs, and has been with City Club for the last year.
“They’re solid in doing a couple hundred people, which is quite an accomplishment for a ‘local’ band,” Recinos said. “Not many people can do that. I have national acts that might draw 30 people, with radio play and labels, and these guys have been doing it on their own.”
Part of the reason Abigail’s Ghost has drawn such a following, according to Recinos, is their unique sound and talent they will bring to City Club.
“It’s definitely a musicians’ show, so if you play an instrument and know music or music theory, you will thoroughly enjoy the show,” Recinos said. “The untrained ear will enjoy it, but the trained ear will really enjoy it.”
The band anticipates a 2-hour set list, not including its opening act, Shoulders of Giants, whose current drummer, Tim Belanger, formerly played for Abigail’s Ghost. And since Abigail’s Ghost current drummer, Rodrigue, cannot make it to the show, Belanger will be playing with both bands.
“He’ll be playing for three hours,” Recinos said, who is also the vocalist for Shoulders of Giants.
Wilson is also unavailable to play, and bassist Jared Ronan from Laplace will fill his spot.
Theriot also said the band will play a few ’90s rock covers, just for fun.
“I’m eager to play again. It’s going to be the first time we play since May of last year, so it’s going to be really exciting,” said Theriot.
Recinos also looks forward to the upcoming show.
“They are incredible musicians that are impressive with songwriting and musicianship itself,” he said. “It’s a joy to sit and watch and listen to a band that really, really knows what they’re doing.”
