Harlen Simple
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A band that crosses every invisible line and boundary in music, the soon to be infamous Harlen Simple. On any given night you'll see; a rapper, a full horn section, percussionist, two harmonica players, all trying push and stretch boundaries as players and creators in todays music scene.
The flexibility lies in the core members of the group. A veteran bass player in Kenny Morrow and energetic beat maker in John Peterson make the rythem section seem like a machine. The machine runs at full tilt for hours on end with Erick Thomas peppering an unmistakeable groove with guitar, a distinctive touch that fuses everything from reggae guitar tones to nasty slide licks. The icing on the cake is the natural on the microphone, front man Travis Williams.
They refuse to follow rules and set lists. "We write them, they just don't work, we get so wrapped up in it that we usually play 5-6 songs without stopping, before we realize that we planned on using a set list," says Williams. This statement is so true that it only takes 10 minutes of a live performance to understand. The group looks like fish in water on stage, flowing from original to cover and back again, with a library of songs in and from every style of music that has hit their ears, they just let it out. The free flowing style has enabled them to fuse songs together, make new ones in the middle of a set, or just throw curveballs at eachother as fast as they can think of them. They jump into every genre they've ever heard; this is how their material spans 8 decades of music. "We feel it; like everyone else in the band, I'm not up there to show you how technical I can play, or that I took a couple hours and learned a song note for note...(laughs). Hell no I don't play the same stuff for our own stuff. We're there to drink beer and have fun like everyone else, that's a good time, and if everyone else is having fun then so are we," Thomas remarks. Between the on and off stage antics that's making their name and the body of work they're creating, this is certainly an act worth seeing as soon as they hit a town anywhere near you.

By: Billy Daymont
Why this name?
Langston Hughes' book, "The Life and Times of Simple"
Do you play live?
Constantly, we'll play anywhere we can plug in. Every show has special moments, that's why you do it. Sometimes it's only for 30 seconds, others it's for 3 hours, it all depends. It's like a drug we're all hooked on.
How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?
It's making a much wider range of music easier to attain, mainly the underground scene. The things that Sam Goody and Tower don't have in stock, you can find it now without having to live in the Village in New York.
Would you sign a record contract with a major label?
Damn Skippy
Band History:
A band that is slowly becoming more of an institution rather than a weekend hobby. What started as a guitar player and a singer sitting in and playing open mics with whatever patchwork band that would get on stage with them. To an outfit that's running up and down the East Coast playing in any club, bar, or backyard. Harlen Simple was formed by childhood friends, Erick Thomas and Travis Williams. A drunken idea that's turned into a way of life.
Your influences?
Songwriting is really influenced by the guys that walk to the beat of a different drummer. People like Neil Young, Brad Nowell, Greg Allman, Warren Haynes, and Stevie Wonder. As far as bands that make us want to do it, Gov't Mule, Sol, Allman Bos, Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam, and the local veterans that play the bars in town. Some of us are younger and have gotten into the hip-hop, while some of the older guys, love the jazz and blues, and rock.
Favorite spot?
Erick-New Orleans, LA
Kenny-Seoul, South Korea
Travis-Intercourse, PA
Equipment used:
Paul Reed Smith- Carlos Santana SE through a Ampeg Reverbrocket, with a Jekyl & Hyde double distortion and a DOD 30. Ibanez bass, though a Peavey Scorpion with Boss overdrive, distortion and synth stomps.
Anything else...?
We are working on CD number 4 - keep your eyes posted to www.harlensimple.com for more information
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