Jenni’s Completely Downloadable JABB 195 Playlist
"Music was his life, it was not his livelihood,
and it made him feel so happy and it made him feel so good.
And he sang from his heart and he sang from his soul.
He did not know how well he sang; It just made him whole."
-- Lyrics from the Harry Chapin song "Mr. Tanner"
The History of the AOD Band
"Music was his life, it was not his livelihood,
and it made him feel so happy and it made him feel so good.
And he sang from his heart and he sang from his soul.
He did not know how well he sang; It just made him whole."
-- Lyrics from the Harry Chapin song "Mr. Tanner"
The History of the AOD Band
The world of music is filled with interesting characters and alarming twists of events. But, perhaps, there is no band more interesting or alarming than one that made it presence known in the early 1900s. They would come to take the world and the Hereafter by storm with their charming personalities, musical versatility, and, of course, really awesome hair.
They are…
I can’t tell you how honored I was to be able to sit down with these three lovely guys and hear their history in their own words.
Lady JenniAnn: Adam, you’re the founder of the band. How did this idea come to you? I mean a band made up entirely of angels of death had never been done before, correct?
Adam: Well, I’d always loved music. I don’t want to brag but… who do you think taught King David how to play the harp?
LJA: You? Oh my gosh!
Adam: ::nods and smiles with a hint of pride:: So the idea of a side-career in music was always there. But it wasn’t until the 1900s that I had the time and help to pursue it. I asked Henry first and then Andrew, the newest to the angel of death gig. I was just glad they said yes.
Andrew: Of course, I jumped at the chance. I remember “Leave Me with a Smile” was our first hit. A cover, obviously.
Henry: I miss that period. I liked our matching outfits.
Andrew: ::chuckles:: They were definitely better than some of the stuff we ended up in!
LJA: Really now? Please elaborate.
Andrew: ::blushes:: Let’s just say KISS’ heyday was not a good time for us. You thought my mime make-up was laughable… But I’m jumping ahead. Our swing period was one of my personal favorites.
Adam: Yes! The 1930s and 40s were a really rough time for us but that music…
Henry: A lot of joy in those songs.
LJA: Do you have a favorite number from those days?
All three: “It Don’t Mean a Thing (That We Ain’t Got No Wings)”
LJA: Any
relation to “It
Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That
Swing)”?Adam: You bet. We did have some original songs but redoing existing hits was a lot of fun.
LJA: So how did the song go?
Andrew: Henry, you wrote it. How about you sing a few bars?
Henry: ::clears his throat:: “It don’t mean a thing that we ain’t got no wings. Do wap do wap do wap do wap dah doo. Well it don’t mean a thing cause we’re still sent by the King. Don’t make no difference cause of what we got. Just gotta know that He loves you a lot. No, it don’t mean a thing that we ain’t got no wings…”
LJA: ::claps enthusiastically:: That was great, Henry! Wow!
Henry: Tess really liked that one.
LJA: I can see why! So what came after your swing period?
Adam: What you, JenniAnn, would call oldies. The Nifty Fifties. Lots of love songs. Which, I suppose, people may have thought odd for us but…
LJA: ::casting Andrew a wistful look:: Like what songs?
Henry: “The Glory of Love” was originally a Benny Goodman hit which seemed a natural choice for us when the Five Keys brought it back in the 1950s. I think it was Andrew’s favorite actually.
LJA: ::excitedly:: Really?
Andrew: Uh, yeah. Well, I mean it works on a lot of levels.
LJA: Umm, do you think may be you could, uhh… ::blushes::
Andrew: ::shifting in chair, slightly uncomfortable:: Do you really think that’s a good idea, Lady?
LJA: We’re sitting in a world filled with your admirers. I’m drinking iced chai out of an “I Heart Andrew” mug. I think the damage has been done, Andrew. ::smiles::
Andrew: ::chuckles:: I see your point. Guys, you ready? ::music starts up:: “You've got to give a little, take a little, and let your poor heart break a little. That's the story of, that's the glory of love…”
LJA: ::wipes at tears:: That’s really beautiful. And true. Thanks. So… uhh, not to hurry this along but… the 1960s?
Henry: That can be summed up in one word: Hair.
LJA: ::giggles:: Seems like a natural choice. So did you all have long hair at the time?
Adam: You bet! We didn’t touch a word of that song when we covered it. The Cowsills were geniuses as far as we were concerned. Plus there was an added element of fun for us with the various biblical references.
Andrew: Yes, because we actually had “Biblical hair… like Jesus wore it,” well, when Jesus wore it. Although I do hope none of us ever used our hair as “a home for fleas, a hive for bees, a nest for birds.” ::laughs and runs his hand through his hair::
LJA: Good to know! Now… the 1970s. This was probly your biggest decade, right?
Adam: Definitely. It’s also where our theme song, as we like to think of it, came from. When the Blue Oyster Cult came out with “Don’t Fear the Reaper” we were ecstatic.
Andrew: ::nods:: Our influence was pretty limited. Except for a couple weddings and bar mitzvahs we seldom got much play on Earth. After all, we couldn’t just tell everyone we were angels of death. So we were just three guys singing eclectic covers. We never got some of the messages of AOD-tolerance in our original compositions out. Blue Oyster did it for us. Naturally, it became our favorite song to cover.
Henry: I liked it because I play a mean cowbell. ::grins::
LJA: ::laughs:: I’m sure ya do. So… ooh! The first decade I was around for! The 80s!
Adam: I have a definite favorite from that decade. It was goofy but… What do you expect from me? ::laughs:: And it *was* the biggest hit on our "Big Circle of Light" album. By the 80s we had partly moved away from rewriting popular songs.
Henry: Right. Instead, we often just used titles of hit songs on Earth at the time but our lyrics and music were completely different.
Adam:
::nods:: And
one of my favorite examples was in 1986
when we were inspired by Queen’s “Who Wants to Live Forever.” The
lyrics didn’t exactly serve our purposes so our version was “Who wants
to live forever? No, really, I’m asking you. Do you want to
live forever? Because if you do that can be arranged. Just follow
me into that big circle of light there. Yeah, right there.
Thanks, I like this white suit also.” Well, the title proved a
little too lengthy but the song itself was a huge hit amongst the angel
of death set.LJA: ::highly amused:: I bet!
Adam: Just last week Ronald even asked me to sign his album cover.
LJA: ::very, very interested:: There are album covers? And by extension… albums?!
Andrew: ::laughing heartily:: Good move, Adam. Yes, there are. I suppose now you’ll be going to your sources for copies?
LJA: Did you expect any less? ::grins::
Andrew: Not at all. ::returns smile::
LJA: Well, I know what I’ll be doing this weekend! But now… the 90s. Oh, yay, this is when we came to know about you three. ::notes their long faces:: Hey, what’s wrong?
Adam: ::sighs:: The late 90s were a hard time for us. We broke up. It was a big misunderstanding that I wish hadn’t happened but…
LJA: ::horrified:: No way!
Andrew: ::lowers his face and doesn’t look at anyone, his tone regretful:: It was my fault. I’d just met Monica and, you know, she was so much fun. I told her about the band and next thing I know she was making suggestions. I’d bring them to the guys but… they just weren’t right for us. So we parted ways.
Adam: I started a band called Wings. Until I found out that name was all ready taken.
Andrew: Monica and I tried our own thing, too. The Andrew and Cellulose Monica Band.
LJA: :: eye brows arched in suspicion:: Wait, this sounds really familiar…
Henry: ::unphased:: It wasn’t pretty. The Andrew/Monica band, I mean.
Andrew: ::defensively:: Hey, she tried her best!
Adam: No one’s saying Monica isn’t great. I love Monica but…
Henry: Obviously we all really love Monica. She’s a dear friend to us all. But… we just didn’t have the same vision. So I went on to Henry and his All-Halo Band.
LJA: ::shaking her head:: Hold up, I think you’re all trying to pull one over on me. This sounds suspiciously like…
Andrew: ::conspiratorially:: C’mon guys, I think we better fess up.
Adam: ::shoots JenniAnn a devilish grin:: We never broke up. Especially not over Monica.
LJA: ::relieved and smiling:: You’re all very mean but I’ll forgive you. So if you weren’t ripping off the Beatles’ story what were you doing?
Henry: Well, we’d actually all spent some time with Monica in the 1990s. And she really was a dear friend. Which would account for our Celtic inspired days.
Andrew: As it happened, Enya was really popular then so, much to Monica’s delight, we started producing Celtic music.
Adam: I really enjoyed that phase. Brought me right back to my days in Queen Elizabeth’s court, singing all those ballads. Not a dry eye to be found when this one sings “A Stor Mo Chroi. ::points to Andrew::
LJA: Wha-what? ::saved from falling off her chair only by Adam’s quick arm::
Adam: Whoa there, JenniAnn!
LJA: I love that song… It’s so sad and so beautiful and… ::casts another dreamy glance at Andrew::
Andrew: ::shooting Adam a Look:: Yes, it is… Uh… So then came the first few years of the new millennium and…
Henry: ::catching onto the deliberate subject change:: Right!
LJA: ::recovering:: So what has your band been doing lately?
Adam: We’ve actually been doing a lot of our own material these days. Of course, “Don’t Fear” remains a favorite. But, unfortunately… ::checks pocket watch:: I need to be heading to Portugal for an assignment.
Henry: ::nods:: Boston-bound here.
LJA: Oh, okay! Well, may be we can do this again sometime. I know we had to skip over a lot and I’d love to hear more about your original stuff, as I’m sure would our readers. Thanks, so much guys for coming! I know everyone will enjoy hearing about the AOD Band!
Adam: I hope so! And thank you for the interview.
LJA: ::blushing:: And thanks for catching me.
Henry: Just let me know when we’re doing the next installment and I’ll do my best to be here.
LJA: Definitely!
Andrew: I’ll see you two soon!
::Adam and Henry wave and then disappear::
LJA: ::fumbling around with her tape recorder:: So…
Andrew: ::smiles:: Yes?
LJA: ::does her best to look her most innocent:: Exactly how many breakfasts or lunches or dinners will I need to feed you to acquire those KISS make-up photos?
Andrew: ::chuckles loudly:: Who says I’m going to ever let you see those no matter how many pastries or pastas or pestos you try to ply me with?
LJA: Nice alliteration, Andrew!
Andrew: Thanks, I try my best. ::laughs::
LJA: But really… ya know, there’s that Freedom of Information Act and I feel the readers deserve some graphics…
Andrew: Hmm… I don’t seem to recall a Freedom of Information Act here in Dyeland. When did it pass?
LJA: Uhh…
Andrew: ::shakes his head:: Thought so. ::sighs then smiles slyly:: How about… I give you the photos and you let me tell about the incident in North Carolina next time I write one of these?
LJA: ::giggles:: You’re never, ever gonna let that go are ya?
Andrew: ::considers:: Hmm… I don’t think so. ::grins::
LJA: ::rolls her eyes but smiles:: It’s a deal. ::holds out her hand::
Andrew: ::shakes her hand:: Enjoy, try not to be scared.
LJA: ::amazed to find she’s holding the photos once Andrew draws back his hand:: Oh my… ::looks up but doesn’t see Andrew any where:: Hey! No fair with that disappearing stuff! ::shrugs:: I bet Barbara Walters never has all three of her interviewees disappear from right in front of her. ::refocuses her attention on the photos:: Oh my gosh… Hey! There’re only two!
::tape recorder clicks off::
Special thanks to Adam, Henry, and Andrew!!!
Credits:
The song "The Glory of Love" was written by Billy Hill. "Hair"
was written by Gerome Ragni and James Rado.