INDIE EYE - eye magazine May 20, 1999
Desert therapy
Getting drunk on the Henrys
BY MICHAEL BARCLAY
In Webster's New World Dictionary, the term "intoxication" is defined as: "to affect the nervous system so as to cause a loss of control." Local instrumental combo the Henrys don't cause the kind of loss of control that a rock show or rave might, but their mesmerizing music is capable of intoxication. The slow, loping grooves and intricate playing on their latest disc, Desert Cure, is capable of crawling between your synaptic gaps and prodding your neurons like fine scotch.
The Henrys' not-so-secret weapon is leader Don Rooke's deft skill on a variety of slide guitars, particularly the Hawaiian kona, which lies at the core of the band's dream-state soundtracks. When asked to explain the neurological effects of his music, Rooke wryly turns the question back. "I don't know. I've never heard that. Have you been drinking today?" Well, no, but investing in the Henrys' discography is akin to discovering a mythical liquor cabinet that's never bare. Described by Rooke as "roots music with a jazz vocabulary," it's also tailor-made for the Tired Rock Critic Cliche of the Month, providing "soundtracks for a film that doesn't exist."
Despite the band's cinematic, moody nature, no one has had the vision to incorporate the Henrys into a film. "No matter how many times people have told us we'd be good for that, it hasn't happened," says Rooke. "That's a natural evolution, and I'd love to give it a try. Our music was used on a couple of TV shows, like Black Harbour and The Rez. It'd be nice, but I don't know how to hustle it. I just hope that if we stick around long enough, someone might notice that potential."
How long is long enough? The Henrys are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, albeit in their typically low-key style. They were formed when Rooke was serving as Mary Margaret O'Hara's touring guitarist; his heartbreaking slide work is immortalized on O'Hara's solitary masterpiece Miss America.
Rooke started the Henrys with bassist Paul Passmore, who recently returned to the fold. The line-up has always been in "a state of flux, either to change the sound or people moving on or whatever," Rooke explains, and currently features Rooke, Passmore, drummer Michael Billard and organist Gary Breit.
The connection with the elusive O'Hara is a frequent entry point for newcomers. She's appeared on each Henrys album, sometimes debuting her new songs; "Dark Dear Heart," later covered by Holly Cole on her album of the same name, first surfaced on the Henrys' Puerto Angel in 1994. On Desert Cure, O'Hara's role is mostly improvisational, with the exception of "The Goddess Maya," co-written with Rooke. "She always fits into my mind beautifully, and it's great to have her perform on the record," says the soft-spoken Rooke. Don't expect any surprise live appearances from O'Hara, however. Hometown live appearances by the Henrys are infrequent themselves; Wednesday's Rockit show (re-scheduled from the Oasis) and a NXNE gig on June 10 are two rare chances to see them. Rooke, who admits his band pursues "not exactly an aggressive marketing strategy," says the only place the Henrys' records have distribution is Italy.
Whether it's the universal language of instrumental music, the O'Hara connection or the possibility that great music will find an audience no matter what, the Henrys have made some valuable connections abroad. In January they participated in a New Zealand festival, where they managed to snap a picture of Elvis Costello proudly holding a copy of Desert Cure. In July, they'll play the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, alongside Ben Harper, Bill Frisell, Isaac Hayes and other artists of their calibre.
"We'll be a minor attraction," says the ever-modest Rooke. The Henrys play Rockit Wednesday.