click to enlarge

A Badass Taste In Your Mouth
Critical Bill Talks Booze, Beats and Their Blended Sound

It was a few minutes shy of noon and St. Patrick’s Day was still two weeks away, but that didn’t stop Real Detroit Weekly from talking with local rock/hip-hop outfit Critical Bill over a few rounds of beer and too many shots of whiskey at downtown Detroit’s most iconic Irish pub, the Old Shillelagh. The band’s five members — DJ Tom Sawyer, vocalist Bryan “Powerdise” Davis, guitarist Mike Scott, bassist Phil Thacker and drummer Mark “C-Bass” Causley — were all on hand to discuss their upcoming album, The Underground Kingdom, and the band’s evolution, culminating with the record’s much-anticipated March 13th release.

Critical Bill is named after a character played by Treat Williams in the cult classic 1995 film Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead. “He’s everything we thought that the band is — unpredictable, insane,” said Powerdise. “He’s from the back of beyond.” In short, he’s a psycho who uses corpses as punching bags — a fair analogy for the raw intensity of Critical Bill the band, especially during live shows.

As Phil succinctly described it after a round of shots, Critical Bill’s live show is “the musical equivalent of a bitch slap.”

“Our live performances are absolutely crazy,” said C-Bass. “I think that’s what sets us apart from all the rest of the bands out there. A lot of people like our albums, but once they see us live, they become a fan.”

Mike added, “There’s nothing I hate more than going to see a band that I really like that I’ve never seen live, and coming away like, ‘Eh, that was alright.’ Our live show is an hour-and-a-half vacation. You’re coming to the show to get away from all your bills, your girlfriend problems, your work problems — it’s a party. You’re gonna get into the music as much as we are and it’s just kind of an escape. Yes, we’re a band, but we’re entertainers, as well, so if you go home and you’re not entertained, then we feel like we didn’t do our job.”

“I feel that I am a really competent hype man. I know how to rock the crowd,” Powerdise explained. “In the words of Rakim, ‘MC means move the crowd.’ I’m an old-school MC-turned-rock frontman. We live up to the hype. I hear so many people say, ‘I hear so much about you guys and I think when I see you I’m gonna be disappointed,’ but when they actually do see us for the first time, they come up and say, ‘You know what? I loved it. It was better than I thought it would be.’ I love to hear that from people.”

“We try to reach every individual audience member,” said Phil. “If we see someone not having a good time, we will make them. If we have to single them out and bring them on stage, we will make them have a good time.”

What makes Critical Bill’s sound so unique is the fusion of all five members’ distinct, individual musical backgrounds. Old-school hip-hop, classic rock, funk, grunge and techno have all impacted the band’s hard-hitting sound. The Underground Kingdom, Critical Bill’s fifth album since forming in 2002, represents how the band has matured and jelled, exploring a broad spectrum of emotions and sonic textures across its 14 tracks while maintaining its signature sound, which Mike described as, “If Run-DMC and Linkin Park had a baby.”

“I’m really proud of [The Underground Kingdom] ‘cause we started out doing really aggressive hip-hop with rock,” Powerdise added. “On this album I’m singing a little bit more; I think my vocal range has actually expanded. I’m screaming a little bit on some of the choruses — lyrically and vocally I’ve grown quite a bit.”

After a short whiskey break, the band described some of their favorite tracks from the new album. “’Favorite Drug’ is just one of those songs that you want to roll down the windows and grab a 40 and bounce down the street,” said Mike. “But ‘The End’ is just devastating. It’s got social commentary and if you’re not even into political views or whatever, you can still appreciate what it is, which is a gigantic rock anthem.”

Phil cited the title track as a favorite, saying, “It’s just one of those songs that makes you want to slap yo’ mama,” to a response of raucous laughter from his bandmates. “It’s just a high-energy song that speaks to the way the country is right now.”

“There’s so many kids out there being told, ‘You are nothing,’” Mike interjected, “and this song is a testament that no matter who you are, what background you come from, you can be whatever the fuck you want to be in this life as long as you believe it.”

“’Better’ is pretty much whatever you wanted to say to every ex-girlfriend you’ve ever had, and it’s a gorgeous song, but if you really listen to it, it’s a dark song,” Phil explained.

“It ain’t no love song,” Mike added.  

As another round of shots was poured, Phil confessed, jokingly, “We’re actually a professional drinking team, but we play music on the side.”

Mike chimed in, adding, “We play music to fund our drinking habit,” and the band burst out laughing. “This is the earliest I’ve been buzzed in at least a week,” announced Phil.
Getting back on topic, the members of Critical Bill shared their thoughts on how their combination of hip-hop and rock has increased their appeal and endeared them to a wider audience of fans. “It’s just funny how many people we hear say they’re not rap fans, but they like what we do,” Powerdise noted. “It flips back and forth, like people who are hip-hop fans, but don’t like rock, they like the combo; they like how we do it.”

“That’s been our whole thing since day one,” said C-Bass. “We’ve been on tour with the most hip-hop guys in the game — Paul Wall, DMX, Tech N9ne — where every single person in there is, like, an urban music fan.”

“On the other side of the equation, we’ve toured with guys like Evans Blue and Puddle of Mudd and Drowning Pool and Saliva and the rock guys get it, too,” Mike said.

“I think one of the coolest things is we did a show with DMX in Traverse City on a Friday night and I think on Saturday night we did a show with Drowning Pool in Ohio,” C-Bass recalled. “You talk about a spectrum — to go in and destroy both crowds.”

Critical Bill is getting ready to destroy a hometown crowd at Mount Clemens’ Emerald Theater during its CD release show for The Underground Kingdom. As the band slammed a final round of whiskey shots, they took a few moments to hype up the concert, which includes a copy of the new album for every fan with the price of admission. As Mike put it, “When I go to see a concert that really kicks ass, the only thing I want to do afterwards is get in the car and crank it up.” The members of Critical Bill are confident that after experiencing their new songs live, their fans will want to do the same.  | RDW

Daniel prefers whiskey. Email him: Daniel@realdetroitweekly.com.
Critical Bill CD Release Show w/ Hell Rides North, Lithium, Stellar Drive & Madonna Bros. • 3/13, 6 p.m. • The Emerald Theater • 31 W. Walnut St., Mt. Clemens • 586.913.1920 • critical-bill.com • $10

---

Let The Games Begin...
Five Rounds Of The Hair Of The Dog Stars Now

click to enlarge

Jameson 18-Year Old Limited Reserve
This limited tri-blend whiskey (each bottle is numbered, we had #113025) is matured for 18 years in bourbon and Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks (a Jameson tradition), then finished in American bourbon barrels for six months. Color: golden honey; Nose: woody, spicy toffee; Palate: mellow with hints of fudge and toffee and, on the finish, vanilla.

• It’s very smooth — not too bad of an aftertaste. I started drinking whiskey in Irish Car Bombs nine years ago — I prefer Jameson in my Irish Car Bomb hands down. - DJ Tom Sawyer
  
• Tasty. I love it. It’s got a great taste — there’s no afterbite to it. That’s really good. - Bryan "Powerdise" Davis
  
• Oh … flashes me back to the first Jameson I ever had [with] CJ — the lead guitarist for Drowning Pool of Wichita — I can definitely remember that. That was my favorite shot of Jameson.  - Mike Scott
• Ooh whiskey! That's smooth. We had a tour manager named Brother Al. He got hammered on Jameson one night. We were driving back from the hotel, Mark turned and Al spilled onto the floor from the passenger seat. - Phil Thacker
• That was smooth. I expected a little more bite. Jameson reminds me of high school. I used to steal it from my grandfather’s liquor cabinet. It always takes me back to high school. - Mark "C-Bass" Causley

click to enlarge

Jameson 12-Year Old Special Reserve
This is one of the most popular of Jameson aged whiskeys. Formerly known as “1780” (when the original Jameson distillery was established in Dublin), it's aged for 12 years in bourbon and sherry casks, triple distilled and contains a higher pot still content than regular Jameson. Color: Deep warm honey; Nose: spicy; Palate: sweet and nutty.  

• That has a little more flavor to it, not a bad aftertaste. Was it aged in a wood barrel by any chance? Tastes a little woody. Tastes different. Not a bad aftertaste. Fabulous. - DJ Tom Sawyer
• I actually think the 18 has a little better taste than the 12, this one is a little bit ... the bite is a little heavier. But I still love it. I love Jameson.And it’s woody. - Bryan "Powerdise" Davis
• It does have a little more oomph, little more kick to it. I do like it a lot, but the 18 is definitely more subtle. But I wouldn’t kick this one out of bed for eating crackers either.  - Mike Scott
• Actually, that one didn’t bother me quite as bad as the other one. It’s really nice. I like scotches, and that’s the closest whiskey I’ve ever tasted to a scotch. It was very nice. I enjoyed. - Phil Thacker
• This has a little bit more spice. I’m not a big whiskey drinker, but I can handle Jameson for some reason. If you were putting Jack Daniel’s up here, I wouldn’t be able to drink it. I like this; it’s smooth but it had a little bit more spice. - Mark "C-Bass" Causley

click to enlarge

Redbreast 12-Year Old Pure  Pot Still
Redbreast is matured for a minimum of 12 years in Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks. Known for its great balance, it’s the only aged pure pot still whiskey available for purchase in the United States today. Color: Pale gold; Palate: spicy with toasted wood notes; Palate: spice, sherry and toasted almonds. 

• It's good. Has a little more of a bite to it, little more aftertaste … still smooth. I don’t think I’d put it in an Irish Car Bomb but it’ll do. Little more of a bite. I’m still tasting the aftertaste. Little less desirable than the Jameson. - DJ Tom Sawyer
• I’m wondering what my blood alcohol content is right now. I would definitely mix that with something; it’s a little harsher than I like. I’d probably mix it with Vernor’s.  - Bryan "Powerdise" Davis
• I actually like this a little better than the 12, tastes more … it’s somewhere between the 18 and the 12. Still got a bite, still smooth; I’d definitely drink a shot of this straight. I’m a whiskey guy.   - Mike Scott
• This has got a little more bite than either of the Jamesons did, but the flavor is all there. I’m with Mike on this one, I’d do a shot of this straight-up. Red Boobs for life! - Phil Thacker
• It’s a little bit more spicier. It’s a little bit more harsh than the Jameson; those were nice and smooth. I like it. I’m not a huge whiskey drinker but I’m still leaning toward the Jameson. - Mark "C-Bass" Causley

click to enlarge

Paddy Old Irish
This Irish classic was named after an enthusiastic Cork Distilleries Company sales rep, Paddy Flaherty, in 1912. This triple-distilled pot still style whiskey is only in the U.S. for a limited time and it's been years since Michigan has carried it. Color: deep amber; Nose: grainy, woody, fruity; Palate: sweet, smooth with nutty tones.

• That shot of Paddy was one bad daddy! It tastes more like Jack … way more bitter. It’s more like some commercial whiskey that you’d just pour no problem. I’m not crazy about it. - DJ Tom Sawyer
• Wasn’t that bad. The Paddy's pretty good. I feel a little like Tucker Max right now. It’s good. Flavor-wise, it’s cool. Doesn’t have a harsh afterbite to me. I like this, a lot. I endorse it. I would drink that straight. - Bryan "Powerdise" Davis
• That’s the first time I’ve had Paddy. It's something I'd take outside sledding in the winter. I’d put a little flask of Paddy in my pocket and stay warm. I'd drink it straight up; I’m not a mixer fan. I think you only have to mix if it’s poor quality.   - Mike Scott
• That's a pretty good shot. On par with Jameson 12. It’s pretty good. It’s triple-distilled. Paddy I like, only because of Tom Sawyer’s reference there. If I saw it on the shelf at a store I wouldn’t buy it, but having tasted it maybe I would. - Phil Thacker
• It had a little bit more bite to it. It reminded me of, like, the Jameson, a little. Little more bite. I like the Jamesons. Like a scale from one to 10, I’d rate that one maybe about six. - Mark "C-Bass" Causley

click to enlarge

Bushmills 16-Year Old Single Malt
Bushmills dates back to 1608, when King James I granted Sir Thomas Phillips a license to distill "uisce beatha," the gaelic for "water of life" aka whiskey. This malt version is aged for 16 years in Oloroso Sherry and Bourbon casks, then matured in Port wine barrels. Color: golden amber; Nose: toffee, sweet spice; Palate: fruits, honey, praline.

• Bushmill has a little bit of a sweet taste to it. I definitely prefer it over the Paddy. Not a bad aftertaste. Smoother. That’s a whiskey I could definitely do a shot of without a chaser. Just tastes good. Better. - DJ Tom Sawyer
• I can definitely taste the malt. I like Bushmills; I don’t like it better than the Jameson or the Paddy but I dig it. I would drink it. On the rocks, probably.  - Bryan "Powerdise" Davis
• I remember when we were younger, when we could afford something other than the cheapest whiskey on Earth, we’d treat ourselves to some Bushmills. I have Bushmills at home. I like it. It’s sweet, but still has some hot tang to it.  - Mike Scott
  
• I think that one was a lot smoother than the Paddy. I’d put that on par with the Red Boobs. I’d definitely do a straight shot with that, I wouldn’t mix it. Quite good. - Phil Thacker
  
• It was a lot smoother than I expected. I’m starting to get all these confused now, the more we go on here, but I liked it. Scale of one to 10, I’d say seven. - Mark "C-Bass" Causley
  

© Copyright by RealDetroitWeekly.com