Catching Up with Leroy Smokes
Update: Just announced! 2nd Annual Leroy Smokes Reunion Show Friday September 28th with Mayda
It was somewhere around 2003 or 2004 when I stumbled upon the incredible and energetic live show of Leroy Smokes. What I remember most is how diverse the band was. They had two main emcees, some brass instruments, two or three female background vocalists, and they were passing around instruments on stage. Recently I had the chance to interview Barry Rohrer, aka B Ruckus, aka Brainchild, one of the founding members of Leroy Smokes. The legendary Twin Cities Hip Hop Band, known both for their high energy live shows, as well as their award winning studio sounds, are planning a reunion show to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the bands birth. The reunion show is scheduled for September 29th at the Uptown VFW in Minneapolis. Barry went into more details about the show as well as providing some great stories about the formation and evolution of the band. We also discussed the process behind recording their award winning 2006 album "Love Hustle Theater" and the experience of participating in a Fuse TV reality show in 2007. Check out our interview below to find out the inside scoop on one of the Twin Cities livest and most interesting bands.
Who are the original members of Leroy Smokes, and how did you all form? Also, how did the band evolve over the years?
The original members of what we dubbed Leroy Smokes Big Band came together in the fall of 1997. It was Mike Falkenberg on guitar and vocals, Alex Zink on percussion and vocals, Victor Krothe on guitar, Darek Stephens on electric bass and me (Barry Rohrer) on drums and vocals.
We had all attended the same high school together in Mahtomedi, Minnesota which is a northern suburb of Saint Paul. This was earlier in the decade. We had written our very first punk songs in Mikey’s mom’s basement, and eventually we kind of meandered back there. That basement became the true ground zero for our musical selves. We were all ready to do something new.
The party really got started in 1998, when rapper/DJ Ben Granger a.k.a. Syrum and keyboardist “Friendly” Fred Gotfredson joined the band. We immediately started preparing for our debut album "Come From Beneath.” After the album was released, we added rapper “Greedy” Greg and trumpeter “Highstyle” Kyle Borchert, and also enlisted the help of our friend, video producer Nick Abdo, to be our band manager. All of this happened during the leadup to our second album, "The Plot Thickens" which was released in 2002. We went through a lot of lineup changes after that album, too. Jazz guitarist Jesse Lee replaced Victor, and drummer Ben O'Grady took over drumming duties for me, so I could get out from behind the drums to focus on vocal performances.
In early 2003, we linked up with rapper/producer Buss-One, aka Brian Herron Jr., who was producing an album for a gritty and soulful R&B singer, the late Timothy Charles Denwiddie -- may he rest in peace. We were hired to be the backing band, and the album was recorded at the legendary Pachyderm Studios. Buss was in the producer’s chair and just crushing it, basically blueprinting the feel for the whole project. It was an instant match, and we joined forces with Buss and Tim to begin working on what would eventually become "Love Hustle Theater.” Around this same time, we found drummer Nic Woods, who moved to Minneapolis from Iowa before he even got the job. He was exactly what we needed and an instant bona fide Smoke, not to mention a future lifelong friend.
In the four year period between The Plot Thickens and Love Hustle Theater, there was a time that we in the band refer to as the “Super Smokes” era. At one point, we had 13 members, showing up to shows like a mob! Every show was a carousel of rappers and singers weaving together and apart throughout the set. It was logistically challenging, but the energy was fierce. These were some of my favorite shows mainly because of our singers. We had three female vocalists with very different styles and voices but when they came together it was beautiful. Mystic Blu was soulful and vulnerable and still vicious with a rap and a hook. Casey Noelle was vibrant and sweet and fun with an endearing and comfortable stage presence. Venus was cerebral and provocative in both lyrics and delivery. I understand why everyone who plays on late night talk shows always has two or three female singers -- it's because it's awesome.
“Love Hustle Theater” came out in 2006 and would be our most critically acclaimed album. Buss-One took the reigns as a producer and got some really inspired performances out of the whole band, and particularly all of guest singers and vocalists featured on the record. We had great teamwork during this era, and our set was very buttoned-down and tight. The album got great reviews, the release party was a huge success and was followed by a subsequent tour and television appearance.
In 2007, the band was remade again. The final chapter in our evolution featured some great friends and musicians such as DJ Medek, singer Tearra, guitarist Rohan Arora and bassist Ike Russell.
Leroy Smokes has always had a lot of turnover – band members were always coming and going. It might have been a blessing in disguise, because it forced us to learn the songs inside and out. There are other members I didn’t even mention, like guitarist Matiu Unga, bassist Paul Berg, and saxophonist Andy Schmitz. In 2008, after a revolving door of musicians for over a decade, the band just ran out of gas, and everyone went their separate ways. We’re all still friends, and the prospect of a reunion, I’m sure, has been in the back of our minds.
The original members of what we dubbed Leroy Smokes Big Band came together in the fall of 1997. It was Mike Falkenberg on guitar and vocals, Alex Zink on percussion and vocals, Victor Krothe on guitar, Darek Stephens on electric bass and me (Barry Rohrer) on drums and vocals.
We had all attended the same high school together in Mahtomedi, Minnesota which is a northern suburb of Saint Paul. This was earlier in the decade. We had written our very first punk songs in Mikey’s mom’s basement, and eventually we kind of meandered back there. That basement became the true ground zero for our musical selves. We were all ready to do something new.
The party really got started in 1998, when rapper/DJ Ben Granger a.k.a. Syrum and keyboardist “Friendly” Fred Gotfredson joined the band. We immediately started preparing for our debut album "Come From Beneath.” After the album was released, we added rapper “Greedy” Greg and trumpeter “Highstyle” Kyle Borchert, and also enlisted the help of our friend, video producer Nick Abdo, to be our band manager. All of this happened during the leadup to our second album, "The Plot Thickens" which was released in 2002. We went through a lot of lineup changes after that album, too. Jazz guitarist Jesse Lee replaced Victor, and drummer Ben O'Grady took over drumming duties for me, so I could get out from behind the drums to focus on vocal performances.
In early 2003, we linked up with rapper/producer Buss-One, aka Brian Herron Jr., who was producing an album for a gritty and soulful R&B singer, the late Timothy Charles Denwiddie -- may he rest in peace. We were hired to be the backing band, and the album was recorded at the legendary Pachyderm Studios. Buss was in the producer’s chair and just crushing it, basically blueprinting the feel for the whole project. It was an instant match, and we joined forces with Buss and Tim to begin working on what would eventually become "Love Hustle Theater.” Around this same time, we found drummer Nic Woods, who moved to Minneapolis from Iowa before he even got the job. He was exactly what we needed and an instant bona fide Smoke, not to mention a future lifelong friend.
In the four year period between The Plot Thickens and Love Hustle Theater, there was a time that we in the band refer to as the “Super Smokes” era. At one point, we had 13 members, showing up to shows like a mob! Every show was a carousel of rappers and singers weaving together and apart throughout the set. It was logistically challenging, but the energy was fierce. These were some of my favorite shows mainly because of our singers. We had three female vocalists with very different styles and voices but when they came together it was beautiful. Mystic Blu was soulful and vulnerable and still vicious with a rap and a hook. Casey Noelle was vibrant and sweet and fun with an endearing and comfortable stage presence. Venus was cerebral and provocative in both lyrics and delivery. I understand why everyone who plays on late night talk shows always has two or three female singers -- it's because it's awesome.
“Love Hustle Theater” came out in 2006 and would be our most critically acclaimed album. Buss-One took the reigns as a producer and got some really inspired performances out of the whole band, and particularly all of guest singers and vocalists featured on the record. We had great teamwork during this era, and our set was very buttoned-down and tight. The album got great reviews, the release party was a huge success and was followed by a subsequent tour and television appearance.
In 2007, the band was remade again. The final chapter in our evolution featured some great friends and musicians such as DJ Medek, singer Tearra, guitarist Rohan Arora and bassist Ike Russell.
Leroy Smokes has always had a lot of turnover – band members were always coming and going. It might have been a blessing in disguise, because it forced us to learn the songs inside and out. There are other members I didn’t even mention, like guitarist Matiu Unga, bassist Paul Berg, and saxophonist Andy Schmitz. In 2008, after a revolving door of musicians for over a decade, the band just ran out of gas, and everyone went their separate ways. We’re all still friends, and the prospect of a reunion, I’m sure, has been in the back of our minds.
When and where will the Leroy Smokes reunion show take place? What made you decide that it was time for a reunion and how far away are the band members traveling from to put on the show?
The Smokes reunion show is scheduled for September 29th, and the venue will be The Uptown VFW in Minneapolis. We have been talking more seriously about doing a reunion show for a couple years, but never really made any concrete plans. The 20th anniversary of the first incarnation of the group seemed like a good anchor for us to work from. Past members will be coming from Arkansas, Arizona and possibly California to play in this show. I just hope everyone can make it. I want to make it a week long affair where we have time to really reconnect and maybe do some recording.
The Smokes reunion show is scheduled for September 29th, and the venue will be The Uptown VFW in Minneapolis. We have been talking more seriously about doing a reunion show for a couple years, but never really made any concrete plans. The 20th anniversary of the first incarnation of the group seemed like a good anchor for us to work from. Past members will be coming from Arkansas, Arizona and possibly California to play in this show. I just hope everyone can make it. I want to make it a week long affair where we have time to really reconnect and maybe do some recording.
I read somewhere that the band was on a FUSE-TV reality show called Bodog One Million Dollar Battle of the Bands back in 2007. What was that like and how did the opportunity arise to be on the show?
The reality show was crazy and enlightening. We just saw the ad in the City Pages, a battle of the bands for a million dollar record deal. Free entry. So we submitted, and they put us on a showcase battle against something like 40 other bands. We made it through round one and two, and got to the top ten. The top ten bands all played one final performance at First Avenue Mainroom, and somehow, we won that one too. The next step was going on the show. A crew of camera people, producers and directors flew into Minneapolis for a weekend to tape us just going about our business, with some interviews.
Then, in early 2007, we flew to Cleveland and played at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and eventually travelled to Memphis. Johnny Rotten was one of the judges. Apparently, it was some of the same producers as the original Real World. You wait and wait and wait and then shoot, and repeat. They do these confessionals where the interviewers prod you to talk shit about the other groups on the show.
Living in that dynamic for such an extended period of time gave us a bonding experience that could never be duplicated. The pinnacle of our trip was undoubtedly the civil rights museum in Memphis where we all revisited the clinical illustration of our racist American history in a way that only brought us closer together. Fam Forever. Freal!
The reality show was crazy and enlightening. We just saw the ad in the City Pages, a battle of the bands for a million dollar record deal. Free entry. So we submitted, and they put us on a showcase battle against something like 40 other bands. We made it through round one and two, and got to the top ten. The top ten bands all played one final performance at First Avenue Mainroom, and somehow, we won that one too. The next step was going on the show. A crew of camera people, producers and directors flew into Minneapolis for a weekend to tape us just going about our business, with some interviews.
Then, in early 2007, we flew to Cleveland and played at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and eventually travelled to Memphis. Johnny Rotten was one of the judges. Apparently, it was some of the same producers as the original Real World. You wait and wait and wait and then shoot, and repeat. They do these confessionals where the interviewers prod you to talk shit about the other groups on the show.
Living in that dynamic for such an extended period of time gave us a bonding experience that could never be duplicated. The pinnacle of our trip was undoubtedly the civil rights museum in Memphis where we all revisited the clinical illustration of our racist American history in a way that only brought us closer together. Fam Forever. Freal!
Leroy Smokes might be best known for your high energy live shows. Looking back, what were some of your favorite venues to play both locally and nationally?
Locally we had many home courts over the years. The Uptown Bar (R.I.P.) was our first real anchor spot. I don't know exactly how many times we have been on that stage, several dozen. The Fine Line Music Café would probably be a close second, especially in the more mature years. Obviously, if you’re from Minneapolis, the crown jewel stage to play is First Avenue, and we were blessed to be able to perform there on several occasions. Beyond that, not many bands can say they performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so that is pretty unbelievable that we played there.
Locally we had many home courts over the years. The Uptown Bar (R.I.P.) was our first real anchor spot. I don't know exactly how many times we have been on that stage, several dozen. The Fine Line Music Café would probably be a close second, especially in the more mature years. Obviously, if you’re from Minneapolis, the crown jewel stage to play is First Avenue, and we were blessed to be able to perform there on several occasions. Beyond that, not many bands can say they performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so that is pretty unbelievable that we played there.
What are the members of Leroy Smokes up to these days other than preparing for the reunion show?
Man... Most us have been involved in various projects since the band stopped playing. Buss-One has still been performing and recording as "Blvck Madonna", with his genre-bending R&B/hip-hop sound. Freddie and I continue to perform and record a blend of hip-hop / alternative music as "The Jones Dickens.” Syrum has been producing and sitting on a mountain of solo tracks while also winning pinball tournaments and writing plays, Greedy continues to perform with The Jones Dickens on the mic and also works in the banking industry. Nic Woods moved back to Iowa and now plays with an up and coming Omaha based band called "Carson City Heat". Kyle still breaks out the trumpet every now and then and has many album credits built up over the years from some great twin cities artists (Atmosphere included) and is a real estate agent. Hashbrown moved to Arkansas... Miss him. Mikey and Jesse both work in IT now. Barry and Alex are both chefs. Nick Abdo continues his quest for world domination.
Man... Most us have been involved in various projects since the band stopped playing. Buss-One has still been performing and recording as "Blvck Madonna", with his genre-bending R&B/hip-hop sound. Freddie and I continue to perform and record a blend of hip-hop / alternative music as "The Jones Dickens.” Syrum has been producing and sitting on a mountain of solo tracks while also winning pinball tournaments and writing plays, Greedy continues to perform with The Jones Dickens on the mic and also works in the banking industry. Nic Woods moved back to Iowa and now plays with an up and coming Omaha based band called "Carson City Heat". Kyle still breaks out the trumpet every now and then and has many album credits built up over the years from some great twin cities artists (Atmosphere included) and is a real estate agent. Hashbrown moved to Arkansas... Miss him. Mikey and Jesse both work in IT now. Barry and Alex are both chefs. Nick Abdo continues his quest for world domination.
In 2006 you put on an epic album release show for Love Hustle Theater. Who was included on that bill and how did you put such an incredible lineup together?
Yeah, that show was bonkers. We planned for a long time for that one and really wanted to make a statement by bringing in a bunch of artists that we both respected and felt a connection to. Being in the city for so long and doing shows, we knew a lot of groups that we had worked with in the past. People like Truth Maze, Kanser, I Self Divine, Muja Messiah, Maria Isa all fell into the vibe that we were trying to create and did not fail to deliver that fire! DJ Marco spun the bangers, and we brought in Rhymefest from Chicago, after much deliberation as an indulgence, to really cap off the night and bring a more national feel to the show.
Yeah, that show was bonkers. We planned for a long time for that one and really wanted to make a statement by bringing in a bunch of artists that we both respected and felt a connection to. Being in the city for so long and doing shows, we knew a lot of groups that we had worked with in the past. People like Truth Maze, Kanser, I Self Divine, Muja Messiah, Maria Isa all fell into the vibe that we were trying to create and did not fail to deliver that fire! DJ Marco spun the bangers, and we brought in Rhymefest from Chicago, after much deliberation as an indulgence, to really cap off the night and bring a more national feel to the show.
Zach from Kanser wrote in his book "Headspins, Headshots, and History" about the insane house parties you guys used to throw. Any truth to this claim?
Guilty. Those parties were legendary. We had a huge house right behind the old Muddy Waters on 24th and Garfield. I think Zach may have been part of the reason that they blew up like that anyway! Back then if you wanted that shit to be live you would just tell him and he was coming then there would be a crew with him, but yeah, it was like a movie where we had the DJ on the main floor, live band downstairs -- always a variety of T.C. M.C'.s on the mic. Cops coming, minor drinking, other stuff... The living room was a dance floor. We never had fights or violence. Just way too much fun.
Guilty. Those parties were legendary. We had a huge house right behind the old Muddy Waters on 24th and Garfield. I think Zach may have been part of the reason that they blew up like that anyway! Back then if you wanted that shit to be live you would just tell him and he was coming then there would be a crew with him, but yeah, it was like a movie where we had the DJ on the main floor, live band downstairs -- always a variety of T.C. M.C'.s on the mic. Cops coming, minor drinking, other stuff... The living room was a dance floor. We never had fights or violence. Just way too much fun.
Your 2006 album Love Hustle Theater won an LA Music Award for Best Rap Album. Can you talk about the challenges and experience of recording that album? Also how did you hook up with Eric Fawcett from Spymob and NERD, who produced some of the tracks on the album?
As far as challenges there weren’t many -- it was a labor of love. We did it mostly on our own, in our tiny Dinkytown studio. We pieced together live recording sessions from a few different studios and expanded on them with our own beats and ideas. There were no rules, and we tried to involve everyone and use our talents where they were best needed. Buss-One was great in the studio as an overall producer. Eric Fawcett, drummer for Spymob, N.E.R.D. and The Hopefuls, teamed up with bandmate Brent Paschke and producer Alex Oana to mix and produce four of the tracks. Their work helped give the record a distinct and polished feel. We linked up with Eric Fawcett through our manager Nick Abdo, and we just seemed to work well together. He gave us some new looks at the sounds that we were going for and just had a great influence on us as an experienced touring musician and friend.
As far as challenges there weren’t many -- it was a labor of love. We did it mostly on our own, in our tiny Dinkytown studio. We pieced together live recording sessions from a few different studios and expanded on them with our own beats and ideas. There were no rules, and we tried to involve everyone and use our talents where they were best needed. Buss-One was great in the studio as an overall producer. Eric Fawcett, drummer for Spymob, N.E.R.D. and The Hopefuls, teamed up with bandmate Brent Paschke and producer Alex Oana to mix and produce four of the tracks. Their work helped give the record a distinct and polished feel. We linked up with Eric Fawcett through our manager Nick Abdo, and we just seemed to work well together. He gave us some new looks at the sounds that we were going for and just had a great influence on us as an experienced touring musician and friend.
