Peter Case
Peter Case, founding member of the Nerves and leader of the Plimsouls, and the first troubadour of the post-punk era, returns with his first album of new songs since 2010’s Wig! The Nerves’ 1976 “Hanging on the Telephone” EP, its title song covered by Blondie, remains a classic and has earned the band a strong following of young fans around the world. The Plimsouls song “A Million Miles Away” is a power pop classic. Case’s debut solo album, produced by T-Bone Burnett, earned him his first Grammy nomination and spearheaded a songwriter movement, now dubbed Americana. Twelve solo albums and two more Grammy nominations followed, including one for his 2007 album Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John.
All along, Case has continued to tour consistently. HWY 62 collects tales from his journey, and brilliantly encompasses every facet of his diverse and critically acclaimed career. Much like a travelogue, HWY 62 includes pieces of Americana, blues, pop, and folk — all anchored by Case’s knack for creating the perfect hook.
Bob Hillman
I had a good run in the late 90s/early 00s, releasing three albums and touring the United States and Europe, including 80 some-odd dates as the opening act on Suzanne Vega’s Songs in Red and Gray tour. Along the way, I earned positive notices like this one from Susan Stamberg on All Things Considered:
“I’ve never heard of this Mr. Bob Hillman but that song about War and Peace is enough to make you want to pick up War and Peace and start reading it.”
In 2003, however, I made the decision to become “employable” by going to business school; I then spent ten years working as a marketer on brands like Formula 409, Glad, and QuickBooks and raising my two sons, who are now in elementary school.
A 2014 layoff – which opened up some time for writing and meditating on the possibilities, music-wise – roughly coincided with Peter Case’s relocating from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Peter, a songwriter’s songwriter, had encouraged me since the mid-90s, when I sent my first batch of demos to an address on the back of his Torn Again album. We re-connected and, after a year and many, many cups of coffee, decided to work together.
Peter was a major impetus for the project – how could I resist the opportunity to work with one of the songwriters who inspired me to become a songwriter? – but the mainstreaming of crowdfunding didn’t hurt. My Kickstarter reached its initial, possibly-too-modest goal in two days and eventually generated almost $20,000. Crowdfunding can work for the financing part, but it’s also great for gauging interest among your friends/fans. I needed that vote of confidence!
The result is Lost Soul, produced by Peter Case with twelve new songs culled from the hundred or so new ones since 2005. The album was recorded by Sheldon Gomberg at The Carriage House in Silver Lake, CA with superb musicians including Joseph Arthur (loops, electric guitar), Danny McGough (keyboards), Jonny Flaugher (bass), Danny Frankel (drums), Cindy Wasserman (harmony), and my good friends Marky and Kipp Lennon (harmony). It was a privilege to spend a few days playing with these guys, and I don’t take it for granted.
I’m proud of this recording, which – thanks to Peter Case’s vision and Joseph Arthur’s loops, among many other things – relies on a less crafted, more visceral sound than the straightforward folk-rock in my catalog.
My ambitions are also different from the old days, when conquering the world still held some appeal: I just want a few more people to hear these songs. But, for me personally and perhaps for others, Lost Soul is about more than just the songs or the sound. As one fan put it in a recent email:
“You know, I think seeing you ‘back’ could be the most inspiring thing I’ve come across in years. After sleeping on it, I’m rethinking all the things I thought I’d never do again…”
Peter Case
Peter Case, founding member of the Nerves and leader of the Plimsouls, and the first troubadour of the post-punk era, returns with his first album of new songs since 2010’s Wig! The Nerves’ 1976 “Hanging on the Telephone” EP, its title song covered by Blondie, remains a classic and has earned the band a strong following of young fans around the world. The Plimsouls song “A Million Miles Away” is a power pop classic. Case’s debut solo album, produced by T-Bone Burnett, earned him his first Grammy nomination and spearheaded a songwriter movement, now dubbed Americana. Twelve solo albums and two more Grammy nominations followed, including one for his 2007 album Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John.
All along, Case has continued to tour consistently. HWY 62 collects tales from his journey, and brilliantly encompasses every facet of his diverse and critically acclaimed career. Much like a travelogue, HWY 62 includes pieces of Americana, blues, pop, and folk — all anchored by Case’s knack for creating the perfect hook.
Bob Hillman
I had a good run in the late 90s/early 00s, releasing three albums and touring the United States and Europe, including 80 some-odd dates as the opening act on Suzanne Vega’s Songs in Red and Gray tour. Along the way, I earned positive notices like this one from Susan Stamberg on All Things Considered:
“I’ve never heard of this Mr. Bob Hillman but that song about War and Peace is enough to make you want to pick up War and Peace and start reading it.”
In 2003, however, I made the decision to become “employable” by going to business school; I then spent ten years working as a marketer on brands like Formula 409, Glad, and QuickBooks and raising my two sons, who are now in elementary school.
A 2014 layoff – which opened up some time for writing and meditating on the possibilities, music-wise – roughly coincided with Peter Case’s relocating from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Peter, a songwriter’s songwriter, had encouraged me since the mid-90s, when I sent my first batch of demos to an address on the back of his Torn Again album. We re-connected and, after a year and many, many cups of coffee, decided to work together.
Peter was a major impetus for the project – how could I resist the opportunity to work with one of the songwriters who inspired me to become a songwriter? – but the mainstreaming of crowdfunding didn’t hurt. My Kickstarter reached its initial, possibly-too-modest goal in two days and eventually generated almost $20,000. Crowdfunding can work for the financing part, but it’s also great for gauging interest among your friends/fans. I needed that vote of confidence!
The result is Lost Soul, produced by Peter Case with twelve new songs culled from the hundred or so new ones since 2005. The album was recorded by Sheldon Gomberg at The Carriage House in Silver Lake, CA with superb musicians including Joseph Arthur (loops, electric guitar), Danny McGough (keyboards), Jonny Flaugher (bass), Danny Frankel (drums), Cindy Wasserman (harmony), and my good friends Marky and Kipp Lennon (harmony). It was a privilege to spend a few days playing with these guys, and I don’t take it for granted.
I’m proud of this recording, which – thanks to Peter Case’s vision and Joseph Arthur’s loops, among many other things – relies on a less crafted, more visceral sound than the straightforward folk-rock in my catalog.
My ambitions are also different from the old days, when conquering the world still held some appeal: I just want a few more people to hear these songs. But, for me personally and perhaps for others, Lost Soul is about more than just the songs or the sound. As one fan put it in a recent email:
“You know, I think seeing you ‘back’ could be the most inspiring thing I’ve come across in years. After sleeping on it, I’m rethinking all the things I thought I’d never do again…”
show less
