Fun, quirky, guitar-based power-pop, with lyrics that sometimes make people laugh out loud. If you like Fountains of Wayne, but don't necessarily like the pristine production or spot-on vocals, the Uncommon Houseflies are for you.

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POP: Power Pop, POP: Quirky



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"If you like Fountains of Wayne but don't necessarily like the great production or spot-on vocals, the Uncommon Houseflies are for you."

The Uncommon Houseflies began somewhat by accident when Louisville-area music writer Kevin Gibson asked his guitar-playing son Scott to help him record a song to give someone as a gift. The song never became a hit and no offers were forthcoming.

It's true, however, that Kevin raised Scott on heavy doses of the Ramones, Nirvana, the Beatles, etc., and early in Scott's life it was common for them to play air guitar together when no one was looking. It was, in a way, the true beginnings of the Uncommon Houseflies.

âIt was a special time,â said Kevin, reminiscing.

âI have almost no recollection of it,â said Scott. âI was only four.â

The name actually goes back to when Kevin was a teen-ager, however. âI always wanted to have a band called the Uncommon Houseflies,â Kevin said. âThatâs all it really boils down to. I always thought the name was ironic and funny; then again, I also like the taste of Alka-Seltzer.â

As Scott honed his chops on guitar by rehearsing and recording with friends, Kevin began playing bass and writing songs -- most of them influenced by his love of bands like Young Fresh Fellows, Nerf Herder, Scruffy the Cat and Fountains of Wayne.

Further recording commenced, and Louisville musician Kirk Kiefer (Yardsale, Bad Blood) jumped on board to add additional guitars, keyboards and whatever other instruments happened to be lying around. A collection of quirky, humorous power-pop songs began to take form.

Some of the tunes that grew from those impromptu home recording sessions include the country-fried "I Almost Banged Your Sister," the Ramones-influenced "Male Bonding," the Beatles tribute "Pastor Candy Canary" and the semi-tragic suspense thriller "Disgruntled Shooter (In the Nursing Home)."

âThe whole point of this album was to have fun,â Kevin said. âBelieve me, we did; we never take ourselves too seriously, and I think that comes out in these recordings.â

Scott remains in the fold even while busy playing guitar in emerging alt-country act Slithering Beast, and in between his many musical commitments, Kirk has helped the Houseflies to further bring their twisted compositions to life. Drummer Dirk âNo Armsâ McStinkley - who lost his arms as a child in a tragic but humorous water-skiing accident - rounds out the quartet with his eerie ability to keep perfect time with his feet.

Things are really, er, buzzing (sorry) in the Uncommon Houseflies camp as the band celebrates its first CD release, titled Zombie Clowns Ate Your Sister's Kitty. Hopefully, this time around, everyone is old enough to remember it.