Kill Tango: Renewal

by Jeremie Fincher

I recently stumbled face-first (via Face-book, nonetheless) into a dream job. Hanging out with local musicians and artists at shows and events is undoubtedly the highlight of my working career. I could be stuck in retail hell, the janitorial arts, or filed away in a cubicle somewhere, but instead I get to spend time listening to great music, meeting interesting people, and exploring the night life of Anchorage, Alaska. Of course, as with any job, there is work to be done, and I am starting from scratch, and pure will.

I have selected local Anchorage rock band Kill Tango as my pilot article after careful consideration. Kill Tango, in it's current state, is comprised of two founding members and two recent additions. William Gibson (Bill Tango - guitar, keys, vocals), and Bryan Calhoon (lead guitar) are the only original members, surviving a "dozen-or-so" other members, and complete shut-down twice. The members conccurred on the phrase "Kill Tango Renewal" as an accurate representation of the current phase of the band. They are undergoing changes in all forms. They have scrapped a half-dozen older tunes, added new jewels to the crown, and rehashed a few favorites that die-hard fans demand they keep. Allowing me a glimpse at the new material during a recent practice, I could distinctly hear the new musical direction the band is headed, and I am fully enthralled.

Hutch White (bass guitar), and Dustin Murr (drums), are the new members, surviving a lengthy audition process. The new rhythm section is comprised of experience and flexibility, as both Hutch and Dustin have occupied spots in other diverse Anchorage bands and various projects around town, successfully so. Having the opportunity to work together musically, prior to joining Kill Tango, made it easy for White and Murr to develop a chemistry that fills out and recharges the older Kill Tango material withstanding the test of time. These two new powerhouses have opened the floodgates for creative exploration for the whole of the band. When asked what he saw in the new members, Bryan Calhoon divulged "Everyone seems a little more serious now..."

This is the reason I chose Kill Tango; they are going through changes that are reflective of my life. I can empathize from a musician's standpoint. Here in the rapidly growing music scene of South Central Alaska, when bands undergo lineup changes that are crucial to the vitality of the unit, it's typically detrimental to the productivity of said unit for a certain amount of time. Understandably so, when joining an established band with lots of material. I empathize greatly with the founding members of Kill Tango. Closely observing my surroundings, the choice to build the first "Anchorage Night Out - Band Dossier" was already made. Kill Tango would be the pioneers.

I showed up to the band's practice space, Bill Tango's converted garage, and the band got right to jamming, which made me feel at ease, displaying their professionalism and strength of leadership. The "new" Kill Tango played a private show for one (lucky me!), comprised of four original songs, two of which were rehashed Kill Tango classics, and one new special cover song. We then moved out to the lawn and into the sun for a brief interview. An audio of the interview will be available very soon. I also got some tasty footage of the practice. Check them out at: www.anchoragenightout.com/bands

Click the logo below to view Kill Tango's profile on ANO!

Kill Tango was hand-selected by local Programming Director Fatguy for a monthly Tribute Show for 94.7 The End. It's theme was a Tribute to David Bowie. The band tastefully selected their cover; They chose to perform a Bowie tune that speaks to two very different age groups of fans, which is a clever tool in appeasing the diverse taste of the patrons of Anchorage, Alaska. "The Man Who Sold The World," was picked, a tune Bowie admits having played at shows since 1994's MTV Unplugged In New York by Nirvana, and kids congratulating him on playing a "Nirvana song."

The cover was a hit, along with other gems that night, like "Fame," by Alaska Thunder Funk, "Deranged," from the Lost Highway soundtrack, covered by the Rebuttals, and The Hoon's version of "Golden Years." It was a terrific display, filled with bubbles, glam, make-up, and, of course, rock and roll debauchary. There was a silly energy floating about, and the bands had the dance floor doing what it does best. The thin white duke would have been proud.

This Tribute Show was only the second display of the new Kill Tango material since the line-up change, their debut show being Summer Haze 3, a Huycke Entertainment event. Summer Haze was originally staged outdoors at Bernie's Bungalow Lounge, but due to a co-operation malfunction of the weather and the entities involved, the show was cancelled halfway through and swiftly moved (by the good graces of the Sound Technicians and a handful of volunteers) to The Anchor Pub and Club, where the spontaneous scenery change ignited the fumes from the frustrations of the day, and set the place on fire. Contrary to what would be expected with weather setbacks and the like, the event lost no steam. Kill Tango opened ferociously at the new venue, debuting their sound to a select crowd of people who followed them, and even volunteered to help them across town, to hear them. This is what the Alaskan music scene, and Kill Tango, are made of.

The new sound, overall, has been very well received. Both Bryan and Bill agree, "it's heavier," but they still capture that sing-and-dance feel of classic pop, rock, and dance music that is Kill Tango. When asked why they chose to assemble a new line-up, Bill said, "We needed something new. We needed to create new energies." Bryan added, "And our drummer was leaving for a month, and that turned into all summer," so the two decided to move on. Shawn Dillard, lead vocalist and guitar player for Spitshine (Anchorage punk band), was Kill Tango's former bass player, and just recently had a baby boy (Congratulations from Anchorage Night Out!). With a job, a family, and continuous gigging with Spitshine, Kill Tango and Shawn Dillard decided to part ways.

Hutch White and Shawn Dillard are long-time friends, and the two have played the same stages for years. Hutch, bass player for former Anchorage band Dopiate, mentions Spitshine as one of his favorite local bands, and says Shawn made the transition easy on him, even gave him a few hints to give him a head start on the songs. Hutch also says it was easy to shift from the role of "fan" to "band member," because Kill Tango had been gigging alongside Dopiate and Spitshine for years, and it just felt natural. I asked Bill and Bryan what attributes they saw in Hutch that made them choose him as a replacement. They both commented that Hutch having competent, solid bass skills was secondary to the fact that he is an outstanding person. This, and other testimony, leads me to believe that his senior has shoes just as big, and Kill Tango chose the right feet to fill the bass clef. Another congratulations is due, as Hutch and Britany Lynne White were married (8/12/11)!

Dustin Murr, also drummer for Wolf Electric, an indie rock band hailing from Chugiak, Alaska, says his only struggles are juggling schedules for practicing and performing in both bands, and also maintaining a family and a job. He says it pushes him to keep up his chops, as not to overuse drumming techniques in either group. He was even double booked for Summer Haze, but managed to play both shows like a rockstar, flying from gig to gig. Dustin got offered an audition for the drum slot for Kill Tango via text, after the first chosen replacement proved a style not quite complementary to what the rest were doing. Jokingly, at first, he said he's in it for the beer and the money, then claims that he gets to explore different things with Kill Tango, musically, than he does with Wolf Electric. His first band is more dynamically centered, and precise, while Kill Tango allows Dustin musical expression in new areas.

The group is talking about planning a "mini-vacation" to New York to record, where The Hoons' and Heroes and Zeroes' manager Erik Braund currently resides, and runs a recording studio under Braund Recording Company, of Braund International Entertainment. Kill Tango released an EP back in February of 2011 with the old line-up, and played their KZND Homegrown Artist Of The Month CD Release Party with special guests Norwegian rockers Heroes and Zeroes, a noteworthy accomplishment for their musical resume. Other than a few shows in New York, when the time comes, the band has no immediate plans for touring, although they might be seen out and about, touring the state of Alaska (which is comparable to the length of a West Coast tour, with a tenth as many cities to play) in the near future.

When asked about their influences locally, all four members of Kill Tango named The Hoons. This isn't surprising; they've played countless numbers of shows together, they're two bands out of very few that are still local and have a record of any sort of longevity, and they're both damn good. There's even a clever phrase that has been coined for shows that both bands play: "HoonTang." This isn't to say The Hoons are the only band listed as favorites of KT. Gibson mentioned Turquoise Boy as his new local interest, and Hutch says Noise Brigade is his favorite group of up-and-comers. Kill Tango influences many others in town, as well. You can find stickers supporting KT on guitars, cases, and random bathroom walls in bars all over town. Kill Tango had already left a footprint on the city of Anchorage, and having recently 'shed its' skin' one more time, they don't plan on stopping there.

The "renewal" that this community, myself, and Kill Tango are going through is a central theme that runs through my mind more and more often every day. I respect and empathize with those that have a will to improve upon themselves, especially when they must replace something or someone they care about to do so. That's the ultimate goal in this world, isn't it? To improve? It is not an easy task to replace a band member, tons of feelings are involved, and it can cause serious waves of emotion with a scene as tightly knit as Anchorage. Friendships can be lost or destroyed in the blink of an eye. Kill Tango, however, has escaped this peril, and has successfully recommenced, in-tact, and in full-force. Their new material is unlike anything Anchorage has heard from them in the past, which says a lot, as they had always pushed that boundary. The new line-up is serious, heavy, and dedicated, yet they stay true to the nature of Kill Tango. These gentlemen know what it's like to rock your face off, and they do it with ease, style, grace, and class.

Jeremie plays bass guitar in Anchorage rock band Robots Helping Clones and is an Assistant Editor at Anchorage Night Out. You can reach him at bands@anchoragenightout.com.

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