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From The Desk Of Mike Viola: “American: The Bill Hicks Story”

With a major-label distribution deal right out of the chute, Candy Butchers seemed destined to follow in the footsteps of other smart, song-focused, melody-driven, ’90s outfits like Ben Folds Five and Fountains Of Wayne before the proverbial window of opportunity slammed shut circa 1997. Since then, seemingly unflappable leader Mike Viola has kept plugging away, fending off adversity in his personal life (his first wife died of cancer) and overall public indifference to get his music out there, whether as himself, under the Candy Butchers moniker, on film soundtracks or elsewhere. Viola’s new solo release, Electro De Perfecto (Good Morning Monkey/Hornblow), is a slickly produced celebration of a versatile songwriter in his prime, one who deserves a little more love. Viola will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new Q&A with him.

Viola: Bill Hicks was a comedian and a musician with this singular talent for outlaw, satirical social commentary. Sure, I love that, but there is something else that draws me into the world of Bill Hicks and keeps me there way after I’ve listened to him or watched one of his performances. Something tough and beautiful. Wise and wise-ass. Totally compelling. Honest. So many people are just fucking around today. He never appears to be fucking around. I’m so drawn to that. In this auto-tuned-beat-detective-photoshopped-cropped up world of accuracy we live in, I’m drawn to the messy people. The humans. The ones who will throw you out of a window if they disagree with you over a song. American is a documentary about Bill Hicks.

Video after the jump.

http://vimeo.com/12290312