Michael Hurley-a genius or just weird?

Subject: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From:
Date: 22 May 00 - 09:14 AM

A local station here in North Jersey (US) recently has played a lot of Michael Hurley. In fact they had him live at least twice in last 2 years. He's old, he plays wonderful guitar, his tunes are better than catchy. He's famous for imitating a trumpet while he continues his guitar work. But his songs are soooo dragged out. Like you'd love him and want his CDs if the repetition would stop and if he pared it all down. I'd love anyone's input on Michael Hurley.

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 22 May 00 - 11:33 AM

Mike has the ability to play in one key and sing in three others that don't match the one he's playing. He will forget words and play things out of order. He has confused nites that he is suppose to be at one place and shows up another. But when he is on, he is magnificent. He is wierd but so aren't we all.

I think he is a genius and perhaps the most underappreciated artist I have ever heard.

Don

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 22 May 00 - 12:19 PM

Mrb, see this thread for more info on Hurley flop ear

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 22 May 00 - 12:48 PM

Along with Joe Hall, one of my several alter-egos. Amazing survivor from the "age of the Fabulous Furry Freak Bros."

Rick

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 May 00 - 01:22 PM

I swear I saw the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers last time I was a Cambridge Folk Festival in the Guinness tent, looking remarkably well considering...

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 22 May 00 - 01:53 PM

There was Phineas, Fat Freddy, and....(the one with the cowboy hat and handle bar stache that looked like my pal Sid)

My favorite was the one where Fat Freddy had two grocery bags full of reefer to clean, and he came up with an ingenious method: place the uncleaned pot on a table in front of a large fan, with a newspaper behind it. The air would blow the pot onto the paper, leaving the stems and seeds on the table. Unfortunately Freddy underestimates the fan power, and all the pot goes out the window. He looks down to see it has landed on the roof of a Police Patrol Car. Freddy takes the grocery bags downstairs and climbs onto the cop car, scooping up the marijuana, when the cops appear."Hey, hippy!" They shout,"what the hell you think yer doin'?" Freddy responds "just cleaning the pigeon shit off of your car, sir! I'm a Junior Lawman!"

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From:
Date: 23 May 00 - 08:19 AM

Hurley once occupied a rustic cabin that I later moved into. Up in Same Albans. I once a pplied for a roadie job on one of his European jaunts. Application asked for nude photo.

Weirdo or gnius? It depends on my mood. Sometimes I hear "noone ever sits with Mr. Whiskerwitz, especeially when he's had a greasy sub..." and think "what is this guy trying to pull??" Other times, "The hog of the foresaken, he is the pork of crime" seems ingenius.

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: Stewie
Date: 23 May 00 - 10:45 AM

I have been collecting his records for many years and I reckon he's brilliant. Didn't Alexander Pope write something to the effect that 'great wits are to madness near allied/ and thin partitions do their bounds divide'? There's some interesting reading and links here:

Click Here

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 23 May 00 - 01:04 PM

God we're OLD Leej! Ya know those comix were so brilliantly done. I go into the "freak box" every so often, pull a couple of them out and laugh my fool head off!

Rick

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From:
Date: 23 May 00 - 04:31 PM

This is thread originator, MrB, thanking Stewie for his "click here." I did and now know l0 X more about Michael Hurley than I did 5 mins ago. It's just amazing how you people on Mudcat know the facts or where to find them. -- Appreciative Harold

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 22 Nov 09 - 05:54 AM

Just bought the new album - Ida Con Snock - in which Hurley teams up with a bunch of younger alt. folkies to produce some of the most sublime music I've heard in a long while. The latest version of Hog of the Forsaken could well be the best ever...

Michael Hurley - the sort of multi-faceted idiosyncratic traditionally weird genius who makes life worthwhile. Check out his site:

http://www.snockonews.net/

In the ultra-conservative muso-dominated demographically split UK folk scene there's only Jim Eldon who is anyway comparable. Shame really, but genius is a singular beast, is it not?

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Nov 09 - 08:44 AM

Is Hurley the guy who wrote 'The Werewolf'? I think I listened to some of his stuff on Spotify once. It was alright, but I can't say it blew me away.

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 22 Nov 09 - 02:18 PM

"a genius or just wierd?"

Must we choose? Can't a person be both?

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 07 May 13 - 03:38 PM

Saw Michael Hurly in the wilds of North Yorkshire on Sunday night. Needless to say he made it a good deal wilder as he took us out into the uncharted wilderness of true genius in two hours of transcendent perfection which nailed a notion of The Tradition in terms of idiomatic idiosyncrasy wherein genius dwells entirely innocent of the hype. Utterly amazing, mesmeric, exemplary & everything (and more) I have ever wished for in music. Not so much a gig as a seance-cum-holy communion with the consummate essence of American Popular Song. Weird? Not a bit of it!

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 07 May 13 - 04:12 PM

I'll go along with Leeneia here; Michael Hurley is a genius, and he is pretty weird too, but in a world as mad as ours Hurley is outstandingly sane! As I listened to him in the little village hall in Farndale while the soft evening light faded in the valley outside, his songs transported me to that strange and familiar world of the Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music. His voice went up and down the register as he toyed with the lyrics exploring all sorts of insights into the weirdness of everyday life. It was a very lovely joyful experience.

Matthew

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 08 May 13 - 05:02 AM

Why didn't I know about this gig in Farndale? It is not a million miles form where I live in Knaresborough and I would have loved to have seen him in the flesh - the records are great but I would really like to see him live. Is he playing anywhere else around here soon?

Roger

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: GUEST,raymond greenoaken
Date: 08 May 13 - 06:34 AM

> Is he playing anywhere else around here soon?>

His only British gig! Long gone — like a turkey in the corn...

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 08 May 13 - 06:38 AM

Sorry you missed it Roger: Michael Hurley only had a few British and Irish gigs on his current European tour, and by now he is on his way to Germany. Keep checking his Blue Navigator site for news of any future tours.

It is also worth subscribing to the Yahoo group have_moicy for general news relating to Hurley, the Holy Modal Rounders &c:- and there you will see that Peter Stampfel is about to do a whirlwind British tour with Jeffrey Lewis. I saw him do a great show in Leeds a couple of years ago and I hope to catch him in Chorlton this time round.

Matthew

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 08 May 13 - 06:44 AM

Word is he's back in London midsummer for the All Tomorrows Parties Festival... Keep up to date at:

Snocko News

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 08 May 13 - 07:16 AM

Thanks for the links guys - I'll have to be more proactive in keeping up with news.

Incidentally, although I love Michael's stuff, I get totally blank looks when I play anything to friends. Back to the genius or weird argument I suppose.

R

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 08 May 13 - 08:48 AM

21.30 tonight on Resonance FM... from last night's Cafe OTO gig!

http://resonancefm.com/schedule

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: GUEST,Dot Callery
Date: 08 May 13 - 10:00 AM

Pure Genius!

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 May 13 - 10:11 AM

I haven't heard Hurley in 30 years. The last time I saw him was around 1980 when I crashed at Stamphel's loft in the city and Hurley was crashing there too. I spoke quite a bit with him that night and he was pretty weird. But I admire anyone who stuck to their guns.

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: GUEST,Spleen Cringe
Date: 08 May 13 - 12:09 PM

Both, and hooray for that. Wish I'd been at the Yorkshire gig.

Hopefully see you at Stampfel/Lewis, Matthew. I saw Geoffrey Lewis a few years ago and he was excellent - a true heir to that New York folknik tradition...

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 08 May 13 - 07:01 PM

The perfect end to a perfect day - and he saved my favourite 'til last: Wildgeeses - just the most perfect song, wastes me every time...

Here's a lovely short film which is heart warming in every way & might just clarify a few points with respect of the genius/weird thang. To some this will be weird; to others it'll be par for the course:

Snock 'n' Roll - Adventures with Michael Hurley

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 09 May 13 - 06:32 AM

The Cafe OTO gig is broadcast again on 10am this Sunday (12th May). Perfect Sunday morning music - one hour of consummate Snock...

http://resonancefm.com/schedule

*

Incidentally, although I love Michael's stuff, I get totally blank looks when I play anything to friends.

I wonder if I gave Raymond blank looks when he first played me Have Moicy way back in 1982 or whenever it was? Back then my Folk was all String Band Celtic Twilight Strangely Strangeness, but what got me by the balls was Snock's fiddle playing which (along with Jim Eldon) would shape my whole understanding of the instrument.

I think I'm blessed in having a wife that adores Michael Hurley as I do (she even had the gumption to get him to sign the CD we bought of him the other night whilst I just stood there in mute awe of the man) - and I've rarely encountered anything but warm appreciation whenever I attempt to infect friends with the Snock Virus, supposing they're not already infected. I think maybe this tells you a lot about my friends. It's always a joy when someone turns out to be a fellow Snockophile - like Ross and Matthew and Nigel and several others I've known down the years...

There are several Idiosyncratic Outsiders I adore in the same way as Michael Hurley (Moondog, Jim Eldon, Davie Stewart, Rene Zosso, Harry Partch, Sun Ra to name a few) & I've long suspected The Wilderness to be the true home of The Tradition. Literal, metaphorical, it's there in Hurley's work from picturesque nature to the yearning longings of the wandering soul which flits from the human world at the call of the wild. The weird genius of the iconoclastic outsider in a world where life on the inside is just too ghastly to contemplate...   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ku10PThPn8

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 12 May 13 - 04:43 AM

Michael Hurley's Cafe OTO gig from the 7th of May goes out this morning at Resonance FM at 10. Perfect Sunday morning music...

http://resonancefm.com/schedule

Subject: RE: Michael Hurley-a genius or just wierd?
From: GUEST,paperback
Date: 12 Apr 25 - 09:38 PM

Michael died April 1th

2019 interview

Top comment - "Goddamn — thank you for this interview. He’s usually pretty cagey about sharing much about his past. Sitting here with tears in my eyes. Thanks for doing such a good job with this."

Rest in peace Snock