HOTTER THAN EVER: Narwhal. |
This month, Erik Narwhal is celebrating 15 years in the business, a feat in itself and surely a reason to party. But Erik and the band are also celebrating the start of the school year. Why? Well, he and his band, aka the Manatees, are not only rockers, they’re educators. Narwhal is a music teacher at a Providence elementary school. Matt Henry, the band’s drummer, is also a music teacher. Guitarist Tim Quigley has a degree in English and is certified to teach high school, and saxophonist Scott Gordley is head of the animation department at Montclair State University in New Jersey. Given the band’s propensity for zaniness, they may not want their students’ parents to know too much about their rock and roll alter egos.“I guess my reputation as a frontman is hyperactive, and obnoxious,” he admits. “Those character traits in a student could give a teacher a nervous breakdown. I guess that’s part of the appeal, when people find out about my background in education.”
Narwhal and the Manatees are currently in the studio, beavering away on a new CD, tentatively titled Mardi Gras in Taftville, which will be released early in ’07. According to the bandleader, the disc reflects some of the humorous and not-so-humorous experiences of being in this band. The title tune, written after Hurricane Katrina, tells the story of a memorable show in smalltown Connecticut. “The Ballad of Lee Van Clef” tells about a meeting with an action hero in the desert, while “Four Slashed Tires” and “Dog-Man Bungee Jump” are outrageous tunes based on band lore.
If you’re familiar with these guys, you know that the band is accustomed — indeed, expected — to generate a little outrage every night. There was the time in New London in 1998 when Narwhal nearly blew off two fingers during “Great Balls of Fire” due to a faulty flash pot. “I left in an ambulance, returned 45 minutes later, and finished the show. Thankfully, the crowd stuck around!” In 1999, opening for Sammy Hagar, his antics took him over the edge of the stage and he again ended up in the hospital. “I know what you’re thinking,” says Narwhal. “How could all these disasters be good for business? Well, they all proved to work in our favor. Since then, my reputation as a wild and crazy singer has grown. People think I’ll do anything to wake up a crowd.”
And, over the course of 15 years, Narwhal pretty much has. His shenanigans have paid off in many ways. “I’ve never advertised for an upcoming show, and about 75 percent of the time, club owners are calling me to book the band. We have been extremely lucky.” Thanks to an enthusiastic following, the band has a loyal local following. “I guess when you combine all of this outrageousness with the fact that I’m an elementary music teacher, people get pretty intrigued!” Not to mention anxious for a new record. Welcome back to school!
