Flyer Profile: Hardaway & The Commoners

December 18, 2008 10:09 pm · By Dustin · 6 Comments

There are a lot of good bands popping up all over the place in Fayetteville, and we were more than a little excited to hear about a local original hip-hop band that had been playing around town lately.

There’s a lot of local hip-hop in Little Rock but we haven’t seen much in Fayetteville, and especially a local hip-hop band with live instrumentation.

Enter the Commoners, who’s name we’ve seen all over the place lately. Their signature is “certified, organic hip hop,” which sounds pretty awesome to us.

We got in touch with Will Collins, the guitar player for the band, and he was kind enough to answer the questions.

Fayetteville Flyer: What have you been listening to lately?
The Commoners: We try to keep it fresh by listening to just about everything we can get our hands on. Lately we have been playing a lot of DJ Chicken George, The Kinks, Wu-Tang, J Dilla, Dr. Dog, Madlib, Al Green, NAS, Atmosphere, Joni Mitchell, and Dead Prez. Right now I’m listening to a local band called Hosta.

Ff: How did you guys start playing together?
TC: Brad and Dan have been playing together since high school days. About a year ago I started sitting in with their instrumental jazz group called “The Lafayette Lounge Players.” Brad and I have since started to pursue soul projects, and more recently instrumental hip-hop. The first time we all met as a band was at a little recording studio in Springdale where Colin showed up with his notebook full of lyrics. We all shook hands and then recorded five tracks in about five hours and have been playing together ever since. To complete our ensemble we later asked Barret sit in with us on a few gigs and he has continued to show up to shows so we continue to place him on stage.

FF: Do you do mostly original music?
TC: All of our music is in some way or another original. We have been known to take rhythms from famous hip-hop titles and reappropriate them using real instruments and new lyrics. I guess you could think of it as the analog version of sampling. Of course, we also have a plethora of completely original pieces. All in all if you come to one of our shows you are promised to get something different every time.

FF: We have to say we were really excited to hear about a local hip-hop band in Fayetteville. How do you perceive the “scene” in Fayetteville?
TC: We are excited that you are excited! Up until recently the music scene in Fayetteville has been on the wane for the last six or seven years. It seems that people for one reason or another just weren’t that interested in checking out live music in town. The numbers just weren’t right. People would rather spend $5 for a beer than spend it on an evening of local music. It’s also a real shame because Fayetteville hosts extraordinary musicians. We feel that the industry is about to change in Fayetteville and we are more than ready to see that day. It’s all about presenting something unique and really emphasizing the live performance with our group. We want to get people excited about being a part of the live experience while commemorating a very interesting time for music in Fayetteville and beyond.

FF: There is a decent hip-hop scene growing in Little Rock. Are you familiar with many of the acts in LR? What are some of your favorites?
TC: The hip-hop scene in Little Rock is definitely growing. Last week we played a show with Epiphany, Gina Gee, and Sean West. They are all stellar writers and from what I hear have a hell of a group back in Little Rock. 607 is also a great MC with a growing following in the local area.

FF: What other bands have you guys been in?
TC: Too many to count! We already mentioned The Lafayette Lounge Players. Barret plays in Velcro Moonshoe and Gunghobos. Dan used to play in this jazz group called The Greens. I played in a local group for about five years called Blu-Kay. Currently Brad and I are involved another hip-hop/soul ensemble called Souled Out. I am also playing with acoustic-folk group called Inchworm and a psychedelic ensemble that plays every so often called Turtlehead. This is Colin’s first and only band.

FF: What are some local bands you guys have played with that people need to check out?
TC: We haven’t played with a lot of our local favorites but we hope to in the future. If you haven’t already you need to check out The Counterlife. They guarantee to put on a show. An instrumental jazz group called The Petomino Players is also one of our favorites. Hosta, don’t forget about them, they are great! DJ Soul Free is hands down my favorite DJ’s in town and she is worth checking out if you can find her. Also, DJ Shortfuze plays a variety of great music. See Tanner Beam for the best dance music in town. Of course, you have to see Souled Out to get back to your soul roots!

FF: What’s next for the Commoners? Any recording in the works?
TC: We hope to expand our market in 2009 with shows booked in Tulsa, Little Rock, and the greater Tri-State area. In the spring we will also be making our way west for a short tour ending in Northern California. Until then we are still playing shows in Fayetteville and will be recording within the next few weeks. Check us out at George’s Majestic Lounge on January 16th, for a back to school throw down!

Click below to hear “Power to the People” by The Commoners

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