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Arts & Entertainment
 

Local act creates music with chaos

By Sarah Ohmer
The Daily Cougar

About four years ago, a bunch of guys met on a bench in the Quadrangle. They bummed cigarettes off each other, shared poop and sex jokes, and wasted time in Taub and Law halls, but eventually got their act together and found new ways to pass the time. Caleb Comstock zapped into intensive drum self-training-robot-mode, Big Jeff got serious with the bass, Anthony and Muff focused on opening the doors of perception with their guitars while Nick and Michael strove to harmonize growls. None opted for lyrics; they wanted to maintain the voice as an ego-free instrument. 

"Michael's really good at doing the low dinosaur voice," Caleb said.

Amish Acid Dealer was born and raised in the barrio-warehouse district, a few minutes away from UH, in Francisco studios, a four-floor box of stacked and rowed studios with music on the first three floors and art studios and homes on the fourth. 

The little elves (as they call themselves) who run Amish Acid Dealer's machine, however, were born and raised elsewhere. Muff was caught saying they were an international unit. Anthony and Michael have their roots planted next to the peyotl. The Scientology gods kidnapped Muff's origins. Big Jeff's curls give away his Irish blood, especially in a bright, polluted Houston sunset. Caleb's a "native Texan" -- it says so on his right shoulder. Nick said he lost himself once he took off the straight-edge "X" label from his hands.

All six united bring out a planet's energy -- the type of energy with conflicts, harmony and a synchronized flow. 

The first words that came to Caleb's mind to describe AAD were "stylistic expansion." Muff and Caleb described the band's creations as "chaotically composed." But Muff warns, "Chaos is usually defined as disorder, when it actually means subtle order."

Their sound has become a randomly good sight, too. The space is filled in complementary fashion, and you hear that as you see it

Muff said that "dancing was strongly encouraged" at their shows. They express the sounds they produce with their instruments and their bodies as much as their brains allow them to. For AAD it is all right to make a few mistakes as long as they can barely feel themselves standing at the end of a show; sometimes they can't even remember they're at a show when its over. 

"Alright, I'm entering -- now we're done," Caleb said, describing what being an elf inside an AAD live set feels like.

AAD's sound is more rewarding for those with short attention spans as it bounces, switches and morphs into innovative and authentic waves. 

AAD have been spotted at Fat Cat's, the Southmore House, The Contemporary Arts Museum's front lawn and various warehouses. 

"We suck, and we're predictable," Big Jeff said. But don't take his word for it -- head to www.amishaciddealer.com for song downloads and show dates so you can go check them out for yourself.
 

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