One Mad Band

The origins of the one-man band supposedly date back to the 13th century, when performers, armed with a panpipe in one hand and the drum-like tabor in the other, entertained the masses. Hundreds of years later, a handful of enterprising mad-genius musicians – no doubt feeling liberated from having bandmates and the egos, temperaments, bad habits, and odors attached to them – still practice the art form.

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• Harry Merry
• Joey Ramone
• Emo Phillips
• Arts, Entertainment, and Media

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One such visionary is Harry Merry, a character from the Netherlands who records bass, drums, and other backing tracks, then sings and plays the organ and harmonica over them when performing live, as he’ll do at Trunk Space.

Looking like a cross between Joey Ramone and Emo Phillips, Harry Merry sings songs with goofy titles like “Rock ’n’ Roll Postman” and “Sharki SuperMachine.” But the oddball vocal delivery and childlike sound belie the intricate arrangements and musical proficiency of this true scientist of rock.