Original rock has always had a really tough time getting exposure on television in Kentucky, the home of mountain music, country and bluegrass. But that's changing, at least for a little while, with the four-part series "No Cover" debuting on Monday, July 6 on KET2.
Acts set to appear include Muffy Panics, Supafuzz, Heavy Weather, 100 Acre Wood, Taildragger, Peace in the Jones, Mulch and Swifty. Each act has several songs spread over all four shows, rather than grouped together, thus ensuring a diversified program each night.
No two acts plow the same musical territory. Muffy Panics is rooted in L.A. rock and features the tight songwriting, Energizer Bunny stage performance and dynamic vocals of Louisville native Muffy Junes. Supafuzz's indie power rock hangs on the intense guitar and vocal work of David Angstrom. Cincinnati-based Heavy Weather features the twin vocals of Carole Walker and Mona Michael with horn work from Dan Sauer to make mellow sounds. 100 Acre Wood is a six-man retro-hippie conglomeration that drives fans to dance -- dance -- dance, while Taildragger is country blues with a roots foundation and two members from Black Cat Bone.
Peace in the Jones is a tight jam band, building on the songwriting of a couple of Louisville natives now living in Nashville; Mulch is a jazz funk punk band and, finally, Swifty is a crunchy-guitar band with a Minneapolis influence and enough shuffle and twang to get to record at Willie Nelson's Studio in Pedernales.
The programs were shot at the A1A Entertainment Complex in Lexington, Ky. and at the Phoenix Hill Tavern in Louisville. The stereo taping was a full-fledged production involving a seven-camera setup with accompanying crew. The series, produced and directed by Krista Seymour and associate producer Mary Smith, developed from last KET's "Alternatively Yours," broadcast last April Craig Cornwell is the executive producer and the program is closed-captioned.