On this Grasshopper Interview, Working as a “medical research subject” in an institution, being introduced to music through his Polish / Sicilian family, checking into a monastery in upstate NY to clean up, the making of Deserter’s Songs – LP of the year in England and the highs and lows the band experienced prior to and after the record dropped… playing with Garth Hudson, Dave Fridmann, Levon Helm… re-making Bobbie Gentry’s The Delta Sweete and working with Norah Jones, Hope Sandoval, Beth Orton, Lucinda Williams… Dealing with substance abuse, and caring for his mom as she suffered from Alzheimer’s (“Death by 1,000 cuts”), guitars, The Hudson Line, soccer, and the patience you learn from becoming a dad. SUPER cool guy, great conversation

Grasshopper is most well-known as a founding member, lead guitar player and multi- instrumentalist for the alternative band, Mercury Rev. Mercury Rev’s released 12 Studio LPs of rich, layered, well-written music. Their LP Deserter’s Songs was named LP of the Year in England. Mercury Rev’s most recent album is a reworking of Bobbie Gentry’s incredible LP, The Delta Sweete. Grasshopper is from upstate NY

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