Meet Michael the Blind, an old nickname Michael Levasseur has carried around and is sticking to. Before the new album Are's & Els came out, he was an acoustic guitar player. But this was going to be a rock record, so now there's a band of players.
MICHAEL THE BLIND
SEE MTB AT OUR KINK INDIE MUSIC SHOWCASE FRIDAY, 10/5, ALONGSIDE WORTH AND BRADLEY WIK AND THE CHARLATANS. SEE YOU AT JIMMY MAK'S FOR THE FUN!
In music, nothing is more fun than discovering and being turned onto new music that you fall for. It's like a gift! Hope you enjoy the discovery here as well. Michael and his wife and band mate Rachael Renee came to our studios to talk a little, play a little. A conversation with Michael and two unplugged songs below include Depth Perception and Metaphor Life, both off the new album. And do catch the video to Metaphor Life, below it all.
The next gig is 9/1 at The Boom Bap Room, 640 SE Stark St, Portland, OR, 97214.
Here's more info on the band, according to their website:
Michael Levasseur is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist living in Portland, Oregon. He has put out 3 solo albums and played countless shows at bars, markets, coffeehouses, basements, festivals, multi-city engagements, and residencies under the name "Michael the Blind."
In the spring of 2011, Michael formed the band "the Els" with his wife Rachael Renee', longtime friend Nathaniel Lee, and bassist J. Elwood Johncox. Later that year, newly formed Alder Street Records signed Levasseur. The first album was recorded shortly thereafter at Tiny Telephone Studios in San Francisco, by Ian Pellicci. Over the course of 11 days, members of the Els convened in the Mission District to record 5 tracks live in the studio. Michael worked with Rory Carroll (Black Telephone, The New York Times), who largely produced the album, and drummer John Masters (Cheniers, Metropolitan), who brought his hard-hitting style, on another 6 songs. The album titled "Are's & Els" is now available from Alder Street Records on 180 gram vinyl, CD and digital download.