Oregon Music News

Listen to Celia’s Garden:

Sometimes the story behind a recording can eclipse the music itself, as it has repeatedly with local folk-pop outfit The Dimes.

Stories about the band tend to focus on its unusual subject materials — the songs on the band’s first album were the result of a discovery of a bunch of Depression-era newspapers under the floorboards of guitarist Pierre Kaiser’s house, while the brand new album, “The King Can Drink The Harbor Dry” is a postcard to Boston and its rich history, from the martyrdom of Mary Dyer through the Revolutionary War, the suffragette movement, Boston’s great fire and the local woman — Clara Barton — who founded the American Red Cross.

While that admittedly makes for a great story angle, using history as inspiration doesn’t automatically lead to great songs.

In anyone else’s hands, these topics might end up as boring history lessons, but as seen through the eyes — and especially ears — of The Dimes’ singer/songwriter Johnny Clay, they’re more strikingly personal vignettes than stodgy portraits.  In fact, if you didn’t know that “Save Me, Clara” was an ode to Barton, it would simply sound like a brilliant indie-folk love song.

“I’m so glad the personal angle comes across,” says Clay.  “I know some people may not understand, but it really isn’t anything new.  People used to use story and song to talk about who we are and where we’ve been — it was the way we passed on our heritage and in a way those people live forever.

“I’ve thought about Woody Guthrie writing songs like ‘Two Good Men’ about Sacco and Vanzetti and the way prejudice led to their conviction and executions,” he continues.  “There’s a lesson there — a lesson we still haven’t seemed to learn when you think of how Arab-Americans are looked at these days.

“But I was inspired by the fact that Woody Guthrie and so many other folk singers were playing that part for us — telling us our stories so we’d never forget.”

Clay’s a natural born storyteller — “Growing up, the house always seemed to be filled with stories and history, my grandparents or great uncles telling a story about the old days or WWII,” he says — so it’s no wonder he was inspired by the long list of Boston notables.

It’s particularly worth noting that he was quite taken with the crop of strong females that Boston has produced.  A cursory stroll through the album’s song titles reads a bit like a love letter, with nods to Barton, Susan (B. Anthony), Abigail (Adams) and Dyer, amongst others.

“What can I say,” he laughs. “I’m drawn to strong women.  When I started reading about Boston’s history and all the amazing people that have come from there, I came across so many people I’d never heard of — people whose stories I’d never been told. I think that’s what drew me in most, especially with the women.

“I’d heard the name Clara Barton somewhere growing up, and I knew Susan B. Anthony was on a coin, but I didn’t know why. When I found out that she (Susan B.) went down to a polling booth and demanded to vote, rattling off Constitutional law until she was finally allowed to vote… That’s inspiring stuff,” he beams.  “To think that a woman wasn’t allowed to cast a vote — it’s crazy.  Of course she was later arrested for breaking federal law — ridiculous.  But had she not done what she did in her life, our lives might be a lot different.”

Clay is currently back in school pursuing a degree in — you guessed it — history.  But for someone who started his academic career as a music major, his twin passions seem to be dovetailing quite nicely.

“I’m letting the writing take me where it wants to take me at this point,” he says in regards to future material.  “I’m working on a couple of songs about Abolitionists, some pretty incredible people — and not from Boston this time.  One of them was inspired by Lovejoy St., a street here in Portland I’ve always wondered about — in a roundabout way, that is. I’d come across the name Elijah Lovejoy when I was reading about The Liberator and the Abolitionist movement, and I wondered if that was where Portland’s Lovejoy St. got its name. Turns out it’s not, but it still got me started on the song. We’ll see what happens, but I’m not setting out to write another themed record…not right now anyway.”

What he is setting out to do is create a more supportive local community, and to fully realize the potential of his band.  The Dimes have recently expanded into an eight-piece ensemble — a remarkable number of people for a band with such a delicate, minimal sound.

“We all have to play less!” laughs Clay, when asked about how band dynamics literally work.  “But that’s how the record was made — there are little details on the songs that we wanted to bring to the live show.  It took some getting used to — all of the sudden, the Rhodes is there, the mandolin is there, and the acoustic guitar doesn’t need to fill as much space.  It’s certainly a work in progress, but we’re having a blast with it.”

They’re also having a blast with like-minded musicians in bands like Derby and the Ravishers, often working with each other and sitting in on each other’s sets.

“Having such a great community of friends and musicians is incredible,” says Clay.  “I remember working on ‘Winslow Homer’ and Dave (from Derby) mentioning that I should try some call and response vocals. That’s my favorite part of that song now. Another friend I used to play in bands with suggested I try a mandolin, said I wouldn’t be able to put it down. I did and I loved it — it’s all over the record. Pierre got really into slide playing on this record and I know he and Dominic (from Ravishers) talked slide tone for hours on one particular road trip. They’re just great people – and great players.”

“It’s been great to find not only talented musicians, but great people as well,” says Derby’s Dave Gulick.   “I feel blessed to have met up with such great genuine people.  When you can have a group of like-minded people creating great music and supporting each other it’s just fantastic.”

What’s ultimately fantastic is The Dimes’ new album.  If you’re a history buff or someone who wants to dig beyond the surface of these lovely folk-pop songs, the band has cleverly created an interactive map on their website.  But you don’t have to be either to love these gentle, genteel tunes.  They stand on their own two feet, even as they inspire you to seek out the deeper story.