Joe Lally is 44 years-old, still driving around in a van, touring the world and playing to crowds of 50-100 people each night.
Primarily known for his rhythmic bass lines in the seminal DC post hardcore band Fugazi, Lally found himself band-less after Fugazi decided to go on indefinite hiatus in 2002. As a bass player within Fugazi, Lally was content enough to simply deliver subtle, driving bass lines, off to the side and away from the spotlight. Heading off on his own and fronting a solo project seemed the most unlikely of choices for Lally, but as musicians, the collective members of Fugazi have consistently challenged the concept of definition.
So Lally did just that. Despite not wanting to. In his own words, “I HAD to do it, and it felt awful.” The process, that of moving from off to the side of the stage to stage middle, and arming himself with a microphone, proved a worthy challenge. But Lally persisted, and ultimately conquered the emotions that accompanied his reinvention as a solo artist. To say he’s grown comfortable in his new role would be an understatement; Lally ended a recent NYC date by descending off the stage, gathering the crowd in a semi-circle, and singing the original a capella song ‘Sons and Daughters’ to a silent, attentive audience.
In the fall of 2006, Lally released ‘From There To Here’ on Dischord Records. The 13-song album comprised a fair bit of bass and vocal arrangements, rounded out by contributions from Fugazi band mates and local talent. Minimalist at times, ‘From There To Here’ captured Lally anew, relearning the process of song writing and recording. “My first record is literally me learning HOW to put this music down on tape,” says Lally, adding that it would be completely different if recorded now. Lally followed up one year later with the 2007 release ‘Nothing Is Underrated,’ which found Lally steadily gaining confidence as an experimental folk artist, delivering stream of consciousness vocals over his ever-present, expansive bass lines. But Lally’s recorded efforts steer, for the most part, away from the swirling chaos of Fugazi. Instead, he’s allowed space for interpretation and re-examination, which becomes quite evident during live performances. The skeleton of the song might remain, but the delivery is redefined.
Perhaps it’s this consistent unwillingness to fall into static existence that keeps Joe Lally on the road. Whatever the reason may be, be glad that Joe Lally didn’t fall in line, get a job or join another band to make ends meet. Be glad there are a few musicians left in the world that challenge definition…
To stream selections from Joe Lally, check out his MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/josephlally
Photo © Antonia Tricarico
