In an upscale coffeehouse somewhere in downtown Birmingham, Richard Kaczynski sits meditatively behind a pair of dark sunglasses. When he's not sipping on an iced coffee, he's describing to this interviewer what he and the four other members of the band House of Usher bring home to fans of progressive rock.
"I'm pleased to say that although our influences come mainly from the '70s sounds of Kansas and Emerson Lake and Palmer, we've managed to avoid copying from them and created something original instead," said Kaczynski, keyboardist for the group.
Taking a composition of classical, jazz, fusion and world music styles, then binding them together in an artistic '90s package, the band has found a home in a time where the field of music is dominated by streams of popular dance, rap and alternative music. Music listeners of today find House of Usher delivering the cimes of classic rock via vibes from bands such as Yes, The Moody Blues and early Genesis.
Mirror: "The band's name obviously is taken from the Edgar Allen Poe tale 'The Fall of the House of Usher,' so who's the big gothic literature fan in the group?"
Kaczynski: "Myself and Mike. Because our music is more intellectual and less emotional, we wanted a literary reference for the band's name. Our first thought was the name 'Dorian Grey,' but it already was taken by a band from the Netherlands."
What's refreshing to note is that while House of Usher has not yet toured Europe, its uniquely crafted sound has received critical acclaim from as far away as Sweden, Finland, Germany and England.
Mirror: "What led to House of Usher's tie-in to the European audience?"
Kaczynski: "Because our sound is more 'underground,' we did research all over the world via the Internet and imported music magazines to find our target audience. Europe turned out to be just the ticket we were looking for."
House of Usher's 10-track debut CD entitled Body of Mind was released in 1998 {Actually, January of 1999-Ed}. It starts with the easy, spirit-lifting song "Faith," a wonderful beginning to a collection of songs that opens the door of the mind and allows a breath of fresh melodies to breeze away the clamor of ordinary music. By the time your ears have touched the start of "C'est Pas Fini," the CD's final cut, you'll find yourself resting in the easy chair of musical liberation due mostly to the disc's luxurious classical texture.
Kaczynski (who's also a professor at Wayne State University) gladly explains the origin of this classical tint:
"Most of the band's members have roots in classical music: I've played piano since the age of 4; Michael went through the music program at Wayne State; our drummer studied music at Schoolcraft Community College and Aaron has taught voice instruction."
Formed in 1993 (with the current lineup coming together in 1997), the band's blend of progressive gothic has garnered favorable reviews, both local and national.
A music reviewer for about.com said the group's album is a "broad palette of themes, both musically and lyrically" and the Ferndale-based Jam Rag wrote that House of Usher was "redifining and reshaping" progressive rock "for a '90s audience." -Mark Glover