Evil Wiener istn't really evil-kinda cuddly, to be honest. But the band's songs just won't leave you alone.
Triangle indie rock artists so admire the songwrititing talents of Evil Wiener leader Bill McCormick (aka Billy Sugarfix) that 16 of them have contributed their interpretive talents to "ICan't Get That Evil Wiener Song Out Of NMy Head," a 17 song compilation of tunes the Cheapel Hill scene fixture has written over the past decade and a half. It is the sevent release on Chapel Hill's Hypno-Vista Label.
"I Can't Get thet Evil Wiener Song Out Of My Head" will be released Saturday and that evening, an Evil Wiener show at Chapel Hill's Local 506 will celebrate its release. Many of the artists who appear on the CD will join McCormick's band to perform their chosen songs.
One ot the artisits, Sara Bell, covered McCormicks "Topsy Turvy" with her band Regina Hezaphone. The band started playing it long ago.
Bell recalled a late night conversation she had with Ron Liberti (lead singer of Ghost of Rock and founder of Hypno-Vista) that started the tribute project. They were watching Evil Wiener play at Henry's on Rosemary Street, and the subject of a cover album honoring Japanese band Shonen Knife came up.
"We just started talking about how great it would be to do a record of Evil Wiener songs," Bell said.
Bell and Liberti agreed that one characteristic of McCormick's songwriting that proves its substance is its ordinariness of method. There are no strange tunings, fancy chords or jarring time signature changes. Just conventional rock chords. But somehow, McCormic makes them sound frresh with sweet, insightful, funny words and catchy melodies.
"Sometimes people say to me that they like Evil Wiener-they just don't like Billy's voice, " Liberti said. "But I was thinking the whole time that the songs are just so fantastic-well, let's just hear other people sing them.
Liberti, who roomed with McCormick for a while, said he often heard him writing songs in his room and grew to love his rather unsingerly singing voice.
"It's the most honest voice in rock Ôn' roll, I think, " Libertie said. "It comes from a part of the body that I'm still looking for."
McCormick moved from Georgetown, Ky., to Chapel Hill in 1988 to become a part of its music scene, which was rapidly gaining a reputation on par with Athens, GA., thanks to college radio. McCormick's band, Georgetown Station, broke up soon after their arrival, and McCormck went to play drums fo the Mind Sirens. Soon aferward, he formed Evil Wiener with former Superchunk drummer Chuck Garrison, and fellow drummer Groves Willer, who switched to bass.
As Wienre gigs began to conflict with the Mind Siren's schedule, McCormick left them to pursue Evil Wiener music full time. His band remains one of the most beloved in the area. Wiener's first LP, "The Haunted House of our Love", is an essential Triangle Pop record, and last year's "Evil Wiener Presents Billy Sugarfix's Lost Gumdrop Kingdon" LP earned the band fans in Japan and Europe. Plus, Christmas in Chapel Hill would't be Christmas without one of Wiener's shows to celebrate the season.
To earn his living, the slightly built, good natured McCormick, 37, works as a substitute teacher in Chatham County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. He also works part-time at Chapel Hill's The Catering Kitchen. He said he would someday like to pursue music full time and apprecates the higher profile the CD may give him nationwide.
McCormick also admits that he is really touched by the whole thing.
"The basic statement that I have about that is that , other than people and personal relationships that I've had, and friends and stuff-it's the best thing that's ever happened to me," he said.