Local Music - Honest Abe A copy

by Alexandra Holt


Johnny Wilkes (Travis Mowery), General Lee (Matt Best) and Abraham Honestly (Abraham Glubrecht) are three young, truthful fellows who consider themselves "Hot Topic, trendy folks," yet produce music that has very little to do with manufactured image.


Honest Abe and the Gettysburg Addresses started a year and a half ago, but they have explored a new sound within the last three months, thanks to their newest member, drummer General Lee. With songs like "South Hill Soc's," "Don't Wanna Be Catholic" and "Hail to the Chief," Honestly describes the band's music as "honest core. We like to express what's going on," he says. "And say the honest truth."


Influenced equally by Rush and the Dead Kennedys as well as local groups such as American Zero and Nasty Nate, the guys in Honest Abe have a goal of getting their message out and seem unconcerned with fame or fortune. All three members have strong political opinions, which show up in songs such as "Don't Wanna Be Catholic," stemming from the recent clerical abuse scandals.


The members of Honest Abe do like to have fun, too. They take pride in their comedic achievements, which surface in songs like "Betty" -- a song about a 63-year-old babe.


Honest Abe and the Gettysburg Addresses have played at Caf & eacute; Sol & eacute; and have even loaded up the van for a tour of... Walla Walla. Hey, it's a start. The band has a five-song EP available at 4,000 Holes and is currently working on another CD, sporting its new drummer. That should surface within the next month.


Meanwhile, the members of Honest Abe encourage all music fans to check them out and listen, saying that their lyrics have an "intelligent basis" and that at their shows "you learn something." They will even issue a guarantee: "If you want the honest truth, come see us."





Publication date: 02/06/03