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Home > Atlanta Music Scene > Archives > 2008 > August > 08 > Entry
“The Cringe Can Not Wait To Rock Hotlanta!’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The headline above is a direct quote from John Cusimano, lead vocalist, songwriter and founder of classic rock ensemble The Cringe.
He’s also known to some as one-woman-food industry Rachel Ray’s husband, so he knows from cheesey.
And funny too, as before their performance Saturday at Smith’s Olde Bar he was game for discussing his wife, the Cringe’s last stop in Atlanta and the ends he’s gone to to beef up his burgeoning band’s audience.
“People don’t really yell out crazy things at shows because I’m her husband,” Cusimano told us. “One or twice someone may have said ‘E-V-O-O!’ - that’s Rachel’s olive oil; but that’s if they make the connection. Or they are fans of Rachel and they just come out because of that. But I think most people don’t make the connection.”
And just in case they don’t make any connection, whatsoever, Cusimano isn’t beyond bribing people hanging around into coming to see the Cringe play. “I do recall that the last time we played Smith’s, at one part during the show, I walked off the stage and down the stairs where they were having a pool tournament or something. And I offered to buy a round of drinks for anyone who came up. Literally, in the middle of the song, I’m rounding folks up. The guys in the band were like ‘Did you quit or something?’ I like to have fun, and put on a great show. Do something theatrical.”
Does that include getting his wife on the microphone when she stops in for some of the Cringe’s shows? “You know, we just did two shows that she came to, in Seattle and San Francisco,” continues Cusimano, who’s had the Cringe since he was in high school, when the then-more-punk rockers “used to actually make people cringe,” he concedes.
“But no, she didn’t come up. She’s usually front and center cheering and yelling and hooting and hollering. She’s not really a good singer. She is a great dancer. And obviously a great cook — with great taste in music. But I’m the singer in the family.”
Were you at Smith’s when Cusimano was buying the bar? Planning to see them open for Trances Arc, To Whom and Autovaughn this weekend? Ever heard their two albums — “Tipping Point” and “Scratch The Surface”?
Comments
By Kyle
August 8, 2008 2:34 PM | Link to this
To the writer of this blog: Atlanta natives don’t refer to the city as Hotlanta, that was a 90’s thing- this is the ATL or The A. :)
Welcome to Atlanta.
By michelle
August 10, 2008 10:45 PM | Link to this
Kyle, you ignorant s**.
Calling Atlanta Hotlanta started way before the ’90s. And the only people I know who call Atlanta the ATL do so ironically.
And, in case, you didn’t actually read the article, the writer is not the one who called Atlanta Hotlanta. He’s referencing a quote by the singer he talks about in the story.
God, your ignorance boggles the mind.
By michelle
August 10, 2008 10:48 PM | Link to this
Kyle, you ignorant s**.
Calling Atlanta Hotlanta started way before the ’90s. And the only people I know who call Atlanta the ATL do so ironically.
And, in case, you didn’t actually read the article, the writer is not the one who called Atlanta Hotlanta. He’s referencing a quote by the singer he talks about in the story.
God, your ignorance boggles the mind.