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Mickey Pantelous is the core member of the geniously named Dr. Albert Flipout’s One CAN Band. He was kind enough to answer our questions, related to their latest offering ‘Don’t You Call My Name’, influences, the name and above all the band’s upcoming appearance (it’s free!) at ILION Plus. So, no excuses if you are anywhere near Athens, and haven’t booked something else… 

Dr. Albert Flipout’s One CAN Band! What a name? Please introduce yourselves to us. And tell us about the name?

Yeaeah, I guess we’re the smallest band with the biggest name. Albert Flipout is the CAN attached on my left foot acting as a snare drum. Believe it or not he is the leader of the band and that’s why the band is named after him. People think this is an one man band project but since Albert is the leader and the band is named after him it gets down to being an one CAN band project.

So I guess the name of the band is a pun consisting of the phrase ONE MAN BAND and the word CAN  (…container, bucket…-…to be able to…)  ONE CAN  BAND (a band made of one can) or (one man can be a band).

I’d like to add that we also have Jess on the cymbals, so despite the fact that we’re an one CAN band, we’re actually a trio.

What are you going to present to the audience on your upcoming live show on Sunday on 19th February at ILION Plus? Are we gonna flipout?

It’s going to be the presentation of our latest (3rd) album titled ‘Don’t You Call My Name’, and it’s the first time I got an album out on vinyl, so it’s a good chance for whoever enjoys our music to come and get it.

I don’t think you’re going to flip-out, it’s more likely that you’ll hear songs and stories that make sense for a change. I have this feeling that the world used to be so “normal” (whatever that means) that people needed a break from normality and wanted to flip-out or whatever. Now days the world seems like it’s gone to the dogs and I think people really need to be around things that make sense, a song, a friend, a dog, anything just as long as it makes sense. I think most of our latest album does, (if you’re intelligent enough).

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What holds the near future for Dr. Albert Flipout’s One CAN Band?

We’ve already started recording our next album which contains songs from our previous two albums that we like and would like to have it released on vinyl plus some cover songs we think are worth recording.  Besides that, just gigs and hopefully a couple of festivals.

Among your influences on your Facebook page are the following: (Captain Beefheart, Kurt Weill, Tom Waits, R.L. Burnside, The White Stripes, Howling Wolf, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones) . Great ones! But what about today’s music?

Well it’s the music I grew up with so that’s what I carry within. Today’s music (always talking about blues-rock) is all based on the artists above (just to mention a few) and their time. I leave today’s music for the next generations to do what they want with it. To me today’s music seams kind of poor compared to the old stuff. Not that there are not any extraordinary fellas now days like Jack White for example… but then again who am I to say. I don’t consider myself a musician, singer-songwriter is more like it. I’m a simple man and maybe a bit traditional….

Would you like to talk about your latest offering ‘Don’t You Call My Name‘? Recording process?

Hmmm! I really wouldn’t know what to say. It’s the most expensive album I’ve recorded but I think it was worth it. I wasn’t completely satisfied with the production of the two previous albums so I wanted to get it right this time. I don’t know if I got it right but I definitely got it better.

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Listening to your fine blend of blues, rock and avant-garde, in surprise I can state that your English are better than a native’s one! How come? Any connection from abroad?

My mother is Danish and we always spoke English to each other at home when the family was gathered. So there you have it.

Would you like to share some words about the live experience in Belgium about a year ago? Where and how did the show go? How did you book this one? Did they discover you?

It’s not a year ago it’s more like four months ago. First time I played in Belgium was 3 years ago. I was discovered by a festival in Vilvorde. Next thing I know I was invited to play in a festival in Charleroi with Dr. Feelgood. Last time, 4 months ago, was the fifth time I visited Belgium to play in three years and the 4th festival to be invited at. This time it was in Muscron. It was a nice venue, a 500 seat theater with great acoustics and everything. I hope next time will be soon.

A man. A multi-instrument! How difficult is it to perform live and playing with all your body? Don’t you prefer some of these instruments played by others? Or you prefer “total control” of the situation?

I must admit that I am a bit of a control freak. Playing all the instruments at the same time isn’t as hard as it seems. It’s all a matter of practice. I’m not a very good guitar player, or drummer, or harp player but I can play it all together and make it sound decent. I have seen a couple of one man bands that really blew me away, I mean they took everything to a completely other level; they were great musicians. But as I said earlier, I consider myself to be a singer-songwriter rather than a musician. The hard part of being an one man band isn’t playing all the instruments at the same time, it’s carrying them around!

Which 2 songs would you choose from your latest album and why?

I’d definitely choose the ballad ‘It Was Spring When I Met You’. I don’t think people will pay the proper attention to it because it’s a ballad, but it’s a good song. Good lyrics and the music support the meaning of the lyrics with the right moves and the right attitude.

Second song is a bit hard to choose. Maybe ‘Hanging From The Ceiling’ or ‘The Mad House Is On Fire’ or ‘Under The Blanket’ I don’t know. I have a feeling that the people’s favorite will be ‘The Woman With The Beard’ a song I wrote before starting this project and decided to rerecord.

Any interesting projects/bands genre related we should take notice of?

A guy that really has drawn my attention is Mississippi Gabe Carter. Great guitar playing, great voice… the only bad thing about him is that he’s turned to Jesus and goes around singing about him all the time… Oh well nobody’s perfect. Another guy I admire is The Brokeoffs, he often plays as a one man band, Brilliant! He’s also done some records with Holly Golightly. And then there is Son Of Dave, the harp player. He’s been around for a while.

Thank you for this one. A message to our readers, or anything else you’d like to add?

It’s been my pleasure. I hope to see some of your readers on Sunday night at ILION Plus. The entrance is FREE and the music is good. If they can’t make it I just want to wish them good luck in these hard times we’re going through.

Photo credits: Lina Koshka (1st one), QoQ Photography (2nd & 3rd one)

Christos Doukakis