Mt. Inadale Records

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A Farewell to Centro-matic

My greatest memories of Centro-matic took place in Lubbock, Texas back in 2006. Their show was the first big show that I booked from start to finish. The timing of the event was a bit of a gamble since it took place the first week of the fall semester on a weekday. I’ll never forget receiving a phone call from an unknown number during my lunch break. It took only a few seconds to realize that the voice on the other end was none other than Will Johnson. He was simply calling to tell me that the band had just left Denton and that they would arrive sometime that afternoon. The conversation was brief and the objective was simple, but the call stays with me today. I saved the number in my phone just in case I ever needed a quick conversation with a legendary songwriter. There was no real need for him to call a promoter in Lubbock, Texas but he did. As an organized person, I appreciated the call and respected that the band operated like a business. The premise was simple - there was no tour manager or unnecessary guitar technicians for this band. Centro-matic was on the road in a van with a catalog filled with hundreds of songs to play for a crowd.

Later that night as the band loaded in their gear and I completed the last minute unnecessary tasks, I was informed that the PA system was not working and needed some repair work. I went into panic mode and the band took a seat and waited patiently. I apologized repeatedly and the gentlemen of Centro-matic assured me that it was no problem at all. This band had been through it all and some faulty wiring in a West Texas town wasn’t going to alter their moods. They were a band traveling the country playing music for a living – what is there to complain about? The soundman of the venue completed the repairs as the doors to the show were opening. I was still stressed and Centro-matic was still cool. After one last apology, Will J. said that they had just the song for a soundcheck-less show. That song turned out to be my favorite song in their vast catalog.

The opening beats of “Post-It Notes from the State Hospital” rang out among a modest weeknight crowd. I am now aware that the song title was appropriate for my frantic mood at the time. The show went on as planned and the band smiled throughout most of the set. It was that night that I realized that Centro-matic was more than a favorite band. They were a real band playing music for the right reasons. The night ended and the show was a success. There was never any need to worry about the outcome of the show. It was Centro-matic and the quality was guaranteed. One other lasting memory from that night was a “thank you” I got from Matt Pence for providing Coke Zero backstage instead of regular Coke. It was a genuine “thank you” for noticing a detail on the tour hospitality list and I appreciated him noticing my attention to detail..

None of this simple story is groundbreaking or all that interesting but I think that’s the point. The band didn’t do anything extraordinary that night, they were just guys playing in a band in the most genuine way that I had experienced during my time in the promoting business. My love for their music couldn’t have gotten any stronger but my respect for them grew that night. When music or the state of music business discourages me, I think of Centro-matic. Hell, when life discourages me I think of Centro-matic.

So it’s so long to one of the greats. The side projects will continue and the numerous albums will grow more legendary, but I sure will miss seeing those guys smiling on stage and playing music for all of the right reasons.