The Roy Clark Method

The Roy Clark Method (RCM) was an American rock band formed in Macon, Georgia, in 2000 by Jason Jones, Ben Vance, Tim Vance and Roy Cleary. Known primarily for their quirky lyrics and songs about super-heroes, the band remained active until 2004 with the release of their final and self-titled album.

History

RCM was formed in a damp and musty basement in Macon, GA in 2000. Although the lineup changed over the years, the heart and soul of the band had always been brothers Tim Vance (bass), Jay Jones (vocals) and Ben Vance (guitar).^[1] Primarily, the band played parties in their hometown before their stage debut at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia in June 2000.

Although the lineup changed slightly over the years they were active, the core players (Jay Jones, Ben Vance and Tim Vance) remained the same. The release of their first album Mild-Mannered Supermen saw the addition of Jonny Vance on guitar and the loss of drummer Roy "Charlemagne" Cleary. Ben Vance made the transition to drums during the brief period Jonny Vance was on guitar. In 2002, Jonny Vance was replaced by John Spiegle and guitarist Bob Jones was added to the lineup just prior to their final release in 2004.^[2]

Although Mild-Mannered Supermen was self-released, RCM signed with Granderful Records^[3] for their 2004 album.

RCM stopped performing regular shows in 2004.^[4] Although they did play a few shows afterward (particularly to generate interest for their second album), the entire band would never be together on stage again.^[5]

In 2007, RCM made all of their music available for free to their Facebook fans.

Musical Style & Influences

RCM cited such influences as They Might Be Giants, Violent Femmes, Weezer, Radiohead, Pixies (the bass line for "Sector 2814" is the same as the Pixies' "Where is My Mind?"),^[6] Ben Folds Five and Dead Milkmen among many others.^[7] The band labeled themselves alternative nerdcore rock.^[8] The primary songwriters were Jay Jones and Ben Vance who composed rock songs about Green Lantern, Superman, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Doctor Who.

Millipede Studios

The Roy Clark Method recorded their debut CD in a big house on Crestline Drive in Macon, Georgia that was infested with millipedes in the Summer of 2001, and it was apparently the mating season for this creature. Whenever it rained, the millipedes moved in, one by one. They marched into the house only to die in huge numbers and pile up in every corner of the house.

Ben Vance, drummer for the aforementioned Roy Clark Method (and unfortunate resident of the House of Bugs), diligently went after the millipedes almost daily with various RAID products. He vacuumed up the carcasses, only to find more piled up just minutes later. The owner of the house would not call in an exterminator, although he did consult one.

The most afflicted room in the house was the basement. This huge room was once where Tim Vance (bass player for the Roy Clark Method) slept every night. It was his room, passed down from his older brother who in turn inherited it from his older brother. This basement bedroom also served as the recording studio for the Roy Clark Method.

The room itself had a lot of character. Having been passed down from brother to brother, it contained an eclectic assortment of books and novelties that both inspired and amused RCM. Almost all four walls were lined with bookshelves, full of random titles ranging from Stephen King horror stories to Dr. Seuss classics. Around the room were various comic books, models of Star Wars spaceships, piles of electronic equipment used for recording, musical instruments, and one or two lumpy uncomfortable old chairs. One never needed worry about boredom in this room.

Jonny Vance, guitar player for RCM and engineer of the CD, was once one the proud residents of this room. When he was living there, the room was infested with slugs, and there was one unpleasant Summer when the river overflowed and drove in the rats. Those days are long gone, but the millipedes remained.

It was during the recording of the aforementioned CD that Jay Jones, lead vocalist for RCM, first dubbed the room 'Millipede Studios." The name had as much character as the room itself, and so it stuck. Thus was born what RCM hoped might one day become a legend in the music business, but reality told them it would simply never happen.^[9]

Xmusic

In 2002, Jay Jones and Jonny Vance started Xmusic, a monthly series of concerts held at Macon State College. The shows featured artists from all over Georgia, such as Macon's own "Happy Scrappy Hero Pups" (or H.S.H.P), as well as a short set from RCM. Despite the popularity of the series, the college opted not to continue the shows and the series came to an end in 2003.^[10] It enjoyed a short revival at Elizabeth Reed's Music Hall in 2003 but the series was cancelled for good after three shows.

Discography

• Mild-Mannered Supermen (2002)
• Stop Stepping on My Head EP (2003)
• The Roy Clark Method (album) (2004)

References

External links

• Official website