((Gary Higgins)) Band Profile and Upcoming Los Angeles Concerts - Oh My Rockness

Wow, this guy has a crazy story. In 1973 he released a brilliant, yet impossible to find LP, called Red Hash. A Drag City employee got it from Ben Chasny of Six Organs of Admittance and became obsessed with the album and tracking Higgins down. He finally found him working as a nurse in Connecticut and discovered the reason why so few of his one and only album were pressed. Higgins recorded "Red Hash" knowing he was about to go prison on drug charges. It's hard to set up distribution when you're incarcerated. After Higgins' release, he sort of just drifted away from the west coast to Connecticut.

Drag City renewed interest in this elusive classic when they reissued it last year. It may be thirty plus years late, but acclaim is finally coming to this guy, by the kids of all people. He's playing shows again to rapt audiences. And it's no wonder. Higgins' hushed psych-folk songs fit in perfectly with the current folk explosion headed by Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom and the like. It really doesn't sound dated at all. Start with the song "Thicker Than A Smokey" and you'll be hooked.