Pickin' Like Thieves: Bluegrass Interpretations of INXS songs
Producer/remixer The Hitmaker teamed up with bluegrass band Hayward and other special guests to record a set of songs by INXS, performed in bluegrass style; The collection is called Pickin’ Like Thieves (a play on INXS’s breakthrough album Listen Like Thieves).
“The songs themselves are strong enough that they really shine when performed in a different style, with fresh arrangements,” says The Hitmaker. “It really shows off the quality of the songwriting.” He goes on to say, “We’re not re-creating some kind of period piece or pastiche of a vintage bluegrass recording or anything like that. We just wanted to perform the songs in the present day with bluegrass-type arrangements.”
The Hitmaker rounded up popular Chicago-based bluegrass outfit Hayward, along with shredding dobro master Dan Fuchs (of Bubbly Creek bluegrass band), and vocalists Heather Simons and Scott Robbin. “Everybody is great on the record,” The Hitmaker says, “but Dan Fuchs absolutely kills it! Every note he plays is so expressive, and he just burns up the tracks, especially on ‘Not Enough Time.’”
The set was mastered by Grammy-nominated engineer Marcos Sueiro. All proceeds from the sale of this recording go to Intonation Music Workshop, a nonprofit that provides free music education to kids in low-income and dangerous neighborhoods.
“The songs themselves are strong enough that they really shine when performed in a different style, with fresh arrangements,” says The Hitmaker. “It really shows off the quality of the songwriting.” He goes on to say, “We’re not re-creating some kind of period piece or pastiche of a vintage bluegrass recording or anything like that. We just wanted to perform the songs in the present day with bluegrass-type arrangements.”
The Hitmaker rounded up popular Chicago-based bluegrass outfit Hayward, along with shredding dobro master Dan Fuchs (of Bubbly Creek bluegrass band), and vocalists Heather Simons and Scott Robbin. “Everybody is great on the record,” The Hitmaker says, “but Dan Fuchs absolutely kills it! Every note he plays is so expressive, and he just burns up the tracks, especially on ‘Not Enough Time.’”
The set was mastered by Grammy-nominated engineer Marcos Sueiro. All proceeds from the sale of this recording go to Intonation Music Workshop, a nonprofit that provides free music education to kids in low-income and dangerous neighborhoods.
