Banjoshi

Mitch and Karl both sat in a Framingham, Massachusetts middle school homeroom for the first time in September 1994. Heard...Henricksen--in sequence. Dazed and confused. Why not be best friends? Might as well.

Through the early years of their friendship, they took turns exposing one another to their keenest musical influences as they collaborated regularly in jam session. Karl would mimic scratchy Kurt Cobain vocal runs and slam funky Chili Peppers guitar riffs. Mitch would accompany with thunderous Metallica drum lines and pepper in back beats from the latest Gang Starr song he'd heard.

Once they got to high school, it was time for them to execute the customary "best friends parting ways". Karl paced his road a Traveling Wilbury, doing his best Waylon Jennings impression playing hundreds of bar shows--both as a soloist and as a front man. Mitch took his mastery of the MPC to New York City to walk in the footsteps of DJ Premier and batter the world with his hypnotic drum programming and sample articulation.

Around the same time Karl decided to leave the comforts of heading a cover band and become rock's Rambling Man, Mitch was knee deep in Prince's catalog and dedicated himself to becoming a synthy songbird. Karl's path headed him in the direction of New York City which meant a hero's homecoming for two besties. It wasn't long before each saw what the other was working with musically and Banjoshi was born.

Although their musicalities came from different continents, the winding, gusting story of searching their twenties gives a particular consistency to their songs. Karl's philosophy to music is best described in three words: Authentic. Natural. Fun. Mitch views each article as something to be elegantly crafted and largely original. The result is the perfect combination of pieces to be on display in Banjoshi's musical boutique.