Best Old Bands Vol. IV: Consolation Champ
A continuing series on some of the Twin Cities most lasting artists and architects
We are the Champ: Matt Mitchell (bass), John Richards (lead vocals, guitar), Rick Nordquist (drums, vocals), Chris Mitchell (guitar, vocals, mandolin)
Power Pop-ahs make a winner’s racket
Bloomington’s underrated, overly humble `dad band’ Consolation Champ recalls Marshall Crenshaw and John Prine, proudly wearing an uncool genre tag to support great causes and some unbeatable songs.
Editor’s Note: I was intrigued about two lesser-known bands planning info tables about youth goodwill groups and private arts and music teachers at their March 9 Parkway Theater gig; A nice gesture worth at least a mention. Turns out these childhood friends have a colorful history and a catalog of winning songs. If they’ve been relegated to suburban obscurity, it’s time for promotion to the premier league.
By Jim Meyer, March 6, 2005
Someday I may get around to explaining what we’re doing here at Best Old Bands - Minnesota. The title is a gentle poke at local music press and its typical focus on baby bands, when it’s obvious our longtime artists are doing great but often unrecognized work, too.
But I knew the risk of being besieged by the many male-dominated and largely meh local bands of a certain age. Fifty-plus at least. Let’s be honest; More and more groups are hobbyists, financially stable enough to afford and collect gear, more time to rehearse now that their kids are grown up and out, and humble about low-pay gigs off the beaten path. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s usually nothing to write home – or a free online article – about.
Consolation Champ wears the old-timer’s uniform with pride, as they should. Their first album in 12 years, Shorthand for a Long Walk, is full of crafty songs and touching observational lyrics enriched by lessons they’ve learned from raising kids and their own growing pains. The band is self-effacing to a fault, playing not for fame but for the love of the music game, and love of their fellow man given that most of their now-infrequent shows are goodwill gigs to support local charities. Playing pop-rock that parents can safely take their kids to worked a billion dollars better for Taylor Swift, but C-Champ is perfectly fine with their place in the standings.
The band itself could be considered old-timers, too. The group just turned 21, but the members go much farther back as lifelong friends from Normandale Hills Elementary all through to Jefferson HS and the U of M. Consolation Champ is a clever name on many levels. The logo is a tuning fork that looks like a loser’s bracket, or a crude lefty guitar. They are big sports fans, though admittedly fairly mid players on the fields themselves. But with their honest, heartfelt lyrics and humanistic outlook, they really are `consolation’ champs in a creative, commendable sense.
This weekend they’ve invited the five-piece Matt Herzog Band to co-headline. Herzog, an Owatonna native, met Richards in the cities when their daughters were in soccer and choir together. They’ve teamed up for a `Mpls. Dads Who Rock’’ double feature, Sunday at the Parkway.
I wanted to meet Richards in a flash to discuss the upcoming gig, but fittingly he puts the kids’ weekend activities first, so here’s a short volley of our online Q&A on the run.
Consolation Champ: ``Who to Be’’
Q: I presume you’ll have your own merch table, but making the gig a `fun-raiser’ for youth-oriented social services made me take notice. How did you choose whom to boost?
A: In most cases these are organizations and music/art instructors that my kids and/or Matt Herzog's kids have had direct positive experience with at some point. We thought it would be fun to bring them together and help spread the word to our audience, which includes a lot of families. We’re excited for people to meet them.
Q: `Dad Rock’’ is kind of a withering sleight at older musicians, who often play in the well-worn mainstream vein. Some people think being slugged a `dad band’’ would feel like getting drilled in the ribs with a fastball. But you guys ``wear it’’ as they say.
A: Right. We've had fun embracing the Dad Rock thing for this show and since the release of our last album, especially after the Star Tribune called it a "collection of jangly dad pop," which we take as a compliment.
Of course we are actual dads with 11 kids between the four of us, and I guess we like the challenge of trying to surprise people with songs that aren't totally cringeworthy. But I didn't set out to write a "dad rock" concept album or anything like that. It started with just writing sincere songs about the most important parts of my life, and being a dad is obviously a huge part of that. Also, my own dad is a really special person in my life and happens to be a talented visual artist (tomrichardsart.com) who did live drawings for official videos for our songs (found on You Tube). He never did art for a living, but was always drawing so I grew up thinking art was just something all dads did and that stayed with me.
Q: I appreciate your self-deprecation and healthy perspective, but your songs are very crafty. You’ve really put the work in on lyrics, and I think you could trade them – so to speak – to Nashville or the big markets. What are your inspirations or your goals toward listeners?
A: I like a lot of different music. I'd say my biggest songwriting influences are Tom Petty, Glen Phillips from Toad the Wet Sprocket, Ben Folds, Freedy Johnston, and Joni Mitchell. Maybe the common thread there is a simplicity, yet they’re interesting and moving, with a focus on the songs. During the making of this album, I found myself listening to a lot of Jason Isbell, Chvrches, Spoon, Kacey Musgraves, Dawes, and Dan Wilson. But these are just my influences, and what I like most about our band is the other three guys probably would each have totally different lists and somehow it all blends together on our group arrangements. They’re into metal, jam bands, ‘90s alternative, 60's pop, but classic rock is a common thread, and maybe Petty is the one that would make all of our lists.
Q: You guys have had some major radio play. Unfortunately it wasn’t Cities 97 or KQ, but on sports talker KFAN, particularly the Dan Cole the Common Man program – aka ``The Progrum,’’ aka the ‘grum. To be fair I like his segments with famed music DJ Brian Oake. City Pages once named Cole one of their Artist of the Year choices. I know; I wrote it. How did you get in with the self-proclaimed ``Radio Romeo, ``the Clown from Brown’’ (Institute)
A: I was always just a big fan of Common and his show, listening to it daily in my twenties. I remembered an artist called "Lava Bloom Gal" had written a song about him in the early days of the ‘grum, so I thought I'd try the same but include some of the classic elements and lines in the song. I just recorded a quick and dirty demo called "Get with the Progrum," and they still play it occasionally. Then I met him before one of his stand-up comedy shows a few weeks later and we just chatted about music. He's a big music guy. It was a super fun and down-to-earth convo, just like how he sounds on air. I also opened a comedy show in Nisswa that he and Meatsauce (Paul Lambert) did, and I stayed up on stage to do live rimshots during Common's set. I'm still a loyal KFAN listener.
Q: Did that seem to boost your profile, or have you had even bigger media splashes than that?
A: That's probably been the biggest media coverage we've had, but it’s hard to say if it's been an audience builder. We also did a morning spot on WCCO-TV. But mostly our audience has always been friends and family and word of mouth. And that has kept the shows pretty intimate and fun. It’s especially gratifying that our friends and family would still want to come out to shows and listen to our tunes and have fun with us even as our lives and their lives get more complex. Also, my grandpa Tony was a sportscaster in the twin cities for 35 years, so he always gave me a healthy perspective on the realities of both sports (which I was obsessed with as a kid) and the media/'show biz' part. He'd tell me "don't go into that dumb business," but I knew he was saying it half-jokingly and did appreciate his time in sports media.
Consolation Champ: ``No Coincidence’’
Q: Do I have this right that you’ve done nearly two decades of Christmas Eve Eve shows for charity at various venues?
A: Correct. This year will be the 20th annual. It's a fun tradition that’s played a role in keeping us together, knowing we'll always have at least that show on the calendar.
Well, with the Parkway show on the books, Consolation Champ are on pace for at least two shows in 2025. The Champ debuted at the old 400 Bar in 2005, then hit it hard in their first years. Now they’ve slowed to a more sensible pace, but maybe they deserve a rematch with a little wider audience.
You can scout them Sunday, March 9, 2025, 6 pm Doors / 7 pm Music, All Ages. $12 advance GA, $17 DOS. Free for the 14U crowd.
Gig link: Mpls Dads Who Rock // Consolation Champ + Matt Herzog Band
Band site: Consolation Champ | Rock N Roll from Minneapolis, MN
Matt Herzog Band makes a Tuttles debut Friday 4/11, 107 Shady Oak Road, Hopkins.
Also:
Friday May 16, Shaws, 1528 University Avenue, Minneapolis.
Friday July 25, Zorbaz on Green Lake, Spicer, Mn.
August 12, Steele County Free Fair, 7:30 pm, Owatonna.
Minneapolis native Jim Meyer was a music reporter at City Pages, Star Tribune, and Sam Goody/Best Buy a century ago. He’s a willing patron of the arts but won’t turn down gig invites, free demos or story ideas at meyerforhire@yahoo.com.