One of North Carolina’s most promising bands returns from the brink, stronger than ever.
Story By James Johnson Photos By Raul Rubiera Jr.
There was a nervous tension in the air. It was a Saturday night and the 600-seat auditorium of Raleigh’s Fletcher Opera Hall was near full capacity. Though the four young men of Durham NC’s folk pop band Bombadil were no strangers to playing in front of large crowds, tonight was notably different, as it would mark the first time in two years that the foursome would be playing a proper show live. In late 2009, the band was blindsided by news that singer / bass player Daniel Michalak was no longer capable of playing music due to what appeared to be severe nerve damage to his hands. Tonight was more than just another packed house, it was a final step in a two year healing process. It was a step forward.
Bombadil began in early 2005, when Michalak and guitarist Bryan Rahija were both attending Duke University and studying abroad in Bolivia. Later, pianist and mutual friend Stuart Robinson would join the duo, along with Michalak’s brother John on drums. In 2007 John was replaced by James Phillips.
The band’s upbeat tempos, clever lyrics and worldly sound proved a potent mix, that quickly attracted the attention of Dolphus Ramseur, owner of Ramseur Records. Ramseur was reportedly blown away by group’s song writing abilities after witnessing them open for fellow Ramseur artists The Avett Brothers, in Chapel Hill.
The band debuted with 2008’s A Buzz, A Buzz, before releasing their critically acclaimed sophomore album, Tarpits and Canyonlands in 2009.
Tarpits saw the band challenging themselves like never before, with complex orchestral arrangements and themes that touched on marriage, birth and death.
“When I think about Tarpits and Canyonland, and this is just me talking… But, yeah. I felt like we were trying to do the impossible. Something that was big and grand. We just aimed for the impossible. That was like the whole philosophy at the time. We did these big monsters of songs, tackling big themes, you know?” said Rahija. “And I think you can only do that so long before you encounter some push back from the universe.”
That “push back” came in the midst of a non-stop national tour, when Michalak began noticing an unexplained pain in his forearms and hands. At first, the effects weren’t as noticeable. He had some trouble lifting amps after their shows, then difficulty pumping gas, then playing his instrument, until finally he was having trouble just singing without physical pain.
Finally, just before the release of Tarpits, while getting ready to perform a show in Orlando, FL, the inevitable truth came out.
“We were about to eat soup just before the show and (Daniel) is like, ‘I don’t think I can do this. I can’t even lift my spoon.’” explained Rahija. “At that point we knew: we needed to stop.”
Though Michalak has come a long way since then, he is still not entirely clear as to what had caused the damage, or whether or not he can expect it to flare up again. The decision to stop performing was one that was both frustrating to Michalak, as well as the entire band, who at the time were not certain how they would be able to promote their soon to be released album.
“I had to rethink what music meant to me and had to decide that my health was more important,” admitted Michalak. “I had to come to terms with that and be ‘okay’ with never playing music again. It is hard. Nerve healing is so slow … I look perfectly healthy. I look like a very normal person. I definitely had to imagine life being different, though I was so focused on the day-to-day that I don’t think I ever got hung up on that.”
Doctors, said Michalak, didn’t have many answers for him. He had even tried alternative healing, but the only thing that seemed to help was allowing himself time to heal.
“It was difficult to watch. We are more than just college friends … To see someone you care about like that … He can’t do what his one true dream is, and that sucks. That really sucks,” said Rahija. “It is hard to know what to do in that situation.”
With Michalak being such an irreplaceable part of the band, the group decided to forge ahead with the promotion of what might have been their final album, without playing a tour. Instead the band hosted “listening parties” for the album in which the art used on the album was put on display, and other area artists performed, covering songs from the LP.
“Touring is like the only way to get the word out these days. You have to do that. It was very tough on the band,” said Rahija. “We were all very proud of that record, and I think at the end of the day it was a pretty darn big handicap.”
Despite the misfortune, Tarpits went on to receive rave reviews from such noteworthy publications such as Paste Magazine, The Indy Weekly and the News & Observer.
Now, with Michalak finally healthy enough to pick up a bass again, the group is getting set to release their third album, titled All That the Rain Promises. The 11-track LP is far more intimate than previous efforts, featuring less of the broad orchestral sound that Bombadil had become known for. The album is a purposeful exercise in restraint.
“Throughout this whole process we thought, what is the approach to this project that is practical and doable? Upholding the concept of simplicity,” said Rahija. “Complexity is less organized and accessible.”
All That the Rain Promises will be released Nov. 8, with a special release show at the Cats Cradle in Carrboro Nov. 12. For more information go to www.bombadilmusic.com.
