March 14, 1997
Over the Rhine guitarist keeps
branching out
By Rick Bird, Post music writer
March 13, 1997
There's plenty of life after Over the Rhine for Ric
Hordinski.
The guitarist from Cincinnati's best-loved alternative
folk-rock band, which split up late last year, is moving
on.
Hordinski is busy producing other bands and working
with his own group, Monk, out of a cozy home recording
studio that has already earned a regional reputation.
Over the Rhine had a four-year national run on IRS
Records; the band left the company even as the label was
disintegrating last summer. Then OTR itself broke up in
November.
There was never any doubt that the band's talented
members would keep adding to the local music scene, as
Hordinski is now doing.
OTR's husband-and-wife singer-songwriting team of
Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist continues to play
around town, and OTR's other two members can be
heard when Monk plays at Sudsy Malone's on Friday.
The band is fronted by Hordinski and includes fellow
OTR drummer Brian Kelley. The group is rounded out by
upright bassist and recent CCM grad Bram Sheray.
Hordinski, sounding relaxed and musically eager during
an interview in his Cincinnati home studio, says he's
looking forward to pursuing music free from major-label
exigencies.
''I love Monk because you can forget about the
commercial aspects for a while,'' Hordinski said. ''With
Over the Rhine we were sort of driving for that business
commercial thing. Now it feels we can go and play for
just a few people and get a lot of satisfaction out of
that.''
Hordinski admits he is enjoying living for the musical
moment.
''There's a quote from a friend who says, 'The best music
is the music of what happens.' That's what I want to do''
Three months after the OTR split, Hordinski is as excited
with the projects he's producing as much as he is with his
own band. He's especially proud of recording David
Wilcox, the North Carolina folk-rocker who has had
three albums on A&M. Monk plays on Wilcox's
upcoming album, much of it recorded at Hordinski's
studio.
In the last year, Hordinski also recorded and produced
local bands Gwendolyn Speaks and Plow On Boy,
another Cincinnati band that has since broken up.
''That's such a shame. That was a great album,'' he said.
As for Monk, the band's jazzy, guitar-based,
psychedelic-influenced sound is a long way from the
sweet, introspective OTR musings that stemmed from the
writing of Ms. Bergquist and Detweiler. Ultimately,
Monk's music may be more accessible to casual rock fans
than the touchie-feelie Over the Rhine.
''(Monk) is becoming a soup. It's all getting cooked
together and becoming more of its own thing. I'm more
influenced by ambient music, and Over the Rhine had a
lot to do with that,'' he said. Hordinski hopes to have a
Monk CD out by late spring.
However, Hordinski knowingly chuckled when it was
suggested that the project could be delayed because he
has the luxury of a home studio.
''Yes, I'm constantly fiddling with the Monk tapes,'' he
admitted with a grin.
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Monk plays at 9:30 p.m., Friday, at Sudsy Malones on
Vine Street in Corryville. Cover $6 (18 and over
admitted).