Wanna Die Be a Folk Singer

Eccentric Alt-folk with Visionary Tendencies

Hieronymus Bogs is a one man troupe whose performances embrace the ties between music, poetry and art. The bearded Bogs, garbed in self-fashioned regalia, is known for imparting live shows with poetic recitals, looped sounds and short vignettes that veer off the stage. With songs like, “The Infinite Possibilities of Universal Love” and “Death Is Dead”, Bogs' voice and off-kilter approach to songwriting is reminiscent of artists like George Harrison (The Beatles) and Syd Barret (Pink Floyd) while remaining clearly Folk based. Accompanied by subtle banjo, sleigh bell percussion and his trademark dangling bells, Bogs allows his words and distinct voice to be the focus of his songs, while his recitations and actions remystify what has often in performance become habit.
Known primarily as frontman/songwriter for Psych-folk band, BOGS VISIONARY ORCHESTRA, Hieronymus Bogs has performed at many public institutions including the Brooklyn Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art (NYC), and a plethora of clubs & cafes scattered across the country. His song, “Everybody's Broken” was included in Asthmatic Kitty's 'MEWS TOO” compilation, along with Indie-folk luminaries, Sufjan Stevens, Brother Danielson, & My Brightest Diamond.

Although he had never made music before the peculiar sounds and voices he heard on Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music awakened a desire, it gave him a confidence to explore musical impulses for the first time in his life. Green for earth, blue for sky and red for fire, each recording intensified his desire and made him eager to experience the outcome of even his most primitive efforts. That night he dreamt he was standing before an enormous hall. From its doors flowed a multitude of odd people, each playing an instrument to the result of a strange and unaffected sound. An oldfangled airship passed overhead. It read, “Welcome Bogs Visionary Orchestra to the Great Hall!” After breakfast he rummaged through his belongings, walked down to St. George Pawn Shop and swapped his fathers vintage coins for a used banjo.

“A singer-songwriter from Rochester, NY who had a funky outfit that would make even the likes of Prince be jealous, Hieronymous Bogs kicked off the night with his electric garage folk tunes that were as poetic as it gets. "The Infinite Possibilities of Universal Love", "Poorboy Fool", "Mother To Keep" and "I Believe" were groovy, soothing and laid back.”

Rob Duguay, GoLocalProv Music Critic 4/7/13

“Bogs Visionary Orchestra came out next and played like a four-man carnival full of ironic lyrical and musical quirks. The bearded Bogs led the parade on guitar and slide banjo (you heard me, slide banjo) in a suit that featured as many colors as his musical palette. He copped the stance of Zappa (or was it Beefheart?) playing the part of a barker pitching the ballyhoo on the midway. It was Tin Pan Alley on Easter Sunday. It was country-ish twang on account of the rhythmic 2/4, it was klezmer-esque on account of its accelerated percussion and groove, and it was just straight-up out of sight. I hung out and hung on every word.”

Frank Deblase, City News Music Critic 4/8/13

Venues:
(NYC)- CBGB'S, SIN'E, WHITNEY MUSEUM: Sound Check, THE SIDEWALK CAFE, BANJO JIMS, CB'S 313 GALLERY, PIANOS UPPER ROOM: Residency, THE CUTTING ROOM, ARLENE GROCERY: The Medicine Show, BROOKLYN- BARBES, BROOKLYN MUSEUM: First Saturday, Members Party, Garden Party, WATER FRONT MUSEUM, UNION POOL: "Wheels of Fire" A Musical Tribute to Howard Finster w/ Sufjan Stevens & Danielson, JALOPY THEATER, , BAR MATCHLESS, PETES CANDY STORE, GOODBYE BLUE MONDAY, (Rochester, NY)- ABILENE BAR & GRILL, BOULDER COFFEE CO., THE BUG JAR, MEDDLESOME LAB, LUVIN' CUP, RECORD ARCHIVE, BERNUNZIO UPTOWN MUSIC, HEARTS & CRAFTS INDIE MARKET, SHEWAN RECITAL HALL, THE CLUB @ WATER STREET, MEMORIAL ART GALLERY, IRONDEQUOIT PUBLIC LIBRARY, ACANTHUS CAFE, SPOT COFFE, THE YARDS, LUX BAR, STICKY LIPS JUKE JOINT (Buffalo, NY)-THE VAULT, MERGE, BUFFALO INFRINGEMENT FESTIVAL (Syracuse, NY)- SALT CITY MARKET, SPAR, MUDDY WATERS CAFE (Gen, NY), BURLINGHAM BOOKS (Perry, NY), THE TRAM (Utica, NY), RENDEZVOUS (Turners Falls, MA), FLYING OBJECT (Hadley, MA), THE KITCHEN SESSIONS (Sommerville, MA), DUSK (Prov, RI), THE BARKING SPIDER TAVERN (Clev, OH), RUSTBELT MARKET (Fern, MI),

Radio:
WBZA 98.9FM Rochester, NY: The Buzz: Sunday Night Shakedown (Live performance)
WRUR 88.5FM WXXI Radio: Open Tunings (Live performance)
WITR 89.7FM Rochester Institute of Technology
KAOS 89.3FM Olympia, WA: Gods Misfits

Press:
585 Magazine (Article) 9/13
City News- Roch, NY (Show review) 4/13
GoLocalProv- Prov, RI (Show review) 4/13
Democrat & Chronicle- Roch, NY (Album review) 12/12
City News- Roch, NY (Interview) 12/11

Discography:
2014- Grow
2013- You Pilgrims- EP
2012- Alas, Alas, Alas! The Birth of Hieronymus Bogs (w/ guest vocals by DM Stith)
2012- Recession Special Revisited (w/ guest vocals by Shara Worden/My Brightest Diamond)
2011- Awkwardcore Compilation #1 (including: Deerhoof and Seth Faergolzia of Dufus)
2009- Mean Old World
2007- Maladroits Union
2006- Asthmatic Kitty: Mews Too Compilation (including: Sufjan Stevens, My Brightest Diamond, Danielson, Denison Witmer and Half Handed Cloud)
2003- Recession Special (w/ guest vocals by Shara Worden/My Brightest Diamond)