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Orfeus interview

April 29, 2020

Orfeus interview

Orfeus were a great band from Kentucky. They self-released Lying To The Wall album in 1973. Void Records recently reissued their album.


“Being true to yourself”

Can you elaborate on the formation of Orfeus?

Eben Henson: Orfeus was a group of high school guys. We were lucky that I feel the innate talent was there even though we were young and sort of feeling our way. I think it’s interesting that music felt freer then, because music was not so much pigeonholed into specific genres  and because when you’re young, you don’t have much in the way of inhibitions! We didn’t KNOW it’s hard to do this stuff!

Orfeus were: Bob Mott, Pat Morley, Rick Akin, Leon Collins, Eben Henson and Mark Lane (our lone roadie, RIP).

What bands were you a member of prior to the formation of Orfeus?

It seems like most of us were in 50 different bands back in those days, haha. None lasted. We were just trying to develop our chops and find our voice.

What sort of venues did Orfeus play early on? Where were they located?

It seems like a different provincial world looking back, but in those days we lived in a “dry county”. There were no legal bars or restaurants that served alcohol, so we would play parties and school dances, and later- the bars in nearby Richmond such as The Steak Out, and The Family Dog.

How did you decide to use the name “Orfeus”?

Some scholar among us said Orpheus was the Greek God of music. We said COOL, let’s do it! Then we found the name was already taken. Not wanting to get bogged in the name creation thing again we just said we’ll use it and just misspell it. Besides, maybe it will annoy our teachers.

What influenced the band’s sound?

Nobody’s gonna agree on this probably. I know Rick was hugely influenced by The Exiles (later shortened to Exile) who were big time (5 weeks with a #1 hit on the charts) out of Richmond, 40 miles away. Their rich layered vocals and professional approach were to be much admired.

I was really into the progressive art rock bands such as Yes, King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and also the psychedelia of Vanilla Fudge and Jimi Hendrix, as well as maybe the greatest rock band ever – Led Zeppelin. I wanted there to be some of that otherworldly creative ethereal quality in there.

What’s the story behind Lying to the Wall album?

Rick and Bob were the main creators of the title track. I did not discuss it with them–but here’s my impression: I see this as a commentary on the self-imposed loneliness that comes from not being true to yourself and being afraid that you have to present some degree of perfection to others.

I think music in general, should not be presented as prose, but instead, should just capture and stir emotions. And often times the listener may discern their own important meaning.

Was is self-released? How many copies were pressed?

Yes. There were 1,000 original copies.

Where did you record it? What kind of equipment did you use and who was the producer? How many hours did you spend in the studio?

It was recorded in Lexington, KY at the now defunct Lemco Studios. Cecil Jones was the recording engineer. We spent 3 days in the studio.

As a drummer, one thing I learned was the difficulty of getting a good drum sound. First of all, it’s not ONE instrument – it’s like recording half a dozen. The snare sounds good – but what about the bass? The toms? The ride? The Hi-hat? The drums have to be “tuned” to the studio.

Would you share your insight on the albums’ tracks?

Five of the tracks were purely Orfeus. We covered 3 great well written tunes – but tried to make them our own. I think it was unanimous what the title track would be.

What happened after the band stopped? Were you still in touch with other members? Is any member still involved with the music?

Post Orfeus I think we all went separate ways. I have not played with Rick, Bob or Leon in 40 years. No hard feelings at all. Just life. Pat and I continue to collaborate today on musical projects.

Is there any unreleased material?

Nothing else has been released.

Void Records reissued your album. It’s exciting to have a new reissue after so many years. 

It makes me happy that so many people, from all around the world – literally – have enjoyed the music that we made at that obscure point in time all those years ago. And that the stars have somehow aligned for that spark of creativity TO LIVE ON!

Orfeus | Bottom row L-R: Mark Lane (our lone roadie, RIP), Bob Mott and Eben Henson | Top row: Pat Morley, Rick Akin and Leon Collins

Thank you for taking your time. Last word is yours

I want to give credit to our classmate – and great artist, Clay Cantrell – for the spectacular goth beautiful original album cover. I think THAT COVER attracted people to the album – and thus, gave our music the chance to be heard. Thanks Clay!


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