music box: Live with Biggie

By Kristin Day
mixer

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The bar at A.J. McMurphy's is packed with the after-work crowd, ready to ring in this particular weekend. Families gathered to celebrate high school graduations in the restaurant while over in the bar area, patrons watched as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings. And below the smaller TV depicting the NHL playoffs, James “Biggie” Morris sang a Tom Petty tune.

“And I'm free …” reverberated through the restaurant as Morris sat on a stool strumming an acoustic guitar. Guitarist Matt Castellano sat a little lower in a wooden chair, as their brothers, Justin Castellano of Backseat Romeo and John Morris cheered on.

Morris has been playing around Greenville for close to six years and, as Biggie, books several regular gigs a month in town. He and Matt have been covering the likes of Bob Dylan, Elton John and The Black Crowes together in local bars for the last three years.

During their set break, they sat down to talk with mixer and their brothers about being a local musician. (Editor's note: Maybe half of the following should be taken seriously, we think):

mixer: Do you have any originals, or do you play all covers?

Morris: We have a few originals. But when you play for money, you tend to not be able to play originals as much. They (customers) kinda leave.

mixer: How do you describe your original songs?

Castellano: It's a mix of country and rap. We call it “crap.”

mixer: What's something your fans don't know about you?

Morris: I like to play online video games. And I like to read Anne Rice novels.

Castellano: I can't read. I like to read books with pictures in it.

mixer: What helps you two work together so well?

Castellano: Driving while eating Bojangles' biscuits.

Morris: No, that's an inside joke between us. All the traffic stops and being harassed by cops.

mixer: What's one characteristic of your shows that's different from other acts in Greenville?

Castellano: We always refer to rule No. 1.

Morris: Don't inappropriate expletive with other people's wives.

mixer: What would be your dream show?

Castellano: A strip club.

mixer: But you could do that around here.

Castellano: A nice one.

Morris: Like the Crazy Horse in Myrtle Beach. We already played for Kelly Ripa and her husband.

Castellano: They were super cool, too. They even bought us shots.

Morris: She's my dream wife. And she's got guns.

After some more discussion on Kelly Ripa ...

mixer: Anything new coming up?

Castellano: We're working on getting sober.

mixer: What do you listen to when you're not playing?

Morris: Travis Meeks. He used to be the lead singer for Days of the New.

mixer: Anything else you want your fans to know?

Castellano: Yeah. We're better than Backstreet Romeo.

Contact Kristin Day at kday@coxnc.com or (252) 329-9579.