January 31, 2008

Funkfoot wiggles its toes
Band members pursuing individual interests
By Alec O’Meara aomeara@hippopress.com

After three years as a mainstay on the local scene, Funkfoot has announced plans to stop playing together following a March 14 finale at the Stone Church in Newmarket.

“It’s just become clear that right now things are going in a couple of different directions,” said Eric Strathmeyer, keyboardist and vocalist with the band. “It gives everyone the chance to play what they want to play.”

The four members of the band remain close friends and enjoy playing together, Strathmeyer said, but the members individually find their lives drifting away from the band for the moment. Stratmeyer has plans to relocate to Boston for career reasons. Bassist Berns Coty has a young child in his life right now, and guitarist Jeremy Grob has been experimenting with a solo career. Together with drummer Ashley Rowe, the funk foursome agreed in early January to go their separate ways, and made an announcement to fans via e-mail last week.

“That was the roughest part, letting the fans know what was going on,” Strathmeyer said, adding that support from fans at shows had been wonderful.

At its peak in early 2006, Funkfoot delivered the party as often as three times a week throughout the state. The band still plays every Wednesday night as part of the Dover Brick House funk series and throws in occasional concerts when it can. The band most recently played in Manchester as part of a team-up with the Sons of Kalal at Milly’s Tavern in November.

For now, however, the band plans to play through its February gigs at the Brick House, play a special performance on Friday, Feb. 8, at Cannon Mountain in Franconia, and do a final show on March 15 at the Stone Church before calling it quits. The band is optimistic that it will have completed work on its second full-length album in time for the final performance. The album, which features many of Funkfoot’s newer songs, was recorded in 2007 and remains untitled. If it isn’t ready in time, the band may make it available through its Web site, www.funkfoot.com.

Strathmeyer stressed that the band is not “breaking up” as all members are still very much on good terms. He agrees that it is very likely that Funkfoot will return periodically for the occasional show when schedules allow, as he and the other members genuinely enjoy playing together. However, the days of building a week around lining up gigs have passed for Funkfoot.

“I’m definitely going to feel differently about it in a couple of months, but right now I’m looking at this as more of an opportunity than anything else,” Strathmeyer said.

Before Funkfoot calls it quits, there is the small matter of selling a tour bus the band bought and has barely used.

For more information on Funkfoot and their bus, visit the band’s Web site at www.funkfoot.com.