The 1865’s Honeychild Coleman on Brooklyn, baritone guitars, and Bo Diddley

Kentuckian Honeychild Coleman is a multi-instrumentalist/vocalist and visual artist. She fronts blues-punk outfit The 1865 (Mass Appeal Records), spins as DJ Sugarfree BK, & plays bass/sings with Feminist Post Punk trio Bachslider. Collaborators/Guest Projects: Invisiblegirl Records (UK), Matteite Records (ITALY), The Slits, Burnt Sugar Arkestra, Mad Professor, Apollo Heights, Death Comet Crew (w/ Rammellzee), DJ Olive and Badawi (Raz Mesinai). The 1865’s song “The Drifter” was featured on our #39 podcast.

My favorite thing to wear onstage:

Winter: graphic tee or polo with vest and bandana + jeans; Summer – polo and shorts or kilt. My personal style leans towards preppy-punk. I like the structure,comfort and quality of classic men’s clothing mixed with colorful and custom pieces

photo credit: C.P. Krenkler

My favorite musical instrument or item that I purchased recently is:

I just purchased a guitar that I am planning to have converted into a Baritone – very excited. My original Baritone guitar is a amber wood toned P.R.S. The new/future baritone is a pale aqua blue Epiphone SG – different mood.

A baritone guitar has a longer scale length, typically a larger body, and heavier internal bracing, so it can be tuned to a lower pitch. Picture this one in aqua blue.

photo credit: Aaron Wilson Watson

The musical instrument or item that I really really want is:

A Shruti Box. I love the mesmerizing sound

[Editor’s Note: I had to educate myself on what a Shruti box is by watching this enlightening ten minute video. Thumbs up to this dude. And to the shruti box.]

The artist who has influenced me most is:

Bo Diddley. Bo was the original guitar-slinging back beat and surf style innovator, hot rod mechanic, humorous lyricist, and hair dresser (in addition to our mutual love for plaid)

Bo Didley in Prague in 2005. As a child he played trombone and orchestral violin.

Something I wish I’d known before joining a band:

Don’t compromise on your creativity – if the collaboration isn’t fun or makes you miserable, it’s OK to quit and move on.

I live in this city:

South Williamsburg, Brooklyn. So much culture and activity within reach, yet in my neighborhood I can walk around un-bothered (and the somewhat affordable rent)

the general vibe of this city is:

Anything goes – like the East Village was in the ’90s. One local bar near me has trap DJ and drag performances. Around the corner there’s an office set up to help manual laborers with ESL lessons and union applications. The vast variety of local designers, gourmet food, traditional Jewish bakeries and Latin/Caribbean food and music. My local electronics repair shop has been around since the early 70’s and it feels like you are catching up with a relative when you walk in. At the bodega on the corner they still hold your house keys for guests to pick up. In the middle of all this are, of course, there are new high rise condos.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

the best place to play music here is:

Union Pool. Great sound – local walk in crowd and relaxed atmosphere, great room even when super packed

Union Pool, Williamsburg, “A bar where everyone thinks they might get laid,” according to the internet.

And evidently there is really a pool.

The best place to SEE music here is:

Baby’s All Right. Similar vibe to Rough Trade with upper mezzanine yet nice bar in front and restaurant – it feels like an experience moving from room to room

My favorite local band (aside from my own):

Megative. Modern Brooklyn two-tone with a touch of eerie dub electronics – great energy and tunes

I collect:

Fountain Pens. I have one Bakelite pen from the 1940s, a few modern US pens, and a few modern French pens (I pick up pens every time I visit Paris) and I write with them daily

Why not be both classy and interesting, in an Oscar Wilde kind of way? Honeychild Coleman is the first of our interviewees to collect vintage pens.

my favorite thing to watch on tv is:

Documentaries, thrillers and film noir. I’m drawn to reading and watching autobiographical narratives and history; Film noir draws me in on an aesthetic level, between the visual, the jargon and cadence of the dialogue

In my fridge you’ll always find:

Hot sauce (2-3 types), hummus, avocados, hard boiled eggs, dark chocolate

A winter indulgence that I would never forgo is:

Coconut Oil. It’s for every Season

if you’re going to buy me a gift, say in the under-$50 range, I would like:

Movie tickets

The last music I downloaded was:

Maximum Penalty “Life & Times”. I recently met the lead singer Jim when he played drums with us

My personal analysis of the current state of the music industry is:

Wide Open

photo credit: Ed Marshall Photography NYC

The 1865’s album `Don’t Tread on We’ is a musical exploration of what life was like for various characters in the year 1865.

Wide open is as wide open does.

the best place to eat breakfast in my city is:

Vegan: Champs Diner / Non-Vegan: Junior’s. Junior’s only tastes good in Brooklyn (sorry Manhattan) – Champs makes vegetables taste like pork, which appeals to the Southerner in me