Jim Dandy

The Gluey Brothers

Formed back in ’93 when third-wave ska bands roamed the earth and alternative radio was actually worth listening to, Goulden joined forces with fellow musician and Santa Fe expat Logan Richards to form the wildly bizarre/conceptually artistic rock/funk/hip-hop/beyond act The Gluey Brothers. The band would rise to prominence amongst the nation’s collegiate set and came oh-so-close to super stardom on more than one occasion but, tragically, it wasn’t meant to be. Old-school Santa Feans still remember them fondly, though, and sporadic shows (like a recent Los Angeles performance) mean they never actually went anywhere; they just know how to play it cool and keep us wanting more.

“We actually have a whole batch of new material, but who knows what we’re going to do with it…do we release a CD? Do we leak songs online? Do we make a DVD?” Goulden says. “I think I want to put out the DVD.”

Hidden Whale

Alongside his wife Angela Gabriel—a talented percussionist/pianist/songwriter herself—Goulden has been hard at work recording the debut record from his newest full-band project, Hidden Whale. Recorded over a nine-month period, the eight-track record showcases a more structured and poppy take than Goulden’s previous tongue-in-cheek efforts. Local bassist Scott Jarrett rounds out the trio and the material may just be the kind of pop/rock shot in the arm the Santa Fe scene could use. Granted, Hidden Whale hasn’t risen to household name status just yet, but with an excellently recorded debut now under their belts, it’s just a matter of time before more shows put them on your map.

“It was partly recorded at Santa Fe University of Art and Design and partly at Scott’s house,” Goulden says. “There’s a very collaborative effort here between Angela and myself, and it’s just very cool power pop.”

Jim Goulden’s Funky Acoustic Lounge

“There seems to have been some miscommunication here as people thought the name of the night was ‘Jim Goulden’s Acoustic Funk Lounge,’ but that is incorrect,” Goulden says. “I’m not trying to be Parliament by myself here, [and] the ‘funky’ part means I have a wide open door that I can jump through.”

In other words, while we probably won’t be hearing any solo renditions of Maggot Brain, Goulden has always reserved a sense of humor about music and employs that for his solo shows. Gospel mixes with hip-hop and ballads, and Goulden even has what he describes as a “Mellow Gold set of standards.”

The upside is that you don’t quite know what to expect, and the even better upside is that a steady stream of solo gigging has planted new and original ideas in Goulden’s head for the future of his musical repertoire.

“I have to ask, though,” he says modestly. “Do people care what I’m doing or are people going to care about what I’m working on?”

For those of us who still pop in Luncheon Meat of the Giants by The Gluey Brothers now and then or recall that time those motherfuckers simply slayed inside the Lamy post office, you bet.

Catch Goulden on Wednesday nights at Low ’n Slow, because when one of the most creative local forces gets down to it, you damn well pay attention. Oh, and if you haven’t heard Hidden Whale or The Gluey Brothers yet, do yourselves a huge favor and make that happen. Jeeze.