INDY'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Web exclusive: Tommy Womack

 

Tommy Womack, Chad Harvey
Spencer’s Stadium Tavern
Saturday, July 28, 8:30 p.m., $5

Tommy Womack is a great storyteller as evidenced from his songs, his book and his correspondence. Womack led the seminal punk-rock band Government Cheese from 1985 until 1992. He played in the band bis-quits for two years and his book, “Cheese Chronicles: The True Story of a Rock and Roll Band You’ve Never Heard Of,” was published in 1995. Womack, who lives in Nashville, Tenn., continues to write and perform around the country and Europe. His latest album, “There I Said It,” was released earlier this year.

Besides music and his family, Womack has two hobbies: reading and speculating on the historical Jesus and classic-era New York Mafia genealogy. When asked how the Mafia obsession started, he refers to “The Godfather” book.

Womack says he’d like to make a deal with Indianapolis. “Come see me, and I’ll do my darndest to entertain you; and if I do, please buy a record or a copy of my book or something. I got bills out the wazoo. I got a plane ticket to England to pay for, and now for good measure, I'm typing on a borrowed laptop because mine broke in half! You'll be doing society a favor. You don't want me back in the workforce. You want me playing my guitar and trying to make people smile. So let us join hands, my Hoosier friends, and be honest with ourselves about what's going on here. I will entertain you. I will break my back to do it! And if you do me the kind turn of turning up to be entertained, then we can team together and insure that I leave Indianapolis with as much of Indianapolis' money as I can possibly Hoover up. God bless you, and I'm looking forward to the gig.”

Americana rocker Chad Harvey will open the show. Harvey is working on an album to be released on Indie500 Records later this year.