Bean Hoy: It's a Big Dumb World
Release date: March 8, 2019
Mike Starling started the Bean Hoy band as an outlet for his wry, topical tunes about subjects like road construction, farmer tans and the joys of beater cars and Wisconsin winters.
Bean Hoy took the stage in everything from acoustic duo to 8-piece rock band complete with a brass section called the Horns of Vengeance, and released four albums of original material between 1993 and 2010. In 2019, Starling teamed up with Momentous Records to compile It's a Big Dumb World: A 25th Anniversary Collection.
Included are remastered versions of a dozen of the band's most popular tunes, including the previously unreleased song “Dad Car,” until now heard only on National Public Radio’s "Car Talk" show.
"The songs are a laundry list of local and national maladies, often depicted with a dark twist of humor. And, as often as not, the music is as playful as the words," wrote Ted Johnson in a review of the band for LAX Magazine. "A reflection of inane pop culture, where one no longer condemns the plastic world around us but instead videotapes it for later when there's nothing else on."
Mike Starling started the Bean Hoy band as an outlet for his wry, topical tunes about subjects like road construction, farmer tans and the joys of beater cars and Wisconsin winters.
Bean Hoy took the stage in everything from acoustic duo to 8-piece rock band complete with a brass section called the Horns of Vengeance, and released four albums of original material between 1993 and 2010. In 2019, Starling teamed up with Momentous Records to compile It's a Big Dumb World: A 25th Anniversary Collection.
Included are remastered versions of a dozen of the band's most popular tunes, including the previously unreleased song “Dad Car,” until now heard only on National Public Radio’s "Car Talk" show.
"The songs are a laundry list of local and national maladies, often depicted with a dark twist of humor. And, as often as not, the music is as playful as the words," wrote Ted Johnson in a review of the band for LAX Magazine. "A reflection of inane pop culture, where one no longer condemns the plastic world around us but instead videotapes it for later when there's nothing else on."
TRACK LISTING
All songs written by Mike Starling, except "Heileman's" by Todd Haefer, Mike Starling and Bob Mueller. Published by Bean Hoy Music (BMI). 25th anniversary album produced by Mike Starling, and mastered by Brett Huus at Sound Strations, La Crosse, Wisconsin. Original session recording engineers: Jason Knox, Hans Mayer, Brett Huus, Mike Starling.
Mike Starling: Vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards, harmonica, cedar flute, kazoo, percussion
Casey Virock: Acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Jim Vogt: Drums, percussion
Jason Knox: Piano, guitar, snare, backing vocals
Hans Mayer: Electric guitar, bass, backing vocals
David Purcell: Drums
Bob Mueller: Drums, backing vocals
Jared Drake: Upright bass, backing vocals
Tom Plutshack: Electric guitar
Mark Lakmann: Trombone
Gretchen Vogt Henchen: Tuba
Pete Vogt: Drums, backing vocals
Jackson Huus: Backing vocals
- Road Construction
- Winter
- Go Beater Car Go
- Oh! Sandfly!
- Groovy Town
- Dad Car
- Shitty Job
- It's a Big Dumb World
- Boys Can't Be Trusted
- Sorry, Forgot My Tie-Dyed T-Shirt
- Heileman's
- Last Generation of Rock & Roll
All songs written by Mike Starling, except "Heileman's" by Todd Haefer, Mike Starling and Bob Mueller. Published by Bean Hoy Music (BMI). 25th anniversary album produced by Mike Starling, and mastered by Brett Huus at Sound Strations, La Crosse, Wisconsin. Original session recording engineers: Jason Knox, Hans Mayer, Brett Huus, Mike Starling.
Mike Starling: Vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards, harmonica, cedar flute, kazoo, percussion
Casey Virock: Acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Jim Vogt: Drums, percussion
Jason Knox: Piano, guitar, snare, backing vocals
Hans Mayer: Electric guitar, bass, backing vocals
David Purcell: Drums
Bob Mueller: Drums, backing vocals
Jared Drake: Upright bass, backing vocals
Tom Plutshack: Electric guitar
Mark Lakmann: Trombone
Gretchen Vogt Henchen: Tuba
Pete Vogt: Drums, backing vocals
Jackson Huus: Backing vocals
Mike Starling's original music is heard on numerous recordings and soundtracks, and his stories and photos have been featured in books, films, mags and other media.
starlingarchive.weebly.com is the authorized website for samples of published work by the Wisconsin-based writer, artist and musician Mike Starling. Starling on assignment in Ireland photo by J. Winke. Bean Hoy album cover art by Starling. It's a Big Dumb World promo video produced by Mike Starling and Brett Huus for Nine Volt Media and Momentous Records.. Bean Hoy songs by Starling. Music published by Bean Hoy Music (BMI). Website developed and managed by Nine Volt Media ©MMX-MMXXIII all rights reserved.