Don’t get so caught up in the 20th anniversary of Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album that you forget this year also marks two decades since the Spin Doctors released “Pocket Full of Kryptonite.” Looking back, it seems difficult to believe that the Doctors’ debut album was somewhat ignored, even by its own record company, when it was first released. Two years later, the band was staring out from the cover of Rolling Stone magazine as their singles including “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” and “Two Princes” were on alt rock music lovers’ heavy rotation lists.
“It’s pretty gratifying for us to have made a record that anyone gives a hoot about 20 years later,” said frontman Chris Barron. “I think we made some good decisions aesthetically about the sounds we used on that record. Nothing about that record ties it to the decade.”
| Onstage |
| Spin Doctors performing ‘Pocket Full of Kryptonite’ |
| When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday |
| Where: Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria |
| Info: $25; ticketmaster.com; 202-397-SEAT |
Perhaps one reason for the band’s success and longevity in an always crowded alt-rock-rootsy field, though, is that the band does tie itself to the decade in one way — they said then they would never chase trends or become “rock stars” and they’ve been true to that vow.
Although the band that was just featured again in Rolling Stone and has had a “20th Anniversary Edition” two-CD set of the remastered album, demo tapes and live performances, Barron is incredibly low-key about the accolades.
“The fun part about this band is that everyone is such a great musician,” said Barron. “People ask me all the time ‘How do you play ‘Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong’ every night!’ The answer is always the band is constantly communicating musically.”
In pure jam band tradition, the band mates have never vowed to play or sing their songs including their hits the same way time and again.
Barron likens the musicians’ approach to the concert as akin to children kicking a can and not knowing where it will land.
“There is really nothing to that but it can be endlessly absorbing,” said Barron. “The music is like that too. We are always listening to each other and massaging the timing or changing the phrasing each time. We can take a song we played a million times and do something weird and new with it.”
