Iron Mitten featuring Tom Adams

Tom Adams Iron Mitten LIVEIt’s been just three months since Tom Adams announced that he’d be giving the banjo a rest, but music fans at London’s East End Pub were treated to the rejuvenated strains of Adams’ new sound and the new group he’s fronting, Iron Mitten. Although Monday night’s concert was in direct competition with Led Zeppelin’s reunion gig at the 02 Arena, Iron Mitten’s drummer, Eric Dinst, expressed confidence that Zeppelin’s appearance would have no effect on their expected crowd.

UK correspondent, Richard Thompson, spoke with Dinst between sets about Iron Mitten’s upcoming tour in support of their first album.

RT: Could you fill me in on some details about Tom’s new right hand, and then we’ll move on to the band’s new CD?

IM: Yes, it’s brand new and quite shiny, wouldn’t you say? And this ‚Äì this right here is the cover of our debut CD, entitled "Pick Noise."

RT: I can certainly see where that could be a problem.

IM: What do you, what sort of problem would there be with that title?

RT: No, I’m talking about the sound of your banjo player’s metal prosthesis scraping the metal strings while he’s playing a forward roll.

IM: Well, there’s not really a direction to the roll. It’s, you know, if you were reaching into a deep fryer to pull out a chicken leg, it’s more of that kind of motion, really.

RT: But there would still be pick noise, right?

IM: Oh, yeah. The whole album is "Pick Noise." That’s the name of the whole thing. Like, no matter which track you played and somebody came up to you and said, "What’s that?" I’d say "Pick Noise." Do you ‚Äì do you not get it?

RT: No. In fact, I don’t see the album’s title anywhere on the cover.

IM: Well of course you don’t see it. You can’t see it; you hear it.

RT: So, that could be a problem.

IM: I don’t follow.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.