The Aug. 17 edition of The Devo Rock Show featured an interview with John Cate and music from his band The Van Gough Brothers.
Click here to check out an archive of the program.
Included was a world radio premier of a track from their forthcoming untitled album that was just recorded at David Minehan’s Woolly Mamouth Sound in Waltham, Mass., and music from their 2019 release Love Letters (American Music Partners). Minehan (The Neighborhoods/The Replacements) co-produced the new album which is Cate’s 15th.
In the interview, Cate described how he got his start as a musician playing jazz fusion/rock with Mark Zamcheck, including gigs at The Newport Jazz Festival and touring with the likes of Dave Brubeck and Pat Metheny.
He did many things along the way in his 50-year career, including working as a sound engineer at the legendary clubs The Jazz Workshop and Paul’s Mall in Boston before leaving the music business and pursuing a business career that eventually led to his involvement as a founding principal with eMusic where he conceived the industry’s first-ever digital rights licensing strategy in the creation of the pioneering music download company EMusic.
In the late 1990s, he teamed up with an old friend Paul Candilore (guitar) and formed The Van Gough Brothers. They recruited bassist Clayton Young and fiddle, pedal steel and mandolin player Steve Latt. They have employed a variety of drummers, including former Fairport Convention member Dave Mattacks and noted session players Andy Plaisted and John Sands.
Their sound is often compared with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers with songs that tell stories of love and struggle.
Cate has written more than 1,000 songs, many of which have been featured in film and television, including such programs as NCIS, Justified, American Idol, Numb3rs and others.
He was interviewed at The Magical Moon Farm and Foundation Marshfield, Mass., which is currently one of the only places featuring live music in the area this summer. Cate is the music director of the organization and has recruited an eclectic lineup of musicians to play at the farm in an open air environment to help keep it in business and support local musicians.