BONUS POST: Preview – Mitch Easter and Gang
One of the best (and most underrated) bands of the so-called new wave era was Let’s Active. Founded by Winston-Salem musical wunderkind Mitch Easter, Let’s Active combined sophisticated pop with instrumental muscle, serving it up in an approachable, friendly package that emphasized the music’s irresistible qualities. The original trio – Easter plus Faye Hunter and Sara Romweber (the latter two of whom have sadly left us) – eventually gave way to successive lineups, but many of the foundational qualities that made the band special would remain.
Let’s Active eventually ceased operations, and in recent years their music has been in danger of being forgotten (though NOT, it should be emphasized – by those who have always appreciated it). The music has been absent from streaming services, and the albums and EP are all long out of print. Happily, the former is being corrected: Let’s Active catalog is set to soon appear on Spotify and such.
In 2021, a live celebration honored the original lineup. I was there, and it was superb. I interviewed Mitch shortly thereafter for a feature that was supposed to run in [publication name redacted]. For reasons having nothing to do with Let’s Active or myself, it never ran. So I published it on Musoscribe.com. It’s worth a read for those who’d like a chronicle of the band’s early years. Based on conversations with Easter and others close to the happenings.
Now comes news that an Easter-led group calling itself Mitch and Gang (a sly nod to Columbia Records’ Mr. Miller) is staging a concert in W-S to celebrate the music of Let’s Active. Tix went on sale and sold out in minutes. Word on the street is that the show’s being moved to a larger room, and that additional tickets will go on sale today. The show’s 11/29 at The Ramkat. Get ‘em while they’re hot.
P.S. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Mitch Easter kindly wrote a splendidly wonderful foreword for my new book, What’s the Big Idea: 30 Great Concept Albums, available for pre-order now.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day for several years). The more than 5000 interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- some 40 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 30 Great Concept Albums is available now. Read even more about him here.