Brian Vander Ark is on the phone and there's screaming in the background.
"That's my four-year old, Evie," the Verve Pipe frontman explains. "She's not screaming; she's squealing. That's a good thing."
There are lots of good things - domestic and otherwise - in Vander Ark's life these days. His wife, singer Lux Land, is pregnant with the couple's second child. The Verve Pipe has a new record for families that's garnering good reviews. And, of course, Evie is squealing with joy while her dad is promoting a pair of shows on Feb. 14 at Grand Rapids Ballet's Wege Theater.
VALENTINE'S DAY |
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The Verve Pipe |
The shows, a Valentine's Day celebration, are something of a family affair. For the evening show, Vander Ark will take the stage solo and play love songs fans can request prior to the show via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . His wife and members of the eclectic acoustic band The Lazy Blue Tunas, which includes brother Scott Vander Ark, will join him during the set.
Last year's show included covers of Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful" and a duet with Land on the Etta James classic "At Last," as well as Brian singing an a cappella version of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" that was requested by a couple celebrating its 41st anniversary. (To hear an exclusive clip of this song, click here)
The afternoon show will have Vander Ark fronting The Verve Pipe, as the band performs songs from its latest record, A Family Album. The record's title isn't a metaphor. It's an album of songs the band wrote for kids, but with parents' enjoyment - and sanity - in mind.
"This isn't the Wiggles," he says. "We wanted to make a rock record for kids, but with guitars and four-part harmonies."
The songs are eminently listenable, especially the poppy album opener "Wake Up," the band's soaring homage to "Cereal" and a quiet acoustic ballad about a growing family, "When One Became Two." The lyrics are intelligent and funny; they're not dumbed-down kids' songs either.
"When I was growing up, we didn't hear kids' albums that were Beatlesque. Everything was ABC and tractors or trucks. They really talked down to kids, and we don't want to do that."
The reaction to the record has been excellent and, at times, a bit ironic, Vander Ark says.
"It's funny," he says. "We get emails that say things like ‘The new record kicks ass!' and ‘That song on the new album is f-ing awesome.'
"Sometimes I have to remind people that it's a family album."
The Verve Pipe also plays at The Riviera Theater in Three Rivers on Saturday, Feb. 13, beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at brownpapertickets.com. For more info, check trriviera.com.
Brian Vander Ark's "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"
