22. Guy Capecelatro III
“Switch”
recorded live at WSCA-LP FM on “Writers in the Round,”
Guy Capecelatro III–guitar, vocals
www.twotonsanta.com

The burgeoning experimental arts community drew Guy Capecelatro III to Portsmouth way back in 1987. Since then, he’s made his own contributions as a singular voice and stalwart member of the Seacoast’s alternative music scene, his many pursuits notable for their eclecticism as much as his prolificacy. He’s been part of more than a dozen bands (most notably Toast and Bob & Guy), penned “bundles and bundles” of songs, and has had his short stories published—including one that was made into a short film. Capecelatro has published a zine, founded a record label (Two Ton Santa), and had a tasty dish (The Guy Scramble) named in his honor at Portsmouth’s The Friendly Toast. These days you’ll find him playing bass in Unbunny, and he still turns up as a solo act on bills here and there, performing under his made-for-the-stage given name.

Capecelatro gives the material from his thick songbook (which he neatly totes in a three-ring binder) the most minimal treatment when he plays live, thus the songs are brought to life by his incisive storytelling, the six strings on his acoustic guitar and what might be called an effectively unaffected voice. He’s got a knack for writing memorable tunes, but when he talks about his work, Capecelatro sounds like a somewhat reluctant musician. He prefers to think of his writing as fiction—stories that “end up being bull-dogged into songs.” Instead of bands, Capecelatro lists among his influences the writers Raymond Carver and Richard Brautigan. Shades of each can be seen in his songwriting: darkish, idiosyncratic narratives that are starkly detailed, economically conveyed and often quite funny. They’re frequently told in the first person and describe oddball characters or unusual situations that Capecelatro invents. And like any good fiction writer, he zeroes in on the telling moments of an event, drawing the listener into the story through specific, often visual, details. Taken together the songs form a portrait of the American fringe, painted from odd snatches of their lives—first dates, road trips, breakups and breakdowns. 

Until recently, Capecelatro’s songs have been documented only in the rudimentary home recordings he makes on his computer and a couple of live radio performances captured on CD, but earlier this fall he started the process of putting together a proper album. With drummer Gregg Porter and engineer Jim Reynolds, he’s already set to tape the basic tracks to 27 songs. After fleshing out the material with the help of the musician friends he’s made over the years, Capecelatro plans to put out the album on Two Ton Santa.