♪ He plucks the worn-out ♪ ♪ Blood-soaked string of his rusty old washtub bass ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey yeah yeah ♪ ♪ ♪ All right ♪ ♪ Chupacabra!

(woman) "Prairie Musicians" is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota and by the members of Prairie Public.

[playing rhythmic country rock] ♪ ♪ 2-3-4 ♪ ♪ ♪ There's gotta be something more ♪ ♪ ♪ A little better than before ♪ ♪ 'Cause I won't waste another second ♪ ♪ While the world is knocking down my door ♪ ♪ ♪ I've got to find a little less ♪ ♪ ♪ Negativity and stress ♪ ♪ Instead of running around in circles ♪ ♪ 'Cause I can't quite figure out ♪ ♪ What's next ♪ ♪ ♪ As the rain falls down ♪ ♪ Upon my shoulders ♪ ♪ ♪ All the pain I felt ♪ ♪ When it was over ♪ ♪ Fades away ♪ ♪ Yeah there's gotta be something more ♪ ♪ Be something more ♪ ♪ Ain't going back to what I did before no ♪ ♪ Gotta be something more ♪ ♪ This I'm sure ♪ ♪ I'm gonna find her ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm gonna make a better choice ♪ ♪ ♪ And now I know what to avoid ♪ ♪ Found a brand-new way of thinking ♪ ♪ And it helps in blocking out the noise ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm gonna take my own advice ♪ ♪ ♪ Gonna go and live this life ♪ ♪ Instead of waiting for a moment ♪ ♪ That may only come up once or twice ♪ ♪ Ah ah ♪ ♪ As the rain falls ♪ ♪ Down upon my shoulders ♪ ♪ ♪ All the pain I felt ♪ ♪ When it was over ♪ ♪ Fades away yeah ♪ ♪ There's gotta be something more ♪ ♪ Be something more ♪ ♪ Ain't going back to what I did before ♪ ♪ No there's gotta be something more ♪ ♪ And this I'm sure ♪ ♪ I'm gonna find her ♪ [harmonica solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Gotta be something more ♪ ♪ ♪ Ain't going back to what I did before ♪ ♪ No there's gotta be something more ♪ ♪ And this I'm sure ♪ ♪ ♪ Gotta be something more ♪ ♪ Be something more ♪ ♪ Ain't going back to what I did before ♪ ♪ Gotta be something more ♪ ♪ This I'm sure ♪ ♪ I'm gonna find her ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey, I'm The Hero and The Villain, singer/songwriter from St.

Cloud, Minnesota, and I'm super excited to be a part of Prairie Musicians.

I'm going to joined onstage by Lucas and Elaina Weide, real good friends of mine.

I kind of refer to them as my sidekicks, my henchmen.

We love to write songs, we love to tell stories, and that's what we're gonna do.

I met Lucas performing with another group actually in a setting very similar to this.

He was running camera, and after we were done performing , he just came up and he was like, do you guys need a bass player?

At the time it was just a duo, and we're like, oh yeah, that'd be cool.

That was over a decade ago, and he's still playing bass with me in various projects, and we're just having a lot of fun.

A real good friend of mine, and obviously when your wife can play the keys and sing really, really well, we're going to bring her into the mix too.

So I lucked out there.

[playing in folk-rock style] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Estelle is as sharp as a tack ♪ ♪ If you take a shot right her well ♪ ♪ She'll fire one right back ♪ ♪ Boy that girl is clever ♪ ♪ So if I were you I'd never ♪ ♪ Give her reason to launch an attack ♪ ♪ ♪ Estelle can be mean as a snake ♪ ♪ But only if you go and push her ♪ ♪ Past a point where she might break ♪ ♪ And if you do this my friend ♪ ♪ Well for you it's the end ♪ ♪ So let's not go and make that mistake ♪ ♪ ♪ Don't judge a book by its cover ♪ ♪ And don't judge a picture on its frame ♪ ♪ All that's gold doesn't glisten ♪ ♪ So if I were you I'd listen ♪ ♪ Don't call Estelle by her name ♪ ♪ [harmonica solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well she can't offer up a good reason ♪ ♪ Why the name she was given just don't fit ♪ ♪ And denouncing her namesake is treason ♪ ♪ But I don't think that she gives a... ♪ ♪ [harmonica solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Estelle is as sweet as a plum ♪ ♪ She won't make you feel stupid ♪ ♪ Even when you're acting dumb ♪ ♪ But if I'm being honest ♪ ♪ The poor girl is haunted ♪ ♪ By demons she can't escape from ♪ ♪ ♪ Don't judge a book by its cover ♪ ♪ And don't judge a picture on its frame ♪ ♪ All that's gold doesn't glisten ♪ ♪ So if I were you I'd listen ♪ ♪ Don't call Estelle by her name ♪ ♪ And I sure as hell ain't kidding ♪ ♪ No there's nothing you are missing ♪ ♪ Just don't call Estelle by her name ♪ ♪ Don't call Estelle by her name ♪ [harmonica solo] ♪ So I got my start in music mainly because my grandpa was a pretty big country artist, at least in like the central Minnesota or even across the Minnesota state area.

He would play a lot of old, old country going back to like '40s and '50s stuff.

And the reason I always like to put a pair of boots on the stage that we perform at, especially in a cool place like this, is kind of an homage to him because he would always rock his snakeskin boots on stage, and that's why I specifically got the snakeskins myself.

That's kinda where I got my start in music, just emulating my grandpa.

I love doing a lot of the old country stuff because of him, and I was really, really blessed to kind of get to play with him a little bit before he passed.

That was really, really cool.

The song "Hey You," is actually, that's a really, really old song.

It's probably one of if not the first song I wrote that I really liked.

I hadn't played it for a really, really long time, but then jamming with Lucas and Elaina, we kind of busted that out, and it's become a favorite of ours.

[playing rhythmic '50s style country] ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey you ♪ ♪ What you gonna do with all that time ♪ ♪ ♪ With all that time that you've been wasting saying ♪ ♪ All them little words that I call lies ♪ ♪ But you can't help but to believe them ♪ ♪ But when you open up them pretty eyes ♪ ♪ And flash a smile It doesn't really matter ♪ ♪ What you say I always knew you'd go and let me down ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey you ♪ ♪ When you gonna find your way back home ♪ ♪ ♪ Back to where your life was easy ♪ ♪ Praying ♪ ♪ That everyone you knew would all be gone ♪ ♪ ♪ You won't have to try and face them ♪ ♪ But when you open up them pretty eyes ♪ ♪ And flash a smile It doesn't really matter what you think ♪ ♪ They always knew you'd be coming back 'round ♪ ♪ ♪ Yoo-hoo ♪ ♪ Babe I'm gonna leave you by the wayside ♪ ♪ By the wayside ♪ ♪ Babe I'm gonna leave you yoo-hoo ♪ ♪ Babe I'm gonna leave you down the road ♪ ♪ ♪ 'Cause I don't want you around no more ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey you ♪ ♪ Where you gonna fly yourself to now ♪ ♪ ♪ Now that I can't stand to see you ♪ ♪ Maybe ♪ ♪ You'll give it up and finally figure out ♪ ♪ ♪ That you don't want to end up like them ♪ ♪ When they open up their pretty eyes ♪ ♪ And flash those smiles It doesn't really matter ♪ ♪ What they say you always knew they'd go and let you down ♪ ♪ ♪ Yoo-hoo ♪ ♪ Babe I'm gonna leave you by the wayside ♪ ♪ By the wayside ♪ ♪ Babe I'm gonna leave you yoo-hoo ♪ ♪ Babe I'm gonna leave you down the road ♪ ♪ 'Cause I don't want you around no more ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey you ♪ ♪ What you gonna do with all that time ♪ ♪ Hey you what you gonna do with all that time ♪ ♪ Hey you ♪ ♪ What you gonna do with all that time ♪ ♪ Hey you ♪ ♪ What you gonna do with all that time ♪ ♪ ♪ Yoo-hoo ♪ ♪ Babe I'm gonna leave you by the wayside ♪ ♪ By the wayside ♪ ♪ Babe I'm gonna leave you yoo-hoo ♪ ♪ Babe I'm gonna leave you down the road ♪ ♪ ♪ 'Cause I don't want you around no more ♪ ♪ ♪ That I don't want you around no more ♪ ♪ ♪ Well I don't need you around no more ♪ ♪ ♪ Nearly every show we play I always get the question of who's the hero and who's the villain?

Th ironic part is, I'm both of them.

I started this as a solo project so I'm the hero and the villain.

I'm a huge comic book guy.

There was this idea between how Batman and Joker interact.

I always thought of how Batman-- he's the hero.

But then if you go to the Joker's perspective, wouldn't Batman be the villain?

The Joker's not going to consider himself a villain.

He thinks he's doing things he should be doing.

So it's always that idea of in your life you could be this amazing, great person, but you probably have a few people out there who consider you their villain.

For me, the writing process is complete randomness.

There are no rules when I pick up a guitar or come up with a song idea.

The weirder the better.

We write songs about chupacabras, sasquatches, just anything out there that nobody else is thinking about writing about; we love to write about that.

I say "we" because Lucas and Elaina really do give me a lot of input.

I'll usually come to them with a song, but they really flesh it out and make it something really, really cool.

"El Chupacabra" was one of the songs that I think that drew Lucas into asking me and my duo partner at the time if he could join us on bass.

And it's exactly what it sounds like, it's about a chupacabra, but the chupacabra in my song plays the washtub bass.

[bass intro] ♪ [playing early 1960s style rock] Chupacabra!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Chupacabra!

♪ He lives by himself in a desert land ♪ ♪ Not quite beast not quite man ♪ ♪ A lust for blood he'll never fully understand ♪ Chupacabra!

♪ He plays all day in a musty cave ♪ ♪ What goes in will never escape ♪ ♪ Just a pair of blood red eyes and you know it's too late ♪ Chupacabra!

♪ But before he gets a taste ♪ ♪ ♪ He plucks the worn-out blood-soaked string ♪ ♪ Of his rusty old washtub bass ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh yeah yeah ♪ ♪ I'm dead ♪ ♪ Chupacabra!

♪ The way he moves in the twilight hour ♪ ♪ Searching for something he can devour ♪ ♪ Just the sound of his beating heart growing louder and louder ♪ Chupacabra!

♪ Slashing the throats of a careless few ♪ ♪ Who were out in the desert with nothing to do ♪ ♪ A set of razor sharp claws and your life is through ♪ Chupacabra!

♪ But before he gets a taste ♪ ♪ ♪ He plucks the worn-out blood-soaked string ♪ ♪ Of his rusty old washtub bass ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh yeah yeah ♪ ♪ ♪ All right!

♪ ♪ Chupacabra!

♪ [harmonica solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Chupacabra!

♪ Sick and tired of the same old scene ♪ ♪ Gonna grab his bass he's gonna head out east ♪ ♪ To the promised land of the south the town of New Orleans ♪ Chupacabra!

♪ He'll find a gig with a bluegrass band ♪ ♪ Full of mythical creatures half-beast half-man ♪ ♪ Never again will the blood of a kill stain his hands ♪ Chupacabra!

♪ But before he gets a taste ♪ ♪ ♪ He plucks the worn-out blood-soaked string ♪ ♪ Of his rusty old washtub bass ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ Chupacabra!

[playing in 1960s slow-dance rock tempo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'll always remember the first time I saw you ♪ ♪ ♪ Start from the start ♪ ♪ Even though we already knew ♪ ♪ ♪ And I'll never forget all the words that you said ♪ ♪ As you rested your head on my shoulder ♪ ♪ It startled my heart I felt so alive ♪ ♪ With nothing to do ♪ ♪ ♪ When all your dreams ♪ ♪ Come true ♪ ♪ ♪ And it's you oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ ♪ You know I'm here to stay till our last dying day ♪ ♪ As we dance by the light of the moon ♪ ♪ And it's you oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ ♪ I'd do anything ♪ ♪ For you ♪ ♪ And it's true ♪ ♪ ♪ The weather was cold at the end of September ♪ ♪ ♪ The car wouldn't start we kept it in park ♪ ♪ Nothing to do ♪ ♪ ♪ And I'll never regret all the moments we spent ♪ ♪ As you slept with your head on my shoulder ♪ ♪ 'Cause time spent apart ♪ ♪ Was something I thought ♪ ♪ Would never come true ♪ ♪ ♪ But sometimes it ends ♪ ♪ Too soon ♪ ♪ And it's you oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ ♪ You know I'm here to stay till the last dying day ♪ ♪ As we dance by the light of the moon ♪ ♪ And it's you oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo oo ♪ ♪ ♪ I'd do anything ♪ ♪ For you and it's true ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And every time I try ♪ ♪ ♪ Well it all rushes back such a savage attack ♪ ♪ As the blood pools between you and I ♪ ♪ ♪ So don't close your eyes ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh with all you have left ♪ ♪ Hold your last dying breath ♪ ♪ Tell me this isn't goodbye ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And it's you ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh-oh ♪ ♪ ♪ You know I'm here to stay till your last dying day ♪ ♪ As we dance by the light of the moon ♪ ♪ And it's you oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo-oo oo-oo-oo ♪ ♪ ♪ I'd do anything ♪ ♪ For you ♪ ♪ And it's true ♪ ♪ I'd do anything I'd do anything ♪ ♪ I'd do anything for you ♪ ♪ I'd do anything I'd do anything ♪ ♪ As we dance by the light of the moon ♪ ♪ ♪ And it's you ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And it's you ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh-oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oo oo oo ♪ ♪ (woman) "Prairie Musicians" is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota and by the members of Prairie Public.