Worthington reveals the origins of his idols. As the story goes, Berkeley’s character, Josiah Chester Jones, was disowned by his Confederate father in Kentucky. He escaped as a stowaway and found his voice by singing to ward off rats on a ship bound for England. Parker’s alter ego, George Ulysses Brown, comes from a long line of British butchers. “Which is actually true,” Parker said. “I really am a butcher’s son.”

The line between real musicians and their fictional counterparts is sometimes porous. They say that having a “fake group” allows them to say flattering things about themselves that they would never do in real life. Now, with their first foray into long-form audio storytelling, the duo can fully flesh out the imaginative world they shared on stage and in their enchanting music videos. Sons of Town Hall releases a new episode “Madmen Cross the Water” every month which will also release some songs from their new album.

The song “Wild Winds” begins by shedding light on Berkeley’s character, Josiah. He sings: “I was born in the aftermath of the war/my father lost everything he fought for/but I never agreed with what he believed.” » Then Parker’s George picks up the story with: “I am the son of a butcher/The blood ran thick in both of my father’s hands/I was always afraid after the work was done.”

George and Josiah are two lost souls who have a penchant for drinking and avoid manual labor. They meet for the first time in an English pub while looking at the same girl. A fight – then a bromance – ensues. As Worthington explains: “In the midst of the fight, a strange change occurred. As they moved through the sawdust, they began to feel an undeniable similarity of character, a sympathetic energy, an obvious kinship.

United by laziness and a love of song, George and Josiah leave the pub without paying their bill. Then they plot a wacky journey to find fame and fortune in America. So they cobble together a dilapidated raft.

“I like to think of it as being in the realm of ‘Don Quixote,'” Berkeley said. “It’s two travelers who believe in a different reality than the one they actually live in.”

The song “How to Build a Boat” contains the list of random materials they use to build their raft. It includes two pounds of half-penny nails, a hatchet, some thread, hope and a dream.

In reality, the musicians connect to the metaphors of the ship and the sea. “I always see the music in my life as a kind of river that is next to me,” Parker said, “and I can choose whenever I want dive into it, it is always available.”

“There’s also this theme in so much literature where there’s a space that allows for dreaming,” added Berkeley, “So for us to have the representation of that in this strange dilapidated raft that we’ve built is really appealing. “

They also relate to their romanticized artists’ search for an audience who will appreciate them — perhaps as much as podcast narrator Elias B. Worthington.

“We often struggle with issues of self-esteem and confidence in our own work,” Berkeley admitted. “So writing about me through the eyes of an adoring fan feels really good.”

As the narrator proclaims in the podcast, “Every artistic endeavor is an act of faith. » The folk duo recognizes that it’s difficult to get noticed in today’s crowded music market. They hope their theatrical podcast concept will make it through the fray.

“We write real songs that we care about,” Berkley said. “The rest is just meant to take you deeper into this world in the hopes that it will take you to another realm so that if you want to escape with us, you can.”

The adventures of Sons of Town Hall continue with the second episode of “Madmen Cross the Water,” which premiered on November 12. Of course, Elias B. Worthington will doggedly follow their follies after leaving New Bedford, Massachusetts and meeting Moby Dick, along with his nemesis, Captain Ahab.