Cinnamon Brown and the Eskimos

After almost 25 years, local legends Cinnamon Brown & the Eskimos are reuniting. Photo courtesy of the band

Interviews

After almost 25 years, local legends Cinnamon Brown & the Eskimos (CBE) are reuniting for a one-night-only show at the Velour Live Music Gallery on June 5. CBE was comprised of Quinn “Cinnamon” Brown, Bill “Wild Man” Weidner, Ryan “Long Hair” Link, Zach “The Yeti” Brown (who sadly couldn’t make it for this interview) and Leo Denoyer (who sent me this list of nicknames and chose not to give himself one). With memorable moments like sharing the stage with The Beach Boys at the 2002 Winter Olympics, CBE accomplished much in their musical career. Going on to become engineers, lawyers and architects, they have also accomplished much since.

Reaching their peak before the internet became mainstream, Brown calls CBE’s history a “fossil record.” While their pre-digital history is important to them, they also had a dedicated following that has been begging for digital releases of their two albums, Elevation and Open Road, for years. Having sold over 10,000 copies in their short career, it’s no surprise that fans are eager to consume the music in a more modern way. One fan even found an old copy on eBay in preparation for the show.

Getting digital copies of their work allows for the band to start uncovering that dinosaur. “Putting a marker in time,” as Denoyer puts it. Weidner has worked hard to remaster the albums, and having the chance to hear them again brought on completely new meanings for the band. Brown winces at some of his earlier work, noticing all the things he would do differently now that he has more experience, but he reveals that, “the raw authenticity and art of it all made it feel good.”

While the band has had “well-seasoned intentions,” as Brown puts it, of reuniting and maybe even recording an EP that never made it to the studio, Weidner used his 50th birthday as an excuse to get the ball rolling, as he realized there was no gift he wanted more. The true impetus is all of the connections listeners have made through their music, though. Brown quotes The Mother Hips’ track “Song for J.B.”: “But in the end, I think you touched a lot of people / who lived their lives by the records that you made.”

Brown reflects on the vulnerable parts of being in a band, comparing it to “dating five people at the same time.” Because song-writing and music-making are such personal acts that “take a part of your soul,” the band all agrees that there is no bond like the one formed with fellow musicians. Despite that deep connection, the band did eventually fall down the list of priorities when other adult obligations like careers and families became more relevant. It was never something they wanted to end, but as Brown explains, “Time is a thief. Whether you know it or not, it steals something from you every year.” Some of the best advice the band got was from Denoyer’s father, a successful musician, who sat them down and said, “Boys, enjoy this. It doesn’t last forever.”

While it may not be reflected in their music’s sound, CBE’s punk-rock roots are evident in their high-energy stage presence. CBE performances are not just concerts; they’re theatrical experiences. For their very first show, they built a giant igloo and all burst out of it. They have incorporated many mascots, blow-up animals and dance parties into their show. Brown even teases what the band has up their sleeves for the reunion show, saying, “There may or may not be an alien abduction. The mothership may or may not show up; we don’t know.”

The Cinnamon Brown & the Eskimos reunion show is for both true fans itching for nostalgia and new fans looking for something memorable. Denoyer expresses his deep gratitude for anyone who supported them throughout their journey. “Thank you to the readers, to our fans — if you bought a CD, if you came to see our show, if you hung a flyer on your refrigerator back in the day, this is for you. And if we haven’t met you before, we’re excited to see you at the show.” Get your tickets here before they sell out, because they will!

Revisit some of the band’s memories from throughout their career: