Matthew Morgis

Whether it’s a high school football game or a once local, now nationally known star, homecomings are something people normally look forward to. There is always a sense of pride that is present. So why is that Wilkes-Barre native Bill Corgan and The Misery Jackals has had such a hard time returning to NEPA to play a show?

“No one wanted us to play,” Corgan said, phoning in from his office in Ohio. “I tried six or seven times to get a show in the area and kept getting ignored or asked if we play covers.”

Corgan finally had luck getting to play in his home region after reaching out to The Vintage Theater in Scranton, and this Friday, April 8, The Misery Jackals will play with local acts Down to Six and Echo Whiskey Charlie.

The Misery Jackals are a five piece ensemble that hail from Akron, Ohio. The group, which has an EP titled “EP,” fuses punk rock, bluegrass, blues, country, zydeco and various forms of ethnic musical styles to get a sound it describe as “Pillbilly Browngrass.”

Corgan, the bass player for the Jackals, loved playing music throughout high school. He played with a few friends and had fun, but knew it could not be his main career choice. So he decided to ship himself to Ohio for college and leave the music scene for a bit.

“I wanted to go to Kent State because of their great architecture program,” he said. “After a little, I realized it wasn’t creative, and I decided that wasn’t for me. I ended up going to Akron University, where I graduated with a degree in psychology.”

After a few more years of hard work and difficult choices, Corgan ended up with a law degree and his own law firm. Yet, having the status of a criminal defense lawyer does not stop The Misery Jackals from touring every once and a while.

The band actually started as more of an afterthought than anything else. Corgan had always wanted to play the banjo, but never really got around to making it happen. He purchased one and let it sit around for almost five years. Until one day, an unforgettable one, to say the least, a friend and former bandmate of his died from a sudden health issue. At that moment, Corgan knew not only did he want to play the banjo, but he started living by the “you only live once” motto.

“It drilled a point into my head that you have to live your life and do what you want to do because once you are dead and gone, well, that’s the end of it,” he said. “So I literally went home from the funeral and started to try to play the banjo. I broke strings just trying to tune it, but I eventually started to learn. After that I wanted to start playing with other people. … And soon the Misery Jackals were formed.”

Rounding out the Jackals is Jeff Selzer on guitar and kazoo, Stephanie Serna who plays the accordion and washboard, Tim Burrows on contrabass and drummer Eric Baltrinic. The band even has quirky stage names they use, such as Corgan’s “Sweet Willy C.” or Serna’s “Pirate Jenny.”

Friday’s show at The Vintage Theater starts a short tour that takes the Misery Jackals through some parts of the country it’s never been before. Afterward, the Jackals will return to Ohio, start recording a new album and Corgan will continue to defend his clients.

“I’m really looking forward to this show,” he said. “This is why I got into music in the first place: To have fun with friends and family having a good time.”