What possessed
ya to do this show?
Well, I wanted to give some airplay to two oft maligned genres that just
ain't getting much airplay around these parts. For starters, both styles
are often treated derisively in pop culture, are completely overlooked,
or are treated in such a way that doesn't allow the general public to grasp
what these music scenes are about: Bluegrass may conjure visions of 'Deliverance'
& the strains of 'Dueling Banjos' and with Punk, of 'Anarchy in the
UK.' There's so much more to both styles... and radio is the best format
in which these styles can easily be presented and be accessible.
But Punk &
Bluegrass together? Ain't that a we-ird mix?
Not the way that I see it. It's fairly uncontroversial to say that, politics
aside, Punk was a reaction against the gaudy excesses of 70's pop music
and looked back to the early days of rock and roll for inspiration... to
bring rock back down to earth and to re-capture the energy of it all. It
certainly is no stretch to claim a continuity between the early, raucous
rockabilly days, the gritty rock and roll of the 50's and 60's, the burnin'
garage rompers of the 60's and 70's, and the stripped down energy of punk
rock. Bands from all corners of the punk scene, from the DKs to Guitar
Wolf to BGK, have admittedly looked back to early rock and roll, be it
Link Wray or Chuck Berry.
The roots of punk can be traced beyond the Real Kids, the Sonics, or Chuck
Berry... the roots of punk go all the way back to rockabilly... itself
an amalgam of black and traditional 'hillbilly' stylings. Bluegrass, too,
is essentially a mixture of black influences (gospel, jazz, blues, &
ragtime), western swing, and traditional mountain music.
And that's the connection that I see between Punk and Bluegrass: a shared
ancestry.
But, come on,
man... they're so different.
Sure they are. Most notably, Bluegrass is essentially virtuoso music...
most of punk is not. I still claim that the similarities outnumber and
outweigh the differences.
So whatcha talking
about? What are the other similarities?
Both are incredibly energetic.
Both share 'call & chorus' vocals.
Both are stripped down: despite Bluegrass' virtuoso stylings, both styles
feature 'bare-bones' music... streamlined instrumentation. It is instructive
to compare Bluegrass to popular country styles and to compare punk to popular
contemporary 'rock.' Compared to the overproduced 'Nashville Sound,' one
can really hear how streamlined and raw bands like the Seldom Scene are.
And compared to bands like Bush or Hootie, one can see just how raw and
uncluttered bands like Civil Disobedience or Wardance Orange really are.
And by all means, it's a good thing that Bluegrass & Punk are so bare-bones;
that's a big attraction for many of us. Both genres are raw and energetic,
and honest.
One more thing: If you really want to get into my mind and figure out why
I see a real connection between Punk and Bluegrass, check out the Nashville
Jug Band's rendition of 'Shortenin Bread.' It's an Oi!, song, I swear.
So, do you have
a vision for Punk & Bluegrass together?
I would love to get a Punkgrass band together. The two styles share a common
history and ancestry. They both share a common relationship with the 'mainstream.'
There are connections between the two in terms of musical style. I have
no doubts that a band which mixed the two styles would be incredibly energetic
and a whole lot of fun. It would take both styles into new territory...
The circle would be unbroken.
Are there others
that share this vision?
Certainly. I know several people personally who have come to the same conclusion:
that Punk and Bluegrass sound damn good together. I have also discussed
the connections and possibilities with punks from around the U.S., Bluegrass
musicians, as well as fiddler John McCusker from Scotland's Battlefield
Band (who himself fronted a folk-thrash band).
Additionally, there are bands that stress their punk/thrash/bluegrass roots,
such as The
Downs Family out of San Diego, California, the backwoods Canadian
'shine-swilling Deadcats,
Moonshine
Willy, and The
Cooters from Oxford, Mississippi. And, of course, the Bad Livers...
In fact, I first began thinking of the two genres together after reading
a review of their Delusions of Banjer album.
However, I don't know of any bands out today that have, say, overdriven
guitars as well as banjos and mandolins... no bands that scream for a minute
then bust into a hyperactive bluegrass breakdown. Imagine that for a second...
We'd have a contra dance frenzy- and that's what I'm looking for.
The closest I've found to date is Killbilly. While most of their
material is high-energy bluegrass, a few of their songs do feature overdriven
guitars as well as banjo and mandolin. I nearly had a heart attack when
I first heard their cover of Husker Du's "Hare Krishna." Brilliant.
Reportedly, they caused quite a frenzy amongst the fans at the Philadelphia
Folk Festival a few years back. Unfortunately, Killbilly has gone
the way of the dodo.
One can get other tastes of what a punkgrass band could sound like: The
Hillbilly Hellcats open their cd with a bit of the Foggy Mountain
Breakdown before the power chords kick in. And some songs on the new Ashley
MacIsaac serve to prove that fiddle tunes are not incompatible with
overdriven electric guitars and superfast drums.
There's a potential with mixing punk and bluegrass that is aching to be
released. And we'll have a ruckus when it happens.
Do you
have a base of operations?
Yup. 206 South Boundary Street in Williamsburg is not only home to the
Meridian Coffeehouse, but also is the center of all punkgrass activities
in the metro area. In fact, as of the 10th of February, there is a new
force in Williamsburg: a (yet unnamed) jug band, the product of a discussion
on the Meridian's front porch. We're gonna shake this place down.