Roots Rocker since ’76
My first professional band experience was in The Wooden Nickel Band - a group of long-haired musicians in the cowboy state of Montana in 1976. We played our own takes on CBGBs music: Country, Bluegrass and Blues, that is - plus our versions of Rockabilly and early Rock ‘N’ Roll classics.
Since ’76 I never quite lost my love for these musical stylings that are now referred to by some, collectively, as Roots Rock, or Americana.
In ’82 I formed a band, Wildcat Crew with Hector Penalosa, formerly of first wave US Punks The Zeros. Wildcat Crew played gigs with Chris Isaak’s first band Silvertone, and Rank and File, the Roots Rock band that included Alejandro Escovedo and the Kinman brothers (ex- Dils).
In ’97 I joined New Haven Punkabilly outfit Big Bad Johns, who shared stages with the likes of Robert Gordon and Dick Dale. In ’99 this band morphed into The Swaggerts, with me now handling guitar and lead vocals. Swaggerts played some great gigs, including supporting the legendary Link Wray and Hank III, plus recording two full length CDs in Nashville.
In 2008 The Rabble Rousers recorded a Union Rock CD that has several songs with a strong Roots Rock sound.
Roots Rock Discography:
- RABBLE ROUSERS New Hard Times (CD recorded in Bremen, Germany) Self – released 2008
- SWAGGERTS Lets Have Some God Damn Fun! (New York City sampler CD) Rapid Pulse Records 2005
- SWAGGERTS Keepers of the Quaich (CD recorded in Nashville, TN) / Feralette Records 2003
- SWAGGERTS Last Stop New Haven (sampler CD) / Monkey Power Records 2002
- SWAGGERTS Lets Get Furious (sampler CD) / Thin Man Music 2002 SWAGGERTS The Whole Story (CD recorded in Nashville, TN) / Feralette Records 2001
- BIG BAD JOHNS Groovin’ Around the World – A Tribute to the Flaming Groovies / Safety Pin Records 2001
- BIG BAD JOHNS Live CD/ Feralette 1999
- BIG BAD JOHNS Revelation-A-Pop-A-Lypse (sampler CD) / Elevator Music 1999