Interview with Joe Perreze (GODDAMN GALLOWS, PERREZE FARM, etc)

Joe Perreze has been an important part of the Roots scene for quite a while, he had pulled double duty playing Banjo in both Jayke Orvis' Broken Band and The Goddamn Gallows, before focusing primarily on The Gallows. Meanwhile he has also worked on his own Perreze Farm project plus he's an accomplished artist, doing much of his various band's related artwork as well as covers and various art for other groups. I recently spoke with Joe Perreze and discussed a number of things, from the upcoming Goddamn Gallows album, "The Maker", to Perreze Farm, Autopsy Tailors, and much more. Read the full interview below...

DODOBIRD: What's your basic backstory musically? How did you get started playing?

JOE PERREZE: I started when I was 13 playing bass in rock/post grunge bands. From there I quickly picked up guitar and got into the post hardcore and punk scenes playing around Montana to other angsty and misunderstood high schoolers. The Goddamn Gallows can thank this era so long ago for my screaming vocals. Out of high school two very important people came to the forefront of my life; my longtime friend Dan Austin (Spadeball Ink) and Darren Dorlarque (Farmageddon Records). Dan and I started a dirty delta blues band, Hangman's Hill, and were absolute sponges to the new universe of music Darren exposed us to. I moved to archtop Kay's and 1950's Harmony guitars, learned slide and open tunings and, I feel, really started a serious venture into music. Myself and Dan were big .357 String Band fans and moved to more bluegrass inspired music. I learned mandolin and clawhammer banjo. In 2008 I met Joe Frankland (Slackeye Slim) and played guitar and banjo with him, and broke into touring nationally. I also started The Perreze Farm at this time, as well a summer in Graham Lindsey's live lineup and a tour playing with Rachel Brooke (anyone remember the pre-Farmageddon Murder In The Mountain tours?) In 2010 Jayke Orvis graciously recruited me into The Broken Band on banjo where I officially quit any sort of straight job to pursue music. From there, in 2011 The Goddamn Gallows scooped me up and here we are.

DDB: So how did you come to join The Goddamn Gallows?

JP: I joined the Gallows by osmosis. The Broken Band did a lot of tours with them and from many nights of everyone being together I started hopping up onstage with the Gallows for a song, then a few more songs every night. When it came to recording 7 Devils they wanted banjo on the bulk of the album, offered it to me, we practiced for three days in Cleveland then headed straight to Nashville to record. It was a blast and I officially joined as a full time member. Very important note - Jayke wrote and recorded banjo for that album too. All the good banjo licks are his haha, I can't take credit for that.

DDB: Haha, nice. So now you and The Goddamn Gallows have a new album, "The Maker" recorded. Let me say that its amazing and I think its going to blow everyone away when its released, but anyway, it seems like you have a bigger presence on the album than you did previously. Did you have a larger hand in the songwriting this time around?

JP: I did. On 7 Devils I wrote banjo parts to songs that were already 90% done. For the new album I was there to help build songs from the ground up. All the songs were written to have banjo from their inception. "I Am Still The King" was an unrecorded Perreze Farm song and "The Maker" was an instrumental I had been kicking around for years. Also did some swapping with Mikey and wrote guitar lines for a few.

DDB: Nice, I've been fortunate enough to have the new album for awhile now, and I truly think its the best thing The Goddamn Gallows have ever done. I also feel that while it is very recognizable as The Goddamn Gallows, it sounds a bit different. Some of it is more aggressive and It also seems darker in some way. When you guys set about writing the album, was any of that intentional or was it just the way things came out? Also, for fans of the band who haven't heard any of the new stuff, how would you describe the album?

JP: It wasn't entirely intentional. We just started coming up with more aggressive and darker stuff so we ran with it. I think everyone was excited to get back to harder music, akin to the more punk based Ghost Of Th' Rails album. As far as a description of the new stuff...metal and punk music with breaks for ragtime and spaghetti western tunes. All with a layer of screaming and Mikey's sweet crooning. I think that covers it.

DDB: Haha, nicely put. So do you guys have a released date yet, for "The Maker"?

JP: I believe so, but it's still under wraps haha. SOON.
******NOTE: The band has since announced the album will be released April 2, 2014****

DDB: Haha, Fair enough, is it coming out on Farmageddon and are there plans for Vinyl as well CD?

JP: We're working close with the Farm family, as always. And we would love for it to hit vinyl! It will most likely happen; probably not right out of the gate though.
*******NOTE: The album is coming out though Farmaggedon, and they are currently taking pre-orders for the CD which will be out April 2nd, and for limited edition vinyl LPs which should hopefully be shipped out this Summer***

DDB: Sweet, alright let's switch it up a bit... You mentioned the Perreze Farm earlier, so far you've released 2 EPs, I believe, 2009's "Songs For The Birds" and "This is a Photograph By My Friend, He Would Have Liked To Have Seen It On An Album Cover". Would you care to talk about those 2 releases a bit?

JP: Both were written and recorded in Anaconda, MT. I had a lot more time to record then...a lot more time to develop every last nuance of a song. Those two releases and were really just demos that went too far; material that was meant for other bands I was already in, but I couldn't stop adding more instruments and layers to it. So The Perreze Farm was made and those ep's followed. All of the parts (banjo, percussion, violin, cello, guitar, mandolin, vocals, on and on...) were written in my apartment and were later greatly bettered by Joe Frankland (Slackeye Slim) and Graham Lindsey. They were really the backbone of the final recordings.

DDB: Are there plans for a new Perreze Farm release any time soon? And if so, would you prefer to do a physical pressing this time around or would it primarily be a digital download thing again?

JP: I would love to have another official release! I have enough material for a few LP's by now haha. I would probably do another digital release, I really like the option of the "donation download."

DDB: Well, we've touched on The Goddamn Gallows, and The Perreze Farm, you want to mention any other projects or ventures you got going, Autopsy Tailors, or anything else?

JP: Yes, my company, Autopsy Tailors, will be coming out with a new line of clothing/real cool stuff for spring of '14. Huge, HUGE thanks for everyone's support!!! I hear the new stuff is really dark and really rad. 7 Sins Sideshow has graciously opened it's arms to me to help with production, writing and fabrication for their show. Go out and catch us if we're in your neighborhood. Also my beautiful fiancé has a brick and mortar shop, Abernathy's, in Davenport everyone should give a look-see. They commission me from time to time for design and fabrication.

DDB: Right on man, well I think that's about everything I got for you man, do you have anything you want to add or anything else you want to say?

JP: I think that's it man! Thanks for being patient and even bigger thanks for doing what you do!!! Keep up the killer work man!

DDB: Hey man, no problem, I'm just trying to spread the word about cool music and maybe shine what little bit of a spotlight I can on bands and artists in the underground that I feel are important. So thank you man, and I'm sure we'll see you on the road in the coming months.

If you're unfamiliar with The Goddamn Gallows, make sure you check out all their previous albums, and be ready for "The Maker" when it drops in April. Its the best thing they have ever done and without a doubt one of the best albums of any genre I have heard in years. It truly establishes The Goddamn Gallows as THE premier band in the entire Underground Roots music scene and simultaneously shows that musically they have moved completely beyond any of the bounds of Genre descriptions and their inherent limitations. They are truly doing something unique and original. Also, check out both Perreze Farm EPs, as they're both rad and available for digital download from their bandcamp page with the name your price option, so even if you're broke, you got no excuse.

Perreze Mfg. Co. blogspot: http://perrezemfgco.blogspot.com/
The Perreze Farm Bandcamp Page: http://theperrezefarm.bandcamp.com/
The Goddamn Gallows website: http://www.thegoddamngallows.com/
Farmageddon Records website: http://farmageddonrecords.com/
Autopsy Tailors website: http://www.autopsytailors.com/

All live photos by Bethany Sweitzer, all artwork property of their respective owners, ie the band, label, artist, etc

Andy Sweitzer, Dodo Bird Zine, 2014

Top 20 Roots/Folk/Country/Blues/etc Albums of the 2013

1. Sturgill Simpson - " High Top Mountain" (High Top Mountain Records/Thirty Tigers)

The former leader of Sunday Valley delivers his solo debut and what an album it is. Drawing from Hard Country, Bluegrass, Outlaw Country and more Sturgill crafted a colossal album and he's now reaping the benefits of it. I do miss SV but this softens the blow.

2. Jayke Orvis and The Broken Band - "Bless This Mess" (Farmageddon Records)

The 2nd album from Jayke Orvis since exiting .357 String Band is yet another feather in the cap of one of Roots music's finest musicians and songwriters. With The Broken Band finally having a solidified line up of Liz Sloan on Fiddle, Jared McGovern on Upright Bass and James Hunnicutt on Guitar, this album shows why Jayke Orvis and company are among the premier acts in the Roots scene.

3. Possessed By Paul James - "There Will Be Nights When I'm Lonely" (Hillgrass Bluebilly)

Possessed By Paul James has been steadily writing better and better songs and albums over the years, and while not losing the wildman edge that his early work was defined by, he has certainly rounded some of the sharp edges off. However, what he may have sacrificed in the area of lunacy, he has more than made up for in the songwriting and musicality department.

4. S.S. Web - "1933" (Wayward Parade)

"1933" is the 2nd album from  Milwaukee's S.S. Web, and shows the group to be continually improving on there already stellar sound. One of the best and most original groups in the greater Roots music scene, S.S. Web has crafted a sound all their own with elements of Country, Punk, Folk, Americana, Rock, and much more. The sound is nearly indefinable, so I suggest you see them live and pick up this album as well as their debut "North".

5. Crow Cannons - "Texas Rain" (Self Released)

This 2 piece band from Terre Haute, IN has quickly made their mark with 2 great albums and one of the most intense live shows you're likely to see. Combining balls out, Blues Rock swagger with a bit of Country and Roots, depending on the track, Crow Cannons are melting faces whether on disc or on stage.

6. ToeKnee Tea - "Elkhart County Jail" (Self Released)

Another Hoosier, Toeknee Tea plays Blues, with a few hints of Punk underlying the surface, and in the last couple years has quickly made a name for himself as one of the premier one man bands around the midwest. This full length fullfills the promise shown on his debut EP, "Disappointing Noises".

7. Hangdog Hearts - "Under The Floorboards" (Self Released)

"Under The Floorboards" is the 2nd album from Indy's Austin Stirling, under the moniker The Hangdog Hearts. The group has bounced back and forth from being a one man band project of Austin's and having various other backing members. The first album, "Good Ol' Fashioned Gentleman's Music" showed the immense talent and songwriting ability of Austin but lacked a bit of the raw power and intensity of his live performances. "Under The Floorboards" remedies that issue and shows HDH stripped down to a primal level that evokes a wealth of emotion and shows with even greater detail the depth of this man's heart and soul.

8. The Devil Makes Three - "I'm A Stranger Here" (New West Records)

The Devil Makes Three have been at it for awhile now, long before many of the other Roots and String Bands even dreamed of picking up a banjo. After toiling away in relative obscurity, playing countless shows where they earned a reputation as one of the premier live bands in this scene, and releasing one great album after another, it seems they are finally getting some of the recognition they deserve.

9. The Goddamn Gallows - "Acoustic Bootleg" (Farmageddon Records)

This very limited edition CD release from Farmageddon Records captures an intimate live acoustic performance from The Goddamn Gallows at a Tattoo shop. Not only is it interesting to hear an acoustic performance from these lords of misrule, but it also includes them doing a few covers that are not available on any other Gallows' release.

10. Austin Lucas - "Stay Reckless" (New West Records)

Bloomington, IN's Austin Lucas has been writing great songs and albums for years now, whether as a member of various Metal and Punk bands or as a solo Country and Bluegrass performer, and his latest is no exception. Excellently crafted songs that display great songcraft and exceptional musicality.

11. Mikey Classic and His Lonesome Spur - "Self Titled" (Farmageddon Records)

This is the self titled solo debut from the front man of The Goddamn Gallows, Mikey Classic. Old school Country Blues jams with Mikey's unmistakable voice and style. Excellent songs and it shows even more just how versatile Mikey Classic is.

12. Townes Van Zandt - "Sunshine Boy" (Omnivore Recordings)

"Sunshine Boy" is a collection of unreleased studio tracks and demos from the greatest songwriter of all time Townes Van Zandt. This double disc set is especially cool because the tracks are mostly just Townes with a bare minimum of extra instrumentation that always seemed to plague his studio albums from this same era. Also, this collection includes for the first time anywhere, studio versions of his cover of The Rolling Stones' "Dead Flowers" as well as a few other tracks that TVZ never recorded on any other album.

13. Jason Boland and The Stragglers - "Dark and Dirty Mile" (Thirty Tigers/Proud Souls Entertainment)

"The Dark and Dirty Mile" is the 7th studio album from Jason Boland and The Stragglers, and it could very well be his best work. He has made a career of writing great songs but so far has largely remained somewhat unknown outside the Red Dirt scene, hopefully this album will change that.

14. David Hanners - "There Are No Secrets In This Town" (Self Released)

David Hanners is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who has became a well respected Singer/Songwriter. He's recorded a few albums now of great Folk/Americana jams and his newest is perhaps his best. "There Are No Secrets In This Town" was inspired by an interview given by a woman who had been a madame in Terre Haute, IN for several decades during the city's era when it was known as "Sin City". Hanners wrote songs based on her stories and on the people she talked about, as well as historic events in the city's past. Its a great album regardless, but for anyone from Terre Haute or the Wabash Valley, it is of exceptional interest.

15. Hank III - "Brothers of the 4x4" (Hank III Records/Megaforce)

The newest album from Shelton Hank Williams III, while having an awkward title, is actually his best work in  a few years in my eyes. While I am still a big fan of Hank, his recent output has been uneven at best, and nowhere near the level at which his earlier works like "Lovesick, Broke, and Drifting" and "Straight To Hell" were at. It has seemed that he really needed someone who could help him edit his works and say "maybe leave this song off". While "Brothers of the 4x4" is not as good as his seminal albums, it is a much more enjoyable album than anything he's done in recent years, and despite a few questionable tracks or awkward lyrics, its a fun record and hopefully a stepping stone for Hank to return to his former greatness.

16. Jason Isbell - "Southeastern" (Southeastern Records)

This is the 4th studio album from Jason Isbell, the former member of The Drive By Truckers, and has garned almost universal acclaim this year. Recently getting clean and sober and surviving much turmoil, Isbell turned all that drama into great songs and perhaps his defining work, that may even eclipse his previous group's best efforts.

17. John Moreland - "In The Throes" (Last Chance Records)

"In The Throes" is the 3rd album from Oklahoma's John Moreland and should be the album that introduces him to a wider audience. The tracks vary in style to some degree from more Singer/Songwriter and Folk type jams to songs that are more Rock influenced. The common thread among them all however, is Moreland's exceptional songwriting ability. The man may one day be remembered along side people like Graham Lindsey and William Elliott Whimore as one of the finest songwriters of his generation.

18. Guy Clark - "My Favorite Picture of You" (Dualtone)

The newest album from the legendary Guy Clark is an emotional and powerful record. Guy's wife and longtime companion, Susanna Clark, died prior to the writing of this album and as such became the inspiration behind the album. Guy has long been one of America's greatest songwriters and will always be connected to his friends and fellow legends Townes Van Zandt and Steve Earle, but this album is among Clark's best and most poignant work, as it is a tribute to the woman he loved.

19. J.B. Beverley - "Stripped To The Root"

"Stripped To The Root" is the long awaited solo album from the frontman/leader of The Wayward Drifters and former frontman of The Murder Junkies (post GG), J.B. Beverley. This album may surprise many who are expecting a new Wayward Drifters album because it is most definitely NOT that, and isnt really even a Country album. The album varies greatly from song to song but is carried by just how personal the material is to JB. There are originals and there are covers, there are Folk songs, Rock songs, Country songs and Bluegrass songs. It is a very different record for JB but shows just how diverse the man and his influences are.

20. Robbie Fulks - Gone Away Backwoods" (Bloodshot)

The latest album from Robbie Fulks, "Gone Away Backward", is yet another great album in a career that is full of them. The Illinois resident has released over 10 albums and is still going strong as evidenced by the greatness of this album. One of the most purely "Country" albums on this list, this record is a must own album for anyone who is a fan of TRUE Country music and is tired of the god awful shit pouring out of Nashville on through the radio these days.

Andy Sweitzer

Vinyl Album of the Day is THE .357 STRING BAND - "Fire & Hail"

Vinyl Album of the Day is THE .357 STRING BAND - "Fire & Hail". Originally released in 2008 on CD, "Fire & Hail" was the 2nd album from this Wisconsin group who were one of the most talented and most important bands in the Roots, Underground Country/Bluegrass scene. The group formed in 2004 and featured four guys who all had ties to Punk, Hardcore and Heavy Metal, but had taken to playing a rousing take on Bluegrass filtered through those other influences, and in doing so created what they liked to call "Streetgrass". They released their debut album "Ghost Town" in 2006. Its a great album that features a number of killer jams including several that are still performed regularly in the live set of former member Jayke Orvis, such as "Shot Down" and "Raise The Moon". "Raise The Moon" was also later recorded by THE GODDAMN GALLOWS, after Orvis became a member, on their record "7 Devils".

Two more years of playing together coupled with near constant touring led to their magnum opus, 2008's "Fire & Hail". It was everything great about "Ghost Town", taken even further. The musicianship of the individual players is even more skillfull, their songwriting abilities had grown exponentially, and as a group their were even tighter as their chemistry had gelled even further do to all the time on the road. Sadly "Fire & Hail" would be the last album to feature the original line up, as some internal conflict led to Jayke Orvis's exit from the group in June 2009. The group would bring in Billy Cook to fill the void, and this version of the group would record and release the final .357 String Band album, "Lightning From The North", in 2010. The .357 String Band would call it quits the following year, in November 2011. Despite the break up, their legacy lives on in the form of the 3 excellent albums they made, the profound influence on the Roots scene and countless other bands, and also in music created since the break up by the individual members. Jayke Orvis has gone on to record 2 stellar albums, 2010's "Its All Been Said" & 2013's "Bless This Mess" with his "Broken Band". Joesph Huber has released 2 solo records that are also killer, those include 2010's "Bury Me Where I Fall" & 2012's "Tongues of Fire". Derek Dunn has also continued on as a solo artist, and has recorded an EP titled "Poisonous Serpents" but I dont know if its been released yet or not, and I really dont know what Bassist Rick Ness is up to these days. 

Another thing that helps to keep the legacy and memory of this amazing band alive is this beautiful vinyl reissue of "Fire and Hail". This LP was self released by the band in the Fall of 2012, with only 500 copies pressed on red and white vinyl. It was remastered and remixed specifically for this vinyl release and it sounds better than ever. There is an astounding clarity and attention to detail, but doesnt sink to antiseptic levels of polish or anything. Andy Gibson's production shines as perhaps never before and it has that wonderful analog warmth that you just cant get with a CD or MP3.

Side A opens with "Little Black Train of Death", a blazing Bluegrass jam that shows the boys in top form from the jump. The song actually begins and ends with old samples of "Death's Little Black Train" by Reverend J. M. Gates. Its a great start to the album and it just gets better from there. Next up is the title track "Fire & Hail", another barn burner that shows just how great of pickers these guys were, and how great of songwriters they had become by this point. "One More Round" follows and is a classic drinking jam, and is a bit more mid paced compared to the speed blasts of the first couple jams. It's a great, fun song that is memorable as hell with a knockout chorus. The Traditional Bluegrass tune, "Cluck ol' Hen" is up next and is maybe the fastest song on here and that is really saying something. It was songs like this that really set .357 apart from many of the other bands that were Punk guys who attempted to play Bluegrass. .357 had the chops musically to play with anyone, including traditional Bluegrass groups. They could play lightning fast and surgically precise and this song is a perfect example. They perfectly bridged the classic Bluegrass and Old Time String Band sounds with Punk and Metal attitude and a street life mentality. The fire and brimstone speed attack finally slows down when we get to "Black River Blues", a beautiful, melancholy song about infidelity and depression. It's great in its own right, but it also works well as a break in the fast songs and adds a bit of contrast. "Down on a Bender" kicks the speed back up and is another killer ode to drinking and hard living. We close out Side A with the album's lone "cover" song, "Glory, Amen" by THOSE POOR BASTARDS. Its somewhat ironic though as many people believed the song to be a .357 original as it appeared on "Fire & Hail" a couple before THOSE POOR BASTARDS would ever get around to releasing it on their 2010 album "Gospel Haunted", but TPB had been playing the song live for years and it was written by the one and only Lonesome Wyatt.

Side B begins with the ripping Bluegrass of "Holy Water" and quick jam that Orvis really shines on with his amazing Mandolin playing. It also happens to be the shortest song on the album at 2:11. "I'm Gone" continues the fast pace and is yet another awesome song led by Joseph Huber and his Banjo picking. Next, "Hold Me Tight" is the first song written by Jayke Orvis on this album. Its a beautiful and tender duet between Jayke and the always amazing Rachel Brooke. This song was my first introduction to Rachel Brooke, who Ive since become a big fan of, and it also foreshadows some of the great things Jayke would show us on his debut solo album, "It's All Been Said". "Darlene" comes next and is a return to faster territory. Its an awesome "woman done me wrong" type song and creates a nice dynamic with its placement between 2 slower songs. The next song, "Long Put Down That Gospel" is probably my all time favorite .357 STRING BAND song. Its a slower song with great fiddle work from Donnie Heron and probably one of the only Anti-Religion Bluegrass songs ever written. The lyrics are awesome and so well written, only to be backed by killer laid back picking and some sharp harmonies. Now, here there is a bit of weirdness.

The tracklisting on both the back of the album sleeve and the record it's self list the next song as "Two White Horses" followed by "Rollin' Down The Track", however, when you actually listen to the album these songs are flip flopped. "Rollin' Down The Track" plays first and is a great Banjo led jam that is entirely instrumental for the first half or so. It is followed by "Two White Horses" a shorter tune and again has solid Banjo presence. Its a great tune about being on the road, running, rambling, etc. Its got a killer underlying darkness to it as well. Finally, the album closes with "Blackship", written by Orvis, a cool little song that features the whole group singing in harmony on the chorus and also as backing for Jayke who sings the verses himself. There is no instrumentation in the song, only the vocals I mentioned, clapping, and what sounds like a metal pipe striking another metal object, in the background. Jayke has continued to perform "Blackship" as part of his live show with his current backing group, The Broken Band, and they also recorded the song for their newest album 2013's "Bless This Mess". The song closes out that album as well. This brings us to the conclusion of the album, and goddamn what an album it is. It remains the best album .357 ever did, as well as being one of the best and most important albums to the Roots/Underground Country/Bluegrass scene as well. As I mentioned before only 500 of these LP's were pressed and so they may be all gone now, I'm honestly not sure. I got mine from Jayke the first time Jayke Orvis & The Broken Band came through Terre Haute. All 500 copies are hand numbered as well, so that's another cool little thing. My copy is #189. So get "Fire & Hail" one way or another. At the very least get the CD but if you can find a copy, by all means, get it on wax.

PS if you did Jayke Orvis and would like to read more specifically about him, here is a piece I wrote a bit ago http://dodobirdzine.blogspot.com/2013/06/awesome-bands-you-should-know-jayke.html

Andy Sweitzer

Awesome Bands You Should Know...THE GODDAMN GALLOWS

One of the single most interesting, original, and amazing bands in existence today is a band called The Goddamn Gallows. Their music defies easy classification, containing elements of Punk, Harcore, Blues, Folk, Country, Bluegrass, Americana, Gypsy, Rockabilly, Roots, etc, it continues to evolve with each record, and as they have added members along their travels. The band originally formed in Lansing, Michigan in 2004 as a 3 piece, featuring Mikey Classic on Vocals and Guitar, Fishgutzzz on Upright Bass, and Amanda Kill on Drums. In the beginning, the band was simply called The Gallows, using this moniker on their 1st couple releases, before adding the "Goddamn" to prevent confusion between themselves and the British Hardcore band, The Gallows. This early version of the group began jamming and headed West. In 2004, they dropped their 1st release,"The Gallows" EP, which was at the time, self titled. From there, the nomadic group continued bouncing around from Portland to Hollywood living anywhere they could from squatter camps to abandoned buildings, alleys, storage units, and anywhere else they could. Their filthy mixture of Hardcore/Punk, Psychobilly, and bits of Roots music began to gain them a bit of attention. The following year, 2005, they would release their 1st full length album, "Life of Sin".

This record would be the final release with Amanda Kill on Drums and also their final release as The Gallows. "Life of Sin" would feature strong elements of Punk and Psychobilly, and although it doesn't have nearly as much influence from Roots/Country/ Bluegrass/etc as later records would, there are still traces. Also included on the record is a cover song, performed with their own flair, something they would continue to do on each LP. The cover jam on here is "Wreck of the Ol' 97" which has been performed by many, many people over the years, including The Statler Brothers, Flatt and Scruggs, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seger, Hank III and many more, with one of the most well known versions being done by by Johnny Cash. 2006 would see the Baby Genius join the group, replacing Amanda Kill as their Drummer, more shows and the writing of new material. In 2007, the group would release their 2nd full length "Gutterbilly Blues", Baby G's 1st album with the band and the group's first effort with their new altered name, The Goddamn Gallows.

"Gutterbilly Blues" would serve to continue the musical path set out on "Life of Sin", but also hinting at what would come later as they were coming into their own and blurring the lines between genres. Much of the record still is strongly rooted within Punk and Psychobilly but there are also jams like "Born To Lie" which indicate a greater Roots influence that would continue to grow with in the group and show up in greater amounts on subsequent releases. The cover song on this record would be a rockin' version of Ray Charles "I Got A Woman", with some interesting lyric alteration. The record also would give a name to the group's style with people now calling their music "Gutterbilly", with other strange descriptors coming along over the years like "Gypsy Punk" and "Hobocore".

At this point, The Goddamn Gallows essentially became a full time effort for the 3 men involved, as they would hit the road and more or less stay there for the next several years, with only brief breaks. This breakneck pace would continue with the band usually playing well over 200 shows a year, a feat that would destroy most bands, and brings to mind another band who did it themselves, their own way, with a tireless work ethic and great artistry. That band is Black Flag. Fast forward to 2009, in which, our band of miscreants find another piece of the puzzle, during their travels, in St. Louis, MO. This addition would be a wild man known as TV's Avery; a fire breathing, accordion squeezing, washboard & spoons player, who would also occasionally play drums. Avery would prove to be a very important acquisition, and helped push along the group's continually evolving style, as evidenced on their 3rd LP, 2009's "Ghost of th' Rails".

GOTR finds The Goddamn Gallows quickly making great use of Avery's Accordion, Washboard, and Spoons skills on many tracks increasing the Roots,Country, Folk/Americana elements on tracks like "Ghost of the Rails" and "Underneath the Stars", while Banjo is also incorporated by Mikey Classic furthering the twangy sound of some of the record. Meanwhile, other tracks on the record are aggressive as hell, fully embracing their Hardcore/Punk roots, particularly violent jams like opener "Heavens" and "City of Hell-A". Many tracks also find embrace both extremes of the Gallows influences, such as "Smoke Satan" which has Rootsy parts but then also violent aggro parts. The boys also continue their tradition of interesting cover songs with the inclusion of "Planet of the Apes" by The Mummies. Not long after the release of "Ghost of th' Rails", The Goddamn Gallows picked up another stray musician. This time it would be super picker Jayke Orvis, who, at the time, had recently exited The .357 String Band (a group he helped found), and within the next year would release his 1st "solo" album "It's All Been Said" to much acclaim, which also happened to be the 1st release from Farmageddon Records, who would later release/re-release much of The Goddamn Gallows material. The group's next release and 1st to involve Orvis would be "Swappin' Spit", a split/collaborative record with Gary Lindsey's Black Eyed Vermillion.

"Swappin' Spit" would feature The Goddamn Gallows covering 4 BEV jams, "20-20", "Jesus In The Waiting Room", "Helping Hand", & "Bones To Pick". Gary and Black Eyed Vermillion would cover 4 Gallow's tunes, "Born To Lie", "Pass Me The Bottle", "Wanders", and "Don't Feed Me". The final track would feature both groups as well as James Hunnicutt performing an amazing Roots version of Venom's "In League With Satan". "Swappin' Spit" was released on Vinyl only by Farmageddon Records, but has since been made available for Digital Download as well through CD Baby. The next step in the Goddamn Gallows journey would come with the release of their 4th LP, "7 Devils", in 2011 through Farmageddon.

At this point, the line up including Baby G on Drums, Mikey Classic on Guitar and Vocals, Fishgutzzz on Upright Bass and Vocals, TV's Avery on Washboard, Spoons, & Accordion,  and Jayke Orvis on Mandolin and Banjo. Joe Perreze would also play Banjo on much "7 Devils" and soon become a fulltime member. Andy Gibson, who recorded the album, would also contribute Lap Steel to the record, and in doing so adding another element to their already robust sound. "7 Devils" is the next logical step for The Goddamn Gallows, it follows their sound to new extremes in multiple veins. Its got furious, Hardcore/Punk jams like "Sidewalk Slammer" and "Stew Hogg", but also has very Country/Folk/Bluegrass inspired jams like the title track, "7 Devils", their stellar cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Waiting Around To Die", and Mikey Classic's acoustic tune "Nature of the Beast" which is beautiful yet powerful in its quiet reserve. Orvis's Mando playing, coupled with Joe Perreze's Claw Hammer Banjo, and Andy Gibson's Steel work give the record and increased dose of Rootsiness that pays off in spades. Also, Avery's increased use of Accordion, on tracks like "Instant Major Felony" or "End Of The World", also plays into the strengths of the album making it very diverse. Its an album that can appeal to people from numerous scenes but without compromising their integrity in anyway.  The record also features a blistering version of "Raise The Moon", written by Orvis, which had previously been recorded by his old group The .357 String Band.

Since the release of "7 Devils", the group has been constantly on the road playing here, there and everywhere in between. For awhile, many of the tours included Jayke Orvis and The Broken Band, allowing Jayke to tour for his solo album as well as doing the Gallows. Joe Perreze would also pull double duty for most of these shows as he was playing Banjo in Orvis's Broken Band and The Gallows. Over the next couple years of shows and writing the group has continued to raise their profile and increase their fan base. 2013 would see Jayke Orvis & The Broken Band release their 2nd album, "Bless This Mess", in the spring, which features some guest spots from some of the other Gallows members. This would bring to a close another chapter for the group as Jayke would exit the group, on good terms, to focus on his own project and allow both groups to seperately tour. Perreze, who had been playing with both groups, would also have to limit himself to one group in regards to touring and therefore exited The Broken Band to focus on the Gallows. Just in time for summer, Farmageddon has released a limited edition acoustic Goddamn Gallows EP that was recorded in a Tattoo shop back in 2010. Its limited to 200 copies so if you want one, you better get on it 'cause they won't last long.

Currently, The Goddamn Gallows have been working on their upcoming 5th LP, with the primary recording having just been finished I believe. At recent shows, they've been playing some new material including "The Maker" and "Ragtime Sinner", which can currently be checked out in live form on their official website and/or Youtube. The new record should be out by October, at the latest, and I'm quite certain will rank near the very top of my Best of 2013 list. The Goddamn Gallows have reached a point where they literally sound like no one but themselves. They have taken their wildly varied influences and molded them into a sound all their own. They don't really fit perfectly anywhere and yet they can squeeze their way into almost any music fan's record collection with skillful musicianship, honest and interesting songwriting, and a uniqueness that is a testament to the characters involved.

Aside from crafting some of the best music in any genre or scene, Underground or otherwise, they also boast the best live show of any you are likely to have seen in years. Equal parts Punk Rock destruction, Circus Side Show, Hardcore power, Vaudeville Comedy, and Roots/Folk passion, their's is a show NOT to be missed. So in short, buy their records, go to their shows, and most of all, enjoy yourself...But remember...Don't Feed Avery...


http://www.thegoddamngallows.com/
https://www.facebook.com/goddamngallows
http://www.farmageddonrecords.com/

All artwork belongs to it's respective owner(s) ie Goddamn Gallows, Farmageddon, etc. Live photos are courtesy of Bethany Sweitzer and were taken in Terre Haute, IN @ Ole Simrell's 6/19/13.
Andy Sweitzer/Dodo Bird 2013

Awesome Bands You Should Know... JAYKE ORVIS & THE BROKEN BAND

Growing up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Jayke Orvis always had eclectic music tastes, even at a young age. Introduced to classic Country and Bluegrass early on by his father, he soon took a liking to Punk and Metal as well, and eventually began cutting his teeth on stage in Punk bands. However, his early introduction to Country and Bluegrass stayed with him, after a time he picked up playing Mandolin and soon found himself involved in the Underground Country/Roots music scene. In 2004, Orvis along with Joseph Huber on Banjo,  Derek Dunn on Guitar, and Rick Ness on Stand up Bass formed The .357 String Band.
 

Over the next several years, The .357 String Band honed their talents, playing countless shows at seemingly ever dive bar in America. The group were setting a new precedent within the Country Underground, yes, you could call them "Punks turned Pickers" but they were these guys were not your average Punk Rock kids, playing 3 chords, then picking up Banjos and Mandolins. All 4 of them were extremely talented musicians who took the technical ability and skill involved in playing Traditional Bluegrass very seriously, but they molded Bluegrass and its many traditions with their Punk/Metal backgrounds, incorporating much of the attitude of Punk and Metal, as well as some of its themes, and in doing so created their own unique style that they dubbed "Streetgrass." In 2006, .357 released their debut album, "Ghost Town", and continued to grow their fanbase. The album featured a number of great songs that embodied the idea of "Streetgrass", combining blazing Bluegrass that could appeal to Bill Monroe fans, but coupled with lyrics about drinking, drugging, depressing, misery, and Hell. They were forging their own path, while simultaneously courting a growing legion of fans and influencing many a young band. The band continued on as tireless road dogs, playing shows, further their abilities and writing new jams. After 2 years of touring behind their debut, 2008 would see .357 release their sophmore album, and crowning achievement, "Fire and Hail".

 It is a masterpiece that finds the band at the pinnacle of their abilities as a group. The chemistry and songwriting is topnotch as well, and the record truly stands as a high water mark for Underground Country and Roots music. "Fire & Hail" also sees Jayke Orvis begin coming into his own as a writer and a performer. Songs like "Blackship" and his amazing duet with Rachel Brooke, "Hold Me Tight", illustrated just how good Orvis had gotten on his own. Sadly, this record would be the final .357 String Band album featuring Jayke and the original line up. In June of 2009, Jayke was ousted in a suprising move to many, including him, from the .357 String Band. He was replaced by Billy Cook, and .357 would go on to release one more album, 2010's "Lightning From The North", before calling it quits in November 2011. Despite his suprising removal from the band he helped start, Jayke quickly rebounded and ultimately came out ahead. Only a month after finding himself without a band, he joined one of the best, most interesting groups around today, The Goddamn Gallows. Orvis's 2nd "post .357" move was another big one. Only 1 year after his departure for .357, Jayke Orvis would release his debut album as a solo artist, "It's All Been Said".

 If that wasn't a big enough deal as is, Farmageddon Records would be founded around the album's release, making it the debut release for the label. Farmageddon would go on to become a force in Underground Country and Roots music, releasing albums from a large roster of great artists new and old, including The Goddamn Gallows, James Hunnicutt, Black Eyed Vermillion, Stevie Tombstone, Owen Mays, Rachel Brooke, J.B, Beverly and many more. To Jayke's credit, "Its All Been Said" is a excellent debut and as deserving an album, to start a label behind, as any.

The songs are all great from the amazing Bluegrass instrumental "Yankee Taste", the dark, somber "Feelings Like This", to the quiet, singer/songwriter folk of "Beatin' My Head" and "Broken Bottles on an Empty Shelf". Then there's faster, fun songs like "Thunderbolts and Lighning and their take on the Traditional Bluegrass jam "Shady Grove Gypsy", a murder ballad in "Gone Forever More", or catchy, fan favorite "Streets" with its singalong chorus and guest spot from J.B. Beverly, and what you might call the album's "single", the vigilante justice jam of "Dreadful Sinner", for which a great music video was made. There's also a  hidden track that features James Hunnicut, which is sampled in the album's audio collage, intro "A Recipe For Tea". All in all, it was a phenomenal debut album, and one which ultimately helped garner Jayke the 2010 Artist of the Year award from Saving Country Music. On the album, Jayke's songs were brought to life with help from a great cast of musicians that included James Hunnicut, "Banjer" Dan Mazer, Old Timey Avery, Johnny Lawless, Geo Balentine, & J.B. Beverly. Orvis soon hit the road in support of the record with his backing group, The Broken Band, which aside from James Hunnicutt on lead guitar and backing vocals, was largely a revolving door of musicians, early on.  2010 also saw the release "Swappin' Spit", via Farmageddon Records, which marked Jayke's first appearance as a member of The Goddamn Gallows. "Swappin' Spit" was a split album, of sorts, between The Goddamn Gallows and Black Eyed Vermillion, and was released only on Vinyl.

 Side A of the record features The Goddamn Gallows covering 4 Black Eyed Vermillion songs, "20/20", "Jesus In The Waiting Room", "Helping Hand, and "Bones To Pick". Side B has Gary Lindsey & Black Eyed Vermillion covering 4 Goddamn Gallows tunes, that include, "Born To Lie", "Pass The Bottle", "Wanders", & "Don't Feed Me". The album, and Side B, closes with a collective jam featuring members of both The Goddamn Gallows and Black Eyed Vermillion, plus James Hunnicutt, who all come together to record a mind blowing Countryfied/Roots cover of Venom's "In League With Satan". The entire album is great, and its really cool to hear the 2 different groups reinterpret each other's material, not to mention the group effort. Jayke's presence on the Gallow's songs is immediately heard, as his mandolin playing helps flesh out the songs and continued The Goddanm Gallows' evolution from Psychobilly Punk to a Roots act with some Punk influences. This continued growth is even more prevalent on The Goddamn Gallows next full length album, and 1st to feature Orvis as a full time member, 2011's "7 Devils".

Orvis continued touring with the Gallows as well as touring on his own material as Jayke Orvis and The Broken Band often touing together so as to allow Jayke to do both the Goddamn Gallows and his own stuff. Fast forward a couple years and in the spring of 2013 Orvis and his Broken Band partners would get around to recording the follow up full length to their debut, "It's All Been Said". Jayke along with a solidified Broken band rounded out by James Hunnicutt, Liz Sloan, and Jared McGovern, as well as a few others including Joe Perreze wrote and recorded the sophmore LP, "Bless This Mess" and saw it released in late April again through Farmageddon Records.

"Bless This Mess" is an amazing album that may will for sure be on many year end Best Of lists and may prove to be the best Roots Music album of 2013. From the killer Bluegrass instrumentals like "Murder of Crows" or "Clankertown" to more singer/songwriter type jams like amazing "West Wind" or the swinging "Crooked Smile". The record is full of stand out tracks that both show the great musicianship and songwriting ability of everyone involved. The originals are all exceptional but so are the few covers like Hank Williams' "Kaw Liga", Ralph Stanley's "Bound To Ride", or The Weary Boys' "Pick Up The Steam". The album also closes with a sort of cover song "Blackship" which was written by Orvis but did previously appear on a .357 String Band record, similar to the way Orvis' "Raise The Moon" was also first featured on a .357 album but later appeared on  The Goddamn Gallows' "7 Devils". With a track record like Jayke has being a founding member of The .357 String Band, a sometime member of The Goddamn Gallows, 2 amaing "solo" albums, and a solidified Broken Band backing him up, the Country/Roots Underground would not be the same without his contributions. The future is Orvis' to dominate if he continues to make great records on his own or as part of a group effort. I cant recommend seeing Jayke Orvis and The Broken Band enough, as you would be hard pressed to find a better band live or on record in 2013.


Andrew Glen Sweitzer