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The Gourds

 
Artist: The Gourds
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The Gourds

Group Members:

Jimmy Smith, Claude Bernard, Kevin Russell, Keith Langford, Charlie Llewellin, Max Johnston

Similar Artists:

The Hole Dozen, The Weepers, Clem Snide, Luther Wright, Trailer Bride, Scud Mountain Boys, Whiskeytown, Old 97's, The Blood Oranges

Influenced By:

Roger Miller

Followers:

The Original Brothers and Sisters of Love

Performed Songs By:

Jimmy Smith, Kevin Russell

Formal Connection With:

Giles Robinowitz, Chappy Sinclair, Rob Bernard, Dusty Slosinger, Clocker Redbury, Kev Russell's Junker, Jimmy Smith, The Damnations TX, Prescott Curlywolf
  • Formed: 1992, Austin, TX
  • Genres: Rock
  • Representative Albums: "Cow Fish Fowl or Pig," "Stadium Blitzer," "Ghosts of Hallelujah"
  • Representative Songs: "Gin and Juice," "Plaid Coat," "Web Before You Walk into It"

Biography

The Gourds are a good-time, honky tonkin' band with enough quirk and underground appeal to justify the "alternative" tag in "alternative country-rock." Part of Austin's vibrant scene and popular performers at the city's national music showcase SXSW, the Gourds first gained the attention of the No Depression crowd with the drunken porch jam sound of their debut, Dem's Good Beeble, in 1997. The band's quirks came out more on their follow-up, 1998's Stadium Blitzer, with songs of questionable subject matter (not offensive, just truly befuddling) like "Plaid Coat" and the goofy "I Ate the Haggis."

Later that year, the Gourds broke through to college radio with a couple of covers on the live EP Gogitchershinebox. While their cover of "Ziggy Stardust" may have raised some eyebrows, it was the Gourds' galloping twang remake of Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice" that really captured listeners' imaginations. Unfortunately, the demise of Watermelon Records took their recordings out of print right after the release of their third album, Ghosts of Hallelujah in 1999. Happily, Sugar Hill Records stepped in, and without missing a beat, the Gourds' fourth album, Bolsa de Agua, came out the following year. Over the next year, Sugar Hill also reissued the rest of the Gourds' existing catalog.

The Texas group started out with multi-instrumentalist/vocalists Kevin Russell and Jimmy Smith (who also shared songwriting duties), accordionist Claude Bernard, and drummer Charlie Llewellin. In late 1997/early 1998, Llewellin was replaced by a longtime friend of the band, Keith Langford, who was kicked out of the Damnations TX when his bandmates saw that he wanted to join the Gourds, but might feel too bad about quitting to actually leave them. Then, after playing banjo, fiddle, and more on Ghosts of Hallelujah, Max Johnston (of Uncle Tupelo and Wilco) also became an official member of the band. With the new lineup intact, the Gourds released Bolsa de Agua in the summer of 2000, Cow Fish Fowl or Pig in 2002, Blood of the Ram in 2004, Heavy Ornamentals in 2006, Noble Creatures in 2007, and Haymaker! in 2009. They also provided the score to the Mike Woolf documentary Growin' a Beard. ~ Joslyn Layne, All Music Guide
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Wikipedia: The Gourds
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The Gourds

The Gourds performing in Austin, Texas in 2007
Background information
Origin Austin, Texas, USA
Genre(s) Alternative country
Progressive bluegrass
Years active 1994–present
Label(s) Munich, Watermelon, Sugar Hill, Eleven Thirty, Yep Roc
Associated acts The Bumz
Picket Line Coyotes
The Grackles
Old Government
Clocker Redbury and Dusty Slosinger
The Tinys
Kev Russell's Junker
Shinyribs
Website www.thegourds.com
Members
Kevin "Shinyribs" Russell
Jimmy Smith
Claude Bernard
Keith Langford
Max Johnston
Former members
Charlie Llewellin

The Gourds are an American alternative country band that formed in Austin, Texas during the summer of 1994.[1]

Contents

Career

Primarily evolving from the Picket Line Coyotes and the Grackles,[2] the Gourds original line-up consisted of Kevin Russell (vocals, guitar, mandolin), Jimmy Smith (vocals, bass, guitar), Claude Bernard (accordion, guitar, vocals), and Charlie Llewellin (drums, percussion).[3] Llewellin was replaced by current drummer Keith Langford shortly after the second album was recorded, and multi-instrumentalist Max Johnston officially joined after being invited to play on their third album.[4][5][6] By the following album, Johnston had also become the band's third songwriter, though Russell and Smith have continued to share the bulk of those responsibilities.[7][8][9]

Despite a sizable amount of original material, the Gourds are probably best known for a song they did not write, and for which they initially did not receive credit.[10] A full twelve years after its live debut,[11] fans can still be heard calling out for the band's cover version of Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice",[12] often before they have even taken the stage. This has led some to consider it an albatross, but the band continues to play the crowd pleaser on occasion, adding various impromptu covers to its mid-section as a way of maintaining its appeal.[13][14][15]

While the Gourds studio efforts have all been well received, their high-energy live performances and constant touring have earned them the reputation of a band that must be seen to be appreciated.[16][17][18][19] As a result, they enjoy a dedicated fan base[20][21] that is happy to follow them from town to town,[22][23] and have become a favorite among those who tape live music.[24][25]

Members

Discography

Studio albums

  • Dem's Good Beeble – 1996
  • Stadium Blitzer – 1998
  • Ghosts of Hallelujah – 1999
  • Bolsa de Agua – 2000
  • Cow Fish Fowl or Pig – 2002
  • Blood of the Ram – 2004
  • Heavy Ornamentals – 2006
  • Noble Creatures – 2007
  • Haymaker! – 2009

Studio covers and live originals

  • Gogitchyershinebox – 1998
  • Shinebox – 2001

Soundtracks

  • Growin' a Beard – 2003
  • Something's Brewin' in Shiner – 2004

Side projects

  • Smith: Slosinger/Redbury – 2000
  • Smith: Cold War's Hot Water Shower: Featuring Dr. B – 2001
  • Bernard: The Tinys – 2001 (unreleased)
  • Russell: Buttermilk & Rifles – 2002

Television and film

The Gourds have been featured on Austin City Limits (2006) and appeared briefly playing their song "Declineometer" in the season one "Homecoming" episode of Friday Night Lights (2006). Their song "Dying of the Pines" was included in the HBO Documentary Unknown Soldier: Searching for a Father (2005)[26] and their cover of "Gin and Juice" was used in the season three episode of My Name Is Earl (2007) entitled "The Frank Factor". The band has also scored the Mike Woolf documentaries Growin' a Beard (2003)[27] and Something's Brewin' in Shiner (2004).[28]

See also

References

  1. ^ [1] A thorough developmental history of the Gourds with quotes from everyone in the band (2000)
  2. ^ [2] A brief discussion of the Picket Line Coyotes and the Grackles as precursors to the Gourds (2006)
  3. ^ [3] Webpage bio for the Gourds original drummer (2008)
  4. ^ [4] Russell dates the arrival of Langford and Johnston (2009)
  5. ^ [5] Russell's 1st person account of how the Gourds evolved from The Bumz (1998)
  6. ^ [6] More developmental history of the Gourds with quotes from Russell (1999)
  7. ^ [7] Interview with Russell and almost with Smith that touches on their different approaches to songwriting (1999)
  8. ^ [8] Russell remarks on the Gourds sound and his own approach to songwriting (2002)
  9. ^ [9] Russell discusses the addition of Max Johnston and having three songwriters in one band (2008)
  10. ^ [10] Russell provides background on the "Gin and Juice" mix-up (2000)
  11. ^ [11] Canadian interview with Russell in which he discusses the debut of "Gin and Juice" (2002)
  12. ^ [12] Video of Snoop Dogg listening to the Gourds version of "Gin and Juice" (c. 1999)
  13. ^ [13] Noble Creatures review with a brief discussion of "Gin and Juice" on p. 21 (2007)
  14. ^ [14] Alaskan interview with Russell in which he answers the question "When do you play your hit song?" (2007)
  15. ^ [15] In Cucurbitaceae message #78,921 Russell states "We just can't do [Gin and Juice] anymore without throwing up in our mouths a little bit" (Feb 13, 2009)
  16. ^ [16] A typical first-timer’s live experience of the Gourds (2003)
  17. ^ [17] More recent live review suggests "Some things never change...the Gourds still rock" (2009)
  18. ^ [18] Veteran Austin music writer Michael Corcoran reviews a live show and says the Gourds are still the best in town (2008)
  19. ^ [19] UK radio show suggests the Gourds studio work is unfairly overshadowed by their live reputation (2008)
  20. ^ [20] Background on the Gourds internet fan list (2002)
  21. ^ [21] Founder of Wikipedia names the Gourds as his favorite musicians (2007)
  22. ^ [22] Florida writer mentions fans who follow the Gourds around the country (2008)
  23. ^ [23] Houston Press acknowledges "a growing legion of fanatics [who] travel far and wide following the band" (2009)
  24. ^ [24] A guide to the live recordings of the Gourds (1994 to 2005)
  25. ^ [25] Some examples of the Gourds live recordings (1994 to 2009)
  26. ^ [26] Website for the HBO documentary Unknown Soldier: Searching for a Father (2005)
  27. ^ [27] Website for the Mike Woolf documentary Growin' a Beard (2003)
  28. ^ [28] Website for the Mike Woolf documentary Something's Brewin' in Shiner (2004)

External links


This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

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