We have the tix. on sale for our battle of the bands performance at The Curtain Club Sun. Mar. 7th $8 apeice… please buy one wether you can make it to the show or not.
Also, The WoodGrain added two shows to our calender just this evening. We’ll be at Pitchers in Arlington Sat. March 27th & on the main stage at The Ridglea Theatre Fri. May 7th.
YES!
YES! We had a record snowfall the day before! No! There weren’t many fans. No the roads were NOT icey. and… YES! IT WAS A GREAT SHOW! The WoodGrain headlined the upstairs stage at The Ridglea this past Sat. Feb. 13th. We rocked the shit out of it just as we had the main stage months before. (video coming soon)
As always Jason Throws Whiskey was a bad ass opening act for The WG, but right now I gotta tell you about Skitzofuel & The Beautiful Trainwreck. These guys went on right before us & man…not only did they KILL…they were an awesome match with us. Skitzofuel…remember them! We’ll be playing with them again… I hope.
Cry Awhile by Bob Dylan performed here by…duh… The WoodGrain with “Gooch” sitting in on tha Sax. while Kunkle WhiteBread partied like it WAS his birthday… live @ Rockin’ Parrodise Fri. Feb. 5th…
And here on the recently found “secret” fan video from a long time ago in A.J.’s Honky Tonk far far away you can hear Joey Black screw up the song HE wrote… COME BACK SOON…but… A.J.’s DID have us back soon & we kick ass every time we play there! Enjoy…?
Last night’s first Tues. night Open Mic’ Jam presented by Bluesfolks.com Productions at Rockin’ Parrodise was everything an open mic’ night should be. The eb & flow was good but not too good, the musicianship was downright excellent, without sounding too rehearsed(it was by and large NOT rehearsed), & most importantly there was a committment to diversity.
I must admitt that I missed the first act of the evening due to the parent viewing of my son’s One Act school play. A man I know only as Paul or Paully apparently ripped it up on the electric guitar. I will catch Pual’s show next time. Next up were James & Blake of Jason Throws Whiskey. I did catch the end of their set & was AGAIN pleasently surprised. I mean, I love James’ songs…it’s just that…every time I hear them it seems to be a slightly (VERY SLIGHTLY) different yet just as good version. I don’t know. Decide what you think of them yourself. This Friday Feb. 5th Jason Throws Whiskey is opening for The WoodGrain at Rockin’ Parrodise for Kunkle Whitebread’s birthday show.
Next we were thrilled to present the band Barrol Court. Their influences were certainly identifiable, but that didn’t keep them from having a uniqueness about their sound. The vocals were great, and… from what I gathered talking to them, theres more in the bag of tricks than what we heard last night. Barrol Court guitar player Alex was fast & smooth on his beautiful green Parker guitar. Speaking of Alex…next he & bass player Taco jammed with drummer Judge Smith, playing classic rock hits & insde obscure funk jams to lose perfection. I’d like to thank Judge for having his kit set up for the evening.
Next up, a blast from the past as Jesica Mize (formerly of The WoodGrain) & her brother Bud played a couple of beautifully harmonized accoustic gems. Inevitably, I got up with Jess & we fell (er…stumbled) back into the old form. It was REALLY fun. I’m glad she & Bud made it.
Some fine Guitar work was also provided by Bluesfolks.com Productions’ own Mike “Slacks” Stephenson. His beer bottle slide work was on target once again. We love you “Slacks”! Even though you wore jeans las’night!
Finally, it was time for the night’s featured artist, Brak “Briznak” Moore, bass player for The WoodGrain. Now, I was all set to play lead guitar with Brak on some of his songs that I’d either heard a couple times or barely heard before at all. This being said, my excuse if we were bad, was well in place. It was abruptly shot to hell when a drummer out of the crowd (Judge) & a sax. player off the street (Shadow) came up and helped us take Brak’s songs to church!!! Shadow litterally walked into the bar & up onto the stage in mid song & asked “Is it ok if I play with you guys?” Before we could answer he was blowin’ the sax. … Judge was bangin’ the drums & our minds were blown. It was like the SNL band’s mini me. Really though… It was a great,GREAT jam session.
One last thing that made this Open Mic’ Jam so awesome was the crowd. The crowd at Rockin’ Parrodise is ALWAYS nothing but FUN, & the various new comers only helped that atmosphere!
DO NOT MISS IT NEXT TUESDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The WoodGrain consumes legendary amounts of booze… would any of you ever consider going to rehab?-Amber Philadelphia Pa.
Franky Fernando: Rehab’s for quitters!
Joey Black: Is there a bar there…?
Mr.Nate: No! I’ll drink myself to death first!
If your band could play anywhere, where would it be?-Dedra Lewisville Tx.
Brak: Austin City Limits
Franky Fernando: Woodstock baby! Unless you’re talkin’ serious…in which case… anywhere in Amsterdam!
Kunkle Whitebread: Hillsboro Ks., or either Fillmore… east or west. How ’bout a Jim Beam distillary…
Mr. Nate: WoodStock, the first one…
Joey Black: Inside the ocean, in a submarine, near the bottom of the Marianna Trench… or Figi…
What was the first song you ever wrote and why?-Sherrey Plano Tx.
Joey Black: Well, I know that the first song Mr. Nate EVER wrote was “Blackwater (Hide what I done)” & he taught it to me pretty early on. It’s about ditchin’ your old lady’s dead body in a river… so… one can only guess why he came up with it. Uh… as a complete group the first original that came together for us was “Come Back Soon”. I wrote it one day after my wife left for work & her perfume lingered in the air making me miss her. It’s a good, sexy tune.
How long has Joey Black been playing the guitar?-Cindy Cleburne Tx.
Joey Black: All together about 18 years, but playing seriously… about half that time.
What are some interesting trivia facts the fans of The WoodGrain would like to know about the band?-Ashley Carrollton Tx.
Kunkle Whitebread: How LITTLE time we spend on our hair…?
Joey Black: Uh… I watch some total chick shows on TV with my wife. Ugly Betty & Desparate Housewives to name a couple.
Mr. Nate: I can build musical instruments…
Franky Fernando: All of our music is raw, uncut emotion…
How many original songs does The WoodGrain have?-Cynthia Arlington Tx.
Joey Black: Thirteen…? I think… Sweet Elijah, I Don’t Give A Fuck, In the Doorway, Blackwater, I Don’t
Like the Blues, Walkin’ Into the Rain, New Boogeyman Blues, Cranberry Juice, Come Back Soon, Highs been Low, Black Shoes Brown Hat, Buyou, & Stay Down ’til ya Come Up
What artists have the greatest influence on each of the band members?- Ashley Carrollton Tx.
Franky Fernando: Micheal Shrieve, Chad Smith, Quest Love, & Buddy Berry
Joey Black: Well, I’m fanatical about Jimi Hendrix, but with regards to THIS band…my greatest influence has definitly been Mr. Nate.
Kunkle Whitebread: Waylon Jennings & Mickey Rapheal, Willy’s harmonica player.
Mr.Nate: All ’60’s R & B… uh Rye Cooter, Taj Mahal…
Brak: Townes Van Zant, Steve Earl, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Beck, Willy & the boys… old rock & roll… new shite… a little of everything I’ve ever heard…
Where do babies come from?-Scott Carrollton Tx.
Joey Black & Mr. Nate: From gettin’ fucked up with your girl at a WoodGrain show… we hope!
How do you think fatherhood affects being a rocknroller?-D.Z. Fort Scott Ks.
Franky Fernando: It doesn’t. You gotta keep’em separated.
Joey Black: I try to keep my family life separate from my rocknroll life, but as my son gets older it has been nice to him come to a couple of shows & help out. He’s old enough now to kind of know the score, & as much passion as I have for playing mucic in The WoodGrain, spending quality time with my son is my real passion. I live to watch him play sports!
Better late notice than no notice… The WoodGrain drummer Franky Fernando is now the proud father of Mack Alexander Casarez. Mack was born this past Fri. at Baylor medical center in Irving. He weighed 8lbs. 12oz., looks just like his dad, and has huge… huge hands. Congatulations Allison & Franky… Now let’s get that boy fitted for a baseball glove!
It was a night to remember… a day to forget. So why am I immortalizing it here on the intra-web? Because it’s really to damn funny a’story not to share with the masses. Or… at least the ten or twelve fans of The WoodGrain who haven’t already heard the legend of the four hour soundcheck.
It was Grand opening weekend for Rockin’ Paradise (formerly Hiccup’s & Daddy Rocks) & The WoodGrain was slated to headline the entertainment this past Sat. Nov. 14th. To try to insure that things would go off without a hitch during the evening The WoodGrain agree’d to meet at R.P. early (3PM) to coordinate things with D.J. YagerMonster… (seriously). We knew that they had house P.A. speakers for D.J. YM to blast tunes during our breaks, but we were responsible for bringing a soundboard for all the band mic.’s.
Once all members of The WoodGrain were set up…& our new sometime-part-time soundman Stark a.k.a. “Slink” had everything coordinated with D.J. YM… we all very casually took 15 thinking “We’ll come back…knock this out…then go home & party like rockstars until showtime…”
Right…
This is where things went haywire… Everything SHOULD have worked… nothing did… Hoping to have been back at my place eating like kings (thanks Andrea) by 4:30… it became 5:30 before we deduced that EVERYTHING worked except the soundboard we had brought. This was NOT GOOD. Myself, D.J.YM, & Mr. Nate were frantically calling each of our limited contacts in hopes we’d find a soundboard (such a delicate & usually valuable piece of equipment) on such incredibly short notice…on a Saturday night. I was ready to give up hope & cancel the show when a name popped up in my phone… A name I wasn’t sure I even had the right phone number for. That name was Henry Story, dummer of Grandma Black. Grandma Black was the cover band I (Joey Black) used to front. Not knowing what to expect. Not expecting much if anything… I said “fuck it” & dialed Henry.
Halelujah he answered & actually had a soundboard we could use!!!
After making the 45 min. round trip to the Colony & back I triumphantly re-entered Rockin’ Paradise…new soundboard in hand. We could FINALLY do a sound check!!! Problem was, our stomachs were growling loud enough at this point to be heard through the mics. & Franky had already had to leave. After all that we rushed through an extremely shaky, crowd annoying, half assed sound check.
Over four hours we’d gone from pride & confidence to unsure hopefullness to complete desparation & back to YOU GUESSED it pride & confidence & BACK to unsure hopefullness. At least we could finally go home & EAT.
After an AWESOME meal (again, Thanks Andrea) our pride & confidence once again ran high. After all, we ARE The WoodGrain…the greatest bluesfolks music band on the planet! Where there’s The WoodGrain there’s a way.
The show went great. We had a great turn out & hopefully added to our ever growing list of crazy die hard fans. We hope to play Rockin’ Paradise again soon. They really do have the cheapest drinks in Lewisville. Special thanks to Stark. He stressed out over the whole soundcheck thing more than we did, and thank god because we couldn’t have pulled the show off without him.
Thanks a ton to the R.P. management and staff. Thanks to Mongo on security. Thanks to the us… The WoodGrain… for kickin’ ass & takin’ names. Thanks to Henry. Thanks most of all to the fans. We love you!
The WoodGrain isn’t now & probably never will be politically driven in our endeavors. We’re musicians & while we DO have opinions… we simply aren’t the people who should be trying to shape other’s opinions about anything other than our music. However, that does not mean we won’t play for the right cause, & this past Sat. that’s precisely what we did. The Veterans of Foriegn Wars troop rally/car show/musicfest at Hulen Park in Cleburne Tx. hosted by Sgt. John Luarales & Real Rodz was a truly beautiful event on an even more beautiful day. I couldn’t say enough times (into the mic. or otherwise) how thrilled we were to be a part of it.
It was a scene of American life that I’ll never forget. On that day, at that park, the grass WAS greener, the smiles WERE warmer, and I just couldn’t get the John Cougar Melloncamp song “Ain’t that America” out of my head. Cheesy, I know, but really…being there…looking out at the kids playing, smelling the food, checking out the sweet vintage rides, & listening to the opening performers (members of The Dirty Jewwett Band who DIDN’T have the flu)… I couldn’t help but actually think AIN’T THAT America! So, performing at an event in support of the men & women who have fought & put themselves in harms way for that America was a huge honor for The WoodGrain.
It was our first time playing in the great town of Cleburne, the hometown of myself, Brak, & Kunkle WhiteBread (and for the most part my entire family). It was both awesome & kinda sad to be playing a show in the park my Grandma always used to bring me to. As children she used to pose Kunkle & I for pictures in front of the historic Train that sits not but a hundred feet from where the show took place. It was awesome to be playing for several family members who are not usually able to travel to our shows. It was very sad that Grandma Dorothy & Papa Warnell were not able to be there. But… I know they were there in spirit… probably NOT hiding their beers… and certainly arguing…
The show went great… the after party at Sgt. Laurales went even better. Thanks John!
In closing, the issue of support for returning veterans is something that’s quite a hot button right now. Unfortunatly… not without good reason. More support structure IS needed… wether it’s some form of support from a local V.F.W. post (which Luarales is planning on opening soon in Cleburne) or more thorough care given by the government, military, and/or Dr.s that are responsible for these returning heros. Once again, we’re only musicians & we are not in the business of trying to influence political opinion (you may be completely opposed to the war itself)… but returning veterans needing more support right now is not my opinion. It’s a fact.
LoneStar Last Night where were you… Tomorrow Cleburne Hulen Park 3-8pm WoodGain @ 6-8pm
For The Vets, and VFW founder in Cleburne Johnathan Laureles, Car Show and Food… be there
Alright… here’s the low down… “Boats & Ho’s” was both a great success & a slight failure… Great costumes & crowd participation with regard to the theme, the bands were ALL awesome… ya da ya da ya da… I just can’t believe we weren’t able to draw more people… Especially during the earliest part of the show… it was easily one of the most beautiful days of the year… but hey, if you missed it, too bad! There were also problems with the sound system that were beyond anyone’s control… I think Scott & Jeff (A-B Productions.com) did an outstanding job & without the equipment & service they provided… the show WOULD NOT have gone on…period.
Halloween/Brak’s 30th Birthday party (also at LoneStar) was another wonderfully diverse WoodGrain party… With special guests, local underground hip-hop act HK (poorandangry.com), The WoodGrain got started blowing the NEW roof off of the joint… Lady GaGa & Brittany Spears each made an appearance… the beer flowed like wine & the women flocked like the salmon of Cappestrano …
…our schedule has just been updated… check it out… as well as the new pictures and videos ‘Slacks’ made mention of … here’s one…
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last… & I hope not least… look for (drumroll ……………………………………… ) The WoodGrain’s first studio (non live) album to be released some time in Feb.. It’s gonna be like ordering a hamburger… but actually getting a “cheese”burger… crazy I know… but hey this will be a hot gift idea for Xmas ‘10… the record, not… the “cheese”burger…
And that’s the LOW DOWN…
W&B: Mr. f#%^&*ing Nate… at last you keep still long enough for us to let the WoodGrain fans… ‘in’… A member of your band once recently called you “the youngest old soul in the music business…”…
You’re response…?
MN: I’m not the youngest old soul in music. Everybody has soul, most people just don’t know how to express it.
W&B: We can dig that man… so … the BlueNote has found out for us that you may (or may not) have grown up somewhere near or around south Irving (as did Joey Black)… Also that you come from a big family… How has this impacted you in recent years as you … Mr. Black & the rest of the members of The WoodGrain dive into the local music scene with a real sense of reckless abandon …?
MN: Well, Yeah I grew up in south irving, with eight brothers and sisters. I’m the 4th son, and me and all my brothers are heading straight for hell. So I think my parents your pretty used to it by now.
As for the state of my immortal soul? I think I still got a hold on it.
W&B: Hey Mr. Nate… Burnstem here … sorry I’m late. I had to see a guy about some…stuff…uh that last answer, truthful…yet cryptic man. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . uh. . .oh yeah… What does The WoodGrain have stirring in the pot that might have the humidity rising…?
MN: Well we got a whole lotta songs that are stewin. Thats the way we do it. We all have ideas that we’re constantly throwing around. We’ll be sitting around completely twisted, and we’ll come up with a cool verse or line, or a riff. And we just keep it in the circle and slowly work on it. But to give you a hint about these new songs, were focusing on our usual topics of sex, drugs, alcohol, killin, swindlin, pimpin, wimin, and sex.
W&B: Yeah man… alot of the “WoodKnots” are sayin’ stuff like MR. Nate’s songs are all about killin’ (i.e. Blackwater)… but we see beyond that & wonder what you think that sort of fan opinion does to your image & that of your songwriting?
MN: Well seeing as songwriting is a form of self expression, I suppose the fans think that I’m a murdering psychotic womanizing thieving drug addled alcoholic heartbreaking egotistical douchebag… Damn, I’m in a tight spot…
W&B: Don’t cry Mr. Nate… Sunday mornin’ gon’ come ’round again…
Really… you know these people love you… no matter what the content of your songs they… we… can feel it… right… you dig man?
MN: I can dig it. Hey man, I was wondering, whats your view on the Texas blues scene today?
W: My official stance on the uh… Texas …blues… ’scene’ is that it’s sort of at a precipice… you know… it’s great…GREAT music! It always will be but right now… & hopefully with you guys at the forefront of it…that ’scene’ you speak of is ready to evolve man… and right now… what do you think Burnstem…
&B: Man, you guys are totally freakin’ me out right now… Mr. Nate …
MN: I think your right man, the entire music scene is headed in a good direction. Popular music as we know it is going to burn like the shit…that it is, and I’m going to smile when it does. People are starting to listen to MUSIC again. We live in such a great time.
W&B: Man…you rule Mr. Nate… Aight… las’question… you know it’s comin’… what’s your one & only favorite song & who’s it by?
MN: Well Burnstem and company, I really cant give you a song, but I can give you an album. If I was to only have one album to listen to for the rest of eternity, it would be Cold Dog Soup, by Guy Clark. It doesn’t happen very often, but every once in a while, there’s a album that’s so good, you can never get tired of listening to it.
The title song, as well as the song fort worth blues
(about the death of Townes Van Zandt), are just two of the perfect tracks on that album. Do yourself a favor, and get a copy.
W&B: Once again …far fucking out man. Thanks for your time and being so forthcoming Mr. Nate!…
MN: (Dial tone….)
The WoodGrain has just released it’s new CD Live at A.J.’s Honky Tonk through our new myspace page (myspace.com/thewoodgrain). While bluesfolks.com will continue to be the band’s official website, we hope that the new myspace (in addition to myspace.com/bluesfolks & joeyblack.net) will be another great way for all of you tiny little goofballs to get good Wood on it.
Youtube.com (go to youtube then search bluesfolks.com) also has several awesome videos of The WoodGrain for your viewing pleasure.
Also don’t forget to read tommorrow’s Tues. interview in The Dallas County BlueNote here at bluesfolks.com.
As always we’ll be kickin’ ass & takin’ names @ LoneStar Country club on Thurs.. Then on Sat. 10/17 we’ll make our 1st ever appearance @ The American Legion Post 88 in Lake Dallas. Show starts at 8pm & is open to the public.
Lastly The WoodGrain would like to thank our fans for your continuing BALLS OUT… To the mf’n limit… victory or death support of us… WE LOVE YOU ALL!
BlueNote: We’ve got the newest member of The WoodGrain on the line here, bass player Brak Moore… What’s goin’ down Brak?
Brak Moore: Uh…just doin’ a little vacuumin’…bakin’ some chicken cordon bleu balls.
BN: Chicken cordon …Blue …Balls…? Outstanding! Let’s get to it. How’d you get tangled up with this riff-raff?
Brak: A twisted tale of burning bridges, whiskey, & a brief encounter with the Benbrook police was…the eye opener which led to the unfortunate splitteration of the BCB (Bulletproof Cricket Band). Which…in turn led me to the rich & new-fangled bluesfolks old school vibe that feels so much like home… Not to mention our early escapades around the Brazos River campfires , & the forces of nature that bring like minded people together in the name of “let’s get fucked up!”…
BN: So…’OUR escapades’ round the campfires…who in the band are you referring to partyin’ with back in the day? Which like minded people?
Brak: I believe Joey Black & Kunkle have wethered the Texas sun in the shade of the pecan trees for the love of 3am cocaine songs layed out on a fat spliff in a van down by the river.
BN: Which leads me to my next question…(what’s) your inspiration? Musical &… otherwise…?
Brak: From Townes Van Zant to Tool & almost everything in between. But, the blues has a special place in my heart where pain can be a beautiful thing… & just tell me a story of life …
BN: Beautiful man. I think I’m gonna cry. So, you feel good about the project so far?
Brak: The ‘project’ seems to have an agenda all it’s own. I’m excited to be a part of the whirlwind that is The WoodGrain. So, yes. I see the ‘progect’ lookin’ like a hot blonde in a short skirt…FULL of potential.
BN: Full… I like that! Alright, customary last question… What’s your one and only favorite song of all time?
Brak: Mountain Cry by Blues Traveler… if I had to pick just one… which is logistically impossible!
BN: Great interview man…thanks alot & we’ll catch up with you at the “Boats & Ho’s” theme party at LoneStar on Oct. 24th. This has been Woodgrain & Burnstem reporting.
Let me start with some full disclosure for all of you fans of The WoodGrain & bluesfolks.com. I, Joey Black, am a huge fan of Pearl Jam. I love Eddy Vedder’s voice & lyrics. I am also quite fond of Mike Mcready’s Hendrix’esque riffage. Of course I hear the same thing from everyone I talk to about Pearl Jam…”After ‘Ten’ all of their albums suck!”…or…something along those lines. Ok, first of all you DO have to have a pretty open musical mind & real affinity for the band to enjoy later P.J. stuff. But… to compare ‘Ten’ to any other record (let alone all other P.J. records) is just … dumbass in my estimation.
But… it’s ok dumbass. Just for you (but really for me) ‘Ten’ was re-released this past year and I finally upgraded my collection with a birthday gift copy of it. (Thanks Andrea)
Four previously unreleased songs & a different, even grungier (how is that possible?!?), version of “State of Love & Trust” to go along with all of ‘Ten’s original greatness. I’ve always loved this album because it’s one of those rare records you can put in while your sitting around getting stoned or on a long drive & you can litterally listen from start to finish without the urge to skip a song. This says something about song placement on a record as well as the musicianship.
If you haven’t given this record a spin in quite a while or haven’t heard these great tunes in too long… save for the infrequent play they get on the radio…GET OUT YOUR COPY OF ‘TEN’!!! Or… buy…download… pirate, whatever, the new version. Re-introduce yourself to classics like “Once”, “Even Flow”, & my personal favorite “Release”. Then… enjoy the previously unheard material. The guitar solo on “2000 Mile Blues” is worth the cost of the album. Yes… Pearl Jam playing the blues… awesome. Enjoy!-Joey Black
For those of you who attended the St. Patty’s Day “Homegrown” musicfest (on a TUESDAY…) you know what’s up. You will need to remove the chain… cuz this event will…be… off it. So far the lineup includes:
Tommy D.
Dragna
Jason Throws Whiskey
eleven40
The Southern Brothers
KBob & The Last Stand Band
Another Year Colder
Neptune Locals
& Your’s Truly The WoodGrain
Sound by A-B Productions
Festivities will be announced as the event draws closer. If you’ve ever been to a “Pimps & Ho’s” party… you’ll understand how much more diversity you’ll be offered in costume choice @ a “Boats & Ho’s” party. The whole thing is scheduled to kickoff around 3:30 on Sat. Oct. 24th. Nine great (diverse) local bands plus contests & all sorts of other … adult activities for a measley $10 cover charge. Please, don’t be one of the few unlucky souls to have to complain of missing it.
Now…we were deploying (thanks for driving Andrea!) for only our second show at Fort Worth’s famed Ridglea Theatre. But… like all that is The WoodGrain… We smacked of a certain sultry kind of confidence. We had a charming smile to go with our swagger. If only once, we’d been here before.
First up that night was Micheal Lackey, whom I hope to have for the BlueNote’s Tues. interview very soon. This kid (yes…kid) can really, really play the guitar! He played alone on stage (digital audio backing, drums, base etc. were fed through the PA) wearing a mask & never spoke a word. At all. His show, however, was very entertaining. All sorts of crazy streaming Star Wars video flashed behind him on the wall as he shredded the original Star Wars theme prog. rock style on the guitar. A great show for a head…& Star Wars geek as well.
As the WoodGrain pre-show tailgate party wrapped up…(cough) …Neptune Locals was tuning up & getting ready to blow everybody’s mind. They were also back for a second Ridglea go’round. Tight as ever, they got heads bobbin’ & people swayin’… THESE GUYS take their blend of different alternative styles… throw them all in the treble & bass blender & do not let you down.
WE The WoodGrain were on next. This was not only our second trip to The Ridglea, but also only our second time on stage with our new bass player Brak. He only helped to add another THICK layer to the woodgrain of The WoodGrain. The show, we were told, was a great success. If not for me (Joey Black) breaking a string on the last part of our second to last song “Down in Mexico”… the show would have been complaintless. I do apologize to devoted fans (Mom, Casey, Sherri, Robert, Mike, Ash, Melissa, …Everybody…) for depriving you of our great closing number “Black Shoes, Brown Hat…”.
The rest of the evening was kind of a blur. I missed all of Late In Texas’ show because I was enjoying a Mr. Nate solo concert at The WoodGrain’s post show tailgate party. Thanks Rhonda for the Jack tacos!!! Thanks Forrest for the cold beer!!!
I do remember that The Dan Family Kicked ass!!! A good, great… compliment to a WG performance. Any time you see that these guys have a show (if you love WoodGrain) you’ll love them!
When the dust settle’d… arrangements had been made… & arm wrestles were lost. The WoodGrain made our way to a secret location in Fort Worth for a great mix of just enough smoke, too many beers, & frozen pizza. Thanks Jan & Brent!!!
Thanks to all those who love music. Keep listening…& READING!
BlueNote: We’re here with the harmonica player for one of Dfw’s fastest rising mucical acts. It’s Kunkle Whitebread of The WoodGrain. Alrite, how did you gravitate towards playin’ the harmonica?
Kunkle Whitebread: Kind of a chance thing… Tried a cheap harp a buddy had at a party & was hooked. Been at it ever since. Just kinda picked it up & went. You know…?
BN: Yea…yea…a chance encounter. Blowin’ harp isn’t the only thing you contribute to WoodGrain onstage. Expound on your role(s) in the band on & off stage.
K.W.: On stage I just try to add another dynamic with either the backing vocals, noise makers, or on the horns (harmonica). Just puttin’ bricks in our wall of sound…
BN: “Bricks in the wall of sound”…I like that. Next question, who are your personal musical influences, harmonica players & otherwise?
K.W. On the harp it’s gotta be Mickey Rapheal…Willy’s guy. He just has this great tone. But also you got Lil Walter, Sonny Terry, & Elwood Blues. Just music wise it’s all over the chart, but the Stones, Waylon Jennings, Chris Ledoux, Jimi, & Zepplin are all up there around the top of things. Love good music.
BN: Good music…thats what we’re here for… Most bands start out aiming for a younger audience with delusions of super-stardom & a sense of financial entitlement. The WoodGrain has gained alot of momentum with what seems like an opposite approach. Please explain that approach, & why you think it’s been so effective for you guys.
K.W.: Yeah, I don’t know really… We just kinda saddle’d our ponys & rode. Never been much of a plan except to make folks have a good time. These days it’s tough all around & we just a bunch of guys tryin’ to give a reason to dance & smile. Hell…who needs money! I drink cheap beer anyway…
BN: Right on bro… Last question… What’s your one & only favorite song? By whom…?
K.W.: “Every Time I Roll the Dice”… Delbert McClinton. Song just makes my ‘get up & go’ get to ‘gettin” … you know…
BN: Great song! Good interview man, thanks.
K.W.: You too man…
The mood was tense as we plodded through traffic into Fort Worth on our way to play The Ridglea Theatre’s 2nd ‘New Band’ night. Would we be on the main stage or the ‘upstairs lounge’ stage? How many people would show up simply for us? For all the bands? And who? For that matter, who were the other bands? What kind of music would THEY play? These many questions rattled around in our heads. Not doubts. Questions.
The first of four bands to play that night was El Show. I didn’t get a chance to speak to these cats because we played 2nd, rite after them. They were tight & efficient without losing there groove-ability. Sort of 311 on zanax with a little Sublime in there somewhere. A good, head bobbing, mellow mix. They seemed to have a good crowd too.
Next of course was…us. The WoodGrain. It was our first show ever in Fort Worth, and certainly our first show in such a large and popular music venue. We WERE on the main stage by the way. Our rather sizeable devoted following was just perfectly early. THANKS SO MUCH ALL OF YOU!!!! And . . .we The WoodGrain were right on time. As I stated earlier, we had many questions, and…if there were ANY doubts…we killed’em…dead. It was a perfect showcase of what one WoodGrain fan would later call a “precise slacked’ness” reminiscent of The Rolling Stones. A huge yet warranted compliment. The same fan also threw us a huge and unwarranted after party with frozen pizzas and beer. Ah the rock & roll life….
We were called back for a four song encore during which we layed to waste some of our better cover material with a brash nod toward virsatility.
The only other band I can comment on was Neptune Local. They will be jammin’ on the same bill with us again on the main stage at The Ridglea Sat. Aug. 15th. With regard to their sound…? I’d say soft metal meets hard reggea, but… with SOUL. They will get you movin’ and feelin good.
