Darvel Music Festival

Wednesday 3 October 2007
Doors 7.30pm Tickets £10

The Earl Brothers, a 4-piece, all-original string band from Northern California, stands at the cutting-edge of a movement which is so new; it has yet to be definitively named. Whether one chooses to describe them as "Honky-Tonk Bluegrass", "Hillbilly Gothic", or "Neo-Traditional", there is one thing on which everyone seems to agree. There is something about this band’s "less is more" approach to songwriting, singing, and musicianship that makes you stop whatever you're doing and take notice.

The Earl Brothers stand at the cutting-edge of a movement so new, it has yet to be definitively named.

Those who recall the goose-bump effect of the high-lonesome sound of Bill Monroe or the otherworldly harmonies of the Stanley Brothers will get close.

Unlike many others, though, they are blazing their own trail and extending the genre.

The four-piece is the hottest bluegrass property in America right now, with roots music show presenters going radio ga-ga over their music.

When he first encountered the band, Berkeley, California radio DJ Ray Edlund told his audience: "They've got the sound, the drive, the feeling we've been missing out here all these years!"

Reviews tend to be over-the-top and excited. The latest said: "The only thing to say about traditional bluegrass at its best is.... THE EARL BROTHERS".

Alex Leach whose radio show out of Knoxville, Tennessee, has a huge audience, told listeners: "They have captured in my opinion, the best sound bluegrass can offer. As soon as we started playing their music, they went straight to Number 1 on our play list."

Some have wrestled with different ways to describe the full impact of the band's appeal, one suggesting it was The Blue Sky Boys meet Hank Williams

It has been said that if Dylan played bluegrass this is how it would be. Others say they have given Bluegrass a "John Lee Hooker edge".

With the release of the album, 'Troubles To Blame', Robert Earl Davis (banjo), John McKelvy (guitar), Larry Hughes (mandolin) and Josh Sidman (bass), have shown this is no flash in the pan thing they’ve got going.

When they hit the stage, something mysterious happens that takes your breath away.

This is the band's first ever visit to the UK. Here, radio names such as Bob Harris, Andy Kershaw, Iain Anderson, Brian Burnett and Archie Fisher have all been spreading the news.

Find out more at

www.earlbrothers.com

www.myspace.com/earlbrothers



Bobby Earl Davis of The Earl Brothers, who are playing Darvel on Wednesday, October 3 - on the same bill as The Willy Clay Band from Sweden and fellow Americans, The Hunger Mountain Boys - gave answers to these ten questions from the Festival's PR man, Mike Ritchie.


Q: This is your first visit to Scotland - what are you most looking forward to?

A: Yes, it is and playing our original, Earl Brothers music for a new audience will be a great pleasure.

Q: Any reason why you've not made it here before now?

A: We've never been asked to come over till now. Loudon Temple (Brookfield-Knights) did a great job of putting this tour together and we couldn't have done it with out him.

Q: Darvel is a small festival: what attracted you to appearing here and do you play smaller community events in the States, too?

A: We play club gigs and big festivals and our motto is "make a good offer, we'll make the trip." We've never heard of many of the places that we'll be playing.

Q: What's the biggest event or venue you've played in the States?

A: Without a doubt the Winnipeg Folk Festival is the biggest event so far - 45,000-plus people were there.

Q: What have you been told to expect from audiences in Scotland?

A: Nothing at all so we're ready for some pleasant surprises.

Q: For those gig goers who might not be too familiar with your music how would you describe it - and what sort of live show can we expect?

A: One thing you can expect is the music will sound very much like the recordings, our CDs. When we record we do not use any overdubs or over tracking. We record the songs just like we play on stage, gathered around some microphones. In a live performance we all play around one microphone.

Q: On the same theme, you've cited The Stanley Brothers and The Ramones as influences - anyone else?

A: At this point we don't listen to a lot of music for inspiration, we just write as much as we can and let the music evolve. Having too many influences can get in the way of creative thinking.

As for the Stanley Brothers or the Ramones. Well, I'm from Virginia, the Stanleys are, too. I guess we naturally have the mountain sound - and as far as the Ramones are concerned, I think it's because we write all of our music and it's sort of simple with a big fat "wall of sound" approach. In fact, Tommy Ramone is now playing mandolin in his own "ole time" band. He was here in SF playing a gig not to long ago. We were going to do a double bill, but we had to go out of town on tour.

Q: Your music has "balls," according to reviewers, and there have been comparisons with John Le Hooker, Dylan and John Fogerty - do you see your music that way, too?

A: Most of us are from the South. I'm from Richmond, Virginiaand the style of music that The Earl Brothers play, I think, is very much rooted in the traditional mountain music that comes from that part of the country. It's not influenced by the "Nashville Bluegrass" sound, or even Billy Monroe. If anything, we probably have a sound that is more reminiscent of the "bar room honky-tonk" type of bluegrass done by Red Allen, Frank Wakefield and others that came out of Western Virginia or Ohio. In many ways, I really think we hold a real affinity to "blues musicians" sort of a "Hillbilly Blues," if you will.

Q: There has been a widespread positive reaction to your CD releases and live performances. What do you think is the band's main appeal?

A: I think that many people are ready for musical change and at no other time can I ever remember when this kind of music appealed to so many people from such a broad spectrum of musical experiences. I think the most important thing that the Earl Brothers sound has to offer is that it is an original sound that still pays homage to its past but offers something new and honest to the ole mix.

Q: Do you know much about the music scene in the UK or Scotland - any bands or artistes you like particularly?

A: No I can really say that I do. I hope to meet some then I can answer that question...

Q: Finally, a daft question (or maybe you've thought all of them are daft, hope not): malt or blended whisky - what's your pleasure?

A: Well, we've been sampling lots of "Moon shine" down in the south this year and it's gotten down to a fine art. I'll be looking forward to seeing what you have to offer.