Interview by Meghan Killimade
That’s right! Good to hear from you again. Yeah that duo didn’t work out unfortunately, but it paved the way for what we’re doin now so no regrets. My Druthers was forged from those ashes, and we’re more of a collective now - It’s myself and any combination of like one to five other dudes…keeps it fluid and fresh I really dig it. Plus I’ve known all these guys forever and love each & every one of ‘em: Dan Spurr: banjo, vocals; Logan: guitar, vocals; John Grimaldi: guitar, vocals; Jeff Butler: fiddle, mandolin; Charlie McShane: vocals, maybe bouzouki someday.
For folks that may not be familiar, talk about the kind of music you are creating and how you got started in this type of genre!
We’re old punk rockers singing sea shanties and playing rebel songs. I’ve always been into punk & protest music, but fell head first into sea shanties, labor songs, & maritime music when I moved to this area in ’08. Fell hard too…I was coming off bout 15 years of playing in punk bands down south and wanted to strip everything down and take it back to the roots. I blew most of my paychecks on sea shanty & rebel folk records and for a few years went to any and every sea shanty performance I could find within a hundred miles. Weren’t as many back then. They were great, but to be honest with all the records & performances I never really found exactly what I was looking for.
All of these folks sang too pretty and without any real grit, except for maybe Marc Bernier (he’s one of my favorites, we first sang together back in 2010). I wanted to hear the songs as I imagined they would have sounded aboard tall ships during the age of sail. Those guys were working class vagabonds, fishermen, heavy drinkers, whore mongers, and bar fighters. They were missing teeth, smelled like shit, and were constantly covered in blood & guts. They were punks! At least in my mind they were. A lot of the groups I was hearing back in ’08-’12 sang like they were in church. So that’s what I wanted to bring to the genre…some grit, some energy, some balls.
You recently released a new album ‘Coming Up 3’s’ which was tracked and produced by Pete Steinkopf of The Bouncing Souls – first of all, how awesome and congrats! How did that all come about and talk about the songs and recording experience!
Yeah how bout that!?!? Thank you! I still can’t believe it really happened…so surreal. Most of us Druthers were listening to Bouncing Souls records and going to their shows back in the damn 90’s. Hell, Logan has the lyrics of a 'Souls song spiraling up his entire right arm. The studio session came about with the help of our friend Mike Rivkees (singer for The Rumjacks & Mickey Rickshaw). He had recorded with Pete, believed in what we were doing, and thought Pete would dig it too. Guess he did!
The whole experience was just beyond anything we could have imagined. Pete was the coolest, humblest, most amazing person. And he really had a vision for the record that I didn’t anticipate. Other than in my basement on GarageBand I’d never tried to record folk music, let alone a capella tunes…none of us had, except for Dan with The Can Kickers…so we really had no idea where to begin. Pete was the one who suggested we try to make it sound as much as possible like we were aboard a tall ship, singing these songs together as a crew, which is exactly how we started this group so that sounded good to us. Also had to find the right room for claps, the right stairs for stomps. It was so much fun. Actually the stomping location had to be changed cuz Pete was legitimately concerned we might bust through the floorboards (it was a super-old house). It’s crazy though he really wanted to capture the live vibe so a bunch of these songs were laid down in one take, sung as a crew in a room and we couldn’t really go back and edit. We just rolled with it and made sure there was always plenty of beers on hand. Love how she turned out.
Is it true – you’re pressing the new album to vinyl? What’s the scoop? Where can folks pick up a copy?
We did! Funny I should be answering this question today, the vinyl copies actually arrived at my house a few hours ago, no lie. We’re gonna do some sort of online store I guess at some point, maybe through Bandcamp. I dunno, I suck at all this internet shit and I hate it but I’m trying to get better, more tolerant of technology. In the meantime we’ll definitely be bringing copies of the vinyl to all our shows! And let me take this opportunity to say that she is already up & streaming on all platforms. Never been able to say that before, kinda fun.
Is there any statement or feeling you’re trying to get across to listeners with the new album?
Not really. Just keep singing, keep fighting. Lean into your art, find your escape. Do the thing that keeps you sane. We’re all overwhelmed right now and everything sucks, so go to shows, raise your voice and raise your glass. Music is therapy man, so is community. Look back to the things you used to love doing and do that shit again, it’s still awesome.
You just got back from touring UK & France (welcome back!) – how was the response and do you have any favorite shows or fun stories or experiences to share?
Oh man it was all just incredible. Such a breath of fresh air anytime one is fortunate enough to get the hell out of America for a bit, get your head screwed on right. Folks in other countries are still kind to each other, they still appreciate the arts, they still value going to shows, respecting one another, meeting new people, and having a good time. Making friends in foreign countries has long been one of my favorite things about being alive, this tour was no exception. And they really seemed to love what we were doing musically, so that felt wonderful. Folks were so supportive and enthusiastic.
My favorite memory was on the last night of the Festival du Chant de Marin in Brittany, France. We had gotten to be buds with Silver Darlings, the Jack Tars, and the London Sea Shanty Collective over the course of the weekend and we all shared the same stage that night. It was wonderful, few hundred folks underneath a big-ass tent, but that wasn’t even the best part. The magic happened between midnight when they kicked us out, and like 5 in the morning. Members from the 4 groups got together on the deck out front and started singing, sharing songs, dancing, laughing, wrestling, and just loving every moment. Then at about 2am we ran out of beer so we were about to call it, but someone (I won’t say who) broke into some damn place and came out with not one but two gigantic boxes of wine. We sang the sun up that night, I’ll never forget it.
You have a slew of shows coming up in September and October – including a big show coming up in New London on Saturday September 6 called ‘Songs Of The Sea’ which coincides with the CT Maritime Heritage Festival – tell us all about it and who’s on the bill with you?
Hell yeah! Super stoked for that. We’re gonna be playing music in New London every day that weekend: Sea Shanty Night at the Oasis on 9/5, Songs of the Sea at Parade Plaza on 9/6, and as part of the Maritime Heritage Festival at the Customs House Pier on 9/7. Songs of the Sea on Sat, Sept 6 is the Real McCoy though. Those bands and individuals are so legit…some of the best around. We get to share a stage in our hometown with some of our closest friends, favorite singers, and biggest heroes. We can’t wait! The Johnson Girls, Forebitter, Craig Edwards, Geoff Kaufman, Sharks Come Cruisin, Marc Bernier, Bards of Gungywamp.
You’re also headed back on tour to Florida and Louisiana this fall! Tell us more about that and also what other shows you’ve got coming up where folks can catch you locally?
You are very well informed! Yes in fact we are. I grew up in Florida and played in a few punk bands with one of my oldest and dearest friends, John Grimaldi. He’s a Druther brother now and we’ve had a lot of fun going back to our old stomping grounds in the Southeast and kickin folks in the teeth with our new digs. After the SE tour we Northern Druthers have a lot of shows on tap for the fall with the record coming out, (see below under 'Catch The Show'!)
What are some of bands/musicians (local or otherwise) that you’ve been digging lately that you think folks should check out?
Oh man great question. Locally: A Former Friend, Cvmrats, None of us Saints, The Alehounds, Piss Poor, Thirst Trap, Sonorous Rising. Not locally: Codefendants, The Dreadnoughts, The Jack Tars, Panic Shack, Susquehana Shantymen, Violent Way, The Rumjacks
We know you’ve got a lot coming up in the next few months– what’s the future hold for My Druthers? More touring? Goals?
Ah who the fuck knows. Gonna keep playing until my body gives out, I realize that now. Ain’t tryna live a life without playing music, I tried that already and it sucked. I do hope to keep touring, that’s probably my favorite part of being in a band, but it definitely gets harder as you get older. We all have jobs, families, and real-life responsibilities. It can be difficult to juggle. Honestly though I am hoping to establish something sustainable that spans the years and a few continents whether I/we are super active or not, and live in the US or not. To have something we can always go back to, that will be there when we need it is the goal I guess. Doesn’t have to be one particular type of music either, totally cool with me if it evolves.
Great to hear from you again Meghan, we really love and appreciate all you do for the New London community with Wailing City – good on ya and thanks for caring!
FOLLOW
CATCH THE SHOW
Fri Sept 5: New London CT, @ Oasis - Sea Shanty Night! w/ Lynz Morahn 9pm
Sat Sept 6: New London CT, @ Parade Plaza - Songs of the Sea 1-7pm
Sun Sept 7: New London CT, @ Custom House Pier - Maritime Heritage Fest 11am
Wed Sept 24: New Haven CT, @ Cafe Nine - Sea Shanty/Record Release night! w/ A Drop of the Pure
Sat Sept 27: Portsmouth NH, @ Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival
Sun Sept 28: Portsmouth NH, @ Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival
Fri Oct 3: Niantic CT, @ Niantic Public House & Brewery
Sat Oct 4: New London CT, @ 33 - Record Release w/ A Former Friend & Cvmrats
Sat Oct 11: Wallingford CT, @ Cherry St - Record Release w/ Lenny Lashley & Jesse Ahern
Fri Oct 17: Stonington CT, @ Saltwater Farm Vineyards
Sun Oct 19: Long Island, NYC, @ Long Island Irish Festival
Fri Oct 24: New Bedford MA, @ Pour Farm Tavern w/ the Pourmen
Wed Oct 29: Mystic CT, @ the Dive - Sea Shanty Night!
Sat Nov 1: Providence RI, @ Punk Rock Marketplace w/ Lenny Lashley & Sharks Come Cruisin
Wed Dec 3: New Haven CT, @ Cafe Nine - Sea Shanty Night! w/ the Dreadnoughts
Sat Dec 6: New London CT, @ Oasis - Sea Shanty Night!
LISTEN