The Vegabonds sat down with Atwood Journal at Hangout Competition to inform us about how they’ve expanded their music over time whereas preserving their roots in southern rock. We speak about Tom Petty, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the rock n’ roll life, and look again on the band’s beginnings.

‘Tom Petty and The Braves’ – The Vegabonds

We’ve been a rock band, one other day we’re an indie band. We jam lots. We’ve had a number of sides.

Playing of their dwelling state of Alabama, the power surrounding the early morning set was palpable. The climate was excellent, the group was forming, and The Vegabonds have been very excited.

They bring about a bona fide nation aptitude to traditional rock, and it was precisely the wakeup name that all of us desperately wanted within the morning. The power was excessive, and the tunes have been blaring.

After their set, Atwood Journal had the chance to sit down down with the band to speak. The Vegabonds consists of Daniel Allen (lead vocals, songwriter), Richard Forehand (lead guitar, vocals), Paul Bruens (bass), Beau Cooper (songwriter, keyboard, vocals), and Bryan Harris (drums).

The primary query I requested them (and each artist, normally) is what sort of music they take heed to exterior of their very own, and who will get to aux when on the highway?

“We take heed to a number of Tom Petty, that’s most likely the default. Numerous sports activities speak radio too. ESPN Radio is at all times on additionally.”

“Yeah, just about Tom Petty and ESPN. At any time when Richard drives it’s going to be Grateful Lifeless Radio too, additionally some podcasts for certain.”

The fellows clearly take some classes from the Grateful Lifeless, with on stage jam periods throughout their performances.

I needed to take the fellows again in time, to their school days. We chatted a bit concerning the hustle and dedication it takes to dive head-first into music, as a substitute of a safer paycheck. The fellows instructed me about these pivotal first days as musicians.

“Once I graduated it was in the midst of 2008, proper throughout the recession, so I’m considering like I can generate income taking part in music, and I can’t discover a job, so it appears like I’m doing music for some time. Yeah, 2009 is once we began, and I used to be going via my senior yr, all my hardest lessons. We began to tour halfway via all that. On my commencement night time, we performed our first present in Birmingham. I bought within the automotive and drove actually straight after graduating. We began touring a lot, I by no means regarded again.”

I adopted up by asking how life on the highway has modified since then, and particularly in the event that they miss the straightforward days of sleeping within the tour van.

“Yeah, we will keep in nicer resort rooms now, and never one resort room for six folks,” chuckled Richard. “Now everybody has their very own room, everybody has their very own mattress. It’s simply much more snug, particularly since we journey lots at night time. I bought my fill of dwelling within the van life; I don’t want anymore. I snore actually dangerous, so I do know these guys are glad to be finished with the van life too.”

The fellows have been bursting out in laughter, as they reminisced on these early days.

“We actually need to thank our followers who come to our reveals, so now we will afford to get a number of resort rooms. We truly sleep now.  The primary time we bought three rooms, I used to be like, ‘We made it! That is it!’”

The band has been on the highway a very long time, opening for legendary artists, and taking part in for enormous competition crowds. I needed to know what it was like opening for 2 particular legends, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Greg Allman.

“Oh yeah, that was superior. Greg Allman is actually cool. I believe Starling Daniels was the good, although.”

“I don’t know, Skynyrd was cool as a result of, I believe it was Gary Rossington, and on the time he regarded over, and we have been taking part in on stage, it was me and a few us, and he goes ‘you guys are good’ after which goes again to taking part in his guitar. That was so sick. And also you’re like considering, ‘it is a legendary second’. That was so cool, and it’s implausible to have the ability to play with legends you grew up with. These are just like the rock legends to us; it actually doesn’t get larger. That’s why it was so cool to us.”

The Vegabonds are a southern rock band, via and thru. However they aren’t afraid to step out of comfortability and play with some new genres. They lined the hit tune, “Youngsters” by MGMT in a cool genre-blend. In addition they have experimented as a jam band, with their EP, Jam in The Van – The Vegabonds.

I requested them if they’ve any curiosity in experimenting with extra new genres. The fellows have been chuckling lots as they thought again about all of the instructions they’ve tried up to now.

“Actually, we’ve been a rock band, one other day we’re an indie band. We jam lots. We’ve had a number of sides of us. We’re a brand new south rock band, like modern-day rock. Southern Rock is the entire base, and it could go anyplace from there. We play what we expect sounds good, we’re not likely attempting to cater to a style, essentially. I imply, we’re all southern dudes, we sound southern, however our band listens to most likely each style. I used to be entrance row at a Backstreet Boys live performance like two months in the past, and it was implausible.”

“That tells you all the things you have to know. I began in highschool taking part in in pop punk bands, hardcore bands, after which I additionally performed blues music. It’s the place all of it comes from.”

We completed up by chatting about who they have been excited to see reside at Hangout Competition after their set.

“Chili Peppers for certain. I’ve by no means seen them reside, so I positively need to see that. Paramore too, positively. I’m additionally excited for Extremely Suspect! Thundercat is as we speak too, proper? Yeah, them too. I imply, when Chili Peppers play “Scar Tissue” tonight, I’m going to be screaming for certain!

The Vegabonds are actually preserving southern rock and roll alive, however they’re not afraid to step exterior of the established and partake within the experiential.

They’re cool guys, and so they rock exhausting. Take a look at their new single, “Interstate Cowboy,” and catch them on tour all summer time lengthy.

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