It really just worked out that way, but it wasn’t intentional.
The trouble started a few years ago when Fili’s crop duster ran out of fuel. He was broke and busking at a truck stop in Arizona. Curt was passing through on a flatbed haul to Mississippi, but had a cocktail drum kit in his big rig. The road-worn pair made a musical connection immediately, and Fili ended up riding all the way to Mississippi in Curt’s truck. Normally, this route is a straight shot right across the widest part of Texas, but with an urgent phone call, a detour north was required to pick up some machinery in Colorado. It so happens that the foreman at the pickup site was Rick, and after the equipment was secured on the truck, the three had an epic jam. They agreed to reconvene in Colorado, but the way it happened wasn’t at all the plan. Long story short, there were permitting issues and “unintended cargo” problems (don’t ask) at the state border, and Curt and Fili found themselves in a detention facility near Limon. Rick drove out to see if he could diffuse the situation, but the whole thing escalated out of control. Well, let’s just say they had lots of time to develop the band’s sound. It caught the ear of Chris, who was the night janitor with a giant ring of keys and a keyboard. For reasons unknown, the facility didn’t get cleaned that night, and the four have been at large ever since, making music and pulling odd jobs under aliases.
Even though these guys never made it through Texas, you can hear the southern influence in their music: a dusty blues injected with a taste of jazz, zydeco, country, hard rock, rattlesnake venom and whiskey. You can almost hear the road in the songs, and you’ll gather very quickly how music got them out of more than a few tight spots.
The players (left to right) moments before making their getaway:
Chris: Vocals, keyboards, custodial arts
Fili: Guitars, vocals, agricultural aviation
Rick: Bass, vocals, construction
Curt: Drums, freight transport
And no, these aren’t their real names. Don’t ask too many questions and everything will be fine.