šØ On the road with Mountain Grass Unit
Heyo heyoooo! What is up, Smokestack gang? Promontory Paul at the wheel for this edition. We are back this fine Monday morning after taking last week's Memorial Day off (feels like a distant memory...).
We're sorry for making you all wait ā we heard "Monday off" and took the whole-ass week...
But we promise you: we got the goods this morning!
We're coming in with a š„ hot š„ new launch here on Smokestack: a new recurring segment we're calling...
š "BANDS IN VANS, CROSSING LANDS" š
It's easier to understand than it is to pronounce: we chat with a touring band we dig (ideally while they're on the road), and we get a little slice of life to give a look inside the van (if we dare...). It's not glamorous, but these are the road dawgs getting their music to the people: racking up miles in questionable vehicles, hauling heavy gear, slingin' heady merch, and pickin' the finest of tunes. If you're looking for hard-hitting journalism, this won't be it. But we're thinking it'll be a good time.
For our inaugural Bands in Vans Crossing Lands, we caught up with the boys of the Mountain Grass Unit ā recent grads, road warriors, underrated actors, and long-time friends of the Zine. Three of this four-piece band graduated college this month, and they're wasting no time. These fellas are about to plunge head-first into the full-time grind with a continent-crossing tour that will carry them right though to October.
The tour started in earnest this past Friday 5/30 at Terminal West in Atlanta, but we chatted with the dudes last weekend as they were heading home for a short window of downtime following their stand at DelFest in Maryland. The to-do list is vast, but the guys are locked in and high-energy.
We caught 'em for some š Van Talk š right after a bathroom break, somewhere in Virginia...
Train Songz: Alright fellas, let's start with the easy stuff ā who's in the van? Let's do a quick roll call...
Sam Wilson: Sam Wilson.
Luke Black: Luke Black, present.
Josiah Nelson: Josiah Nelson.
Drury Anderson: Drury Anderson.
Cameron Reichert: Cameron Reichert.
Reggie Dornbeck: Reggie Dornbeck.
Luke Black: Yeah, two Padawans here ā Reggie is our tour manager, and Cameron is our new front of house.
Unknown: Captain Montana himself!
TS: The herd is growing. Did you need up upgrade the van to fit more bodies, or is this the same rig?
SW: Oh yeah baby, The Meat Locker is still rolling, but maybe under a new name. We're calling her "White Chocolate" nowadays.
TS: I like it ā it's provocative. Sounds like vibes are high, who is on aux? Who's got music duty at this moment in time?
LB: We kind of just pass around the aux to let whoever try to get some different music going, and on long days we get real delirious with it. Josiah puts on the deepest-cut fiddle tunes imaginable.
DA: Professor Nelson, a bottomless pit of Western Swing.
JN: You've gotta have the textbook knowledge sometimes. I was just showing off some of my old recordings to Cam (captive audience), but before that we had a Jerry Reed CD going.
TS: Hell yeah ā like actual, physical CDs?
SW: Yeah my uncle made half the CDs in here ā they're like a bunch of dead shows and random, cool compilation things.
TS: Those will be some well-worn discs once all is said and done with this summer tour. You guys ready to go?
LB: Honestly we're going into the summer a little bit behind... we got like 4 days to get our new IEMs [in-ear monitors] and practice our tunes and get stuff ready before we actually take off for, what? Like, three months?
SW: We gotta get the trailer fixed too ā the lights on the trailer went out, so we've been cruising kinda illegally? And our rear A/C only works on low and high, but I think we're just gonna run with that one.
DA: We're also selling both of our mixers so we gotta ship those out, we gotta practice our material, film some classified videos... These guys [Cameron and Reggie] will be working as well, booking hotels and all that.
SW: Put some air in the tires...
LB: A lot of rehearsing and coming up with new jam sections, ways to get in and out of songs, maybe some new material in there as well. But we'll beefing up some originals, maybe even doing some new originals on the road, working on our harmonies now that we have some 4-part stuff.
TS: That's awesome ā so cool that this new phase of the group evolution is coming through in the music. How has the new original material evolving?
JN: The last writing session we did together was probably Thanksgiving and it was really good. I think we have all also been working on some new stuff separately ā hopefully we will have a chance to arrange some of it and bring it forward.
LB: We're not totally sure we're going to be playing new originals that aren't on the EP, but it's fun to test the waters.
TS: Speaking of the recent tunes, the Runnin' From Trouble LP vinyl that just came out is pretty sweet ā love the live cuts on the B-side. Tell us about that, and what we can expect in the jams this time around.
Runnin' From Trouble LP
TRACKLIST
Side A
1. Lonesome Dove
2. Smugglin'
3. Cicada Song
4. Boxcar
5. Hey Mama
SIDE B
6. One Way Track (Live)
7. Train On The Island (Live)
8. Interstate Love Song (Live)
9. Jericho (Live)
10. Where I Land (Live)
SW: Yeah all of our shows are recorded on multi-track, so for the B-side we went back to last summer's tour and picked a couple of our favorite live covers. This time around we're trying to switch up some of the jams on existing songs like Jericho, and the Either End jam... we're just gonna keep messing around with 'em and see where it goes.
TS: Lots of fun. It's so early, and it'll be cool to see how it all evolves over this crazy journey you're about to go on. It's a big question, but how does it feel? Being at the precipice of a great adventure like this, looking over the edge?
DA: It's gonna be a different type of pacing.
LB: In my perspective, its almost like I'm living so much more in the moment instead of preparing. Everything is coming so fast ā we just need to live in the moment, get it done, and figure out tomorrow when it comes. It's so go, go, go.
JW: Like yesterday ā me and Luke sat in with Clay Street Unit, so that took up some time right as we got to the festival, then we did this pop-up set, and it just piles up like one thing after another. So you just have to anticipate it and be prepared.
[BIG BUMP IN THE ROAD]
SW: Easy there, White Chocolate!
DA: So yeah ā preparation is just the key to being comfortable, and with these guys [Cameron and Reggie] helping out and giving us a chance to chill out and catch our breath backstage, its already way more comfortable than it's ever been.
TS: Many hands make light work. Now that you're full time, have some support and momentum, do you think it's going to show up in the music?
DA: Definitely on that front. Any time we get on a run and the more we play in a performance setting, the better we get. Usually we come off the road and we're feeling good, but then we have to split up for school. I think we're only going to see an upward trend from here.
LB: It's interesting being on the road and playing these songs. You get so good that it's almost like muscle memory. Its like The Beatles during those club days, they were just gunning those songs over and over again. So while you're getting tight with the band and improvising every solo you take, sometimes the fresh flow of ideas can be tricky.
TS: Well you guys are on the steep part of the curve for sure ā I'm sure it's exciting for you, but it's definitely exciting for us. I cant wait to hear the recordings and see the evolution.
JW: We'll be on Nugs! Look out for the Atlanta show, Friday May 30th.
LB: And someone started a MGU archive, where they're posting all of our set lists. Other than that come see us on the road, baby!
TS: Well fellas, it's always a pleasure. Safe travels, work some fruits and vegetables in the mix now and then, and we'll see you real soon.
You heard the man!! Good chance that this van carrying these very dudes will be careening through your neck of the woods this summer, so get out there give 'em a listen. Its always a fun show, with a little bit of something for everyone.
See the tour schedule here, get you some tickets, and report back! Tell 'em Train Songz sent ya...
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