The Weber Brothers
Baddest Band in the Land CD Release and Tour
Baddest Band in the Land CD Release and Tour
New CD Baddest Band in the Land Set for National Release Mid-October
To many, The Weber Brothers are the baddest band in the land. To many more their story sits like an ancient volume in an old bookstore, dust covered, tucked away behind hundreds of newer, shinier books. Untouched. Waiting to be discovered.
Call it bearing the torch passed to them from numerous rock icons with whom they've shared the stage - Ronnie Hawkins, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Johnnie Johnson, Kris Kristofferson, and more. Call it tenacity, passion, desire, need. The Weber Brothers aren't in this for fame, for money, to be 'cool', to belong to a clique, to party. They're in this for one reason - to be the best.
Their new recording, Baddest Band in the Land is as matter-of-fact as its title. Recorded in two days, live off the floor. 13 songs presenting an unexampled fusion of straight rock, pop, country, rhythm and blues, and the rockabilly style learned under Hawkins’ wing. Ryan's beastly vocals and distinctive upright bass style along with Sam's ship-steering guitar are staples of a unique, highly arranged sound. But the defining characteristic of the album is not in its individual elements, but the evident cohesion of a band firing on all cylinders. With longtime members Emmet VanEtten (drums), Shai Peer (keyboards) and multi-instrumentalist Tim Bracken, they create a tight, unified sound, the product of years of shared experience and work. It's the sound of a band, not just five musicians playing at the same time.
The two brothers from Baltimore, MD, Ryan and Sam Weber, were hell-bent on achieving rock n' roll greatness. Their teenage years were spent playing in dives underage before getting up for school the next day and later a pilgrimage to the home of their hero, Ronnie Hawkins, leaving behind all they knew for the chance to learn from a master and further rising through the ranks of one of the most storied bands in rock music, thus becoming part of its very history. A lifetime of slugging it out in the proverbial pit that is the music business.
Call it bearing the torch passed to them from numerous rock icons with whom they've shared the stage - Ronnie Hawkins, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Johnnie Johnson, Kris Kristofferson, and more. Call it tenacity, passion, desire, need. The Weber Brothers aren't in this for fame, for money, to be 'cool', to belong to a clique, to party. They're in this for one reason - to be the best.
Their new recording, Baddest Band in the Land is as matter-of-fact as its title. Recorded in two days, live off the floor. 13 songs presenting an unexampled fusion of straight rock, pop, country, rhythm and blues, and the rockabilly style learned under Hawkins’ wing. Ryan's beastly vocals and distinctive upright bass style along with Sam's ship-steering guitar are staples of a unique, highly arranged sound. But the defining characteristic of the album is not in its individual elements, but the evident cohesion of a band firing on all cylinders. With longtime members Emmet VanEtten (drums), Shai Peer (keyboards) and multi-instrumentalist Tim Bracken, they create a tight, unified sound, the product of years of shared experience and work. It's the sound of a band, not just five musicians playing at the same time.
"I've worked in the music business for over 50 years. It's what I do and it's what I know. The first time I heard The Weber Brothers I could tell they were above average in musical ability. They were exceptionally good. Right away I wanted to help them out. I let them stay with me free for a while, do some work around the farm, play some music and they eventually joined my band The Hawks.
Their talent was pretty obvious, but the thing that got me excited was their work ethic. I told them to practice and play, and that's what they did. Whatever they're playing, they've got this need to play it absolutely right, to be authentic. They're just getting better and better and better. It's tough doing what they do. That's what I did. It means you want it.
People always ask me about those early days with The Band. I guess I could tell you lots of stories and try to tell you how great it was, but like they say, you had to be there. The only way to really understand what it's like when a band does all that hard work and really becomes a band, is to be there when it happens. Well babies, it's happening right now with The Weber Brothers. You want to catch them now and see it happen for yourself. Then you won't have to ask me what those early days with The Weber Brothers were like."
-Ronnie Hawkins
Tour Dates:
ON
Oct 25- Phunkin Gruuve, Lloydminster Dec 1-The Elmdale Tavern, Ottawa ON
Dec 2-Sticky Fingers, Barrie
