The Waco Brothers are an American alternative country, or country-punk rock, band based in

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, United States.

History

The Waco Brothers was formed by

Jon Langford Jonathan Denis Langford (born 11 October 1957) is a Welsh musician and artist based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Langford is a founder member of the punk band The Mekons, the post-punk group The Three Johns, and the alternative count ...

of the

Mekons The Mekons are a British band formed in the late 1970s as an art collective. They are one of the longest-running and most prolific of the first-wave British punk rock bands. The band's style has evolved over time to incorporate aspects of ...

. The group grew out of Langford's wish to play more country-influenced music as the Mekons concentrated more on a

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

sound. They were originally put together simply for local Chicago shows, but the success of their

Bloodshot Records Bloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, which specializes in alternative country. History Bloodshot Records was founded in 1994 by Nan Warshaw, Rob Miller, and Eric Babcock, who knew each other from jobs i ...

albums allowed them to tour the US occasionally. Some of the members also participated in Langford's

Pine Valley Cosmonauts Pine Valley Cosmonauts (PVC) are a musical ensemble from Chicago, Illinois. History The group was initiated by Jon Langford (also of the Waco Brothers and The Mekons) as a covers group, with both repertory and cast of backing members constantly ...

project. The band recorded the first of its studio albums in 1995. Their album, ''Waco Express: Live & Kickin' at Schuba's Tavern'' is a concert recording which Ken Tucker, the pop music critic for

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

's ''

Fresh Air ''Fresh Air'' is an American radio talk show broadcast on National Public Radio stations across the United States since 1985. It is produced by WHYY-FM in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The show's host is Terry Gross. , the show was syndicated to ...

'' and editor-at-large at ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...

'', described as "country as it should be written and played, with a long memory for roadhouse honky-tonks rather than TV-ready music videos." Author and music critic

Sarah Vowell Sarah Jane Vowell (born December 27, 1969) is an American author, journalist, essayist, social commentator and voice actress. She has written seven nonfiction books on American history and culture. She was a contributing editor for the radio pro ...

told the '' Chicagoist'', "I’ve never been able to find a live band in New York as consistently thrilling and funny and fun as the Waco Brothers." Until the COVID-19 epidemic, the Waco Brothers made a point of performing every year in

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

, during the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival. In 2020, their annual December performance at Schubas Tavern in Chicago had to be livestreamed without the usual live audience. In 2012, the Waco Brothers collaborated with Nashville mainstay

Paul Burch Paul Burch is an American musician, composer, and record producer based near the Natchez Trace. Discography *''Pan-American Flash'' (1996) *''Wire to Wire'' (1998) *''Blue Notes'' (2000) *''Last of my Kind'' (2001) *''Fool for Love'' (2003) *''Ea ...

to produce ''Great Chicago Fire''. The ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...

'' said of the album, "If the Rolling Stones were still making great records, this would be it."

Members

For their first albums, the Waco Brothers included Dean Schlabowske (guitar/vocal), Tracey Dear (mandolin/vocal), Alan Doughty (bass/vocal),

Mark Durante Mark Durante is an American musician and songwriter who is based in Chicago. Career Durante began playing guitar in 1966 after being inspired by the fretwork of Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa and Merle Travis. Ten years later, Durante founded a rock ...

(pedal steel guitar), and Mekons drummer

Steve Goulding Steve Goulding (born 1954) is an English drummer, who has played as a member of Graham Parker and The Rumour, The Associates, Poi Dog Pondering, The Waco Brothers, Sally Timms and the Drifting Cowgirls and The Mekons. He also played the drums ...

). Joe Camarillo (drums) often filled in for Goulding, who had moved to New York City. By 2015, Camarillo had fully replaced Goulding, and Durante had left. Camarillo died of complications of congenital cardiac disease in January, 2021, after surviving

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...

. Dan Massey, who had previously substituted on drums whenever Camarillo had been unavailable, became the Waco Brothers permanent new drummer, starting with the band's 2021 concerts. Jean Cook, who has played violin with the band for years, officially joined the band in 2020.

Current members

*Tracey Dear (The Peterbilts, Dear Productions) – vocals, mandolin (1993?-present) * Alan Doughty (

Jesus Jones Jesus Jones are a British alternative rock band from Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, formed in late 1988, who continue to record and perform, as of 2021. Their track " Right Here, Right Now" was an international hit, and was subsequently global ...

, Skull Orchard, Bad Luck Jonathan) – bass, vocals (1995?-present) *

(

The Three Johns The Three Johns were an English post-punk/indie rock band formed in 1981 in Leeds, England, originally consisting of guitarist Jon Langford (co-founder of the Mekons), vocalist John Hyatt and bassist Phillip "John" Brennan, augmented by a dru ...

, Bad Luck Jonathan, Waco Brothers, Four Lost Souls) – vocals, guitar (1993?-present) * Dean Schlabowske (Deano and the Purvs, Dollar Store, Wreck, Ice Cold Singles, TV White, Ramblin' Deano) – vocals, guitar (1993?-present) * Dan Massey ( Stump the Host,

Robbie Fulks Robert "Robbie" Fulks (born March 25, 1963) is an American alternative country singer-songwriter, instrumentalist and long-time Chicago, Illinois resident. He has released 13 albums over a career spanning more than 30 years. His 2016 record ''Up ...

etc.) – drums (substituting on stage from 2018?; 2021–present) * Jean Cook (

Beauty Pill Beauty Pill is an American rock band from Washington, D.C., based largely around the songs and ideas of singer/guitarist/producer Chad Clark. Beauty Pill's music is generally characterized by cinematic arrangements, angular melodies, and electr ...

, Gena Rowlands Band, Ida,

Jenny Toomey Jennifer "Jenny" Gillen Toomey (born 1968) is an American indie rock musician and arts activist. Career Toomey was a member of the bands Geek, Tsunami, Liquorice, Grenadine, So Low and Choke, among others, and has also recorded under her own ...

Elizabeth Mitchell Elizabeth Mitchell (born Elizabeth Joanna Robertson) is an American actress known for her lead role as Juliet Burke on the ABC drama mystery series ''Lost'' (2006–2010). Mitchell also had lead roles on the television series '' V'' (2009–2 ...

His Name Is Alive His Name Is Alive is an American experimental rock band/project from Livonia, Michigan. After several self-released cassettes, they debuted on 4AD Records in 1990, starting a long run at the label. Throughout the band's long history, leader Warre ...

, the

Art Ensemble of Chicago The Art Ensemble of Chicago is an avant-garde jazz group that grew out of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians ( AACM) in the late 1960s. The ensemble integrates many jazz styles and plays many instruments, including "little ...

) - violin (2020-present)

Former members

Tom Ray Thomas Archer Ray (August 2, 1919 – April 6, 2010) was an American animator. Career Ray was born in Williams, Arizona. He began work at Warner Bros. Cartoons in 1937, working under Tex Avery for six months. He applied for a job at MGM and w ...

(

Bottle Rockets A bottle is a narrow-necked container made of an impermeable material (such as glass, plastic or aluminium) in various shapes and sizes that stores and transports liquids. Its mouth, at the bottling line, can be sealed with an internal stop ...

Devil in a Woodpile Devil in a Woodpile is a band from Chicago, Illinois. Although they routinely give a fresh sound to 80-year-old songs, their repertoire and instrumentation categorizes them as a country blues or jug band. History Rick Sherry and Tom V. Ray firs ...

Neko Case Neko Richelle Case (; born September 8, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and member of the Canadian indie rock group the New Pornographers. Case has a powerful, untrained contralto voice, which has been described by contemporaries and cr ...

) – bass (1993-1995) *

(

, The Associates,

Poi Dog Pondering Poi Dog Pondering is an American musical group which is noted for its cross-pollination of diverse musical genres, including various forms of acoustic and electronic music. Frank Orrall founded the band in Hawaii in 1984, initially as a solo pr ...

, Graham Parker & the Rumour) – drums (1993?-2012?) *

(

Revolting Cocks Revolting Cocks, also known as RevCo, are an American-Belgian industrial rock band, and sometimes supergroup, that began as a musical side project for Richard23 of Front 242, Luc van Acker, and Al Jourgensen of Ministry. History 1984: Or ...

KMFDM KMFDM (originally Kein Mehrheit Für Die Mitleid, loosely translated by the band as "no pity for the majority") is a multinational industrial band from Hamburg led by Sascha Konietzko, who founded the band in 1984 as a performance art project. ...

) – pedal steel guitar (1994–2008) *Joe Camarillo (born September 3, 1968 – died January 24, 2021; Hushdrops, Number Nine, Gear, Skull Orchard, Bad Luck Jonathan,

NRBQ NRBQ is an American rock band founded by Terry Adams (piano), Steve Ferguson (guitar) and Joey Spampinato (bass). Originally the "New Rhythm and Blues Quintet", the group was formed around 1965. Adams disbanded it for a time, and the group re ...

) – drums (substituting on stage from 1998; 2012?-2021)

Discography

*''To the Last Dead Cowboy'' (

, 1995) *''Cowboy in Flames'' (Bloodshot Records, 1997) *''Do You Think About Me?'' (Bloodshot Records, 1997) *''

Wacoworld ''Wacoworld'' is an album by the Chicago-based band the Waco Brothers, released in 1999. Production ''Wacoworlds songs were written by Jon Langford and Dean Schlabowske. Poi Dog Pondering's horn section played on some of the album's tracks. Criti ...

'' (Bloodshot Records, 1999) *''Electric Waco Chair'' (Bloodshot Records, 2000) *''New Deal'' (Bloodshot Records, 2002) *''Nine Slices of My Midlife Crisis'' – with Uncle Dave (a.k.a. David Herndon, journalist) (Buried Treasure Records, 2004) *''Freedom and Weep'' (Bloodshot Records, 2005) *''Waco Express: The Waco Brothers Live and Kickin' at Schuba's icTavern'' (Bloodshot Records, 2008) Schubas'',_for_the_TWO_Schuba_brothers..html" ;"title="2424 North Lincoln Avenue#Lincoln Hall">Schubas'', for the TWO Schuba brothers.">2424 North Lincoln Avenue#Lincoln Hall">Schubas'', for the TWO Schuba brothers.*''Great Chicago Fire'' – with

(Bloodshot Records, 2012) *''Cabaret Showtime'' ompilation(Bloodshot Records, 2015) *'' Going Down in History'' (Bloodshot Records, 2016) *''RESIST!'' (2020)

Compilation contributions

* 2000: "

Baba O'Riley "Baba O'Riley" is a song by the English rock band the Who, and the opening track to their fifth album ''Who's Next'' (1971). It was issued in Europe as a single on 23 October 1971, coupled with "My Wife". Roger Daltrey sings most of the song ...

" (by

Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Townsh ...

) – ''Down to the Promised Land: 5 Years of Bloodshot Records'' * 2000: "See Willy Fly By" – ''Down to the Promised Land: 5 Years of Bloodshot Records'' – as

Graham Parker Graham Thomas Parker (born 18 November 1950) is an English singer-songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the British band Graham Parker & the Rumour. Life and career Early career (1960s–1976) Parker was born in Hackney, East L ...

w/ the Waco Brothers * 2002: "

The Harder They Come ''The Harder They Come'' is a 1972 Jamaican crime film directed by Perry Henzell and co-written by Trevor D. Rhone, and starring Jimmy Cliff. The film is most famous for its reggae soundtrack that is said to have "brought reggae to the world". ...

" (by Jimmy Cliff) ''Making Singles, Drinking Doubles'' (Bloodshot Records) * 2005: "

I Fought the Law "I Fought the Law" is a song written by Sonny Curtis of the Crickets and popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, becoming a top-ten hit for the band in 1966. Their version of the song was ranked No. 175 on the ''Rolling Stone'' lis ...

" (by

Sonny Curtis Sonny Curtis (born May 9, 1937) is an American singer and songwriter. Known for his collaborations with Buddy Holly, he was a member of the Crickets and continued with the band after Holly's death. Curtis's best known compositions include " Wa ...

)- ''For A Decade of Sin: 11 Years of Bloodshot Records''

References

External links

The Waco Brothers
at

The Waco Brothers The Waco Brothers are an American alternative country, or country-punk rock, band based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. History The Waco Brothers was formed by Jon Langford of the Mekons. The group grew out of Langford's wish to play more ...

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

Waco Brothers collection
at the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

's live music archive {{DEFAULTSORT:Waco Brothers Musical groups from Chicago American alternative country groups Bloodshot Records artists Musical groups established in 1994