Interview with a Shack Shaker

?
Colonel J.D. Wilkes is the energetic wild man who doesn’t so much “front” as he does swing from the rafters in Th’ Legendary Shack  Shakers. His band is a force to be reckoned with; their music is loud and exiting. Difficult to pin-down, the sound is punk-y with some rockabilly in there (but not “haircut” rockabilly) and some blues too (no, I mean the good kind).

?
Suffice to say, they are making southern music cool again. In addition to his front man duties, Col. Wilkes also directs films and makes sideshow style artwork and comics- among other things.

?
Th’  Legendary Shack Shakers will blow through town on the  8th of May at The Earl, and J.D. was kind enough to answer a few questions.

?
Ready-set go!

?
Jeffrey Bützer: Tell us about your latest album Agridustrial.

?
J.D. Wilkes: Well, it’s an album that celebrates the American work ethic that used to be.  We recorded the sounds of motors and blacksmith tools as a music bed for certain songs.  Then we mimicked the sounds of other rustic, farm implements using musical instruments.  All along we made sure to keep the songs melodic without letting it turn into straight up “industrial” music.  There’s still a lot of hillbilly blues in what we do, so don’t be too alarmed by these changes.

?
Duane Denison (Jesus Lizard) is playing guitar with you now. How did that come about?

?