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The Band of Heathens

Back in 2006, a trio of Austin, Texas singer/songwriters - Colin Brooks, Ed Jurdi, and Gordy Quist - found themselves playing solo acoustic sets at a local club called Momo’s every Wednesday. United by a common interest in classic American rock n’ roll, the trio began collaborating with each other, eventually forming a band called The Good Time Supper Club along with backing bassist Seth Whitney. The group soon gained a reputation as one of Austin’s best up-and-coming acts, and were playing to full-capacity audiences every Wednesday within weeks.

The group’s rep grew after a local paper praised The Good Time Supper Club, accidentally billing it as The Band of Heathens. The misprint stuck, officially becoming the band’s new name after drummer John Chipman linked up with the rest of the Heathens in early 2007. Though a band with three lead singers might be unorthodox, The Band of Heathens manage to pull it off, skillfully injecting complex vocal harmonies into their old-school Americana sound, combining elements of roots rock and Texas alt-country into a sound all their own.

The Band of Heathens released their first record - a live recording from Momo’s, aptly titled Live at Momo’s - in late 2006, just months after their formation. Though live records from little-known artists rarely make much of an impression on the music industry, Live at Momo’s generated an immense amount of regional interest in the band. Songs like "Don’t Call on Me" and "Maple Tears" began receiving heavy rotation on local radio stations and club turntables, eventually leading officials at the 2007 Austin City Limits festival to label them the Best New Band in Texas.

Following the group’s stellar performance at the 2007 Austin City Limits festival - which also included nominations for awards like Musician of the Year and Album of the Year - The Band of Heathens opted to begin working on another live recording, which was eventually released as a double CD/DVD set in early 2008 as Live at Antone’s. Like Live at Momo’s, Live at Antone’s further solidified the band’s already stellar reputation, convincing the fivesome to begin working on a true studio album - which they did. Titled The Band of Heathens, the group’s selftitled debut was recorded in their hometown throughout 2008 and released in May of that year. Standout tracks from the band’s studio debut include "Unsleeping Eye", "Cornbread", and "Heart on my Sleeve".

From Lastfm:

Originally conceived as a loosely-knit collective showcasing four of Austin?s best up-and-coming artists, The Band Of Heathens is quickly becoming one of the most exciting new acts in American Music. The band?s debut album LIVE FROM MOMO?S features dynamic songwriting with powerful vocal harmonies and superb musicianship.

The broad appeal of The Band of Heathens can be credited to musical diversity. The idea for this collective hatched from a Wednesday night residence that saw the four principle songwriters, Colin Brooks (Chippin? Away at the Promise Land, 2002 & Blood and Water, 2005), Ed Jurdi (Longshores Drive, 2003), Brian Keane (I Ain?t Even Lonely, 2006) and Gordy Quist (Songs Play Me, 2004), sharing the bill as separate acts. Seth Whitney would stay on stage all night, providing groove-filled bass lines to lay the foundation for all the songs.

In the spring of 2006, as an experiment, Brooks, Jurdi, Keane and Quist decided to play a show where they would share the stage equally and collaborate on each other?s songs. Largely improvised and unrehearsed, the initial endeavor took on a life of its own. Quickly, the four individual voices began blending together to form a unique and distinct harmony. Drawing from a wellspring of traditional American music, the show would easily switch gears from Classic Country to Progressive Folk to Americana and R&B, with all of the parts coming together in a rock and roll stew.

The group?s first official name, ?The Good Time Supper Club,? was short-lived. A misprint in the local paper listed the act as ?The Heathens.? The characterization stuck, and the band began to cultivate a loyal and growing legion of fans that immediately took to the group?s laid-back style of musical delivery.

In an effort to capture the energy and magic of a live show, LIVE FROM MOMO?S features performances culled from two nights of recording in May of 2006. Each individual brings his own style into the mix to create the sound that is The Band Of Heathens.

Colin Brooks? road-worn bluesy vocals and guitar slinging highlight ?One More Step,? the leadoff track, which finds the band filling in the seams with four-part harmonies and an explosive ?gospel-rock? musical performance. ?Bumblebee,? features the soulful milk and honey vocals of Ed Jurdi as the band travels closer to Memphis, catching the chorus in harmony. Brian Keane invites listeners into ?Odysseus,? a tale of a cowboy lost in a Greek Tragedy. Keane?s distinctive vocal delivery is equal parts folk-country and soulful troubadour, delivering the lyric with subtlety and passion. ?Judas ?Scariot Blues,? is Gordy Quist?s dark turn on the original heathen. Featuring Quist?s classic baritone country vocals and a thumping bass-line by Seth Whitney, the song traverses a darker and denser musical landscape.

From Wikipedia:

The Band of Heathens are an Americana band from Austin, Texas.

The three principal songwriters - Colin Brooks, Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist - shared the bill at Momo's, an Austin club. Originally, each singer/songwriter performed his own set. However, they eventually started sharing the stage, and collaborating together with bassist Seth Whitney. The Wednesday night series was billed as "The Good Time Supper Club". A misprint in a local paper billed the act as "The Heathens." In 2007, drummer John Chipman joined the band.

Also notable is a version of "Ain't No More Cane", a traditional prison work song of the American south. The Austin based Band of Heathens included their distinctive arrangement of the old song on their "Live at Momo's" album.

In November 2008 the Americana Music Association announced the Top 100 Albums of the Americana Charts for 2008 and The Band of Heathens came in at No. 8, thus referencing the Band Of Heathens Album as the 8th most played record on the Americana Airplay Charts for 2008. .

In July, 2009 BOH taped an Austin City Limits show that aired in the Fall of 2009. The year was especially significant for ACL in that Austin City Limits was celebrating its 35th anniversary year. The band's unique genesis and creativity were highlighted during the Austin City Limits interview conducted after their performance. The TV performance showcased a set by both the Band Of Heathens and Elvis Costello.

In 2009, the band was nominated for a "New Emerging Artist" award by the Americana Music Association.

Following the Austin City Limits PBS show, the band played at Rockpalast in Germany for a European television audience. BOH performed 14 songs, many from the albums "Band Of Heathens" and "One Foot In The Ether."

In 2010, the band was again honored by the Americana Music Association as nominees for the "Best Duo/Group of the Year".