Five by Five—Cowboy Mouth to take the stage at Boston’s City Winery

By Max Bowen

Cowboy Mouth is headed to Boston to perform at City Winery on Wednesday, Aug. 26. Cowboy Mouth’s live shows have made them a staple of the national club and festival circuit since the mid 90s, playing thousands of shows over the years.

The band’s leader, Fred LeBlanc, in addition to handling drumming duties, is also the lead singer and frontman, and writes a majority of the band’s music on guitar. Fred joins us to give readers a preview of the show, his take on Boston and how this 30-year-old band

For those who have never seen Cowboy Mouth, give us a rundown on what the shows are like.
The thing I always say is that if The Neville Brothers and the Clash had a baby it would be us. Also, a while back we had a fan from the South say that we were just like a gospel tent revival, without the religion! I think those two descriptions are pretty on point. If you come to a CM show we will do our best to make sure you leave feeling better than you have in a long time through the celebratory healing power of southern American New Orleans based rock ‘n’ roll.

What’s your take on Boston as a place to perform?
Are you kidding me? Boston is one of the best places to perform in the entire country! That’s because the people there know how to have a good time and don’t put up with any bullshit! Boston has history, culture, excitement, and a rich rock ‘n’ roll heritage that you can feel in the air. You guys know how to have FUN! People in Boston are very similar to people in New Orleans in that both know the importance of having a good time and don’t let anything get in the way of that! And during these crazy times we are living in, there’s something to be said for the value of having someplace you can go in order to dance, scream, and let go of your worries for a little while. That’s what a Cowboy Mouth show is all about!

I saw that you’ve got a new song coming out each month. What’s planned for the rest of the year?
More songs, more shows, more bringing our rock ‘n’ roll Mardi Gras to the world, and more kicking musical booty!

How did the band get its start?
It was a project I had been trying to put together for a while and was about to give up on… until John Thomas Griffith walked in the room. He was the final missing piece that made it all work and we’ve been doing it ever since.

I read that the band has been together for three decades. That’s amazing! What makes the band work so well that is has been around so long?
It seems like a long time, of course. But it also feels like it started just yesterday. The energy and passion of the band is what it always has been: a group of people playing the best they can with all their hearts. Individually we were all pretty different people. But I think that’s one of the strengths of any creative unit, the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Cowboy Mouth has always been very fortunate in that regard. Also, we try to make sure that we laugh a lot. We are entertaining each other on stage as much as we are the audience. It’s just a big giant JOYGASM. There’s a lot of appreciation in the fact that we’ve been able to do this to such a high standard for so long. I don’t think any of us taken for granted. It’ll be one hell of a great night, and y’all should all be there!

Ticket link to City Winery show: https://shorturl.at/WNJJm

Most recent single on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/7LY2tUWgMyOk8VoxMxJSkw?si=LQ8jhKFGSyCw5RFCzK6KJg

Band Links:
www.cowboymouth.com
https://www.facebook.com/cowboymouth1
https://twitter.com/CowboyMouth
https://www.instagram.com/cowboymouthofficial
https://www.youtube.com/@cowboymouth

Western Education digs deep with new singles

Western Education

The four-piece rock band Western Education is another old favorite from our Boston days. We’ve seen them on stage many times and it’s always been a blast, so of course, we had to have them on.

Band members Greg Alexandropoulos, Will Hunt and Devin Vaillaincourt join us to recap their most recent singles, which touch on some pretty serious topics, such as the loss of a loved one to cancer and trying to help someone dealing with mental health struggles. The band talks about the real-life people whose stories inspired the music and what it means to share them.

Western Education has been around since 2012, and we go into the “good ol’ days” of promoting music, how things have changed and how they’ve changed with them. We talk about favorite Boston venues – ours and theirs -- and some of the stages they’ve performed on.

Opening this episode is an excerpt from the band’s recent single, “Catherine What Have You Done” and closing things out is the new release, “Madeline in the Hurricane,” which was released on Nov. 15.

 

Citywide Bytes-Imaginarium shows us a unique musical playground

When I first heard the music of Imaginarium, my thought was “Damn, this is good,” followed quickly by “We gotta get this band on the show!” And here we are.

Band founder Anton de Bruin talks about how the group came to be as well as the musical backgrounds of the different members. 

We look at the eclectic sound, a blend of funk, jazz, and reggae and how it all comes together through the different members. The band is based in the Netherlands, and Anton shares some of the shows they’ve done and where they’d like to play next.

Opening the episode is an excerpt from “Gabobo” and wrapping things up is “Kaleidoscope.”

Tyler Herwig hopes to spread a musical message of hope

Tyler Herwig

Singer-songwriter Tyler Herwig believes that if he can help even one person through his music, then that is a job well done. In this episode, he talks with us about how his wife inspired him to pursue music as a full-time career and some of his experiences along the way. 

In fact, Tyler’s most recent release is “All Yours,” a message of thanks to his wife for her many years of support as he’s made his art his new career.

In fact, he performs around 280 shows a year and talks about how he maintains such a rigorous schedule and his goals in the future. He shares a few show memories and what he views are his highlights as an artist. Tyler also shares some news of his upcoming music.

Opening the show is an excerpt from “Enough” and closing the episode is “All Yours.”

 

Dany Horovitz recaps on a truly memorable year

Dany Horovitz

Singer-songwriter Dany Horovitz is back for what has become a yearly check-in and man, there is a lot to talk about. 

Over the last 12 months, he’s released tons of music and we go into the songs and the stories behind them. Dany also talks about how he puts himself into his songs. We also give some previews of what he has planned for the rest of this year and into the next.

The last year has also seen a lot of memorable appearances, such as at the recent North by Northeast Festival and as a judge for the Juno Awards. Dany, Max and Curtis talk about what that was like and Dany’s experience getting to choose his picks for the Adult Contemporary Category.

Dany also shares some of the many artists he’s collaborated with and the amazing results of these musical partnerships. We talk a little business as Curtis asks about the stunning social media presence that Dany’s built since he started this journey just a couple of years ago.

Opening this interview is an excerpt from “Until the Seas Run Dry,” Dany’s newest single and bringing things to a close is “Roads and Roses,” one of our personal favorites.

Robotic Hawks deliver a sonic punch to the face

Robotic Hawks

It was in 2018 that the three-piece band Robotic Hawks came together and, in that time, they’ve taken many a stage and radio show and, in this episode, we’re going to hear all about it!

Band members Tyler Pollard (Vocals/Bass), Brian Sturk (Drums) and Shawn Doherty (Guitar) give us the whole backstory—how the band came together through a Craigslist ad and some of their favorite venues over the years. This includes some of Curtis and I’s most beloved venues, the Middle East and the Sinclair.

We talk about how the band’s style has evolved with the release of their new EP “All Business” as well as their unique style and how it’s been perceived over the years. We also go into the collaborative process behind their songwriting. Shawn, Tyler and Brian give us a look as to what’s next for Robotic Hawks and we highlight some upcoming shows.

Opening the episode is an excerpt from “High Maintenance” and closing things out is “Wishing Well,” both of which are from the new album.