Dig deep
Emerging from the West Coast punk scene, Dire Wolves dive headfirst into 1920’s and 30’s era bluegrass, country and blues. “Music that has moved us in some way, we try to pass it on, and hope it grabs someone else like it has us,” explains Blake Bamford, the guitarist, vocalist, and banjo player. “Refreshing” is an appropriate term to describe this experience. “Playing two things that are completely different. The old music has a raw edge to it and I guess in that way, they are similar,” says Woody Forster, who plays mandolin, tenor banjo, guitar, dobro and sings. A like-minded theme amongst band mates prevails. “But the attitude behind the music… it's that genuine raw attitude I like,” adds Devora Laye, backup vocalist and washboard player.
A group of players passionate about learning from and preserving the styles of Piedmont guitarists like Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Blake, the Memphis blues of Sleepy John Estes and Yank Rachell, country artists like Jimmie Rodgers and hillbilly blues artists like Dick Justice. “After playing banjo in the Whiskey Jacks, I started focusing heavily on finger style blues and ragtime guitar,” says Bamford. Once learning new songs, former bandmates Forster and Josh Doherty joined him to work these out, bringing the three together again. “We had known Devora for years and she came on board with the washboard a couple months before the recording,” he says and “Joseph Lubinsky-Mast we met while we were all playing and recording some tracks with Dylan Thomas Rysstad.“ He holds down the low end on the bass fiddle. “My role in the band is just to round out the sound,” says Mast.
The Dire Wolves seem to have very specific instrumentation choices and a familiar trademark appears on the headstock of virtually every stringed instrument they play. “We have developed into a band that plays a lot of Nationals,” Bamford explains. The maker is known for the development of resonator guitars and historically formative distinctive sound. Also designed before amplification and the guitarists needed volume amongst louder instruments. Some of the great players of 20's and 30's: Blind Boy Fuller, Tampa Red, Son House, Bo Carter used them for that. Josh Doherty, back up vocalist, sports a large collection of harmonicas. I've got one for each of the twelve keys and then I have some doubles in different brands that have a different feel and sound to them. Right now I'm really enjoying Hohner Golden Melody's. [The] songs are pretty much in C, G, D, E, Bb and A. Most blues and country tends to hangout in those keys,” says Doherty. Laye modified her washboards attaching cowbells and a mini splash also using various objects to create percussive elements. “I saw a woman play with wire brushes and fell in love with the sound,” she says. This acts as a substitute for the snare for their country and darker blues numbers and uses sewing thimbles for the upbeat numbers. “They have more punch and give me a wider range to play around with,” she adds.
They played as the Alley Bourbon Bootleggers for over a year. “Alley bourbon” is a term for moonshine, notes Bamford and “we realized that our own mothers couldn't remember the name.” The hunt was on. Dire Wolves evolved, which is a prehistoric wolf that also lived in BC. “We figured as far as old timey, prehistoric pretty much trumps anything,” he explains, and so it settled. Their album cover sports a Dire Wolf stuck in a tar pit sketched from an old 'mammals' reference book. “Often the larger herbivores would get trapped in the tar. When the predators and scavengers went to feast on them they would also get stuck. They more they struggled, the deeper they'd sink,” says Bamford.
After recording with Jesse Gander as The Whisky Jacks, it made sense to work together again. “We didn't want something over produced, just wanted to try to capture the feeling of the music, recorded on analog tape all at the same time in the same room.” says Forster. The album was laid to tape over two years ago, but finally released May 2013. They wanted it out in vinyl, so it took time to raise funds for that format. Also, new material is in the works “This time we won't wait two and a half years to put it out.” Stay tuned for a July tour with BC dates booked east of Vancouver already!
Their performances spread word of mouth and promise to be an experience. Records can be found at Audiopile, Red Cat, Neptoon and Highlife or contact the band at www.facebook.com/thedirewolves
- tiina.l
