Michael YatesBass, VocalsMichael grew up in the northwest, much of it in the infamous Tri-Cities where a healthy dose of radiation and his Father’s Who records warped this individual to the fellow you see today. Raised in an English immigrant household, he gained a passion for overly cooked food, beer, and off-beat comedy. He began playing bass and guitar in his teens (when you’re supposed to) and has been obsessed ever since. Moving to Portland after college, he played many of the usual haunts in various bands before moving to the bay area. Down there he went from “Roots/Americana” to “Country/Swing” with some great bands with which he still maintains relationships. Moving back to Portland at the turn of the millennium he spread his wings to encompass other genres, including: funk; jam-oriented; bluegrass; classic rock; roots; alt-country; and original country. He has played most of the clubs, bars, dives, and truckstops here in Portland and many throughout the northwest. He should write a book on the pub food of each someday. He has recorded with a number of acts and has built a studio of his own.This certified gear-hound obsesses about gear all the time and will bend the ear of anyone who wants to talk nuts n’ bolts. His stage setup can go hi-fi with an Eden head into Eden cabs, or good old round tube goodness with an Ampeg SVT. His main basses are a ’68 Fender Telecaster Bass, a ’71 Fender Jazz Bass, with 2 rare Precision Basses in the bullpen. He calls his style “musical spackle” as he tries to fill in and smooth out where needed!Musical influences include every note Mike Campbell has ever played, the songwriting of Richard Buckner, and the downright fun of the Bottle Rockets.
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Mike WinterDrums, VocalsMike grew up in Toronto, Canada…The land of the Great White North. His Mother says he used to sing Marty Robbins' "A White Sports Coat" word for word and on key at five years old. (He says she never lies.) He recollects early on sitting on the edge of the family couch, playing air drums with knitting needles to Gene, Buddy and Mel Taylor of the Ventures. Then the British Invasion happened and he saw Ringo having the time of his life on Ed Sullivan. Not exactly an epiphany, but he says it did leave an indelible impression of how much fun music can and should be. His folks figured that drums were either too expensive or too loud…probably the latter, so he saved up and bought a Harmony Rocket six string and learned to play by listening to the first five Rolling Stones albums. Mike has played drums, guitar and bass off and on over the years, and band memories of yesteryear have faded with time. "Set the Wayback Machine for 1971...and bring the Ezra Brooks."Gear is as follows: Drums: Mid-1960's Ludwig, Mid-1970's Pearl. Guitars: 1960-something and 1979 Aria acoustics. Tequilacaster: Mexican Fender neck, after market body, Bill Lawrence pick ups. Early 1970's ZB Custom S-10 pedal steel. Bass: 1994 Music Man Sting Ray -- Transluscent teal over an ash body, birds-eye maple neck...sweet! Favorite drummers are Ringo, Charlie and Levon. Hard pressed to pick "influences," he supposes to some degree that he's been influenced by everyone he ever listened to. But if he had to pick one, it would be The Band. "I always liked their Three Musketeers attitude about making music: All for one and one for all. After all, isn't a band… a band?"
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Ralph ThompsonGuitar, VocalsRalph began playing music with a 3-piece teenage garage band in the mid-60's, influenced by R&B artists of that time, the Beatles and other sundry soul and British bands (no real "garage" drummer or audience, but he had fun and lots of inspiration, i.e., "chicks"). He's played blues, R&B, country, jazz, and rock guitar in various bands over the years, most recently with a rock/blues band based in Mobile, Alabama (where he says you can enjoy 90 degrees, 95% humidity and 2:00 AM all at the same time). During a nine-year stay in southeast Alaska, he played for the new Governor's Inaugural Ball in Juneau (where the band gained insights into how the state legislative process really works (prerequisite: lots of alcohol), and also played a wedding party in Haines where the partiers managed to break the dance floor (also alcohol-inspired). Ralph and his wife relocated to Portland in 2003 to return to the West Coast and to be closer to two of their daughters, who are enrolled in local colleges.Main stage setup includes either a blonde 1967 Telecaster or 1992 Teal American Telecaster rigged with a Hipshot B Bender, played through a Carr Rambler. He also has several other instruments in the wings for backup or as the music dictates, including a vintage Schecter Strat, a 1995 Schecter Sunset Custom, a vintage Gibson ES-335, a mid-1990's Ovation Elite Standard, and several others.Musical influences include the Hellecasters (pickers are encouraged to check out their music and web site), Danny Gatton, Billy Gibbons and Albert Lee. Ralph works as a fish and wildlife biologist in his day job, trying to do his part to give future generations of guitar pickers opportunities to experience the natural wonders of this great land and helping their parents understand why it matters. |
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Todd TracewellGuitar, VocalsTodd grew up west of Portland in a place where you used to see field after field and the population sign read 4,000. A place where you could fish, hunt, catch crawdads, all within walking distance from about anywhere you lived and your parents didn't worry about where you were. Now all you see is chip plant after chip plant, the population is pushing 90,000, the eves of most houses about touch, and well, you get the picture. He started playing piano at age 6 and would occasionally run past his teacher's house as fast as he could so she wouldn't see him skipping his lesson. You see she wanted him to read music. (This wasn't his style.) After that he had a short stint with saxophone but there was that whole wanting him to read music thing again. His brother had a drum set so he'd find himself playing those jamming along to anything the stereo would put out and even had his first band experience as a drummer in a Jr High garage band. That was good for awhile but finally at age 18 he got his first guitar which was what he'd always wanted to play. He and his friends all learned by getting together and writing songs after school everyday. It's amazing what you can come up with when you really know nothing. This was a point where those piano lessons from early on came in handy. After that he took some jazz classes and played in the show band in college. Since then he's played everything from Rock to Jazz to Country to Hippie jam band stuff with several different groups of people. Influences are The Band, Clapton, Robert Johnson, Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, Willie, Waylon, The Hag...the list goes on. Gear is an American Standard Telecaster with Texas Special pickups, a Fat Strat with a Pearly Gates and a JB Jr pickup. Both are played through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe amp. His acoustics are a 1972 Gibson SJN, and a recently-acquired 2007 Breedlove. |
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Since we love the sound of a pedal steel guitar, you may see one of these fellas sitting in at shows from time to time. They're friends of ours and we're glad to have them: |
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Pete Burak |
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