Memo to all active duty servicemen and women stationed in Kuwait and Iraq: An amazing musical group and an almost surreal positive live musical experience is coming to a theater near you.
According to the Times-Picayune, New Orleans-based Cowboy Mouth will be coming to Iraq and Kuwait for two and a half weeks in the beginning of March. This is not PR puffery. This is a direct order: See Cowboy Mouth when they come to your base. There are no excuses. And send your photos — I will post them at Big Hollywood.
Back in my college days in New Orleans (’87-’91) I took advantage of the city’s historic music venues (Tipitina’s, Storyville, etc.), the cheap drinks and cover prices, not to mention the great bands born from that vibrant, otherworldly and unpredictable culture. In 1990 my friend Chris Huston was working for the local music magazine, Wavelength, and informed me that the locally famous former drummer of Dash Rip Rock (still a Southern-fried country-punk bar band without peer) was starting a new band and would be playing at the now defunct Jimmy’s on Willow Street.
His name is Fred LeBlanc, and he is a bona fide rock and roll evangelical. All that have seen him perform will testify. Some call him “The Drummer Man.” No one in music makes more effort to ensure his fans and newcomers are not just entertained but changed for life. If you thought you sweat a lot in Ramadi, you have something special coming your way. Yes, they’re that good.
Also in Cowboy Mouth for the long haul is a grand veteran of the New Orleans rock scene, John Thomas Griffith. His Red Rockers toured with U2 in the early ’80. “China” is one of the best songs from early MTV, and sometimes even Cowboy Mouth gives it a go.
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Not mentioned in the Times-Picayune article, but contained in an accompanying audio interview with LeBlanc, the Tazmanian drummer explains why he is taking Cowboy Mouth halfway around the world to perform for American’s valiant fighting men and women:
“Those guys and girls over there get the short end of the stick media-wise over here. And these people are putting their lives on the line. And if it will make them feel better for me to show up to play for an hour and a half, it’s the least I can do. Not to sound corny or anything, it’s the United States of America. Whatever your political affiliations are, this is our country and we’ve got to do what little bit we can to help these people who go out and basically preserve all the liberties and freedoms we take for granted.”
Glad to see Cowboy Mouth not only still kicks ass but also has its priorities straight.
[Here’s where you lowly civilians can catch them when they get back from Iraq. I’ll be catching them with a big Big Hollywood contingency at the House of Blues in Los Angeles on May 21.]
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