Post by tackhead311 on Aug 17, 2009 16:26:17 GMT -5
Ok freddyites this is one of my favorite bands in the world! I got lucky enough to talk with there bass player Brother Eazy Ezekiel!
there are one of the best cover bands you could ever see. They do everything from Neil Diamond to 50 Cent to Daddy Yankee to the Ramones. ;D
[glow=red,2,300]It is a little-known fact that most Amish practice a tradition, similar to the Christian "Confirmation" and Jewish "Bar Mitzvah," called "Rumspringa" (literal translation: "running around") in which Amish children at the age of 16 have an opportunity to live free of the strict Amish code of conduct before deciding if they want to come back and be baptized into the Amish church. Surprisingly, virtually all of the youths return.
But sometimes they don't.
Four out of the original six of the members of The Amish Outlaws were born and raised in Lancaster, PA and had a strict Amish upbringing. No electricity from land lines, no alcohol, no musical instruments, but their spirits were too wild for the Amish lifestyle. Once they trampled in the Devil's Playground (the Amish term for the American way of life), there was no turning back. In the years since Rumspringa, the members of the Amish Outlaws have become very well acclimated to the pleasures and vices of the modern world... music, most of all.
It was this mutual love of music that brought the Outlaws together in a chance meeting at the 2002 Pocono Vacation Park "Rock and Roll Hootenanny." Brother Hezekiah and Brother McMullen showed up at the event still in traditional Amish garb. As the most recent defectors, they were still very much living the lives of "Plain People." While their appearance drew snickers and stares from most of the crowd, Brother Ezekiel, who was attending the Hootenanny with Brother Amos, immediately recognized Brothers Hezekiah and McMullen as the "real deal" and invited them to sit down. Needless to say, the Brothers were soon like brothers, sharing not only the bond of having left the Amish life behind, but also the deep mutual love of music, and together they delved deeply into the 16 years of American culture they missed, watching endless hours of classic MTV, listening to the radio, CDs, records, tapes... anything they could get their hands on. But just listening and watching was not enough... the Brothers soon decided to form a band that combined their love of the modern world and their traditional upbringing. They met Brothers Jakob and Ishmael (both “English” as we call the non-Amish), making them “honorary Amish” when the two joined the band. Thus, with a bold lust for life and a fire for music and performance that can only come from 16 years of repression, The Amish Outlaws were unleashed upon the world.
In 2007, Brother Big Daddy Abel joined The Amish Outlaws on lead vocals and guitar. A brother and friend to us all!
There is no "typical" Amish Outlaws show, but the average crowd can expect to see men in full Amish garb releasing all of their pent up energy with an infectious joy. With a set that is always evolving as the Brothers discover more and more music and culture, The Amish Outlaws constantly surprise the audience and keep them guessing as to what they could possibly play next, from Judas Priest to Jay Z, Neil Diamond to Snopp Dogg and Dr. Dre, Queen and Twisted Sister, to theme songs from the TV shows they have come to know. Throughout, The Outlaws spin yarns about the Brothers' upbringing and adventures since Rumpsringa. Amish Outlaw gigs are less performances than they are initiations into the life of an Amish Outlaw and parties celebrating the Brothers’ newfound freedom.source amish outlaws website[/glow]
1 The Amish Outlaws is the craziest cover band i have had the pleasure to have seen live. To the people that haven't got the chance to see the Outlaws describe the untypical Outlaw show?
Wow, thanks!! It's hard to describe our show because I never get to really see it, I am up there in the middle, but from my vantage point it is six guys doing everything they can to make you laugh, dance and smile. We are having as much fun as anyone in the place, and sweating a whole lot more. We fall down, dance, fall down again, and get back up. Make faces, play songs, and make fools of ourselves... sometimes on purpose.
2 How do you guys select the songs you cover?
Usually we send about a thousand emails back and forth bickering about what song to do next. Usually Hez and Abel and Amos and I send the bulk of them. Ish will chime in about how much time he has to work on songs since he's a busy guy, then a few days after we finally agree, Jakob will send his first email disagreeing, and we tell him he is too late. Then we work on the song individually, and typically a few days before rehearsal, someone changes his mind and sends another email saying he doesn't want to do the song anymore, and we start the process all over again. This time it is compounded over a period of 32 hours or so because rehearsal is around the corner, so we pick one real fast, go to the rehearsal studio woefully unprepared, and somehow stitch it together and play it out a day or two later.
Now, picking the songs to begin with can happen a bunch of ways. Usually Abel has a bunch of ideas. One of us may hear a song on the radio that hits us. Personally, when looking for a song I try to think of one that will still be around in a few years. Not a "flash in the pan" that people don't want to listen to in a few months. We have tried a few of those and we always fall flat on our face. Like we did a Justin Timberlake song once. Bleh. I like a song that has some merit to it, whether it is funny or catchy. I guess the biggest thing is that we can play it well. Make it sound like the record and do it justice. There are songs we play that I do not like, and would not listen to, but no songs that I do not enjoy playing for one reason or the other.
3 The Outlaws tour more then any major act i know of ,how do you keep up such a crazy schedule?
Lots of caffeine, hotels, and BBQ.
4 What are your favorite songs to do live?
The heavy ones, though we get to do so few. We used to do a Judas Priest song. That was a blast. We also used to do a System of a Down song that gave Ish Carpal Tunnel Syndrome but it was like we were throwing bricks at the audience. They stood there scratching their heads. Right now my favorite song we do is "Burning Down the House" by The Talking Heads. It is our third try at a Talking Heads song and so far it seems to be going over. My fingers are crossed. I love playing strange songs back to back. Well, not that the songs themselves are strange, but I call it the "one-two punch" where we will jump from something sweet and romantic like "Nothing Compares to U" by Sinead O'Connoir to "P.I.M.P." by 50 Cent. We like to keep the audience guessing.
5 Are there plans to make Amish outlaw CD either original music or covers?
We are working on a live DVD and have a live recording that I think is pretty decent, but we have been so busy with the summer that we haven't had time to work on it. Hopefully we will have them ready for the fall. No originals... we have had two originals so far but don't play them anymore. We just love playing for people, and doing covers is a good way to be able to do that a whole bunch.
6 Has anybody you covered seen one of your shows?
Hmm. I do not think so. Actually, YES. David Byrne (Talking Heads) saw us play once, but it was a chance happening. We were playing a private party in Manhattan, in a garage for this production company that opened right onto the street. We finished playing out first set and are talking to the guy that hired us and he says, "Oh, David Byrne was just here. He was walking by with his wife and stopped and watched you play, then was dancing in the streets to you for a few minutes." I almost crapped myself. David Byrne is one of my all-time favorite musicians. We were covering "Psycho Killer" at the time and would have asked him to come up and sing it with us. Oh well. Maybe some day.
7 Whats is your favorite place to play?
Hard to pick just one... but if I had to, it would probably be Seacrets in Ocean City, MD. It is just... insane. Huge stage, great sound, great people, a spring-loaded floor. Love it there. But then again, I love playing a small bar too. Two very different animals.
8 Whats the largest crowd you have played?
Probably the Freedom Festival in Mercer County in New Jersey this summer. Had to be 5,000 people or so. Maybe more. The Townson Fest in Towson, MD is a pretty big one too, maybe around 3,000. We were at Seacrets last week or the week before and they were at capacity and not letting any more people in the club. Not sure how many there were, but well over a thousand would be my guess. We've also played in front of 15 people and had just as much fun as the big shows. We go all out, no matter how many people are there.
9 Have you tried Guitar hero or Rockband?
Yes, I have tried Guitar Hero. Neal, our photographer, actually lent it to me. I haven't played it in a while, but it is a lot of fun to play with friends, especially when you throw some booze in there too. And there is a VOIVOD song in one of the games Neal lent me. I haven't tried Rock Band yet.
10 What is your opinion about music games?
Lots of fun from what I have played so far. It is strange, actually playing some of the songs that they have in Guitar Hero on bass, the bass parts they have you play in the game are very different. Different timing and patterns from what the actual song is, but it makes sense in the context of the game. But if you think actually knowing how to play the song is going to make it easy, boy are you wrong. I know I was.
11 What is Easy E enjoying musically today?
Right now I am listening to Voivod's new album "Infini" for the first time. I like it so far. I've been listening to some good albums of late... Heaven and Hell "The Devil You Know," The Devin Townsend Band "Ki," David Byrne and Brian Eno "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today." Let me think about what I have in the car... Death Angel's "Killing Season" has been in the regular rotation. Oh, and above all else - Autumn Hour's "Dethroned." Autumn Hour are a GREAT metal band from New Jersey and this album is one that I can't stop listening to. When we are on the road we like to listen to bad KISS bootlegs that Amos rips from concerts he saves on TiVO. We also spin a lot of Neil Diamond. "Hot August Nights 2" is our favorite. Oh, and Keyboard Cathy is a regular on the road too.
12 Fuddruckers your favorite huh ,can you eat a 1 lb burger?
Oh yeah. In fact, I am in the Fuddrucker's 1 lb. Club. They had a program where if you ate five one-pound hamburgers, you get the sixth free. Then if you eat five more, on the 11th you get a free "ONE POUND CLUB" t-shirt. This is going back a few years though. These days I try to be a little more mindful and stick to the half-pound burgers just for the sake of my health. I am a relatively healthy person, but want to keep it that way. They do now have unlimited fries though so that pretty much offsets it anyway.
13 Brother Eazy Ezekiel's all star band who would be in it?
Is it one I am playing in or one I am going to see? If it is one I would be playing in, I am in it already. I would not want to play with anyone else. I love these guys. As for a band I could go see live... it is not a band, but I regret never seeing Johnny Cash live. I never had the opportunity. He is one of my all-time favorite musicians and I never got the chance to see him live. I did write him a letter a few months before he passed, telling him how much his music means to me. I did not get a reply, but have read that he reads all his fan mail so I like to think he did get it and read it.
14 What is on the horizon for the Outlaws? any plans to tour on the west coast? trust me they need a band like you guys lol!
Nothing on the west coast yet. But we are branching out. We have our first show in Vegas in a week. We are hoping that leads to some new things. We will go anywhere as long as it makes sense for the business. It is hard to justify going across the country to play a bar in California when we can go to one in NJ or NY or MD and make as much, if not more, money. As it stands we don't have enough dates for the clubs that do want us around here. We are very very lucky in that sense, but we definitely WOULD go out to the west coast. It just has not happened yet.
15 Any advice for young people starting out in the music industry?
Go to college. Seriously. We are lucky enough to be able to play as much as we do, but it is hard. It is a lot of work, a lot of travel. Not just playing the shows, but all the behind-the-scenes stuff that goes into it that we all have to do. Promotion, managing the calendar, setting up travel, running merchandise, handling the books... basically it is a full time job on top of all the gigs you play, but wow, it is FUN to play out live and meet so many people so it is worth it. I guess the best advice I can give is make sure you love it, because you have to love it for it to be worth it. I think that goes for everything in life. Was I being deep there?? Whoah, scary.
for more info about the outlaws check here www.amishoutlaws.com/index.html
