Day 13: The Hackensaw Boys

(These guys are the real deal, and definitely a band to keep your eye on.)

The Hackensaw Boys



Some Facts:
The name Hackensaw Boys doesn't come from a surname, but instead from the actions you perform on a mandolin (hack) and a fiddle (saw). Coming out of Charlottesville, Virginia, the original four members got together after meeting at an Old Crow Medicine Show concert. They began hitting the coffee house scene & busking on the streets, members passing in & out. More in than out, though- the group started as a quartet but at one point had a dozen members. In 2000 when they laid down their debut album, 'Get Some', they were down to a nine piece. Recorded in a living room on a reel-to-reel & self released, it was reissued in 2006.

At this point, the Hackensaw's are down to seven members, and have released a total of five LPs, and three EPs. They've opened for a variety of bands- De La Soul, the Flaming Lips, Camper Van Beethoven, Railroad Earth, Modest Mouse, Cake, and more. They also backed Charlie Louvin on national tour. They've hit up Bonnaroo, Telluride, the Lowlands- many prominent festivals, and the current events on their official website include them favoring PBR over imports. Currently on tour, all the members of the group are quite involved- to quote their official bio "Everybody sings a bit of lead, everybody sings a bit of harmony, and most members know when to shut up."

My Thoughts:
Interesting to note that Tom Peloso, one of the groups founding members, has gone on to become a member of Modest Mouse. The Hackensaw Boys are fantastic. Though you've pretty much gotta stick em under bluegrass, they draw from a variety of genres. As member Jesse Fiske put it in an interview- "As long as we speak to someone, it doesn't really matter what the genre is." There's been a nice resurgence over the last ten years of so of really fantastic new bluegrassy bands- I love it. Seeing these young, talented musicians playing such old music... it warms my heart. By all accounts their shows are awesome, high energy affairs- they're known for getting the crowd on their feet. You can (legally & freely) download over 100 shows at Archive, if you're interested in hearing more- they also have their latest two EPs currently on sale for $5 each.