Guns of Nevada

Country fans may remember the Guns of Nevada name from the Watershed country music festival. The group also opened for Tom Petty and Toby Keith at The Gorge. Other stages graced by the band include The Roxy, The Knitting Factory and most of the major clubs in Seattle.

Guns if Nevada’s sound has changed over time. Thunders explained that the group is constantly evolving and exploring what they are capable of. - CWU Observer

?"Guns of Nevada is based on rock ’n’ roll cliche, and I mean that in a good way. They play songs about whiskey and women and all of the other barroom-rock themes, and they do it well enough to justify a cover charge. Think Social Distortion but a little less punk, a little more straight rock, and you’re getting close."- Pat Muir, Yakima Valley Herald Feb 21st 2013
- Yakima Valley Herald

Hard to Wave Goodbye in Handcuffs is your typical, twisted love-gone-wrong song. It's a simple story of domestic bliss that inevitably results in handcuffs and regret (and all to a happy little melody!). It was one of the first songs we wrote and recorded and is still one of our best known and most played songs. It garnered even more attention in the Summer of 2009 when CMT decided to use it and another one of our songs for the soundtrack for their TV reality show, "The Chopper Challenge". Since then it's been played numerous times on terrestrial and online radio and podcasts. It was even used in the independent film, "A First Time for Everything". - Round Magazine

"There is something to be said for creating tunes the audience can sing along to by their end.." This brand of rock and roll doesn't allow for much opportunity to re-shape the musical formula, so to be better than the rest bands must do so lyrically, like when Guns sing, "It's hard to wave goodbye in handcuffs." It's hard not to raise a Bud Light to that." - The Missoula Independent

SEG artist Guns of Nevada joins Dierks Bentley, Kix Brooks, Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Dwight Yoakam and more at the Watershed Music Festival August 3, 4 and 5 at the iconic Gorge Amphitheater. - Apr 27 2012 LiveNation

Guns Of Nevada Joins Lineup At Watershed Music Festival
Guns of Nevada Joins Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Dwight Yoakam and Others at The Watershed Music Festival on August 3, 4 and 5 at the Iconic Gorge Amphitheater

PR Newswire

SEATTLE, May 2, 2012

SEATTLE, May 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Alternative Country Rock band Guns of Nevada is excited to perform at Live Nation and ACM Promoter, Brian O'Connell's, inaugural Watershed Music Festival. Located at The Gorge Amphitheater in the Pacific Northwest, it's an ideal setting with breathtaking landscape and sweeping views of the Columbia River. With superstars ranging from Dierks Bentley, Kix Brooks, Sara Evans, Brantley Gilbert, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and many others expect the event to be a memorable experience fans will not forget.

This will be the third time Guns of Nevada has played at the picturesque Gorge Amphitheater. This time they will be performing songs off their new album titled "SONGS IN THE KEY OF WHISKEY." To encourage their fans to experience them live, Guns of Nevada is holding a drawing for a FREE pass for the entire three-day festival (valued at $90), plus a "SONGS IN THE KEY OF WHISKEY" CD autographed by the band and currently available for purchase on iTunes. The drawing and winner will be announced June 23, 2012. The winner must meet three criteria: registered with the Guns of Nevada mailing list at GunsofNevada.com; "LIKE" the Guns of Nevada Facebook page; and follow @GunsofNevada on Twitter. Winner announcement and details will be posted on the Guns of Nevada Facebook page.

Although considered alternative country rock, Guns of Nevada is a unique mix of Cowpunk meets Americana with their melodic three and four part harmonies, foot-stomping groove and fist pounding rhythms. According to Dennis Pelowski, Manager of The Meat Puppets "Guns of Nevada's new album 'SONGS IN THE KEY OF WHISKEY' is cool. Go figure. How did a band of Seattle-ites come up showing the talents of true southern soul country - and that includes Skynyrd. You will want this as road trip fuel." The first single off their new album "My Bible and My Gun," can be heard here.

"This is just one of several announcements we have planned for Guns of Nevada in 2012," says manager, Jaye English, of Spoondog Entertainment Group. If you haven't seen a Guns of Nevada show, the Watershed Music Festival is the perfect opportunity to catch them live against the Gorge's visually stunning backdrop.

Three day festival passes will start at $90 and go on sale May 5 at ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com.

To schedule radio interviews, appearances, bookings, and inquiries contact Spoondog Entertainment Group. Like us on Facebook and follow us @SpoondogENT on Twitter. Spoondog Entertainment Group, LLC specializes in artist management, bookings and concert photography.

Contact Jaye English
616.805.9032
info@spoondogentertainment.com

http://www.facebook.com/GunsofNevada
http://www.facebook.com/SpoondogEntertainment
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/songs-in-the-key-of-whiskey/id506333465
http://www.livenation.com/Gorge-Amphitheatre-tickets-George/venue/122913 - Wed May 2, 2012 9:48am EDT - Reuters

By Andy Rathbun
Herald Writer
Guns of Nevada's biggest song was written as a joke.

Singer Gavin Haugen said he rattled off the country rocker "Hard to Wave Goodbye in Handcuffs" in a matter of minutes, basing the lyrics on nothing other than a funny turn of phrase. The group sent the song to "Chopper Challenge," a CMT reality show. Next thing Haugen knew, the song was being played over the end credits of an episode, he said.

It just goes to show that the best songs don't take years to write.

"You can agonize over a song for six months, and it sucks," said Haugen, an Edmonds resident. "And you work on something for 10 minutes as a joke for yourself and people like it. So I can't complain."

Hopefully, the crowd at the Oak Harbor Tavern won't complain, either, when the quartet brings its blend of outlaw country and punk rock to the bar on Saturday night.

The group will play behind its self-titled debut, which it self-released in October. The nine-track album includes the relationship send-up "Hard to Wave Goodbye…," the thudding guitar of "Outlaws" and a souped-up cover of "Jackson," a song popularized by Johnny Cash.

With lyrics that name-drop outlaws and jail, the question must be asked: Have the four guys ever been on the wrong side of a cell?

"I've served more than a day in jail, let's put it that way," said Haugen, 38. "And (bassist) Adam (Green) has served longer than that."

Haugen declines to give specifics, other than to say that the run-ins were for minor stuff, and that the other band members -- guitarist Donnie Lemmon and drummer Doug Lynch -- have kept their noses clean.

The group doesn't only have ties to the judicial system. While the band formed in 2007, it already has substantial links to the Northwest's music scene.

Through a loose connection, the group was able to get its self-titled debut to Jack Endino, the famed Seattle producer who worked on early albums by Nirvana and Soundgarden. Endino mastered the album, a form of post-production that cleans up its sound.

"The guy's got a couple of platinum records under his belt," Haugen said of Endino. "It can't hurt."

That's just a business connection, though. The group's other big tie is a blood bond. Green, who performs under the name the Reverend Adumb Green, is the older brother of Jeremiah Green, a drummer for platinum-selling rockers Modest Mouse.

Outside of inviting Jeremiah Green to a show, Guns of Nevada hasn't tried to take advantage of that connection.

"We never really asked him, 'Hey can we open for you guys?'" Haugen said. "I don't think, with the Modest Mouse crowd, that we would go over too well."

That's a fair bet. While Modest Mouse embraces a noisy brand of alternative rock, Guns of Nevada stresses a more traditional sound, coming across like Social Distortion as it blends in influences such as Johnny Cash and the Ramones. It's the type of music perfect for a bar, which is where it will be heard on Saturday.

Haugen said the crowd should expect high drama and good music.

"It's like chaos, but somehow it works," he said. "It's sweaty and dirty and there's beer spilled and hurt feelings, and tears and a lot of laughing. That's the easiest way to put it, I guess."



Reporter Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455 or arathbun@heraldnet.com.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA - The Everett Herald 2009

There has been a totally unintentional bias towards bands from the Northwest recently, especially Seattle. But don't assume that this is out of laziness. We are scouring the Earth for great independent acts as you read this, and we promise that other regions will be featured soon :) But the fact is that independent Rock and Roll is burgeoning anew out of the once great music mecca! And since 2007, the Guns of Nevada have been leaving their mark all over Seattle's vivacious soundscape. - - indieAndie

Guns of Nevada -- Countrified rock 'n' roll, loud and proud. - - Pat Muir, Yakima Herald (Nov 16, 2011)

SEATTLE, March 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Guns of Nevada, a Seattle based band with musical influences ranging from Social Distortion to The Rolling Stones, has launched their latest album "SONGS IN THE KEY OF WHISKEY." - Reuters (Mar 26, 2012)

The music is reminiscent of the good days of punk rock like Social Distortion and the Ramones while mixing a blend of modern western charm and reality. - - Moe Hillbilly, Twisted Hillbilly Magazine

GUNS OF NEVADA: A DRINKING BAND WITH A MUSIC PROBLEM
You don't get much of the Southern rock sound here in the Pacific Northwest, at least, not nearly enough. But a band of rebels have been tearing up the scene, breaking hearts and busting eardrums with their own blend of punk, Southern fried rock n' roll, a dash of blues, and a hell of a lot of power and soul.
A little over a year ago, four veterans of the Seattle music scene got together to form Guns Of Nevada, a heavy hitting dose of rock with a style so classic that it's been made fresh again. They've been busy over the last year; they've played dozens of shows, had two songs featured on CMT's "Chopper Challenge", and, most recently, completed their first LP, set to be released October 11 during a CD release party at the Central Saloon in Seattle. It's a big date for them, because it marks the anniversary of their first show at the same venue.
When I caught up with them, they were playing a benefit show at the Cedarwood in Milton for DJ No Name, formerly of KNDD 107.7 FM 'The End'. They rocked, rolled, drank some beer, raised some hell, and altogether played a killer set.
I did my thing; sat at a table, drank club soda with lime, listened, wrote a few notes in my book, then asked a few questions. Mostly, I just sat back and enjoyed the show. Their set got cut a little short, due to time constraints, but they gave it all, pouring their blood, sweat, and beers, into every tune they had time to play.
Their set was flawless, and it shook the house. I've had a chance to listen to the new CD before it's been released, and Guns of Nevada exceeded every expectation of their performance that I had. They put on an awesome show, performed great, and the energy and stage presence added to the impressions I already had for their songs. Of course, there were tracks I hadn't heard yet (The band does an excellent cover of June and Johnny's "Jackson", as well as their version of "F the CC" by Steve Earle.), but I've not been able to stop listening to them since then. The CD is fantastic. The tracks flow together perfectly, and every one of them rock. You simply must own this CD.
When I got the chance to sit down with frontman Earle Thunders, lead guitarist Disco Donnie Guns, and bassist Reverend Adumb Green (Drummer DH Lynch split as soon as the show was over. He had more important things waiting at home. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink), I really had one main question. Why aren't these guys signed to a major label yet? Rev. Adumb answered my question emphatically.
"Why aren't we signed? Cuz we don't give a shit. No one gets signed anymore. Everything is on the internet. You gotta give away music nowadays. You owe a label four hundred grand, you get to use their sound stage? My little brother (Jeremiah Green) is in Modest Mouse and he doesn't make shit on record sales. It's all live shows and t-shirts. And I think we know that, like, we know that we have to play and that's our favorite thing in the world."
The Reverend preached on for a while more, then we talked for a little longer, smoking cigarettes, and shared a few laughs. There was so much great material, I could write a book, but here's a little taste of the conversation that transpired:

O.L.
Do you guys have plans to release a single?
Earle Thunders
I don't think that we really had a plan for a single; we like all the songs. They're all awesome to us. We wrote songs that we would like to pop into our CD player and listen to, one after another. We don't want duds. Like, we don't want to fast forward a song.

Disco Donnie Guns
We had 10 songs, so we were like "Let's put 9 on there." We didn't want to put the dud on there. (laughs)

Rev. Adumb Green
CDs are so hard to sell now days, and it's all going to be on iTunes and CDBaby, so everyone will have a preview of whatever song they like or a couple songs, and buy that one. So we're going to send our favorite, probably couple, to some college radio stations, obviously not commercial, but "God Damn Woman" is probably our collective favorite to open with, but they're not going to play that on the radio is the thing. So if there's something that we want when we go to send it to the radio, we'll have to circle it.

Earle
"Handcuffs" has probably gotten the most notice. CMT put it on one of their shows.

Adumb
Yeah, and "Outlaws". It'll probably be "Outlaws".

Earle
I don't think our job, really, is to decide what the single is, we just write songs that we like and there's other people that can say "I like this one."

O.L.
Do you have any other big shows coming up besides the October 11th CD release ?

Donnie
Not really, we've just thrown so much into this CD release party that, I think honestly we've spent a year getting ready for October 11th. You know, we did the first show a year ago there (at Central Saloon) and that was just kind of "Holy shit, we're a real band!"

Adumb
We're all about this show right now, and I think we're just star - Otis Lantz

If you’ve had your overflow of pretentious indie-rock, I’ve found a humdinger for you! It’s nice to break out of the norm and just… let your hair out! Guns of Nevada give us a classic down-home bird-flipping good time. On the short list of bands that go against the grain, there are a few that have genre cross-over appeal, and I say that Guns of Nevada are one of them.

Guns of Nevada have heart. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to start with a different point, simply because their heart is the foundation of what they create and how they perform. Their heart quality powers their vocals and stage presence. You really get that their performance isn’t just a performance; it’s a little bit of their lives that they are sharing with you.

Naturally when someone is sharing their lives with you, you are going to get their point of view. Guns of Nevada’s lyrics aren’t always pretty, but they are jovially honest. When GofN started singing “You goddamn woman don’t you look at me no more, I’ve had it” I couldn’t help but laugh! But, those are the kind of base lyrics that just have you give up feeling stupid and just get into the music not matter how ridiculous. You might not agree with me now, but I guarantee you would be singing along by the third stanza. It’s fun! Kind of like karaoke night after a few PBRs.

Musically they played very well and held true to their style. They got a little grungy, a little butt-rocky, but it’s nice to change things up a bit! If all you ever saw were the hands-crossed hipster shows, the butt-rocker in you would stay pent up until you’d have a mental break down and next think you know, you’re looking at yourself with a cross-bones scull tattoo and a mullet. Let your hair down and go check out Guns of Nevada before it’s too late! - Seattle Show Gal

Spotucky Radio (Spokane, Wa.), Go Kat Go Radio (West Hartford CT.), Drape Radio (Spokane, Wa.) The Funky Monkey 104.9 Tacoma, Wa., KISW 99.9 (Seattle, Wa.) KSER 90.7 (Everett, Wa.), Outlaw Radio, Big G's Texas Roadshow (Texas) - Guns of Nevada

South meets East meets West

Guns of Nevada make no secret of the fact that they liberally steal from the Ramones, AC/DC and the Man in Black. They're covered in dirt and drip with punk rock attitude so you'd have to say their "liberal" borrowing has paid off.
With a bit of southern twang as on "Hard to Wave Goodbye in Handcuffs" and "Let Not Be Alone" you get an interesting mix traveling via New York through the south and topped off in the Pacific Northwest.
Odd, but a sound that on the whole comes together far more naturally than you'd expect on paper. Guns of Nevada say they're true believers in PBR: punk, blues, rock. And on this album thats exactly what you get.
dirtyrockmagazine.com
- Dirty Rock Magazine (AUS)

...This month we found a fantastic band out west known as Guns of Nevada. The music is reminiscent of the good days of punk rock like Social Distortion and the Ramones while mixing a blend of modern western charm and reality. Hillbilly Skip has gone fanatical about this band and for good reason, they bring honest non affected rock n roll straight in your face! Lastly I believe Pretty When You Cry hits a home note for ole Skip!

-Moe Hillbilly - Twisted Hillbilly Magazine