The Howling Tongues

The Howling Tongues Get Blown Away By Analog Tape

We recorded our debut album to 2” tape on a 24-track Studer at Sound Emporium in Nashville, TN. That whole experience opened our eyes – we weren’t staring at a computer screen and we were thrown into the fire. We weren’t editing, adjusting, shifting, nudging, cutting; we just had to live with what we got down on tape. It made us focus on the music, the performance, and the tones much more than we ever thought before.



Prior to that record we were big analog advocates anyway. So since Sound Emporium, we record at our own studio space and we have acquired a 1/4” Teac 2-Track reel to reel and a 1/2” Teac 8-track reel to reel. Everything sounds so amazing on tape; I’ve noticed I had to use much less EQ and compression to achieve the tones that we’re hearing in our heads. The dynamic range of tape is awesome too, because you can really hit the tape input hard and get a nice, tight, punch-rounded sound that you definitely can’t achieve digitally.

Not having tons of built-in effects and virtual instruments at the click of a mouse really forces you to try and create more sounds on your own. Maybe you used to plug a MIDI keyboard in and use some synth patches in Pro Tools. In the analog world you have to create those sounds using amps, microphones, guitar pedals, actual instruments, and random objects. It can be really inspiring to limit yourself in the digital era and just allow yourself to create and not stare the music down on a computer screen, but rather listen to it and make adjustments to your approach.

In our studio space we rehearse by running a Pro Tools session and we just arm all of the microphones that we’re using. This makes it quick to send the proper mixes out to each musician since we don’t have a nice analog console. Anytime we are recording, we record to one of the tape machines and have an alternate signal flow that we set up to do it. We can appreciate the speed of digital when it comes to rehearsing our sets and pulling up headphone/wedge mixes. When we create, we prefer working on tape.

Getting into analog recording takes patience, but once you get the handle on the process it becomes just as easy as any DAW (which were, after all, modeled on analog equipment in the first place). If you want, you can always dump what’s recorded on tape back into Pro Tools and just use your tape machine to get the effect and tone of it. A big misconception with analog recording equipment is that you need to have the most expensive machines to get great sounds. You don’t need an expensive Studer or an Otari for things to sound great. Of course, those machines are the best sounding, most flexible, and popular, but they are really hard to maintain and super expensive. When we recorded our record, our Studer had to be fixed twice and it was in great condition. Our current recording setup is relatively affordable for most serious musicians. If you buy an older reel to reel, new tape, an entry level analog mixer, speakers, and some microphones, it’s going to cost around the same or less than purchasing a nicer Pro Tools rig, mics, and speakers.

A lot of our favorite records that are modern or classic were done as analog recordings, and that’s where our inspiration came from. We wanted to learn the process and see if we could do it. Ever since then we’ve been in love with it. Analog recording is not for everyone, but for us it will always be how we want to create our albums. To listen to our music, head to www.thehowlingtongues.com and follow us on Twitter @HowlingTongues. - Performer Magazine

The Howling Tongues know how to get a crowd moving, but when it comes to hauling gear they’re just as savvy. To put their creativity to the test (and, selfishly, nab a chance to see the guys’ live show), we picked up the band from their home in Cumming, Ga. in the all-new 2015 Honda Fit, a deceptively roomy car that actually stood a chance of fitting their gear and pulling into Paste’s tiny parking lot. Packing into the hatchback and braving Atlanta’s infamous rush hour traffic in order to make the set, the band impressed us all around.

Relive The Tongues’ wild afternoon in the gallery above, then listen to their catchy single “Gotta Be A Man” in the player below. - PASTE Magazine

- "Sweet tap-dancing Batman - the new EP by The Howling Tongues is seriously one of the best rock records I've heard in years.

Go listen!" - Performer Magazine

Hailing from Atlanta, GA the Howling Tongues are a five piece rock-n-roll band that has been making some strides and turning some heads in the last six months. After releasing an EP in September the band has crafted a nicely produced impressive six-song album entitled “Keep the Dust Down” that growls and snarls with hooks and some classic hard rock that got me jacked. There is no wonder that this band has grown exponentially in the last couple of months because if their live show is indicative of this album then I would check them out the next time they’re in your area. It is unpretentious music that you can drink a beer to while having a good old time. It should be noted that Tom Tapley who is one of the industry’s top engineers (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen) recorded this album and you can tell from the imprint that his professional touch was added. Fan of classic rock and contemporaries like Jack White and The Black Keys beware you may have found your next favorite band.

The band doesn’t waste any time kicking things into gear with “Party”- an anthemesque rock-n-roll song that may be the catchiest on the album. The riffs rock, the drums bang and the vocals soar as this infectious tune reminds me of how far and between a good rock-n-roll is to find these day. Things don’t slow down on their second song “Makes You Tick” which had a very welcome 80’s type of vibe that reminded me of Poison for a second. There is also a delicious dirty bass line in this song, which is awesome. The album closes just as hard as it starts with the anthemic “Jose’ no se’” which ends the album with a bang. If you like well done gritty rock-n-roll that has memorable songs and feels like a party, check this band out. - The Equal Ground

“Listening to vinyl is very inspirational for me. There’s something about looking through my collection or someone else’s and finding the right album or song for the moment.”

“A lot can be learned about yourself from listening to music this way. Sifting through records, finding the one, studying the album cover and learning the liner notes are something that’s truly exclusive to vinyl. Then once you’ve put the needle down, you’re fully invested, listening to music and being very intentional about it. I find myself paying more attention to the music when I listen on vinyl.



My parents had a pretty awesome record collection that they gave to me full of Motown 45s, Beatles LPs, and some ’60s psychedelic rock. They actually had a crazy amount of records and lost most of them in a flood when I was young.

The first album that I purchased myself was Ryan Adams and The Cardinals Easy Tiger. I bought it in Atlanta at a shop called Wax n’ Facts. It was one of the first times I had ever seen a colored vinyl record and I love Ryan Adams so I had to get it. Translucent orange vinyl with a fold out poster in a plastic see-through pouch, it was a cool album just for those reasons, not to mention the great songs on that record.


Following my first purchase, record collecting became an obsession. I’m constantly looking in shops in whatever city the band might be in. The other band members love vinyl too so it’s a lot of fun to share that passion with your closest friends. Vinyl brings people together to talk about music. When you listen on an iPod or in your car by yourself, you’re isolated. It normally becomes background noise to whatever you’re doing (i.e. working out, homework, driving, etc.) With vinyl, I usually listen with others and talk about the records and all the musicians involved. There’s mysteriousness with vinyl and that ignites conversation. Even listening alone I find myself more mesmerized by the music.



My favorite album artwork changes frequently but right now it is Physical Graffiti with all the die-cut windows and their faces in the windows on the inner sleeve. The artwork creates a symbolic meaning that the viewer can interpret on his or her own. Some of my favorite bands are very clever with their album artwork; it is the first impression of the album. Sometimes I purchase an album based off of the artwork. My favorite albums change quite often; it’s kind of crazy. Currently, my top five favorite albums would have to be Jimi Hendrix Experience mono Are You Experienced?, Jimmy Page’s remaster of Led Zeppelin I, The Stooges Funhouse, The Beatles Let It Be, The Temptations Live!.

Vinyl inspired us (The Howling Tongues) to create a completely analog album. The end result sounds incredible and all of our favorite albums were done that way. Our goal was to track and mix it to tape without the use of any computers. By pressing vinyl, a listener can get the full analog experience, which is a rarity nowadays. Our favorite shop in our hometown carries some of our vinyl. Rand and Win have an incredible record store in Roswell, GA called Mojo Vinyl. Every piece of vinyl in that store is great, carrying the best stuff around and the fact they carry some of our music is very humbling.

Record hunting is all about finding something that’s different, that triggers some kind of emotion inside of you. I will always love vinyl and the musical connection I have with it.”
—Nick Magliochetti, guitars - The Vinyl District

"If you have an appetite for some old school rock n roll with vibrant resonance musically and passionately dripping from every note and element then Atlanta rockers The Howling Tongues is the band for you." - RingMaster Review

"With what used to be alternative starting to include anything that doesn’t neatly fit somewhere else, defining a musical genre is getting harder and harder. And rock and roll? It is anything with prominent guitars and screaming vocals, at least to some people. But every now and then, there is a band that sounds exactly the way they want to be. For The Howling Tongues, there is no mistaking the sound. They are definitively rock and roll." - Liquid Hip

The Howling Tongues are creating a movement and revival in the music scene. Bringing back the roots of Rock'n'Roll with loud guitar amps, giant kick drums, fuzzy bass tones, over-driven organ, and raspy vocals. Heavily influenced by Classic Rock bands like Led Zeppelin and The Who, but intrigued by Modern Rock bands The Raconteurs, Band of Skulls, and Black Keys. The Howling Tongues found their niche in their world of music and their "Take No Prisoners" live show proves that Rock'n'Roll isn't dead. Listen and become part of the Revival!

They had to change their band name from ‘The Revels’ because they got into a little bit of legal trouble trying to trademark the name. They are happy with their new name ‘The Howling Tongues’ and are excited to have everyone know. They also just released the news that they will be working with Stan Lynch who was the original drummer for Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. They are working on recording a 10 song album to tape this May in Nashville, TN. Stan Lynch will be producing it alongside his production partner Billy Chapin and Gordon Hammond will be engineering it. Their music won't be touching any computers during this process and they are excited to work with a legend like Stan. They are also giving away ‘Keep The Dust Down’ which is a 6 song EP for Free on Noisetrade (see links)

The Howling Tongues are a 5-piece rock-n-roll outfit from Atlanta, Ga. Within just the past 6 months, the band has made a tremendous mark on the Atlanta music scene. With an already large and growing fan base, it’s only a matter of time before The Howling Tongues become a household name in today’s music industry.

In August of 2011, guitarist Nick Magliochetti, lead vocalist Taylor Harlow, and drummer Tylor James decided to start a band that would soon be growing and moving faster than they had anticipated. Bassist, Zach Smith and keyboardist, Thomas Wainwright were asked to join shortly there after to create a style of rock and roll that would make the legends of this industry proud.

There was no time to waste. After releasing an EP in September and only playing a few concerts together as a band, The Howling Tongues had venues such as The Vinyl and The Hard Rock packed to the door. With a growing reputation for their live show and an anticipation of more music from their fans, The Howling Tongues returned to the studio to record a six song album of what they call a “no regret rock-n-roll” style of music.

The band was introduced to one of the industry’s top producer/engineers, Tom Tapley, who has worked with and recorded some of rock’s greatest acts. On December 29th 2011, The Howling Tongues started work on their debut album titled, “Keep The Dust Down.” With Tom Tapley at the reigns, this album has people from all over the Southeastern United States talking about what’s coming next from this highly anticipated group.


Will Johnstone

I first found out about The Howling Tongues (when they were still called The Revels) after stumbling across a video on YouTube of their acoustic cover version of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”. I think it is genuinely the best cover version I have heard of this song and decided to find out a little more, but when I realized they were an independent band going DIY I had to dive in and take the chance of an interview and couldn't believe my luck when they replied. This is a band with an unbelievably huge following at home in Atlanta, USA, but also a growing fan base worldwide too. Skilled musicians with a nostalgic drive and a great ability to pick out the best bits of music in many genres over some of the best eras of music, and blend that influence with their own individuality to achieve the sound they now have. This is a band to please all kinds of music fans, but if you dig The Black Keys, Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin and The Who you will no doubt appreciate what these guys are doing. It’s never easy to attract the masses, and there is always a huge degree of hard work involved, but just take a look at how short a time these guys have been at this and the number of people now following them on Facebook alone to get an idea of just how good this band really is!

Once again, I am blessed with getting a great interview with a great band, and here we have Nick Magliochetti to answer my questions on behalf of the band. Thanks for giving us the scoop at Hellfire Nick, it’s great to have a rising international band to interview. I have been following you guys for a while now since I stumbled upon that Fleetwood Mac cover a couple months back, and have since found that your music is really on top form. I was nicely surprised to hear that rock element after the smooth acoustic cover version I was introduced to you with. I love your brand of rock coz it has a real electric energy and that good-old-days vibe while sounding fresh and modern, but I would like to know what you think…
- New Hellfire Club Glasgow

Rock-n-roll has come a long way. But every now and again, it’s good to “go back to your roots” and jam to something with a solid groove. The Howling Tongues may not necessarily be “the roots,” but they sure do have a groove and will definitely put a smile on the face of anyone looking for a good time.

Hailing from Atlanta GA, The Howling Tongues are bringing out some “no regrets rock-n-roll” with their debut album Keep the Dust Down. This description fits the album perfectly. The five piece group gives off a strong Led Zeppelin vibe, but with some elements from modern rock bands such as the Raconteurs and the White Stripes. Powerful drums and slick bass lines keep a good groove on all the songs while air-guitar worthy riffs give some real attitude. Taylor Harlow’s lead vocals really put the cherry on top, sounding reminiscent of Jack White on some songs, most noticeably on the song “Jose No Se.”

Right off the bat, it’s easy to hear that this band has talent. Nick Magliochetti, the band’s lead guitarist, pulls off some pretty nasty sounding solos while lead vocalist Taylor Harlow is definitely not afraid to go for some of those high notes and demonstrates some impressive vocal skills. All of the instrumental parts complement each other and work well together. Have no doubt, these guys are good musicians and their songs are performed very well with very good production quality. - IMR

Bred from a state whose dive bars are haunted by decades of movement-starting genres, Atlanta-based The Howling Tongues have been born into the ingenious – yet highly stigmatized – world of Southern music, and they’re not exactly psyched.

“Atlanta’s kind of rough,” says THTs’ drummer T.J., aka Tylor James. “There’s all these people trying really hard to put Southern twang in their music that it doesn’t need. When people think of the South they immediately think of old Southern rock bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd that we’re not big fans of.”

But The Howling Tongues can’t escape the influences of their homeland, and they’re admittedly not trying too hard to hide their Southern pride. They formed in 2011 when guitarist Taylor Harlow took a 3 a.m. summer drive and asked friends T.J. and guitarist Nick Magliochetti to start a band. A few months later, keys player Thomas Wainwright and bassist Zach Smith joined. What followed was The Howling Tongues, with an intrinsically Southern attitude of play-‘til-your-fingers-bleed rock-and-roll and the inescapable humidity of stomping blues in their first record, Keep The Dust Down, self-released this spring.

It may just be a six-track EP, but it’s a record with a hard-slapping pulse, the kind of devilish rock that comes alive as it crawls through the stereo. The Howling Tongues’ songwriting process is no less intense.

“Our practice is not super structured,” says Harlow. “We’ll write five songs all the way through, and then trash them in rehearsal – that’s when the best songs come out, when you’re not over thinking it. You’re just playing with the band and listening to each other. So we have a lot of fun and go crazy.”
“We all ride that same roller coaster together,” says Wainwright about rehearsal, which takes place in T.J.’s backyard “barn-esque” bar. “It’s the perfect environment for us. It’s rock and roll. We can be as loud as we want. The process is definitely a long one, but what will come out of it is that we have something worthwhile.”

The songs they found worthwhile were recorded onto the album in five days of studio time, thanks to producer/engineer Tom Tapley (Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam). “I don’t know how you can get better than that,” says Magliochetti of their producer.

“About 80 percent of the album was recorded live. We kept guitar solos that turned out to be good because it was in the moment. That’s what we were hoping Tom would be able to help us with – we had no idea how to record like that. We thought we sounded like crap, but it sounds like something pretty decent when we’re together.”
Magliochetti’s modesty is overruled by their sold out shows in venues around the region. Even before their record came out, The Howling Tongues enjoyed the Southern hospitality in the realm of music fandom. “The main thing right now is focusing on building a fanbase in the South, to plant our flag,” says Wainwright. “The South is super dedicated. If they love something, they love it wholeheartedly. That’s part of why we have fun with great bands from the South.”

In building both a Southern fanbase, The Howling Tongues have found additional support through a community of musicians, rendering the PR usually taken care of by record labels unnecessary. “[Other] bands have been very charismatic when it comes to spreading the word about our band,” says Wainwright. “They’re pretty dedicated. We’ve worked with some awesome friends who show up and invite their friends. Word of mouth spreads pretty damn fast.”

One of the greatest artists they’ve befriended, says Harlow, was Foxy Shazam, who played for The Howling Tongues’ record release party. “We were so grateful to be able to play with them,” he says. “It was tough because it was on a Wednesday night and it was hard to get a lot of our people out, but we let Foxy bring their people and it turned out to be an awesome show. Those are great dudes. They let us trash their stage.”

The Howling Tongues’ shows can get a bit unruly. But it’s all a part of the revivalist movement, to violently shake a crowd into remembering why rock and roll made a mark on this world in the first place. “When we first got into the rock and roll music scene as individuals – at a lot of shows – at the most, fans would bob their heads,” says Harlow. “And that kind of – for a lack of a better term – annoyed us. We wanted to create something that is almost impossible not to move around to and scream and have a really good time.”

Georgia has been the first stomping grounds for musicians from Ray Charles, to the B-52s, to Jerry Reed, and now that The Howling Tongues are leaving their footprints in one of the country’s most musically innovative regions, they’re not just following the path of the past. “We have a different kind of sound,” says Harlow. “I think people will appreciate that and find a different pace from the typical rock band that you hear in Atlanta.”

Whether The Howling Tongues want to be associated with the South or - Performer Magazine

Rock N Roll Has a New Name and It’s Called “The Howling Tongues”
Let’s talk about music, rock n roll to be more precise. THE HOWLING TONGUES HAVE RELEASED THEIR NEW ALBUM!!!!
Yes, you read correctly, The Howling Tongues did, in fact, release their new album, “Keep The Dust Down”, to the public. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, it’s about time you get a move on before rock n roll leaves you behind. I’ve been listening to it non-stop since it came out, on Friday, to find the right words for this album review and I have so much to say, I can hardly contain myself!!! Okay…
The Howling Tongues have debuted several of their new songs at previous shows, but just this past Friday were they accessible to you. This release has been long awaited by family, friends and fans as it truly shows the hard work that Thomas, Nick, TJ, Taylor and Zach have put into it. One thing I love about this album is that before a few songs, you can hear the guys talking and getting ready to record. It makes it sound like you’re in the studio with them, which gives their fans a whole new perspective of the band and the entire recording process that went into making this album.
These five talented guys re-recorded their very first single, “Nagasaki”, in the studio and you can expect new vocals and guitar solos as well as an extension of the main riff into the end of the song. It is a sort of breakdown/ritardando (for all you music theorists out there) and makes you appreciate the song and it’s creativity even more as it fades out.
The Howling Tongues’ newest single “Makes You Tick” is sure to give you a rock n roll attitude. These guys did an amazing job at figuring out what people want to hear. They put so much into it, but in a way that it is not overdone. The beginning sets the whole mood for the song and introduces the groove with an approach that just gets you pumped to listen to it, and then press the repeat button. The riff is incredible and will make you want to drive really, really fast; it is definitely one of my favorite tracks on the album.
The rest of the songs, “Party”, “One Eye’d Barber”, “Alibi” and “José No Sé” carry the album with such a tremendous effort from each one of the band members. You can look forward to Nick Magliochetti slaying you across the face with his guitar solos, Taylor Harlow screaming at you with his outrageous vocal range, Tylor James punching you in the gut with his insane groove, Zach Smith making the floors beneath you shake uncontrollably, and Thomas Wainwright bringing the sexy back with his keys.
If you so decide to take what I’ve written to heart and listen to this incredible, new, rock n roll album, you should make their show with Foxy Shazam a #1 priority in your week. The show is this Wednesday night at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia, and doors open at 7:00 PM. Come show some support for this up-and-coming rock n roll band because one day you’ll be glad you knew them before anyone else did… Bunch ‘a hipsters.
And ladies, they’re all really, really good looking. So, there’s that, too.
ROCK N ROLL LIVES
\m/ - Heartbreaker

The Howling Tongues = Rock-n-Roll.
So I thought I would share with you all The Howling Tongues- a band based out of Atlanta, Ga. They are quickly becoming a popular band in these here parts! haha Their blend of soul and rock-n-roll makes their music an instant addiction. I discovered this band...well...because I know their bass player Zach (college). They are incredible musicians and awesome song writers. Check them out...FOR REALZ! - The Music Mug

Interview on Page 146 - VENTS Magazine

The Howling Tongues new album BOO HISS is a face-melting return to singalong rock and roll, and earns our pick for Vinyl of the Month.
OK, I’m just gonna come out and say it. Shame on every so-called rock radio station in America for not playing “Vivian” on the hour, every hour as part of their regular rotation this summer. While we get inundated with the latest “YouTube sensation” crap from the FM airwaves, glorious rock and roll like The Howling Tongues‘ Boo Hiss is nowhere to be found on mainstream radio.



[WATCH: The Howling Tongues “Gotta Be A Man” Video Premiere]

And what a loss for real music fans – these guys flat out rock, and the brutally honest lyrics and crashing damnation of “Alone” make me want to personally issue a copy of this record to every program director in the country with a note telling them they’re missing out for not playing it. Angry face emoji. That’s right, I wrote it out.

How best to describe The Howling Tongues for the uninitiated? Well, the Atlanta natives take the best bits from the Hives, Aerosmith, The Black Crowes, and a little swamp-boogie for good measure and Frankenstein the whole lot into a cohesive ball of pure rock energy. In other words, make peace with the fact that you’re soon to be out a few bucks, because you’re gonna want this LP in your collection ASAP.

[READ: Performer’s 2012 feature interview with The Howling Tongues]

We liked their first record. We loved their second. In the words of Alvy Singer, we lurve this one. Highly recommended. - Performer Magazine

Heavily influenced by classic garage rock bands like The Stooges, Big Star, Led Zeppelin, The Who, and The Kinks, The Howling Tongues, features Davey Rockett (vocals), Nick Magliochetti (guitars), Thomas Wainwright (keys), Brandon Witcher (bass), and drummer Tylor James. Together they demoed 30 songs at their home studio before holing up at The Quarry in Kennesaw, GA, for eight days, to live-track and record “Boo Hiss“. The resulting decimation is soaked with reverberation amplification, kick drum detonations, fuzzy tone overload, over-driven organ, and raspy vocal incantations, making the album a can’t miss pièce de résistance. Whether on 150-gram vinyl, silver-spinning plastic orbs or via the ether of the internet, Hiss is sonic bliss.

— — —

Mike O’Keefe: Let’s start this of with where you grew up. Walk us through your earlier life.

Davey Rockett: I grew up in my adolescence in Daytona Beach, Florida, and then lived in both North and South Carolina. Born in Charleston, so I was just your typical southeast baby and sort of grew up everywhere down here.

MO: Nice, I actually went to school in Orlando, Florida for a little bit. I never went to Daytona, but I’m definitely a fan of Florida. I haven’t been to Atlanta, yet.

DR: Really? Well, hey man you got my number now so if you get down here we can show you a good time for sure. Tell you where all the good spots are, that’s for sure.

Travel Profile: Davey Rockett of The Howling TonguesPhoto courtesy | Ricardo’s Photography

MO: Nice. That’s where your based currently?

DR: We’re in Atlanta right now. Trying to influence this Rock N’ Roll scene right here. Athens is a great. Which is a short drive from where we live. We sort of bounce back and forth between those two markets.

MO: Awesome, describe the town your living in and going between Athens and Atlanta. What would you suggest for first-time visitors to do or see?

DR: Sure, Atlanta and Athens have some similarities, but for the most part they are very different. I feel like Athens obviously is a lot smaller then Atlanta, but has such a striving art community. People very willing to purchase art and invest in it, which we see a lot of benefits in that. We’ve only played Athens I guess over a handful of times and were selling out venues over there now. That took us five years to do in Atlanta, so people in Athens are definitely hungry for music. Atlanta has that big city feel, it’s more of that concrete you know area. I guess I could say there’s a lot of obviously bars and restaurants and all that kind of stuff, but not a whole lot of venues or places to play. I would say Athens has the upper hand in that area, so we love both areas for different things, but it’s always good to balance the two and go back-and-forth.

Travel Profile: Davey Rockett of The Howling TonguesPhoto courtesy | Brett Weinstein

MO: Awesome, that’s definitely good to know. What’s the first destination that comes to mind when you hear the word vacation, and why?

DR: Gosh, that’s hard. Can I give you two answers?

MO: Sure.

DR: I guess, if I were to split between the two. I love the beach – grew up at the beach. So, I would probably have to say Charleston where I was born. I love going to Charleston, that’s one of my favorite cities in the South. Or New York City, because it’s so different than Charleston. If I could be in two places at once, those two places would be where I’d park it for sure.

MO: You have the nightlife in the city and then you can retreat to the beach.


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DR: Right, exactly. If those two places could be one place that would be pretty incredible.

MO: Yeah, I’m with that. What’s the first thing you try to do when visiting a new destination?

DR: Food, I’m a foodie. Yeah, I love food. Me and my wife actually do this thing every year for our anniversary, we go to a different state and try new food and restaurants, and bars and all that stuff. I definitely love the night life, being out and going to see shows. Just checking out what the locals do, whatever it is. I think number one thing that I would do on vacation is look for some really good whole-in-the-wall food.

MO: Absolutely! I feel like when I travel, you’re more willing to try different things. At least I am, I’ll try anything. You get to experience.

DR: That’s the way it should be. I’m not going to go to Charleston and go to Bubble Gump, I’m not going to go somewhere and go to Chili’s, I’m going to find the best restaurant.

Travel Profile: Davey Rockett of The Howling TonguesPhoto courtesy | Quan Ha

MO: If you had the choice to perform or record anywhere in the world, where would you choose? Maybe an iconic venue, or somewhere that’s a good place.

DR: I think as far as big venues go, Red Rocks would be up there for me because I love playing outside at night. And obviously that area over there is pretty amazing, I love to get over there. As far as rock clubs go, I don’t know, maybe Viper room, we never played over there in [Los Angeles] or anything like that. Just getting over there to all those little clubs on the strip and stuff would definitely be very cool for us.

MO: Yeah, sweet. Where do you pull inspiration from and does traveling to new environments play a role?

DR: It does, yeah. We all collectively love the old classic rock bands, you know your British invasion bands; Zeppelin, Who, Beatles, Stones, all those bands. And basically all the bands that sort of obviously draw influence from those bands are huge for us. Big Star, The Replacements, Ramones, Stooges, all those bands from back in the day. All that stuff is amazing to us and even modern bands like Black Keys, The Archs, you know all those guys that obviously drew from there, were influences from those old classic rock bands. I would definitely say traveling plays a role in inspiring us to play new music. Because you come up with stories when you’re on the road and we don’t take ourselves very seriously, we write a song to pretty much about whatever is going on in our band and our lives. And so on the road you definitely make stories and memories.

Travel Profile: Davey Rockett of The Howling Tongues

MO: As long as you’re living you’ll always have material to write about.

DR: Absolutely man, you can definitely live without living too. I think being on the road is a testament to that, when you’re out on the road your 100 percent living. You know, so it’s amazing.

MO: Yeah, I love traveling. What does seeing and experiencing different cultures mean to you?

DR: It’s everything. I lived in a place in Atlanta called Alpharetta for a while, it’s very ritzy and people live in their own bubble, they don’t know anything about other cultures. It definitely plays a role in being close-minded and that is the opposite of how I want to live my life. I want to be forever changing, I never want to stay the same. To change is to grow as far as I’m concerned, so learning from other cultures is huge. Going back to the food thing, learning how other people make food, I don’t think there’s anything more political than food. Music is a close second I think. It’s amazing to experience other cultures and how they live because the world is too big, there’s too many people to think you have it all figured out.

Travel Profile: Davey Rockett of The Howling TonguesPhoto courtesy | Hans Johnson

MO: Yeah, absolutely. I feel the same way when I’m traveling I always want to learn a new lesson. That’s the thing that you remember when you travel. Is there a destination that you haven’t been to that you have to see, or have to go to?

DR: My gosh, this is hard. I would really love to go to Japan. I love their cuisine, back to food. I love all that stuff and I frequent Chinatown every time I’m in New York City and it’s just not close enough I don’t think. Somewhere like Japan would be amazing. I’d love to tour Europe, check all that stuff out for the obvious reasons. They produce a lot of my favorite music and it’s just an amazing area for sure. I don’t know man it’s hard to pick just one place because I definitely want to travel for a living, I want to see everything.

MO: Right, I’m with you. Lastly, what’s the next trip and what for? Maybe tours, event or are there any plans coming up?

DR: Yeah, we are actually leaving tomorrow to go to Nashville, Tennessee. We have another studio release show there and so we are pretty excited about that. Then we are going to Louisville, Kentucky to do a big music festival out there called Waterfront Wednesday. Super pumped for that and then we are going to Iowa to play a Rock N’ Roll club, actually a theater I think. So, we have a nice little string of shows coming up and then we are coming back for a break to try and make a little cash and then go back out for some more dates. - Sun City Paradies

The Howling Tongues: Singer Davey Rockett talks about new album 'Boo Hiss'

Kevin Wierzbicki - AXS Contributor
By: Kevin Wierzbicki AXS Contributor Jun 23, 2016 23 hours ago
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The Howling Tongues: Singer Davey Rockett talks about new album 'Boo Hiss'
Courtesy of the Howling Tongues
The cover of the new record from the Howling Tongues shows a squalling toddler and the album itself is titled Boo Hiss. All the implied unhappy noise is certainly completely opposite to what Boo Hiss actually holds: a set of original garage rock-informed and guitar-driven tunes built for fun and with perfect rock ‘n’ roll titles like “The Shakes,” “Raw Power in a Red Dress” and “Greatest Lover Around.” True to rock ‘n’ roll’s favorite subject, these songs are all about girls.

The Atlanta-based Howling Tongues are a five-piece fronted by singer Davey Rockett with Nick Magliochetti on guitar, Brandon Witcher on bass, Thomas Wainwright on keys and Tyler James on drums and they’ve been drawing nothing but raves for Boo Hiss, their sophomore release that dropped in late May. These cats are a force to be reckoned with, and as such we thought that right now would be a good time to learn a little more about what makes them tick. To that end we had a brief email chat with Rockett; his insights below are given exclusively to AXS.com.

AXS: Garage rocker “Raw Power in a Red Dress” pays homage to the Stooges in both sound and song title, but the band also has an ’80s-leaning, harmony-laden radio-ready hit in “Vivian.” Do songs often change their tenor between the time they were written and when you finish them?

Davey Rockett: Yes of course. I think it's important to walk the line between your initial intuition and wanting to make the song as good as it can be. “Vivian” actually started out with a different chorus that we all collectively thought wasn't powerful enough. After about a year of sitting on the idea we finally came up with the new chorus that we believe takes the song to another level.

AXS: You had a batch of demos some 30-songs deep to whittle down before entering the studio to cut Boo Hiss. Can you name and briefly describe a couple of the tunes that almost made the cut but will have to wait until next time?

DR: There are quite a few! Some we may never use. One, "Queen of Oblivion," is a great song, but just didn't quite make sense to put on this record. It is a psychedelic sitar-driven verse with a big "hooky" chorus that combats the powers of Nick's guitars with my vocals, all with a groovy floor tom groove that keeps it moving right along. We are very much looking forward to releasing that song someday. Whether that be as a single or on our next full length LP.

AXS: Great falsetto on “Greatest Lover Around”! Was it difficult to get the vocals just right for that song?

DR: Thank you. That song tends to demand a certain vibe that makes it very easy for me to sing to. There was no guessing on how to approach the vocal. The overall consensus was to make it as raw and sexy as possible. We just set up a mic and I doubled the vocal for the chorus in falsetto and sang the last verse as loud and passionately as possible. One of my favorites to record and play live for sure.

AXS: Boo Hiss has been released on vinyl and has been named June’s Vinyl of the Month by Performer Magazine. Do you personally like to listen to music on vinyl, and if so, what are some of your most treasured pressings?

DR: We all love to listen to records, both at our respective homes and when we’re together before rehearsal. There’s a different connection to the music when you listen to vinyl records. When you drop the needle and let the record play through, you get a greater sense of how the artist or band was feeling during the writing process. It almost puts you in the room with them. Some of our favorite records right now are:

Cheap Trick Heaven Tonight
The Stooges Raw Power and Funhouse
Big Star Radio City and #1 Record
MC5 Kick Out the Jams
David Bowie Ziggy Stardust
The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers

AXS: You are an acknowledged foodie and enjoy trying new restaurants when you travel. What is the latest place that you discovered that blew your mind, either at home or on the road, and what did you have?

DR: I have to shout out for my favorite place to go while I'm home; San Pancho Taqueria. It is about a mile from my house and has authentic street style tacos for a dollar apiece. Need I say more? While in New York City we usually just walk into any random restaurant in Chinatown and have yet to go wrong. There is so much good food out there and we want it all.

AXS: It’s probably difficult when you’re on the road with the band, but do you, similarly to your quest for good food, seek out new bands/clubs/scenes when traveling? Again, your latest discoveries?

DR: We are always on a tight schedule on the road but we do have the pleasure of sharing the stage with many great bands from around the country, especially when playing festivals. When we do play an event that involves many different acts, we certainly try our best to stick around and hear as much music as we can. One of my favorite discoveries of the year has been The Welzeins out of Orlando, FL. They are a punk rock/hardcore duet of pure badass. Check them out of you're looking for loud, out of control rock 'n' roll. - AXS TV