By Sasha Savinov for Festively Local
It’s always nice when a band has a sense of humor; Huntsville, Alabama based The Flying Dutchmen provide a fine example of one such band. They will be bringing their quirky rock show to the Hook Stage for an afternoon set on Saturday, October 17th. I caught up with a few of the band members to discuss their backgrounds, their influences, and groundhogs on trampolines:
The Flying Dutchmen
Could you please paraphrase for our readers, the story of the cigarette smoking boot and how The Flying Dutchmen were formed?
Jacob: Nah, the boot had diarrhea. Haha! Burrito everybody!
TFD: It was a sad day for the janitor.
Do all five members of the band have musicians backgrounds?
Jerry: We were born with headphones on.
TFD: Each band member plays a variety of instruments so it makes it easier to build on each others ideas and styles. Most all of us have previously or currently play in other bands and music projects.
What would you say are some of the band’s biggest influences?
TFD: Musically – Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Creedance Clearwater Revival, Kings of Leon, My Morning Jacket, Guster, Dr. Dog, Tool, The Doors, Radiohead. Also – daylight, moonlight, cheeseburgers, firearms, space exploration, trucks…
Your sound has been described as “three groundhogs jumping on a trampoline while brushing their teeth.” For our readers who do not have access to groundhogs or trampolines, what should we expect from your Festively Local performance?
TFD: The audience will have to listen for themselves. We make a passionate effort to fill quality in our sound so we hope that stands out. During a typical band practice, we will jam and pick out what we like to use as a basic song structure. From there it’s an open forum… we’ll practice harmonies, play around with different tones, slow things down, or change the timing. No one person is ever really in charge, although we do challenge each other to step it up a notch.
JC: We’re from Rocket City, so we’re not responsible if anybody in the audience is launched into outer space.
This festival is about local music, art, and food, so tell me, if and when I’m in Huntsville, AL, where should I go for all of the above?
TFD: The Flying Monkey is a hub for all of the above. Their events calendar is full with music shows, comedy sketches, the occasional burlesque troupe and even a few puppet shows. Other great locations are Bandito Burrito, Big Spring Cafe, and Sazio’s.
For tour dates and MP3s, visit the band’s MySpace.
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