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Snake Oil keeps busy
The late James Brown was called the hardest working man in show business. I like to think of local musician Steven Gullett as the James Brown of Dayton local music.
While balancing time between his two bands, The American Static and Snake Oil, Gullett also sinks his talents into a solo project and spends every Tuesday night hosting the very popular Songwriters co-op at Canal Street Tavern.
Much like a parent who always tells their kids that they love each of them the same, Gullett does not admit to having a favorite project. But, for much of January and February he will be concentrating on the exciting and upbeat, Snake Oil.
Steven (guitar and vocals), along with Jason Short (Drums), Bryan Lakatos (upright bass), Robb Young (guitar and vocals), make up Snake Oil who is officially Dayton’s favorite acoustic, electric, punk, country, rock band.
Their stage set-up combines an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, and an upright bass. Add in the occasional slide guitar and a punk rock beat, and Snake Oil is far from classification.
Check Snake Oil out this month on Friday, January 12th at Peach’s Grill and Saturday, January 20th at the Oregon Express. Visit www.snakeoiltheband.com for more info.
I got to chat with Steven Gullett about Snake Oil and their busy schedule.
KN - Are you the busiest musician in Dayton?
SG - No, I don’t know. People always think I am in a lot more bands than I am. It is just two, well three if you count my solo stuff.
KN - Is Snake Oil ready to record the follow-up to last summer’s Almost Acoustic Music?
SG - Yea, we will be ready to buckle down record by the end of February. We want to get through these shows because once you get the mics set up you don’t want to move them. We will record it all at once, like we did the first time around.
KN - A lot of bands won’t play their new material live if it has yet to be released. But you guys play your new material live, why is that?
SG - I have never been a fan of holding on songs. Songs evolve after playing them out. There is something about being in front of an audience that may make you attack a song differently. Many of the tracks on the upcoming cd we have played out live, but there will be a few that are unheard.
KN - Your show on February 25th at Canal Street Tavern with Tyla, former lead singer of the English band Dogs D’Amour, how did that come about?
SG - Well he has not played a show in the U.S. in like three years. I got an email from him expressing interest in coming and I set it up. They were like this cult band in the 80’s. They used to play with Mother Love Bone (Pearl Jam before they were Pearl Jam) all the time. It will be a great night of sleazy rock n’ roll.
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