Middletown >> “Our music is a soundtrack for blue-collar Americans that pretty much like to live their life full throttle,” explained Dusty Dahlgren, more commonly known as Tex, rapper of country duo Moonshine Bandits. The other half of the group is singer Brett Brooks, known as Bird. They perform at Camp Komratto 8 located at Big Pines Campground in Middletown tomorrow evening.
They might be the perfect modern soundtrack for a barbecue and a few drinks. Moonshine Bandits have their fans covered there too. They’ve teamed up with a couple different companies to produce their own beef jerky, barbecue rub and, fittingly, some moonshine. “What we’ve always told our fans is we’re basically more of a lifestyle than just music,” Dahlgren said.
When Moonshine Bandits began 16 years ago, Dahlgren and Brooks were walking in the rarely explored territory of country rap music. These days though, even the biggest names are throwing in hip-hop vibes, even if they don’t call it rapping. “It’s actually starting to be a pretty big thing all over the U.S.,” Dahlgren explained. “Some of these guys like Jason Aldean, he’s actually rapping on a few songs.”
Dahlgren and Brooks met as kids living in the farming hub of the state, the Central Valley. Their music is, in a way, an homage to their upbringing. “Our music is for the guys that work their [tails] off during the week and on the weekend they just want to crank up the music and not worry about their jobs,” Dahlgren said.
In high school, the two friends would mess around during keg parties, Dahlgren rapping while Brooks sang. Though they didn’t make a conscious decision to combine the two genres, their sound just meshed. “It’s never something that we said, ‘hey we could do country and rap and mix it together,’” Dahlgren said. “It’s a natural thing for us … just being a product of our environment.”
Once they realized they had a vibe that worked, and worked well, they decided to pursue music a little more seriously. In 1999, they formed Moonshine Bandits. It’s taken time, but success has come their way. They recently purchased their first tour bus, next week their new album hits the shelves of box stores like Best Buy and Wal-Mart and their previous CD climbed to number 22 on the country billboard charts. “Us not being on radio or TV, that’s a big thing. Us being that high up on the billboard, that’s pretty hard to do,” Dahlgren said. “That just shows how loyal our fans are.”
The band’s fans do seem to be filled with a fervent passion. Dahlgren has seen his fair share of Moonshine Bandits tattoos and the fan base even has their own name: the Shiner Nation. “They believe in us and what we stand for and our music,” Dahlgren said. “These last few years it’s just been blowing up faster and faster. With our new album coming out … I think things will blow even more wide open.”
While their music fits comfortably into the country rap genre, Moonshine Bandits do like to toy with other styles. They’re highly influenced by Johnny Cash, Credence Clearwater, David Allan Coe, Kid Rock and west coast rap in general. It’s likely part of their appeal. “We have a pretty eclectic taste in what we listen to so that has a lot of do with our songwriting,” Dahlgren said. “There’s quite a few genres mixed all into one … Our sound has always been like that, it’s really all over the map. You can’t put us in a box. That’s been a tribute to our success.”
Moonshine Bandits are constantly on the road and though it may sound tiring, it’s the perfect situation for their songwriting sensibilities. Dahlgren and Brooks are always looking to sit down with their fans and hear stories about their lives. It’s where they find their inspiration. “Touring the United States, we’ve pretty much done a show in every state,” Dahlgren explained. “You can see what’s out there and draw from that and use that for your lyrics and you can relate to more people. If you’re just sitting at home, it’s hard to write about a lot of stuff.”
There are numerous things to love about being a musician, and performing live is one of them. Dahlgren explained that he especially enjoys watching newcomers as they take in the band’s music for the first time. People who have never seen them before tend to begin the evening at the back of the room, but as they’re swept away by the rhythms, they slowly make their way toward the stage, until they’re right up front with the hardcore fans. “It’s an experience that you’ve got to see to really feel it,” Dahlgren said. “Our interaction with the crowd is something we’ve always been proud of … Overall just doing our live shows is one of our favorite things about being in music.”
Their shows are anything but low key. Their mixture of rapping and singing keeps the energy high and the audience entertained and Friday’s show is sure to be no different. Dahlgren and Brooks keep their audience constantly on their toes, literally. No one is simply sitting and clapping, Dahlgren insisted. In fact, he discourages it. “Be ready to come have a kick ass time. If you’re not ready to dance and have fun then you better stay at home,” he said. “It’s a foot stomping, fist pumping type of music.”
Moonshine Bandits perform at Big Pines Campground in Middletown Friday, July 10 at 9 p.m.
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
