Whiskey Avengers: folk, reggae, rock n soul band talks Dead Man Rockin’

by Dana Feldman

How to best describe the unique sound of the band ‘Whiskey Avengers’? Well, per Stefan Meissner (Guitar, Lead Vocals), their music is best summed up as a culmination of reggae, rock steady and rock ‘n’ soul, “with a twist of folk,” he adds.

In addition to Meissner, the band includes Clint Westwood (Bass, Lead Vocals, Occasional Banjo), Lee Pardini (Keys, Backup Vocals, Bass) and Kevin Higuchi (Drums). Meissner and Westwood are childhood friends and the way the rest of the band came together is what Meissner describes as a side project. “Clint and I are a part of a Hip Hop group called Language Arts Crew which just took off.” They met Kevin, who they refer to as Guch, in downtown San Jose and Lee came on board through Guch.

Of the first single off of the new album Dead Man Rockin’, Westwood says that “Uncle Sam is definitely politically charged. But instead of screaming on a soap box a la Rage Against The Machine, we soften the blow by comparing the condition of American government to a selfish deadbeat uncle character.” He adds that you have to be careful when expressing radical political views as an artist today. “Our generation has a real apathetic disconnect from the democratic process, and can grow weary of the cliché uniformed musician/reformist. We believe music is therapy, and would rather make the listener feel good, rather than stress them out with impending doom, but the message is there if they want to soak it in.”

In speaking to the current occupy movement, Westwood says of it that it is inspiring. “We haven’t seen a movement for socio-economic change of this caliber in this country since the Vietnam War and the civil rights protests of the late 1960’s.” Acknowledging that musicians and artists alike have always played a valuable role in spearheading change throughout history, he says that, “Songs and lyrics are arguably a more honest window into the past because they reflect a real individual’s personal experience versus the cut-and-dry time lines of academic history books.” He adds, “Our fans continue to support us because we write songs about everyday life dramas that we can all relate to.”

He feels that this latest album is a good stepping stone for their fans who might not have been previously interested in accepting what he says is the fact that the greed of the extremely wealthy is legitimately diminishing their quality of life. “We have successfully graduated from the last album’s general theme of ‘Let’s Screw,’ to ‘Hey, we’re getting screwed.’ There is no doubt that music continues to influence everyone’s lives, and we feel responsible as artists with a voice to use it for the greater good rather than pursuing the mindless, poisonous shit show of mainstream pop music.”

They also support this movement by pushing themselves as individual musicians. Westwood explains that the removal of arts in education is just one of the many ailments that are in protest by the Occupy movements. “Let’s face it, the skill sets, literacy and versatility of American standards are embarrassing. We’ll continue to play our role in being one of the many musical voices of our time, and honor those sacrificing their comfort zones of daily life by showing the establishment that we are here, and we’re not leaving! Viva la Revolucion!”

Per Meissner, their plans for 2012 are to tour hard, play as many festivals as time will allow, put out great new music, and have fun doing it! And, as for the ultimate goals for the band, he adds, “We aim to make music that will stand the test of time, unlike popular music these days, which is trendy and dates itself. When Ska makes another comeback, we’ll be on top, whether the band is still around or not, the music sure as hell will be.”

He has some advice for other musicians and bands out there that are just getting started. “Go touring. The music business today is about live performances, that’s where a musician is going to make a living. Plus, you never know how good or bad you are until you test yourselves against strangers.” He says that right now, as a band, that the Whiskey Avengers are more committed than ever before, and have the most going in their favor than they ever could have imagined.

Upcoming shows for The Whiskey Avengers:
• January 19th – Nextdoor, Honolulu, HI
• January 20th – Anna Bananas, Honolulu, HI
• January 21st – Breakers, Halewia, HI
• February 23rd – Red Devil Lounge, San Francisco, CA

Track Listing for Dead Man Rockin’:

1. Who Are They
2. Warrior
3. Run
4. Uncle Sam
5. Misery
6. Monkey
7. High All Night
8. Feel Anything
9. Generation Doom
10.Till I Die
11. Adios
12.My Myself and I

Learn more at WhiskeyAvengers.com • iTunes • Twitter • Facebook • “Uncle Sam” on YouTube

About Dana Feldman

Dana S. Feldman is a freelance writer in the Los Angeles area. She has worked in the entertainment industry and has gained an appreciation for the artists that make Los Angeles such a thriving city. She strives to help them in their endeavors and to tell their stories in a fair and compassionate way that helps them to get recognized for their work, and to help others out there who may be struggling, to know that they are not alone and to keep pursuing their dreams. In addition to Beatweek, Dana also contributes to Examiner and Variety.