Angels whisky club INTERVIEW by Paul McLean. 

Rhubarb Whiskey! 

Paul; When I first heard of RHUBARB WHISKEY I thought; “some one is having a laugh!”  But I looked into it and, holy drams! what a band I found! So I just had to interview them, in fact, I spoke to Emchy, one of the band founders, this is how it went … So Emchy, thanks for chatting to me across the great divide (Atlantic). 

Emchy; Hi Paul Thank you so much! We do love whiskey of all kinds, and two of us have Scottish ancestry. 

Paul; can you tell me a wee bit about the band and how you started. 

Emchy; Rhubarb Whiskey is an American band that likes to delve into the darker side of the psyche. While our music is fun to dance and stomp along to, we tend to write songs about love and friendship gone wrong, murder ballads, and things of that sort (Paul interupts … that’s happy! maybe you should write a song about my first wife? she still flies around on halloween lookin for me). Music to listen to in dark bars with a hearty drink in your hand sort of tunes. We all have a love of travel and those old dusty road adventures are always made better by a nip of whiskey or two. When we formed the band, and were writing our first song “Sorrows Drowned” we knew our band name had to really convey the spirit of our friendship. So me and Boylamayka Sazerac (vocalist / guitarist) decided on Rhubarb Whiskey, since I always try to put rhubarb in everything, and the mixture felt like a real coming together of the sweet/sour loss of innocence and the bite of the whiskey that helped you lose it. Paul; my granny grew rhubarb at the back of the garden. She made really good rhubarb pies, but that’s another story. 

Paul; aye sounds strange – but interesting, do continue;  Emchy; we are two veterans of the SF Bay Area punk rock scene. With myself on accordion and vocals, and Boylamayka on acoustic guitar, we began writing songs with a variety of musical and influences, from German cabaret to blues and folk and beyond. In 2010 the band was joined by Sizzle le Fey on fiddle (Paul; hold it there, made up name surely?). We quickly developed a reputation as hard drinkers infusing traditional music with the energy of their punk roots. 

Paul; have you had good reviews?  Emchy; The band released a self titled CD/EP in 2010, followed by a full length album, Cautionary Tales, in 2011. Our music has been referred to as the antiprohibition hellbilly goth, the bluegrass Dresden Dolls, the love child of Bill Monroe and Sid Vicious. With harmonies and raw storytelling, we seduce the audience with atmospheric, romantic drinking songs that are sexy, rugged and alive. (Paul, well I asked for that eh!) 

Paul; where have you/do you gig?  Emchy; we have played all over the Bay Area, at DNA Lounge, the Swedish American Music Hall, El Rio, The Sunshine Artisan Factory, Starry Plough, and more, and shared stages with Unwoman, Geoff Berner, Sour Mash Hug Band, The Billy Boys, Bye Bye Blackbirds, T&A, Mars Arizona, Liquor Cake, 5 Cent Coffee, Plasterkatz. Vagabondage, Oakland Wine Drinkers Union, Victoria & The Vaudevillians, and many others (Paul, er hold on, havnee heard of any of those bands!).  We will also be appearing on air at several Bay Area radio stations and at select live performances. 

Paul; any plans for more releases?  Emchy; Same Sad End is available for purchase online at:  http://rhubarbwhiskey.bandcamp.com/album/samesadend Right now we have released two full length albums and an EP since forming in 2008 and have a couple of new projects in the works. A noir/crime inspired album that will have a graphic novel to accompany it, and our next country album full of songs about travel and the sea. 

Paul; Emchy. my heid hurts now, could you have no turned doon that background music?  Emchy; sorry Paul you should have said! 

That ended (almost) our telephone chat, a lassie to take home and meet your mum! cannee wait until the CD’s get here, we will be giving one away in January, see our club newsletter.

For more information on the band   http://www.rhubarbwhiskey.com/ or  https://www.facebook.com/rhubarbwhiskey 

Paul was chatting to Emchy of the band Rhubarb Whiskey.

see webpage at;  http://angelswhiskyclub.com/awc/rhubarbwhiskey.asp 

http://www.angelswhiskyclub.com/  A free worldwide whisky appreciation club.