The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band

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The Reverend Peyton's
Big Damn Band

Rev Peyton, Breezy Peyton and Aaron Persinger
Background information
Also known as Big Damn Band
Origin Indianapolis Indiana, United States
Genres Roots music
Delta blues
Country blues
Labels SideOneDummy Records
Website http://www.bigdamnband.com/
Members
The Reverend Peyton
"Washboard" Breezy Peyton
Aaron "Cuz" Persinger
Past members
Jayme Peyton

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band is a three-piece American country blues[1] band from Brown County, Indiana. They play more than 250 dates per year[2] at venues ranging from bars to festivals. To date, they have released seven albums, the most recent is Peyton on Patton a tribute to blues pioneer Charlie Patton.

Contents

[edit] Members

  • Reverend J. Peyton – guitar, lead vocals, and principal songwriter
On stage he plays a rusty 1930 steel bodied National guitar, a 1934 wood bodied National Trojan Resonator guitar and a 1994 reproduction of a 1929 Gibson acoustic.[3] He has recently added a 3 string cigar box guitar to his stage collection. Peyton uses no outboard gear other than a three input switch box between his guitars and the amplifier.[4] He is a noted proponent of Fingerstyle guitar, playing the bass line of songs with his thumb while simultaneously playing the melody, the melody of a different song or a round.[5]
She plays the washboard using golf gloves, to which thimbles have been attached.[6] Her aggressive playing style results in the band selling fragments of broken and burnt washboard at the merchandise table at their concerts.
  • Aaron "Cuz" Persinger – drums
He plays a small drum kit, augmented with a five gallon plastic bucket fitted with drum hardware. The band claims they are the only rock band with a bucket endorsement deal.[7]

[edit] History

Josh "The Reverend" Peyton was born April 12, 1981, Eagletown, Indiana. Original member and Rev's brother, Jayme, was born in 1983. Their father was a concrete man who performed odd jobs during the winter months for extra money, from plowing snow and chopping wood, to fur trapping. Rev Peyton's first introduction to music was via his father's record collection of blues-oriented rock, including Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young and Bob Dylan. At age 12, Rev Peyton's father gave him a Kay brand guitar, eventually purchasing a Gorilla amplifier once he learned to play. Shortly after, younger brother Jayme Peyton started playing the drums and, with a bass player, formed a band called "Drive-Thru" and played parties. A friend pointed out the blues sound of Rev Peyton's guitar playing, sending Peyton off on an exploration of the blues of BB King, Muddy Waters and B.B. King's cousin Bukka White. Further exploration led to pre-World War II "country blues", and a desire to learn the finger-picking style of artists like Charlie Patton. At the time Peyton was unable to master it, instead playing more pick-oriented blues.

Peyton played a party following his high school graduation, and the next morning suffered excruciating pain in his hands. Doctors told Peyton he'd never be able to hold his left hand in fretting position again. At that point, he gave up on music and spent a year working as the desk clerk in a hotel.[8] During the period when he couldn't physically play guitar, he spent hours imagining playing guitar.[9]

Eventually Peyton sought other medical advice. The Indiana Hand Center operated on his left hand removing a mass of scar tissue. While recovering from surgery, Rev Peyton met Breezy, who he later married on June 14, 2003. She introduced him to the music of Jimbo Mathus and the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and he introduced her to delta blues. When the bandages were removed, Peyton discovered a new flexibility and greater control in his fretting hand that enabled him to play in the "finger" style that had long eluded him.[10]

Breezy took up the washboard, and the pair started writing songs. A trip to Clarksdale, Mississippi inspired them to resume playing music, and their first gigs were at Melody Inn Tavern in Indianapolis, Indiana. The band played blues festivals, headlined two nights at actor Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, and toured as the opening act for Mary Prankster. Eventually, a 40-hour drive from Indiana to El Centro, California to open for the Derek Trucks Band and Susan Tedeschi convinced the band to devote themselves to music and touring full-time. They received an offer from a blues record label, but discovered that they had sold more copies of their independently pressed CD "The Pork'n'Beans Collection" at their concerts than the label had managed to sell of any of their other artists.

The Big Damn Band has toured constantly in the United States, Canada and Europe,[11] steadily building popularity and sales of their albums.

In June 2008, they signed with Los Angeles-based SideOneDummy Records, a label they share with Flogging Molly. They released The Whole Fam Damily on August 5, 2008 through the label, and it entered the Billboard Blues Chart at #4.[12]

The band survived the departure of founding member Jayme Peyton in December 2009, who was replaced by Aaron 'Cuz' Persinger. The new drummer debuted at their annual homecoming show in Indianapolis at the Vogue Theatre.

Rev Peyton is a Kentucky Colonel.[13]

[edit] Touring

The Big Damn Band plays more than 250 dates per year, [2] principally in the United States and Canada, but they have toured Europe and the United Kingdom as well. The majority of their dates are headlining, but they have opened for an eclectic mix of other artists, and played festivals. Their 2007 and 2008 tours included opening dates for the Celtic punk band Flogging Molly[14], progressive bluegrass band Hot Buttered Rum and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

In 2009, they toured opening for Clutch, an extensive headlining tour of Europe and began their relationship with the Van's Warped Tour, playing played 12 dates in 2009 on the Kevin Says stage. They were on the entire 2010 Van's Warped Tour [15] on the Alternative Press stage and their song Clap Your Hands is on disc one of the 2010 Warped Tour compilation CD. They received the Best Band of Warped Tour award, voted by the crew, bands, and promoters.

The band has played festivals such as Austin City Limits[16] , Warped Tour, Telluride, and the Bonnaroo Festival on June 9, 2011.[17] They have also played blues festivals in Italy and Switzerland, and spent the fall of 2011 touring Europe.

The band played the 2011 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally for five consecutive evenings, August 7 through August 11 at the Full Throttle Saloon, the "World's Largest Biker Bar" that is only open ten days per year.

[edit] Media appearances

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band has been featured on Sirius Satellite Radio, has played multiple showcases at the South by Southwest music conference, and has been the musical guest on Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?. Their music is featured in the award-winning film Mississippi Cold Case by Canadian documentarian David Ridgen. Their song "Your Cousin's On Cops" led to a gig as the house band on a Jerry Springer Pay-Per-View special.[18] In 2008 the band was featured in the Bikes, Blues and Barbecue motorcycle festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The band was featured in a cover story of the April/May 2009 issue of Blues Review magazine, and has appeared in a feature on CNN.[19]

[edit] Discography

[edit] The Pork'n'Beans Collection

The Pork'n'Beans Collection

This first album is all original material, except for Charlie Patton's "Pony Blues". Album was a basement demo of the earliest recordings of the band before they had toured and is currently out of print.

  1. "My Soul to Keep"
  2. "Plainfield Blues"
  3. "Sure Feels Like Rain"
  4. "Never Seem to Mind"
  5. "Pork Chop Biscuit"
  6. "Ain't Got Nothin'"
  7. "Pony Blues"
  8. "Wejusgetinba"
  9. "One Bad Shoe"
  10. "Rich Man"
  11. "That Train Song"

[edit] Voodoo Cock EP

Sampler of songs from the album to appear the next year as well as re-recorded versions of songs from the previous album, this more accurately reflected the evolving style of the band and The Rev's lower, rougher voice. Packaged in a simple cardboard slipcase and sold at a lower price, was only available in concert.

Voodoo Cock EP
  1. "Aberdeen"
  2. "My Old Man Boogie"
  3. "Plainfield Blues"
  4. "My Soul to Keep"
  5. "Pork Chop Biscuit"

[edit] Big Damn Nation

Big Damn Nation

Produced by Paul Mahern and Jimbo Mathis of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Recorded direct to analog tape with no overdubs, this album most accurately captures the sound of the band in concert. All original material, it includes re-recorded versions of several songs from the first album. The Reverend's voice is lower and more road worn. Jayme Peyton's drum kit has simplified to a single 18" kick, cymbal and an 8" snare, placing the drums in a much higher register than average.

  1. "My Old Man Boogie"
  2. "Long Gone"
  3. "Spreadin' Your Love Around"
  4. "Boom Chank"
  5. "Worryin' Kind"
  6. "Left Hand George"
  7. "Mud"
  8. "Another Bottle"
  9. "Aberdeen"
  10. "Plainfield Blues"
  11. "My Soul to Keep"
  12. "Sugar Man"

[edit] The Gospel Album

Produced by Paul Mahern at White Ark Studios, The Gospel Album has similar production and style to that of Big Damn Nation. The album features Big Damn Band versions of seven gospel classics and one original song, "Blow That Horn", written by The Rev. Peyton. In terms of instrumentation changes, Jayme Peyton brings the five gallon bucket to the fore-front, which can be heard prominently on the song "Tell All The World John". Packaged in a limited edition tin, The Gospel Album officially went on-sale September 12, 2007.

The Gospel Album
  1. "Blow That Horn"
  2. "Down by the Riverside"
  3. "Glory Glory Hallelujah"
  4. "Tell All the World John"
  5. "I Shall Not Be Moved"
  6. "Rock Island Line"
  7. "Let Your Light Shine"
  8. "Amazing Grace"

[edit] The Whole Fam Damnily

The Whole Fam Damnily

Recorded in a church in Bloomington, Indiana. Went on sale August 4, 2008. Entered Billboard's "Blues" chart at #4[12]

  1. "Can't Pay the Bill"
  2. "Mama's Fried Potatoes"
  3. "Worn Out Shoe"
  4. "DT's or the Devil"
  5. "Your Cousin's on Cops"
  6. "John Hughes (The Water Tower's Heart Is Sore)"
  7. "The Creek's Are All Bad"
  8. "Them Old Days Are Gone"
  9. "Walmart Killed the Country Store"
  10. "I'd Love You Baby"
  11. "Everybody's Getting Paid but Me"
  12. "What's Mine Is Yours"
  13. "Persimmon Song"

[edit] The Wages

The first album with new drummer Aaron "Cuz" Persinger was released on May 25, 2010 and entered the Billboard Blues Album chart at number two.[20]

The on-line music service Rhapsody praised the album, calling it one of 2010’s most overlooked releases. Claiming that it disappeared beneath “the release-date-obsessed radar,” they deemed it one of the best albums released in the first half of the year.[21]

The Wages
  1. "Born Bred Corn Fed"
  2. "Redbuds"
  3. "Clap Your Hands"
  4. "Sure Feels Like Rain"
  5. "Everything's Raising"
  6. "What Go Around Come Around"
  7. "Sugar Creek"
  8. "In A Holler Over There"
  9. "That Train Song"
  10. "Lick Creek Road"
  11. "Ft. Wayne Zoo"
  12. "Just Getting By"
  13. "Two Bottles Of Wine"
  14. "Miss Sarah"

[edit] Peyton on Patton

On July 19, 2011 the band released Peyton on Patton, an album exclusively of Charlie Patton songs.[22] The album was recorded by Paul Mahern with a single microphone in a single day to duplicate the methods used to create the original Patton recordings.[23] While the recording is primarily the Reverend Peyton's guitar and vocals, Breezy Peyton contributes washboard to several songs and a vocal to Elder Green Blues, and Aaron Persinger drums on an antique tobacco barrel.[4]

The album features three different versions of Some Of These Days I'll Be Gone, one of Rev Peyton's favorite songs. The original concept was to record an album exclusively of different versions of this song.[24]

The album's first song, Jesus Is A Dying Bedmaker was recorded inside the cotton gin at the Dockery Plantation, Patton's childhood home.[24]

Peyton on Patton is available via digital download and CD, and also a 12" LP vinyl and a 10' 78 RPM version that includes digital download rights.

In the first week of release, the album entered the Billboard Blues Album chart at #7.[25]


Peyton on Patton
  1. "Jesus Is A Dying-Bed Maker"
  2. "Some Of These Days I'll Be Gone" (Charley Patton Version)
  3. "Mississippi Boweavil Blues"
  4. "Elder Greene Blues"
  5. "Tom Rushen Blues"
  6. "Some Happy Days"
  7. "Some Of These Days I'll Be Gone" (Banjo Version)
  8. "Green River Blues"
  9. "Prayer Of Death Pt. 1"
  10. "A Spoonful Blues"
  11. "You're Gonna Need Someone (When You Come To Die)"
  12. "Shake It And Break It"
  13. "Some Of These Days I'll Be Gone" (Rev. Peyton Version)


[edit] References

  1. ^ "The Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band, "The Wages"". Nuvo. http://www.nuvo.net/indianapolis/the-rev-peytons-big-damn-band-the-wages/Content?oid=1376636. Retrieved 2010-10-08. 
  2. ^ a b Houser, Kristin. "Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, “The Whole Fam Damily”". LA Music Blog. http://lamusicblog.com/2009/09/review/reverend-peyton%E2%80%99s-big-damn-band-%E2%80%9Cthe-whole-fam-damily%E2%80%9D/. Retrieved 23 July 2011. 
  3. ^ "Flogging Molly, The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, Dusty Rhodes and the River Band". The Dallas Observer. http://www.dallasobserver.com/2008-01-31/music/flogging-molly-the-reverend-peyton-s-big-damn-band-dusty-rhodes-and-the-river-band/. Retrieved 2008-08-17. 
  4. ^ a b Carlson, James. "Review: "Peyton on Patton" by Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band". No Depression. http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/blogs/review-peyton-on-patton-by. Retrieved 25 July 2011. "And to boot, they don't use any loop devices or added effects, "only instruments and speakers," as Reverend Peyton himself said that night." 
  5. ^ Marschak, Robin. "The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band". Magazine 33. http://virginia.magazine33.com/issue/february-2011-magazine33-virginia/article/reverend-peyton-s-big-damn-band. Retrieved 20 August 2011. "What you might not know, and what I definitely didn't know, is that it is also possible to play one melody with the thumb and another with the fingers." 
  6. ^ Luger, Kara (November 03, 2005). "The Revs blues are awash in energy". Colorado Springs Independent. http://www.csindy.com/colorado/spin-cycle/Content?oid=1131186. Retrieved 20 August 2011. "A good part of the band's energy comes from Breezy herself. While strumming and beating her washboard with thimbles on her fingertips, she dances and mugs for the audience." 
  7. ^ Fitzgerald, Julia. "Big Damn Band - The Rev Takes Us Down Home". Real Detroit Weekly. http://www.realdetroitweekly.com/detroit/big-damn-band/Content?oid=1265933. Retrieved 23 July 2011. 
  8. ^ "Meet Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band". Denver Westword. http://www.westword.com/content/printVersion/826337. Retrieved 2008-08-19. 
  9. ^ Opipari, Benjamin (December 3, 2010). "Q&A and video: Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band on Warped Tour, T-Pain, and rural Indiana". Baltimore Sun. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/midnight_sun/blog/2010/12/qa_and_video_reverends_peytons.html. Retrieved 18 June 2011. "During that time that I couldn’t play physically, I was playing in my mind." 
  10. ^ "Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band (Cover story)" (PDF). nuvo.net. http://www.nuvo.net/files/cov_revpeyton.pdf. Retrieved 2008-08-16. 
  11. ^ Lindquist, David (August 21, 2009). "Country blues: The Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band". Indianopolis Star. http://www.indy.com/posts/country-blues-the-rev-peyton-s-big-damn-band. Retrieved 18 August 2011. "Averaging more than 200 shows for the past three years, the Big Damn Band has visited 12 European countries." 
  12. ^ a b "Billboard Blues Album Chart - August 23, 2008". Billboard. 2008-08-23. http://www.billboard.com/charts#/charts/blues-albums?chartDate=2008-08-23. Retrieved 2009-08-25. 
  13. ^ "Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band new album "the Wages" out May 25th". ReadJunk.com. 2010-02-10. http://www.readjunk.com/news/music/reverend-peytons-big-damn-band-new-album-the-wages-out-may-25th/. Retrieved 2010-03-10. 
  14. ^ "Top 10 Live: The week's best concerts". The Indianapolis Star. http://www.indy.com/posts/3159. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
  15. ^ "Van's Warped Tour bands - The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band". vanswarpedtour.com. http://www.vanswarpedtour.com/warpedtour/band.asp?xid=24176. Retrieved 2010-07-28. 
  16. ^ Guerra, Joey (October 5, 2009). "ACL features some dynamite sounds". Houston Chronicle. http://www.chron.com/entertainment/music/article/ACL-features-some-dynamite-sounds-1741328.php. Retrieved 31 December 2011. "...the good Reverend Peyton stomped through fiery tunes that were a lot hillbilly, a little blues and a little rock 'n' roll" 
  17. ^ Mayshark, Jesse Fox (June 10, 2011). "Roo Report #2: A Dusty Start". Knoxville Metro Pulse. http://blogs.metropulse.com/the_daily_pulse/2011/06/roo-report-2-a-dusty-start.html. Retrieved 18 June 2011. "The surprise of the night was the Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, a fiery blues-rock trio from Indiana" 
  18. ^ "Jerry Springer "Redneck Rumble" pay-per-view ad". The Jerry Springer Show. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yirxqFFVJ98. Retrieved 2008-09-07. 
  19. ^ "Indiana blues trio, The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, sings of hard times in rural America.". CNN. 2009-04-22. http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/js/2.0/video/evp/module.js?loc=dom&vid=/video/showbiz/2009/04/22/reverend.peyton.cnn. Retrieved 2009-06-16. 
  20. ^ "Billboard Blues Album Chart - June 12, 2010". Billboard. 2010-06-12. http://www.billboard.com/charts/blues-albums?chartDate=2010-06-12. Retrieved 2010-06-06. 
  21. ^ The Year’s Ten Best Overlooked Albums, So Far Referenced August 1, 2010
  22. ^ "Peyton on Patton". http://www.bigdamnband.com/peyton-on-patton. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
  23. ^ Clarke, Graham. "Blues Bytes". Blues Night. http://www.bluenight.com/BluesBytes/su0811.html. Retrieved 14 August 2011. "He recorded the album in one day, using one microphone, in an approach similar to the way the original songs were recorded in the late ’20s and early ’30s." 
  24. ^ a b Marshall, Matt. "Back Porch Interview with the Great Reverend Peyton". American Blues Scene. http://www.americanbluesscene.com/2011/07/back-porch-interview-with-the-great-reverend-peyton/. Retrieved 18 August 2011. "Some of These Days is one of my favorite songs in the whole world and I’ve been playing it since I was a little kid." 
  25. ^ "Blues Albums, Week of August 06, 2011". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/charts#/charts/blues-albums?chartDate=2011-08-08. Retrieved 12 August 2011. 

[edit] External links

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