The pandemic has been hard on bands. How’s that for an understatement? With touring shut down, and even gathering in the studio a challenge, many musicians have had to focus on more essential elements of life. In no way, though, has that diminished the passion that made them eschew a normal day job in the first place. Against those conflicting interests, long time LA guitarist and vocalist Grant Langston and his trusted drummer and co-conspirator Tony Horkins decided it was time to launch a new band.
They’d been a fixture out on the west coast for years with their honky-tonk, alt-country, almost cowpunk catalog. They felt like getting a little more serious, and a little twangier, and musically heading north to Bakersfield. That obviously called for a vocalist steeped in traditional Mexican boleros, Spanish rap, and techno (wait, what?). Her name is Ericka Rojas. They added bass savant Teresa Cowles, starting layering Laurel Canyon-style harmonies on the twang, and The Great Outdoors was born.
Working through pregnancy, illness, and the general chaos of coming together as a band, they managed to cut enough songs for an album before Covid hit. But stay-at-home orders and social distancing brought progress to a halt. After a bit of soul-searching, they decided to release the songs individually over the next little while, and they put together a remotely recorded video for the first song, 40 Miles Of Bad Road.
With any luck, they’ll have a chance to be out on that bad road next summer. In the meantime, stay tuned for additional releases and Twangville is pleased to introduce that first video, 40 Miles Of Bad Road.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.