Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

I'm in Guns 'N Roses (and Mudgrass)

Mudgrass frontman Dave Lowenstein says his band’s “a freight train of country-fried rock.”
Mudgrass frontman Dave Lowenstein says his band’s “a freight train of country-fried rock.”

Formed in late 2010, Mudgrass includes Dave Lowenstein (bass, vocals), Brennan Orndorff (guitar, vocals), and Mark Markowitz (drums), all of whom played with Shoestring Strap until that band split in late 2007. “We’re a power trio that plays country songs,” says Lowenstein. “We’re a freight train of country-fried rock.”

The band took their name from a 2007 Shoestring Strap full-length. “When Shoestring Strap put out Mudgrass, some of the copies came out with a guy talking about religion on the CD,” says Lowenstein. “The CD factory gave us 1025 new copies for free to make up for their massive error. Then, the band broke up, like, a month later.

“When we got back together as a trio, we weren’t sure what to call the band. Mudgrass became the obvious choice, since we still have hundreds of Mudgrass CDs. We just tell people that the album is called Shoestring Strap.” The band has a new single online, “Oh No Gotta Go,” recorded at P.B.’s Lost Ark Studio. They’ll appear September 12 at Riviera Supper Club in La Mesa and October 12 at Rosie O’Grady’s in Normal Heights.

WHAT’S IN YOUR MUSIC PLAYER?

Lowenstein: “The Who, Quadrophenia. I was bummed when I realized that my son’s due date was the very night that the Who was slated to play Quadrophenia at the Sports Arena. He ended up being born a week early, sneaky little guy.”

Markowitz: “James Brown, Make It Funky — The Big Payback: 1971–1975. Nothing says ‘make it funky’ more than practicing drums along to this box set.”

Orndorff: “My cassette player has been rolling Willie Dixon’s Big Three Trio.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

TOP RADIO PRESET?

Lowenstein: “I listen to the Joe Rogan podcast a lot. It’s a great little mental adventure to have in the background.... Who knew that ancient aliens and Bigfoot used to do jiu jitsu on mushrooms while wearing hemp?”

MOST VISITED WEBSITE?

Lowenstein: “Facebook, more than I care to admit. What a massive waste of time.”

BEST THING YOU’VE EVER WON?

Orndorff: “A Halloween costume contest. I was an awesome clownfish, tie and all. Prize was a fifth of [Wild] Turkey.”

WHAT’S YOUR POISON?

Lowenstein: “I like me some Ballast Point, Green Flash, Hess, and Stone beer.”

FIRST BOOK READ?

Lowenstein: “Goodnight Moon.”

Markowitz: “Watership Down.”

Orndorff: “I’ll Fix Anthony.”

YOUR TASTIEST DISH (AND WHAT’S YOUR SECRET)?

Lowenstein: “I make a bad-ass egg scramble. No secret, just delicious.”

Markowitz: “Matzah ball soup. Just have patience.”

BRUSH WITH FAME?

Lowenstein: “I valet-parked a van driven by Jermaine Jackson with Katherine Jackson, mother of the Jackson clan, as a passenger. There were also some kids in there that I had seen in a Janet or Michael Jackson video.”

Orndorff: “Jim Varney was from my hometown and used to sometimes hang at my local bar.”

YOUR MOST DANGEROUS GAME?

Lowenstein: “Climbing ruins in Cambodia at Angkor Wat and the other sites nearby. People fall all the time and get taken out on stretchers. I hate heights. What was I thinking?”

Markowitz: “Rode a bicycle in Manhattan for almost ten years.”

WORST MOVIE?

Lowenstein: “I walked out of Wayne’s World 2 in the theater. I can’t remember why I thought it was so bad, but I’ve never gone back to look.”

LAW YOU’D LIKE TO SEE CHANGED?

Lowenstein: “I probably would have said let bars stay open all night like in New Orleans before I had a baby. Now, I’d probably say we need a law that keeps kids off my lawn.”

Markowitz: “Legalize marijuana already. Think of the debt California can get out of, huh?”

Orndorff: “The ones that prevent me and the cool people from running things.”

SOMETHING YOU NEVER RUN OUT OF?

Lowenstein: “This gluten-free flax-and-sunflower bread from Johann’s Bakery that makes the best toast on the planet.”

BIGGEST LIE YOU EVER TOLD?

Lowenstein: “I used to say that I had food poisoning when I didn’t want to go to work. Then one day I got real food poisoning. Two days of constant bi-directional ejection later, I stopped using that line to get out of work.”

Markowitz: “I’m in Guns N’ Roses.”

FIRST JOKE YOU REMEMBER?

Lowenstein: “I wrote this little gem at a young age and submitted it to ZooNooz magazine: What’s a carrot’s favorite baseball player? Veggie Jackson. It didn’t get published — grrr.”

Markowitz: “How do you keep an idiot in suspense?”

Orndorff: “Elephant sits on fence. What time is it? Time for a new fence.”

SOMETHING WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU?

Lowenstein: “One of my upper canine teeth never came in.”

Markowitz: “I’m also the drummer with my fiancée in Three Chord Justice.”

Orndorff: “My music is rather Bieber-esque, except not at all.”

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Trophy truck crushes four at Baja 1000

"Two other racers on quads died too,"
Next Article

Pie pleasure at Queenstown Public House

A taste of New Zealand brings back happy memories
Mudgrass frontman Dave Lowenstein says his band’s “a freight train of country-fried rock.”
Mudgrass frontman Dave Lowenstein says his band’s “a freight train of country-fried rock.”

Formed in late 2010, Mudgrass includes Dave Lowenstein (bass, vocals), Brennan Orndorff (guitar, vocals), and Mark Markowitz (drums), all of whom played with Shoestring Strap until that band split in late 2007. “We’re a power trio that plays country songs,” says Lowenstein. “We’re a freight train of country-fried rock.”

The band took their name from a 2007 Shoestring Strap full-length. “When Shoestring Strap put out Mudgrass, some of the copies came out with a guy talking about religion on the CD,” says Lowenstein. “The CD factory gave us 1025 new copies for free to make up for their massive error. Then, the band broke up, like, a month later.

“When we got back together as a trio, we weren’t sure what to call the band. Mudgrass became the obvious choice, since we still have hundreds of Mudgrass CDs. We just tell people that the album is called Shoestring Strap.” The band has a new single online, “Oh No Gotta Go,” recorded at P.B.’s Lost Ark Studio. They’ll appear September 12 at Riviera Supper Club in La Mesa and October 12 at Rosie O’Grady’s in Normal Heights.

WHAT’S IN YOUR MUSIC PLAYER?

Lowenstein: “The Who, Quadrophenia. I was bummed when I realized that my son’s due date was the very night that the Who was slated to play Quadrophenia at the Sports Arena. He ended up being born a week early, sneaky little guy.”

Markowitz: “James Brown, Make It Funky — The Big Payback: 1971–1975. Nothing says ‘make it funky’ more than practicing drums along to this box set.”

Orndorff: “My cassette player has been rolling Willie Dixon’s Big Three Trio.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

TOP RADIO PRESET?

Lowenstein: “I listen to the Joe Rogan podcast a lot. It’s a great little mental adventure to have in the background.... Who knew that ancient aliens and Bigfoot used to do jiu jitsu on mushrooms while wearing hemp?”

MOST VISITED WEBSITE?

Lowenstein: “Facebook, more than I care to admit. What a massive waste of time.”

BEST THING YOU’VE EVER WON?

Orndorff: “A Halloween costume contest. I was an awesome clownfish, tie and all. Prize was a fifth of [Wild] Turkey.”

WHAT’S YOUR POISON?

Lowenstein: “I like me some Ballast Point, Green Flash, Hess, and Stone beer.”

FIRST BOOK READ?

Lowenstein: “Goodnight Moon.”

Markowitz: “Watership Down.”

Orndorff: “I’ll Fix Anthony.”

YOUR TASTIEST DISH (AND WHAT’S YOUR SECRET)?

Lowenstein: “I make a bad-ass egg scramble. No secret, just delicious.”

Markowitz: “Matzah ball soup. Just have patience.”

BRUSH WITH FAME?

Lowenstein: “I valet-parked a van driven by Jermaine Jackson with Katherine Jackson, mother of the Jackson clan, as a passenger. There were also some kids in there that I had seen in a Janet or Michael Jackson video.”

Orndorff: “Jim Varney was from my hometown and used to sometimes hang at my local bar.”

YOUR MOST DANGEROUS GAME?

Lowenstein: “Climbing ruins in Cambodia at Angkor Wat and the other sites nearby. People fall all the time and get taken out on stretchers. I hate heights. What was I thinking?”

Markowitz: “Rode a bicycle in Manhattan for almost ten years.”

WORST MOVIE?

Lowenstein: “I walked out of Wayne’s World 2 in the theater. I can’t remember why I thought it was so bad, but I’ve never gone back to look.”

LAW YOU’D LIKE TO SEE CHANGED?

Lowenstein: “I probably would have said let bars stay open all night like in New Orleans before I had a baby. Now, I’d probably say we need a law that keeps kids off my lawn.”

Markowitz: “Legalize marijuana already. Think of the debt California can get out of, huh?”

Orndorff: “The ones that prevent me and the cool people from running things.”

SOMETHING YOU NEVER RUN OUT OF?

Lowenstein: “This gluten-free flax-and-sunflower bread from Johann’s Bakery that makes the best toast on the planet.”

BIGGEST LIE YOU EVER TOLD?

Lowenstein: “I used to say that I had food poisoning when I didn’t want to go to work. Then one day I got real food poisoning. Two days of constant bi-directional ejection later, I stopped using that line to get out of work.”

Markowitz: “I’m in Guns N’ Roses.”

FIRST JOKE YOU REMEMBER?

Lowenstein: “I wrote this little gem at a young age and submitted it to ZooNooz magazine: What’s a carrot’s favorite baseball player? Veggie Jackson. It didn’t get published — grrr.”

Markowitz: “How do you keep an idiot in suspense?”

Orndorff: “Elephant sits on fence. What time is it? Time for a new fence.”

SOMETHING WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU?

Lowenstein: “One of my upper canine teeth never came in.”

Markowitz: “I’m also the drummer with my fiancée in Three Chord Justice.”

Orndorff: “My music is rather Bieber-esque, except not at all.”

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Trophy truck crushes four at Baja 1000

"Two other racers on quads died too,"
Next Article

Now what can they do with Encinitas unstable cliffs?

Make the cliffs fall, put up more warnings, fine beachgoers?
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader