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"We played more than 130 shows in 2011, touring the U.S. and Canada with some absolutely amazing bands and crews," says Drowning Men guitarist James Smith.
"We met so many incredible people, many of whom let us eat their food, sleep on their floors, and ultimately helped us get by on the road. Now we're just excited to be on tour, see those people again, play these new songs, and be in this band."
Not that last year was without the occasional flop sweat. "We played at a sports bar in Bakersfield called B Ryder's. Our old agent booked the show, and it was during the World Series. Our set time was also during the World Series. People were NOT happy with the Drowning Men that night."
Currently touring with River City Extention, 2012 is off to a promising run. "We played the Belly Up with Lucero in March right after SXSW, and that felt like home. All of our friends were there, and it was awesome. The Toronto show with Airborne Toxic Event was crazy too, the crowd was amazing."
With their sophomore full-length due next month, All of the Unknown (Borstal Beat Records), Smith is reluctant to reveal much to the Reader RE the inspiration behind the title. "When bands or artists spill the beans, you kind of lose the magic and illusion of the aesthetic. To us, that defeats the purpose. It's more interesting to hear others' interpretations. After all, if you found out a song that helped you through a really tough time in your life is really about a hamburger, you're gonna be pretty bummed."
All of the Unknown was was produced by Billy Mohler, with guest players including Anna Bulbrook from the Airborne Toxic Event, who played strings on the song "Fix Me Love."
The group just shot a video for "Lost In A Lullaby", directed by band bud Ryan Renteria. "He's been on the road with us since we first started playing shows and touring. He made the video for 'Disorder, Here We Come' from our first EP Kill the Matador, and he also made the video for 'More Than This' from Beheading of the Songbird."
The Drowning Men are five long-time San Diego friends, most of whom have grown up together and been in various bands with and without each other over the last 15 years, from fast punk to traditional Irish folk bands.
The founding core -- multi-instrumentalist singer Nathan (aka Nato) Bardeen, drummer Rory Dolan, and guitarist James Smith -- met in grade school in Oceanside. Their 2009 album The Beheading of the Song Bird was produced by Pall Jenkins of San Diego’s Black Heart Procession.
After touring in 2011 with Flogging Molly, that band signed the Drowning Men to their Borstal Beat record label, with plans to reissue The Beheading of the Song Bird. Later that year, they toured with the Airborne Toxic Event, releasing a tour video featuring road footage set to their song “Rita.”
On November 18, 2011, another driver hit (and totaled) their tour van and trailer in Connecticut. They finished the tour by hitching rides with their Airborne headliners.
"We played more than 130 shows in 2011, touring the U.S. and Canada with some absolutely amazing bands and crews," says Drowning Men guitarist James Smith.
"We met so many incredible people, many of whom let us eat their food, sleep on their floors, and ultimately helped us get by on the road. Now we're just excited to be on tour, see those people again, play these new songs, and be in this band."
Not that last year was without the occasional flop sweat. "We played at a sports bar in Bakersfield called B Ryder's. Our old agent booked the show, and it was during the World Series. Our set time was also during the World Series. People were NOT happy with the Drowning Men that night."
Currently touring with River City Extention, 2012 is off to a promising run. "We played the Belly Up with Lucero in March right after SXSW, and that felt like home. All of our friends were there, and it was awesome. The Toronto show with Airborne Toxic Event was crazy too, the crowd was amazing."
With their sophomore full-length due next month, All of the Unknown (Borstal Beat Records), Smith is reluctant to reveal much to the Reader RE the inspiration behind the title. "When bands or artists spill the beans, you kind of lose the magic and illusion of the aesthetic. To us, that defeats the purpose. It's more interesting to hear others' interpretations. After all, if you found out a song that helped you through a really tough time in your life is really about a hamburger, you're gonna be pretty bummed."
All of the Unknown was was produced by Billy Mohler, with guest players including Anna Bulbrook from the Airborne Toxic Event, who played strings on the song "Fix Me Love."
The group just shot a video for "Lost In A Lullaby", directed by band bud Ryan Renteria. "He's been on the road with us since we first started playing shows and touring. He made the video for 'Disorder, Here We Come' from our first EP Kill the Matador, and he also made the video for 'More Than This' from Beheading of the Songbird."
The Drowning Men are five long-time San Diego friends, most of whom have grown up together and been in various bands with and without each other over the last 15 years, from fast punk to traditional Irish folk bands.
The founding core -- multi-instrumentalist singer Nathan (aka Nato) Bardeen, drummer Rory Dolan, and guitarist James Smith -- met in grade school in Oceanside. Their 2009 album The Beheading of the Song Bird was produced by Pall Jenkins of San Diego’s Black Heart Procession.
After touring in 2011 with Flogging Molly, that band signed the Drowning Men to their Borstal Beat record label, with plans to reissue The Beheading of the Song Bird. Later that year, they toured with the Airborne Toxic Event, releasing a tour video featuring road footage set to their song “Rita.”
On November 18, 2011, another driver hit (and totaled) their tour van and trailer in Connecticut. They finished the tour by hitching rides with their Airborne headliners.