Butch Murphy (Vocals) Joe Rotundo (Guitar) Taylor Little (Drums) Michael Kennedy
(Bass) Mike Kenney (Organ, Accordian,Guitar)
More band member info!
Butch, Taylor and Joe can be found every second Sat. at Vancouver's Railway club from mid Sept. to mid June hosting the Roots/Rockabilly jam from 4:30pm to 8:00pm. More fascinating facts: in Butch Murphy's career with Bughouse Five and other projects he's fronted he has worked as support act for the likes of The Pogues, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Blasters, Sleepy la Beef, the Blasters, The Beat Farmers, Richard Buckner, Junior Wells, Brian Setzer, Robert Gordon, George Thorogood, Blue Rodeo, Handsome Ned, Ronnie Dawson, Joe Ely, The Rheostatics and Tragically Hip to name but a few and has enjoyed every rockin bit of it. Thanks everyone for supporting us for 15 years!!organist/guitarist, Mike Kenney, is the organist for The Vancouver Canucks, home games and bass player, Kevin Grant, is currently on and off the jet set with Blood Meridian, enjoying success and excess,so Mike Kennedy Is our official bass player and spreader of good humour.We are pretty lucky, we feel to have Paul Hyde,{the Payolas} and Matt Camirand{Blood Meridian} as guests on our new recording. Our best to you all, Thee Bughouse Five
Influences
Big Joe Turner, The Blasters, Gene Vincent and his Blue Caps, Buddy Holly, J.Geils band, Delbert McClinton, Little Richard, Wynonie Harris, The Band, Phil Ochs, Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, The Rolling Stones, Sonny Burgess, Sleepy La Beef, Van Morrisson,Marianne Faithfull, Gun Club, Undertones, Ivory Joe Hunter, T-Bone Walker, Tony Joe White, Lefty Frizell, Creedence, Tim Hardin, Stiff Little Fingers, Clash, Shakin' Pyramids, Alejandro Escovedo, Marianne Faithfull, Rank and File/The Dils, Jason and the Scorchers, Beat Farmers, Long Ryders, Memphis Slim, Herald Nix, Del Fuegos, Los Lobos, Green on Red, Husker Du, the Replacements, Charles Parker, Art Pepper, Alexis Korner, Skydiggers, former bandmate and original Bughouse Five member Ronnie Hayward, Mink DeVille ...you get a small part of our picture. Thanks, Butch Murphy.
"Stones, Clash or Replacements fans will dig this literate polished CD.
...it's like a tour of the seedy side of town with a guide who knows where all the bodies are buried."
Rating: A - The Province
"The band strikes gold on the brand new 24 Hour Charlie...a winner throughout...full of ear-catching conceits and clever lines"
— Georgia Straight
"24 Hour Charlie is sure to have a whole new wave of music fans begging to be committed to the Bughouse."
— 24 Hours
•••• (4 stars) "Big beats, reverb-drenched Telecasters and lonely po' boy vocals squeeze these Vancouverites in the backseat of a '52 Caddy alongside Hank WIlliams and the Rolling Stones. Fuel-injected country blues for the thinking, drinking and dancing set, the band's songwriting is as surefooted as it's rhythm and twang."
— Greg Potter
"These Canucks play a mixture of rock 'n' roll, tex-mex, rockabilly, blues and country, and switch gears without missing a beat." - Williamette Weekly,Portland Oregon,U.S.A
"The best rock and roll band you've probably never heard of" - Steve Stav, Rolling Stone/The Stranger
For over a decade The Bughouse 5 have enjoyed a devoted following in their home base of Vancouver BC. Their music a mix of rockabilly, blues, swamp rock, tex mex,beat inspired, true story blues poetry,and straight ahead,warts and all , rock 'n' roll, has won over audiences,from small and big town Canada,to big town U.S.A. giving their all at varied venues they've played. Trips across Canada and down the west coast and the U.S. southwest have proven that the band is much more than a local favorite. Now music fans as far east as St. John's, New Brunswick,as far north,as the Yukon Territory, and as far south as San Diego, and Austin Texas are affirming what Vancouver fans have known for a long time: The Bughouse 5 are still rocking and dedicated to perpetuating their love of North American roots rock, 16 years,gone, and onward
So who are these guys?
Vocalist Butch Murphy, was a member of one of Canada's premier rockabilly bands The Nervous Fellas as well as previously playing bass and/or singing with his brothers, Gene and Darren Murphy, in the Last Wild Sons,as well as playing bass with Herald Nix and Shelley Campbell, and has the kind of stage presence that one can only get from a thousand shows on the road. With a voice that is both soulful and powerful, Butch is one of those rare front men that demands your attention.
Guitarist Joe Rotundo earned his reputation has a hot picker playing at the Railway clubs saturday afternoon roots/rockabilly jam and with his surf instrumental band The Modelos. Joe has toured countless honky tonks and blues bars throughout Canada and the U.S.A.
Taylor Little is one of the most respected drummers in Vancouver, before co founding the Bughouse 5, with Butch Murphy, Ronnie Hayward,and Russell Schindel, he was best known for his work with Art Bergman and The Payola$.
Kevin Grant's rock 'n' roll stage presence has a charm and sound that keep the audience wanting more. Taylor and Kevin make up the perfect rhythm section: swinging, energetic, and rock solid.
The Bughouse Five has also added a fifth member, Mike Kenny, on keyboards, accordian and rythm guitar, and we hope you will dig our collective love of roots rock and roll.
Our distinctive sound can be heard on any of the Bughouse 5's four CD's: Solid, Dark Days Passing, Everything Must Go, and Bull Mercury.
The band has finished recording its fifth CD, 24 Hour Charlie which will be released sometime in November 2006 on Northern Electric. We've included some samples we've recorded so far. Take a listen and let us know what you think!
Hey Butch. I've heard that Saturdays jam was a hit. You gotta let us know when them guys are coming to play... (Al & Chris). We'll keep buggin' Ronnie, How about your Bros.? Maybe a Last Wild Sons reunion??? Keep Rockin'
You guys seen that long lost, sometimes found friend of mine? I misplaced myself a couple years ago and have yet to come across his corner of my mind. I got him tucked away with all the stuff that I must have left behind. I was gonna go back and dig through the wreckage till I realized the future holds way better disasters.
Maybe one of these days Shaun might find that he's sitting around singing his sweet song in the forefront of my mind. If you see him, could you tell him it's just about time? Yeah, I'm getting ready for the next round. Mess it up and drop another load of stuff I'd rather leave behind. Maybe you could ask him if he's interested in going for a ride.
Rhymes and riddles aside, he'll be seeing this Yank sooner than I think.
Pssst... you ok? Me... I embraced insanity and now every thing's fine.
Thanks for coming down to the jam on Sunday. I couldnt be there as I am cooking up near Dewar Lakes, Baffin Island, Nunuvut . I sure heard you guys did a great job though. I did catch your act at LInda McCraes going away party and I thought you guys sounded fantastic!
Cheers from the Arctic tundra( above the treeline....)
Hey Lads - on behalf of all of us in Waltz Darling, thanks for having us along on the 11th at The Anza. It was a killer evening and the music was awesome! You rocked!
