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Highway Dave and the Varmints The Lowdown on the Hoedown

'I like your sound, its a mix of Honky-tonk, the Burritos and the Byrds' - when guitar supremo Albert Lee gives a compliment like that, you just gotta take notice. Add the spirit of Johnny Cash and a dash of Worcestershire sauce and you'll have some idea what these Varmints are about.

The band recently completed work on their new album Bucket Town, slated for release on New Mountain Music with distribution from Proper. Bucket Town was recorded and produced by ex-Decca and Stax veteran Dave Williams at his Norfolk based Grange Studios, which specialises in delivering great authentic results for blues and roots artists through the use of top quality analogue tape equipment.

While no click tracks, drum machines or cutting and pasting were used in the recording, the album has been mastered for CD using up to the minute digital technology by David Mitson. David, who in a bizarre quirk of fate went to school with Highway Dave and Slick Mick, has recently returned to the UK after 20 years in Los Angeles, where he was senior engineer for Sony and responsible for mastering many of the world’s most famous artists.

Since 2004, Highway Dave and The Varmints have been a firm favourite support for bands like Albert Lee and Hogans Heroes, The Country Joe MacDonald Band, James Burton's TCB Band, Los Pacaminos, Hayseed Dixie, Eve Selis and The Hacienda Brothers. As a six-piece band, with full drum kit and two percussionists, earning them the title "The Santana of Country!", Highway Dave and The Varmints deliver a high energy, foot stompin' blend of authentic Americana and Alt Country that's not to be missed. As was overheard at a recent gig, "They are to country what the Pogues are to Irish music".

What others say about us:

"like a British BR549" - Rock 'n' Reel

"atmospherically recreate that sense of dusty back roads, diners, hard knocks at a woman's hands and a healthy disregard for the law." - hi-fi+

"alt-country appears to be thriving in the West Midlands" - Country Music People

"the quality of this recording is top class" - Maverick

"an authentic sounding and high octane alternative country groove" - hi-fi+

"high quality writing and deft performance with good-time good humour." - Rock 'n' Reel

"These guys are all very good musicians, and I am sure that if I saw them live in concert I would enjoy their show" - Maverick

"This is home-grown Americana at its best." - Rock 'n' Reel

"Stourbridge band Highway Dave and the Varmints are certainly the real, Deep South deal. Deep, south Dudley, that is. Bringing together the Stetson and grey paes in one toe-tapping package, Highway Dave create their crowd-winning Black Country & Western sound. Well worth a listen." - Birmingham Post

So What'cha gonna do? Well, just keep it down to 85 and git yerself along to a Highway Dave and The Varmints gig real soon to find out for yerself.

Sure, you can run from this band but you'll only get tired!

Checkout the first album at www.cdbaby.com/highwaydave. Second album Bucket Town out now on New Mountain Music from Proper Distribution! Go to HMV and order it!