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The Mighty Others Live

Rock and roll swagger returns to the 21st Century as Jeff Wenberg & The Mighty Others expand their following beyond St. Paul, Minnesota. Their roots-driven rock is influenced by The Black Crowes, Lenny Kravitz and Aerosmith, giving them a flavor that mixes well into a tasty rock and roll pie. 2009 has been exciting year for the band so far. They recently relocated to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue new musical challenges, and they just released an exciting album called Tales From 1875, which is a great collection of tuneful rockers. "It is called that," says frontman Jeff Wenberg, "because that was our address where we lived in St. Paul. All of the songs were written and recorded there as well." The album stands out as a refreshing do-it-yourself treasure of vintage and modern sounds.

The band is managed by frontman and songwriter Wenberg, who handles everything from booking to designing the CD art and website, www.jeffwenberg.com. Engineered and Produced by Wenberg and mixed by Chad Wild Clay of Minneapolis, Tales From 1875 easily matches the caliber of a major label release. Wenberg asserts that "We've gotten quite a few gigs and a small tour out west under our belt now, so the band has had a chance to figure out exactly the direction we wanted the music to go. I would say this is the most up to date representation of what we actually sound like live."

Wenberg has had an on-going collaboration with keyboardist & songwriter, Bruce McCabe, who played a significant role in establishing the career of Jonny Lang. "It's been so cool being able to work with Bruce. He's the guy behind a lot of the songs that got me interested in playing, so being able to actually write songs with him has been an experience of a lifetime." The guitar-driven album also features keyboards played by McCabe.

One of the album's most instantly catchy songs is "Smile" in which Jeff's father, Dave, plays drums. "It was a song that his band, The Last Chapter, wrote and recorded back in the early 70's when they had a record deal," Jeff explains. "I always really liked the song, so I decided to try recording it. I had an idea that I wanted to sort of mesh the old version with the new one. I had my dad come in and play drums, and in the last verse the original Last Chapter recording fades in to help sing the vocals. It came out really good and was a fun experience! My mom and dad met at a gig The Last Chapter was playing at, so it was a special moment for me getting to sort of bring things full circle." The track "Smile" easily fits in with a timeless playlist consisting of legendary retro artists while maintaining a very contemporary feel.

The key to Jeff Wenberg & The Mighty Others is that the band picks up where the true meaning of rock and roll left off somewhere between the sixties and the digital revolution. At one time rock and roll was a fever that took people on a magic carpet ride. The groove and the inspiring lyrics led the world into a realm of free expression and unrestrained art in which creativity, not calculated formulas, moved society. Jeff Wenberg & The Mighty Others revive that ethic with authenticity and captivating musicianship. Songs like "Same Shoes", "More Of Me", and "Before I Go Crazy" make great alternatives to today's homogenized sound for rock fans looking for something fun and genuine.

Wenberg is assembling a new touring lineup in Nashville. "I can't wait to hit the scene and try and shake things up and provide a little of that vintage rock and roll flavor that music today seems to be missing," he says as he plans to start regionally then "get out on the road and just go for broke." Regardless of the directions the music industry has taken in recent years, it is clear that the public craves the retro sound. The writing is indeed on the wall that rock and roll will never die - at least not in our lifetimes. Jeff Wenberg & The Mighty Others are here to keep that spirit alive.

Bio by Alex Cosper