In October 1991, Tom Gnoza quit punk heroes Thin Men in search of a piano. Adam Cobel (the man of a thousand faces-leads in musicals, a jazz ensemble, a cover band etc.) had one... it was a perfect fit. Which was good, because Tom had under a week in which to form his new group before their first gig. Enter ex-Skin Yard drummer Barrett Martin, bassist Pat Pedersen ('the Sly and Robbie of the alternative scene') and guitarist Mark Rachuna - Red Skeleton was born. But Martin joined the Screaming Trees, Rachuna Love Brother Nine, Pedersen got married, and Adam and Tom were back where they started. Time for a new name? Uncle Dirt Nap is the original revolving door orchestra. There were six bassists and five drummers in the first year. But enough friends [including Pedersen and Martin] who know the songs, so a band can always be thrown together for a show.
It's this ability to stand firm in the face of adversity that permeates Tom's lyrics. 'All I write about is tragedy, trains, hard times, and rain. I write about obstacles that people can relate to, struggles that people have. I can take a loss I've experienced, and with a tongue and cheek hopelessness, show I'm still going to overcome it. From those things come my greatest ideas.'
'The music,' Adam explains, 'is just a way to color-up what the lyrics and song are about. Regardless of the style, it's to create an ambience about the lyrics themselves.'
'Musically it all sounds pretty dark,' Tom continues. 'Kind of graveyard rhythm and blues; swamp rock.' And it's effective. 'Once,' Tom says, at a show in Bellingham, 'some rocker dude came up and said, 'That was really cool, I got goose bumps when you played that song about the rain.' Actually, it was about a train, but it didn't matter. In my other bands, someone would say, 'You guys rock!' Now some macho guy tells me he nearly cried over one of the songs. This is one of the highest compliments I've ever had!'
At the tail end of 1996 Tom moved back to his original home in Southeast Washington, the Tri-Cities, and met up with his long time friend Jim McCabe. Jim had already been playing guitar and singing his own flavor of country-blues, while gaining notoriety at venues all over Eastern Washington. Jim and Tom began a Duet Dirt Nap almost immediately; playing all around the Tri-cities area, as well as meeting up with Adam and other UDN members for larger shows.
A couple months later Tom and Jim picked up a drummer named Bob Raymond. Bob had done a few years in Tacoma playing drums with various blues bands, and ending up in the Tri-Cities gaining legendary status, with both all-ages and bar crowds, doing a solo project rightfully named, Side Show Bob. A unique blues experience where Bob plays a drum kit and guitar while singing all at the same time.
In December of 1997, bassist John Reed joined the band. Beginning with a gloom and doom outfit, Dark Party, in 1986. John brought with him "The Rickenbacker" and provided the finishing touch to what is now a local legend.
With three new full-time band members, a new location, and four hours worth of originals and covers ranging from Tom Waits, Johnny Cash, Velvet Underground, and Bob Dylan all the way to a couple Irish folk tunes, Uncle Dirt Nap is sure to send audience members of any age, race, creed, hair color, and/or religion home humming songs about the rain; or a train...
Ok the show is booked for Aug. 11th 07. The location: The Crown Village Apartments behind Winco Foods in Kennewick. Time: 4pm to 9pm
We will keep you updated as we get closer to the date. Of course there is another act besides DrivenMadness. If I told you guys that info. It would just take the fun out of it, wouldn't it??? LOL
This week on DrivenMadness Radio. We will be bringing in three male teenage EMO'ers. We will be locking them in a cage, burning their diaries once they are inside the cage. Then have their girlfriends phone in and dump them. There will be razorblades at the top of the cage. It should be a blood fest, or a lot of crying. TUNE IN!!
I just had to stop by in this crazy digital universe and say that you MADE the Red Cross BBQ!
It was awesome! Everyone really appreciated it! I'm hoping to make it out tonight, but have a stupid meeting. In case I don't: "send me dead flowers" eh?
Dude.... I heard you guys were like playin like new years eve at like Ray's Golden Lion? Like is that at the Up Town Mall in the Rich Land. Like I heard Eclectic Approach is like playin there tooo. Like there pritty sweeeeeet.
aww i wish i could guys! but i'm drivin up to nebraska saturday really early...like 5 am...and i have to do a lot of shit tomorrow like pack and do some last minute things. so i can't! i'd be there if i wasn't going to nebraska...but yeah. sorry guys. um....if you play a show later this summer i'll definately be there. 99% sure of it.
