Bow Thayer & Perfect Trainwreck
photos
band
- Bow Thayervocals, guitar, banjo
- Jeremy Curtisvocals, bass
- Jeff Berlindrums
- James Rohrpiano, organ, keyboards
- Chris McGandypedal steel guitar
videos
story
Bow Thayer has been singing and writing songs for as long as he can remember. Making music is who he is. He incorporates it into all he does while always living up to his “reputation as a sublimely gifted artist” with the rare “ability to write new material that sounds like an instant stringband classic.”
Bow made a name for himself in Boston with 7 League Boots, a rock/reggae band that shared the stage with the likes of Fugazi, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Pearl Jam. Fifteen years ago he made a life-altering decision to leave the city for the Green Mountains of Vermont. It was there that he explored the Delta Blues playing slide guitar for the original Elbow and began a relationship with the banjo—both in the bluegrass group, The Benders, and on his own—that continues to this day.
His current group, Bow Thayer & Perfect Trainwreck, is in the process of recording their third record (tentatively titled “Eden”) with Grammy-winning engineer Justin Guip. Comprised of a failed painter, some lousy carpenters, and a piano tuner, these acclaimed artists cultivate progressive yet soulful mountain music for the general public's consumption in the hills of Vermont with an electric banjo, various other string instruments, used parts found in drums, and a keen eye for the human condition.
Bow aims to forge new sonic frontiers and Perfect Trainwreck (which one writer suggests “will become Vermont's third nationally acclaimed rock band”) carries that vision to far off destinations. Having played with such music luminaries as Levon Helm, John Hiatt, Booker T, and Ringo Starr, the band has seen its fair share of travel across these United States of America and the World at large and plan to do more while supporting their records of facts, analogies and metaphors.
They have been known to throw one hell of a party, too. Maybe you have heard of Tweed River Music Festival? Bow and his band of brothers devote their lives to spreading music wherever they go and hope you have the chance to catch an earful.
press
On the strength of its recent CD, Bottom of the Sky, Bow Thayer and Perfect Trainwreck looks like a sure bet for increased national attention. Perhaps the band will become Vermont's third nationally acclaimed rock band, following in the steps of Phish and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.Rutland Herald
The album has an air, an atmosphere, an energy about it that’s completely infectious. Think of the rousing and rollicking bluegrass sounds from the O, Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack mixed with smokin' electric blues and heartfelt and poetic lyrics.Band Bent
Much as The Band's instrumentals did, Thayer's sound almost as if they were spawned by nature. You can almost hear gurgling creeks, squawking birds, swaying trees.Cahl's Juke Joint
One thing is made clear throughout the album. Bow Thayer has their shit together. They don't stand in the shadow of The Band, but they do draw some amazing inspiration from them, and artists like Tom Petty, Wilco or Emmy Lou Harris, via Gram Parsons.Pop Vulture
He has recorded with Levon Helm and, much like every member of The Band, Thayer has the ability to write new material that sounds like an instant string-band classic.Seven Days
music
of note
- The last album, "Bottom of the Sky", landed on Americana Music Association's Top 100 Americana Albums and Root Music Report's Top Roots Rock Albums of 2011
- Creator and host of the Tweed River Music Festival (August 2012 will be the 4th annual event)
- Played 8 Midnight Rambles at Levon Helm's Barn
- Recorded a single produced by Marc Ford (Black Crowes)
- Boston Music Award Nominee (2010, 2011)
- Rock 'n' Roll Rumble Finalist (2012)
- Backing Band for the "Imagine There's No Hunger" Benefit featuring Ringo Starr, Dave Stewart, Booker T, and Edgar Winter
discography
- Bottom of the SkyNovember 2010
- Monkeyhead (single)June 2010
- Bow Thayer & Perfect TrainwreckMarch 2008
- Spend It All (featuring Levon Helm)November 2006
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