Make Like A Shovel | The Werks
By Donovan Farley Jul 15, 2015 • 12:00 pm PDT
Words by: Donovan Farley
:: Make Like A Shovel -The Werks::
Very few bands in today’s jam scene (or any scene for that matter) have enjoyed such meteoric success in such a short time like Dayton, Ohio’s The Werks. The band’s career is a bit like their musical ethos: they are willing to explore anything and to work hard at it, and that no idea is too outlandish or huge. The band is jamming so well together it’s become like breathing? Cool, let’s up the ante and play musical “games” with each other onstage. The band is starting to get invited to all the major festivals? Cool, let’s undertake the Herculean task of starting our own (The Werk Out). Jam bands, for the most part, have a history of underwhelming records? Cool, let’s set out to buck that trend with our next studio release (the impressive Mr. Smalls Sessions).
That sort of work ethic and staunch belief in themselves are both very midwestern, and very much at the core of what has made The Werks so successful so quickly. Despite the fact that you will almost never see a member of the band with anything less than a “holy shit, this is really happening and it’s awesome” smile plastered on their faces, The Werks have a dogged determination to make their vision come to fruition, and the musical skill to make believers out of almost anyone who hears their enticing blend of styles.
Almost every jam band likes to call upon a number of varying influences -what separates the cream of the crop from other bands is the ability to blend those styles into something all their own, without watering down any particular facet of the band’s music. It’s a tall order, but one The Werks have certainly filled.
“We named the band The Werks for a reason, we’re a little bit of everything,” guitarist Chris Houser told me via email recently, and that certainly rings true for me. Writing this piece, I couldn’t settle on a single clever phrase to sum up the band’s melange of sounds, which is rare for a wise-ass music writer such as myself.
Obviously, in this scene, the live show and the jams that take place therein will always make or break a band. To me, the best improvising rock bands exist as a living, breathing organism consisting of equal parts and constantly communicating with each other. It’s why I fell in love with Phish so many years ago -I had no idea what would happen next so I couldn’t look away. The Werks excel at existing in that special place, and do so with deceptive ease. Both Houser and bassist Dino Dimitrouleas mentioned this during our recent interviews.
JAMBASE: You guys seem very proud to be a Dayton, Ohio band, I’m wondering how your hometown has influenced the group.
CHRIS HOUSER: Dayton has a certain pride for its music scene. There is an unmatched feeling of family that we have here because it’s just not that big of a city. We’re all together in this, their undying support has made us try harder and harder over the years. We want to make Dayton proud just as a growing boy wants to someday make his father proud.
DINO DIMITROULEAS: Most people don’t even know where Dayton, Ohio is, much less if any great music comes from there. Being from a Midwest town like Dayton has really helped shape the band to what it is today. The never-give-up attitude, rooting for the underdog, overcoming adversity, work hard/play hard mentality. People get down in our town, people get down in the Midwest, that’s who we are.
JAMBASE: What would you say are some recurrent themes in the band’s music, both lyrically and musically speaking? It seems like a lot of the music on Mr. Smalls Sessions has to do with perseverance and overcoming obstacles.
CH: One main theme musically is to be inspirational through tones. To make you feel like the wind is whipping up for no reason or like you are driving through the desert in a convertible on a nice day. We also enjoy playing rhythmic/musical “games” -in improv sections we will subtly tweak certain nuances in rhythm and tone until we get to a confusing repetitive pattern that almost sounds like a skipping track.
Lyrically, we pretty much write about our personal experiences in one way or another. Be it a vague story that has stemmed from something we saw on a rainy night, or finding the love of your life and paying homage through song. I feel our songwriting has begun to mature over the years, we’ve really become a strong songwriting team.
DD: I like to think our musical message is inspiring without being preachy. Each album tells the story of us and our journey to where we are now. When I listen to Mr. Smalls Sessions it takes me right back to where the band was at that time.
JAMBASE: Speaking of Mr. Smalls Sessions (which I really dug), it seems like you guys really took some time to make a solid record, something I feel a lot of bands in the jam scene don’t do enough. Was that something the band was aware of; really trying to make a solid studio album?
CH: We set out on Mr. Smalls Sessions to do just that: make a studio album that was not necessarily “live” sounding. We’re always playing live. We wanted to take the studio and put things in tracks that we couldn’t do live. six-part harmonies in “Fall,” five parts on “Carry Me Back Home,” soundscapes, doubled guitars. We wanted to give the fans something different than the live shows. That album was tough though, there were a lot of emotions flying around within the band which ultimately led to a personnel change. I feel like those emotions really made the album what it is though. Our upcoming album Inside A Dream has been a very smooth process though, and it just backs up my feeling of maturity within the band and the music.
DD: Absolutely. We want to be both a great live band as well as a great studio band. We were forced to record Mr. Smalls in three waves because of our tour schedule. This actually benefited the album because between the breaks, while on tour, it gave us a chance really digest what we laid down and how to improve it.
JAMBASE: What are the band’s ethos live as far as jamming? To me you guys really play like different parts of the same organism, really listening to and feeding off of each other. How has the live show evolved over the years? Communicating on stage must be second nature by now.
CH: It is ALL about listening. We improv about 60 to 70 percent of our show during a two set night. It doesn’t seem like that because we’ve grown comfortable with a certain form of improvising and it all revolves around listening and feeling. When we enter a jam we do one of two things: we either break it down to just drums and bass for a solid foundation to create something new, or we go straight into a guitar or keys-led jam. When someone steps up, we settle in behind and tastefully follow the lead. We will also do call and response jams where either keys or guitar will play a repeating riff and the other -keys or guitar -will come in in unison -same notes -or with a harmony, we will then move up an octave or with the progression of the rhythm chords to create a rising feeling. It’s not just keys and guitar that have their lead parts. Often times the drums will switch feels and we find ourselves in a reggae or even a jazz feel. Sometimes the bass will start playing a slightly altered line and we all follow that. It really all comes down to listening and respect.
DD: Jamming is what we do best. When we step outside the song and start creating in the unknown that’s where the magic happens. We are always trying to improve on our jamming so that it isn’t just random noodling or us just showing off how many notes we can play. We sound best in our jams when we keep it simple and listen. There is nothing I hate more than watching a guy on stage who cares more about showing off and grabbing attention than he does to lock-in with the band.
JAMBASE: It’s pretty amazing how big The Werk Out hast gotten, and it’s amazing that it’s self-produced. Talk for a minute about how the festival has evolved. What are some of the biggest challenges with putting on the fest every year?
CH: The Werk Out has been one of the scariest and most fulfilling events of my life. Through the years it’s seen its fair share of craziness. It’s been amazing to be a part of it as it grows and I couldn’t be more proud to see it still going strong. The biggest challenge I would say is that we just can’t put all of the bands we want on it every year. We all get so many emails, texts, PM’s from our band friends who want to be on it every year, I wish it could last a week! But that would be crazy, we like it as a decent but not-too-big-sized festival in our home town. We’ve seen big fests come and go, but this one I feel is just the right size to keep everyone happy. I’m looking forward the most to seeing Umphrey’s McGee grace our stage and to see all of my friends come to our little community that we, and they, have built over the years.
JAMBASE: What would be a dream act to book at The Werk Out?
CH: Realistically? String Cheese would be great. Unrealistically? Phish. And it would be really nice if those Twiddle goons could clear us a weekend one of these years! [laughs]
JAMBASE: Between a lineup shift, the release of Mr. Smalls Sessions, and the festival, this has already been a huge year for The Werks, what else is in store? You mentioned a new album.
CH: Well for the rest of the year were pretty much going to get back to trying to conquer the country and never stop until we do. But before that we’re going to do a big fall tour with some real good Frends and release this album Inside a Dream.
JAMBASE: With so much hard-earned success coming relatively quickly, where would you like to see The Werks in five years?
CH: To be completely honest with you, I would be happy to be anywhere in five years. Of course I want to continue climbing the ladder, but we have achieved so much in this short time, it’s hard for me to imagine where we could be in five years. I have achieved personal life goal after personal life with this band and I don’t see it ending anytime soon. There is magic in this group and I can’t wait to find out what happens next. But one thing’s for sure, we’re comin’ for ya!
The Werks 2015 Tour Dates
7/18 -Scranton, PA @ Camp Bisco
7/23 -Hammonton, NJ @ Farm Fest (Paradise Lake Resort Campground)
7/24 -Hustonville, KY @ Paradise Music Festival
7/25 -Hustonville, KY @ Paradise Music Festival
8/6 -Thornville, OH @ The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival
8/7 -Thornville, OH @ The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival
8/8 -Thornville, OH @ The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival
8/13 -Northampton, MA @ Hinge
8/14 -Croydon, NH @ Wild Woods Music and Arts Festival
8/15 -Scranton, PA @ The Peach Music Festival at Montage Mountain
8/29 -Jackson, MS @ Martin’s
9/4 -Stroud, OK @ Backwoods Festival @ Tatanka Ranch
9/11 -Sherman, NY @ Night Lights Fall Music Festival
9/19 -Hancock, NY @ The Catskill Chill Music Festival
9/25 -Guthrie, OK @ Taloa Festival @ Cottonwood Flats
9/26 -Guthrie, OK @ Taloa Festival @ Cottonwood Flats
10/17 -Ozark, AR @ Phases of the Moon Festival
10/23 -Rockdale, TX @ Art Outside Festival
1/6-11/2016 -Miami, FL @ JamCruise 14
Very few bands in today’s jam scene (or any scene for that matter) have enjoyed such meteoric success in such a short time like Dayton, Ohio’s The Werks. The band’s career is a bit like their musical ethos: they are willing to explore anything and to work hard at it, and that no idea is too outlandish or huge. The band is jamming so well together it’s become like breathing? Cool, let’s up the ante and play musical “games” with each other onstage. The band is starting to get invited to all the major festivals? Cool, let’s undertake the Herculean task of starting our own (The Werk Out). Jam bands, for the most part, have a history of underwhelming records? Cool, let’s set out to buck that trend with our next studio release (the impressive Mr. Smalls Sessions).
That sort of work ethic and staunch belief in themselves are both very midwestern, and very much at the core of what has made The Werks so successful so quickly. Despite the fact that you will almost never see a member of the band with anything less than a “holy shit, this is really happening and it’s awesome” smile plastered on their faces, The Werks have a dogged determination to make their vision come to fruition, and the musical skill to make believers out of almost anyone who hears their enticing blend of styles.
Almost every jam band likes to call upon a number of varying influences -what separates the cream of the crop from other bands is the ability to blend those styles into something all their own, without watering down any particular facet of the band’s music. It’s a tall order, but one The Werks have certainly filled.
“We named the band The Werks for a reason, we’re a little bit of everything,” guitarist Chris Houser told me via email recently, and that certainly rings true for me. Writing this piece, I couldn’t settle on a single clever phrase to sum up the band’s melange of sounds, which is rare for a wise-ass music writer such as myself.
Obviously, in this scene, the live show and the jams that take place therein will always make or break a band. To me, the best improvising rock bands exist as a living, breathing organism consisting of equal parts and constantly communicating with each other. It’s why I fell in love with Phish so many years ago -I had no idea what would happen next so I couldn’t look away. The Werks excel at existing in that special place, and do so with deceptive ease. Both Houser and bassist Dino Dimitrouleas mentioned this during our recent interviews.
JAMBASE: You guys seem very proud to be a Dayton, Ohio band, I’m wondering how your hometown has influenced the group.
CHRIS HOUSER: Dayton has a certain pride for its music scene. There is an unmatched feeling of family that we have here because it’s just not that big of a city. We’re all together in this, their undying support has made us try harder and harder over the years. We want to make Dayton proud just as a growing boy wants to someday make his father proud.
DINO DIMITROULEAS: Most people don’t even know where Dayton, Ohio is, much less if any great music comes from there. Being from a Midwest town like Dayton has really helped shape the band to what it is today. The never-give-up attitude, rooting for the underdog, overcoming adversity, work hard/play hard mentality. People get down in our town, people get down in the Midwest, that’s who we are.
JAMBASE: What would you say are some recurrent themes in the band’s music, both lyrically and musically speaking? It seems like a lot of the music on Mr. Smalls Sessions has to do with perseverance and overcoming obstacles.
CH: One main theme musically is to be inspirational through tones. To make you feel like the wind is whipping up for no reason or like you are driving through the desert in a convertible on a nice day. We also enjoy playing rhythmic/musical “games” -in improv sections we will subtly tweak certain nuances in rhythm and tone until we get to a confusing repetitive pattern that almost sounds like a skipping track.
Lyrically, we pretty much write about our personal experiences in one way or another. Be it a vague story that has stemmed from something we saw on a rainy night, or finding the love of your life and paying homage through song. I feel our songwriting has begun to mature over the years, we’ve really become a strong songwriting team.
DD: I like to think our musical message is inspiring without being preachy. Each album tells the story of us and our journey to where we are now. When I listen to Mr. Smalls Sessions it takes me right back to where the band was at that time.
JAMBASE: Speaking of Mr. Smalls Sessions (which I really dug), it seems like you guys really took some time to make a solid record, something I feel a lot of bands in the jam scene don’t do enough. Was that something the band was aware of; really trying to make a solid studio album?
CH: We set out on Mr. Smalls Sessions to do just that: make a studio album that was not necessarily “live” sounding. We’re always playing live. We wanted to take the studio and put things in tracks that we couldn’t do live. six-part harmonies in “Fall,” five parts on “Carry Me Back Home,” soundscapes, doubled guitars. We wanted to give the fans something different than the live shows. That album was tough though, there were a lot of emotions flying around within the band which ultimately led to a personnel change. I feel like those emotions really made the album what it is though. Our upcoming album Inside A Dream has been a very smooth process though, and it just backs up my feeling of maturity within the band and the music.
DD: Absolutely. We want to be both a great live band as well as a great studio band. We were forced to record Mr. Smalls in three waves because of our tour schedule. This actually benefited the album because between the breaks, while on tour, it gave us a chance really digest what we laid down and how to improve it.
JAMBASE: What are the band’s ethos live as far as jamming? To me you guys really play like different parts of the same organism, really listening to and feeding off of each other. How has the live show evolved over the years? Communicating on stage must be second nature by now.
CH: It is ALL about listening. We improv about 60 to 70 percent of our show during a two set night. It doesn’t seem like that because we’ve grown comfortable with a certain form of improvising and it all revolves around listening and feeling. When we enter a jam we do one of two things: we either break it down to just drums and bass for a solid foundation to create something new, or we go straight into a guitar or keys-led jam. When someone steps up, we settle in behind and tastefully follow the lead. We will also do call and response jams where either keys or guitar will play a repeating riff and the other -keys or guitar -will come in in unison -same notes -or with a harmony, we will then move up an octave or with the progression of the rhythm chords to create a rising feeling. It’s not just keys and guitar that have their lead parts. Often times the drums will switch feels and we find ourselves in a reggae or even a jazz feel. Sometimes the bass will start playing a slightly altered line and we all follow that. It really all comes down to listening and respect.
DD: Jamming is what we do best. When we step outside the song and start creating in the unknown that’s where the magic happens. We are always trying to improve on our jamming so that it isn’t just random noodling or us just showing off how many notes we can play. We sound best in our jams when we keep it simple and listen. There is nothing I hate more than watching a guy on stage who cares more about showing off and grabbing attention than he does to lock-in with the band.
JAMBASE: It’s pretty amazing how big The Werk Out hast gotten, and it’s amazing that it’s self-produced. Talk for a minute about how the festival has evolved. What are some of the biggest challenges with putting on the fest every year?
CH: The Werk Out has been one of the scariest and most fulfilling events of my life. Through the years it’s seen its fair share of craziness. It’s been amazing to be a part of it as it grows and I couldn’t be more proud to see it still going strong. The biggest challenge I would say is that we just can’t put all of the bands we want on it every year. We all get so many emails, texts, PM’s from our band friends who want to be on it every year, I wish it could last a week! But that would be crazy, we like it as a decent but not-too-big-sized festival in our home town. We’ve seen big fests come and go, but this one I feel is just the right size to keep everyone happy. I’m looking forward the most to seeing Umphrey’s McGee grace our stage and to see all of my friends come to our little community that we, and they, have built over the years.
JAMBASE: What would be a dream act to book at The Werk Out?
CH: Realistically? String Cheese would be great. Unrealistically? Phish. And it would be really nice if those Twiddle goons could clear us a weekend one of these years! [laughs]
JAMBASE: Between a lineup shift, the release of Mr. Smalls Sessions, and the festival, this has already been a huge year for The Werks, what else is in store? You mentioned a new album.
CH: Well for the rest of the year were pretty much going to get back to trying to conquer the country and never stop until we do. But before that we’re going to do a big fall tour with some real good Frends and release this album Inside a Dream.
JAMBASE: With so much hard-earned success coming relatively quickly, where would you like to see The Werks in five years?
CH: To be completely honest with you, I would be happy to be anywhere in five years. Of course I want to continue climbing the ladder, but we have achieved so much in this short time, it’s hard for me to imagine where we could be in five years. I have achieved personal life goal after personal life with this band and I don’t see it ending anytime soon. There is magic in this group and I can’t wait to find out what happens next. But one thing’s for sure, we’re comin’ for ya!
The Werks 2015 Tour Dates
7/18 -Scranton, PA @ Camp Bisco
7/23 -Hammonton, NJ @ Farm Fest (Paradise Lake Resort Campground)
7/24 -Hustonville, KY @ Paradise Music Festival
7/25 -Hustonville, KY @ Paradise Music Festival
8/6 -Thornville, OH @ The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival
8/7 -Thornville, OH @ The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival
8/8 -Thornville, OH @ The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival
8/13 -Northampton, MA @ Hinge
8/14 -Croydon, NH @ Wild Woods Music and Arts Festival
8/15 -Scranton, PA @ The Peach Music Festival at Montage Mountain
8/29 -Jackson, MS @ Martin’s
9/4 -Stroud, OK @ Backwoods Festival @ Tatanka Ranch
9/11 -Sherman, NY @ Night Lights Fall Music Festival
9/19 -Hancock, NY @ The Catskill Chill Music Festival
9/25 -Guthrie, OK @ Taloa Festival @ Cottonwood Flats
9/26 -Guthrie, OK @ Taloa Festival @ Cottonwood Flats
10/17 -Ozark, AR @ Phases of the Moon Festival
10/23 -Rockdale, TX @ Art Outside Festival
1/6-11/2016 -Miami, FL @ JamCruise 14
