Quarry Mountain dead rats

QuarryMountain
dead rats
“ Bluegrass with a bit of dirt under
its nails and beer in its belly,
like nothing else I've ever
heard in Australia”
- Shane Nicholson
“They never fail
to deliver a
blistering set”
- Les Thomas, Unpaved
Quarry Mountain Dead Rats
Biography
Taking it back to a simpler time, where the pickin’ was
fast and the banjo was king, this five piece from Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, bring their raw & gritty
version of bluegrass kicking and hollering into the
modern day. They establish an 'old mate' affinity with
their audiences while delivering a kick-you-in-the-face
live show, setting the tone for a sing along, drink along,
foot-stomping good time.
QMDR's instrumentation of banjo, mandolin, acoustic
guitar, double bass and washboard fits the bluegrass
mold, but the influence of old- time mountain-music
combined with rock‘n’roll sensibilities, give way to something altogether different. Revellers are no doubt drawn
to QMDR's humour and anything goes attitude, but what
stands out is their ability to tear into their songs with an
intensity that’s rare for an acoustic band.
Taking their uncommon rockgrass sound to the people,
the band cut their teeth on Melbourne street corners and
are working their way through the pub scene and festival
circuit including appearances at Falls Festival, St Kilda
Festival, Blue Mountains Music Festival, Jamgrass Festival and Cygnet Folk Festival to name a few. You can just
as easily see these guys on the line up for a rock festival
as you can a folk festival. After catching the eyes and
ears of producer Shane Nicholson, the band headed to
Nash Chambers' Foggy Mountain Studios to record their
debut album.
“Quentin Tarantino’s version of bluegrass, its banjo with grit”
- Snowy Mountains Music Festival -
Quarry Mountain Dead Rats
Daniel Suholz
Vocals // Banjo // Harp
Deriving the bulk of his power from his awesome beard, musicians around the
world agree, Dan is most probably a wizard. Possessing harp/banjo skills
described as supernatural, mystery and suspicion has surrounded Dan since he
took up music at around twelve years of age.
Admired by the greats, hated by firemen and yelling angrily at fruit, his favorite
venue to perform is Red Bennies, after all… that where you get the best horse
strippers and guys in leather underpants.
Influenced by the likes of Bob Dylan, Earl Scruggs, old time and bluegrass
music, Dan has the ability to vanish for days surviving only on what he catches in
his beard.
Quarry Mountain Dead Rats
Chris Wishman
Vocals // Mandolin
A Sudoku world champion by age four, and having the ability to communicate
telepathically with fish, Chris turned his back on the lucrative world Sudoku circuit
to focus on music. He began Piano lessons aged five and before long he had
conquered a myriad of instruments including, guitar, piano accordion, ukulele,
fiddle and banjo.
Influenced by artists like Bob Dylan, Beatles, Bill Monroe and AC/DC, his current
instrument of choice is the mandolin, which he took up after a bloodhound killed
his squeezebox.
With international mandolin magazine ‘Mandolin Monthly’ ranking Chris “No.2
greatest mandolinest in the world” and “Mandolinest to watch in 2013” he
probably owes that blood hound a ‘thank you’.
Quarry Mountain Dead Rats
Lachlan Alcorn
Vocals // Guitar
With a Tibetan name meaning “he who sews the finest pyjamas” it was no
surprise to anyone when Locky Alcorn took up guitar at age five.
In a cruel twist of fate the first guitar he owned was born with only four strings,
but Locky was determined to treat it the same as any normal guitar. Refusing to
recognize its string deficiency the two of them forged a bond between man and
instrument that shines through in his playing still to this day.
Citing Dave Rawlings, doc Watson, Tony rice, and Lynyrd Skynyrd as influence
and claiming his own album launch was the greatest show he’s ever played,
many believe he is a robot.
Quarry Mountain Dead Rats
Ben Clements
Washboard
Famous for claiming “I can play anything you can hit or shake… but I draw the
line at babies”, and spending the formative years of his life with only one pair of
pants, Ben Clements was destined for stardom from an early age.
Piano in grade three then on through a string of percussive instruments before
eventually turning his attention to that most revered of all popular instruments…
the washboard.
With a love of Punk music, lizards, and the animated 1980’s series HE-MAN, by
the power of Greyskull! it’s Ben Clements.
Quarry Mountain Dead Rats
Davin McDonald
Double Bass
The son of two hippies, raised on gingerbread and credited with having
invented the colour yellow, Davin began music slightly later than his band
mates, however it didn’t take long for him to master the fine art.
Influenced by Led Zepplin, Tool, Radiohead, and Leo Sayer, Davin was
involved with many bands through the late nineties eventually leaving
each one as he felt they were ‘below him’ in terms of skill and creative
ability.
After narrowly avoiding a prison stint in 2008 when an argument at
SeaWorld ended with him punching a dolphin, Davin joined QMDR where
he now divides his time between playing double bass and being Batman.
Quarry Mountain Dead Rats
Contacts
Bookings:
John Sinclair
john@flemmingartists.com
+ 61 3 9383 7520
General:
Lachlan Alcorn
locky@qmdr.com.au
+61 432 500 492
Website:
Facebook:
qmdr.com.au
facebook.com/quarrymountaindeadrats