Bourbon & Beyond

Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Initially founded as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the band has included Grohl (vocals and guitar), Nate Mendel (bass), Pat Smear (guitar), Chris Shiflett (guitar), Rami Jaffee (keyboards), and Ilan Rubin (drums). Former members have included Franz Stahl (guitar), William Goldsmith (drums), Taylor Hawkins (drums), and Josh Freese (drums). Grohl created the project to release solo material following the disbandment of Nirvana in 1994. He recorded the band's self-titled debut album, "Foo Fighters" (1995), largely on his own over six days. After attracting record label interest, he recruited Mendel and Goldsmith, both formerly of Sunny Day Real Estate, and Smear, who had previously toured with Nirvana. The band performed its first public concert in February 1995, several months before the album's release. During the recording of their second album, "The Colour and the Shape" (1997), Goldsmith left the band and Grohl re-recorded most of the drum parts. Smear departed soon afterward and was replaced by Stahl, who had previously played with Grohl in the band Scream. Stahl was dismissed before the recording of the third album, "There Is Nothing Left to Lose" (1999), after which the band temporarily continued as a trio until Shiflett joined following the album’s completion. The band released "One by One" in 2002, followed by the double album "In Your Honor" (2005), which combined acoustic and heavier material. Their sixth studio album, "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" (2007), followed. For the seventh album, "Wasting Light" (2011), produced by Butch Vig, Smear returned as a full-time member after frequently performing with the band since 2005. "Sonic Highways" (2014) was released as a soundtrack to a television miniseries directed by Grohl. "Concrete and Gold" (2017) became the band’s second album to reach number one in the United States and the first to feature longtime touring keyboardist Jaffee as an official member. The band released their tenth studio album, "Medicine at Midnight," in 2021. It was the final album recorded before the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins in March 2022. Their eleventh album, "But Here We Are," was released in June 2023. Freese served as drummer from 2023 to 2025, after which Rubin assumed the role. Foo Fighters have won 15 Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Album five times. In 2021, they received the Global Icon Award at the MTV Video Music Awards and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Studio albums Foo Fighters (1995) The Colour and the Shape (1997) There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1999) One by One (2002) In Your Honor (2005) Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007) Wasting Light (2011) Sonic Highways (2014) Concrete and Gold (2017) Medicine at Midnight (2021) But Here We Are (2023) Your Favorite Toy (2026)

Mumford & Sons are an English folk rock band formed in London, United Kingdom in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford (lead vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums), Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboards, piano), and Ted Dwane (vocals, bass guitar, double bass). Banjo player Winston Marshall left the band in 2021. Mumford & Sons have released four studio albums: Sigh No More (2009), Babel (2012), Wilder Mind (2015), and Delta (2018). Sigh No More peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and the Billboard 200 in the US, with Babel and Wilder Mind both debuting at number one in the UK and US, the former becoming the fastest-selling rock album of the decade and leading to a headline performance at Glastonbury Festival in 2013. The band have also issued two live albums: Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire (2011) and The Road to Red Rocks (2012). Mumford & Sons were formed in December 2007 by multi-instrumentalists Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall and Ted Dwane. Band members play acoustic guitar, drums, keyboard instruments, bass guitar, and traditional folk instruments such as banjo, mandolin and resonator guitar. The band name originates from the fact that Marcus Mumford was the most visible member, organising the band and their performances. Lovett indicated that the name was meant to invoke the sense of an "antiquated family business name". A handful of similar bands were increasing their visibility in West London around the same time, giving rise to the label "West London folk scene". Mumford downplays that characterise as an exaggeration - Mumford & Sons and a few other folk acts just happened to be operating in the same general area at the time. In an interview with the Herald Sun, Marcus Mumford said, "It's not folk really. Well, some of it is, and it's certainly not a scene. Someone got over-excited about a few bands who live in a hundred-mile radius and put it in a box to sell it as a package. It's a community, not a scene. It's not exclusive." Having developed in the same musical and cultural environment, Mumford & Sons' sound has been compared to that of artists such as Noah and the Whale, Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling, whose backing band had included Marshall, Mumford, and Dwane. In early 2008 the band began working with manager Adam Tudhope, who, as part of management company Everybody's, also represents Keane and Laura Marling. It was through Tudhope's connection that Mumford & Sons were exposed to their future A&R at Island, Louis Bloom, who began monitoring the band. Bloom told HitQuarters that they were still at a fledgling state and not yet ready for a label deal: "There was no one there for it, just a few friends, and they needed time to develop. Over the next six months I kept going to see them and they were literally picking up fans every time." In February 2008, the band completed an extensive UK tour with support from Alessi's Ark, Sons of Noel and Adrian, Peggy Sue and others. June 2008 marked the band's first appearance at the Glastonbury Festival. They also toured Australia with Laura Marling, whose disinclination to interact with audiences encouraged Mumford into the spotlight. The experience helped inform his attitude towards Mumford & Sons audiences, which is to interact frequently and to try to create a comfortable, casual atmosphere. Mumford & Sons' first project was an EP entitled Love Your Ground which took a year to complete and was released in November 2008 on Chess Club Records. The band began by using bluegrass and folk instrumentation, with the core instruments of acoustic guitar, banjo, piano and a double bass, played with a rhythmic style based in alternative rock and folk. In the documentary Big Easy Express, Marcus Mumford recognises the Old Crow Medicine Show influence: "I first heard Old Crow’s music when I was, like, 16, 17, and that really got me into, like, folk music, bluegrass. I mean, I’d listened to a lot of Dylan, but I hadn’t really ventured into the country world so much. So Old Crow were the band that made me fall in love with country music." Mumford acknowledges that "the band inspired them to pick up the banjo and start their now famous country nights in London." Ketch Secor, Old Crow front-man, concurs: "Those boys took the message and ran with it. Much of Mumford & Sons' lyrical content has a strong literary influence, their debut album's name deriving from William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. The track "Sigh No More" includes lines from the play such as Serve God love me and mend, For man is a giddy thing, and One foot in sea and one on shore. The title of the song "Roll Away Your Stone" is an allusion to Macbeth; the song includes the line Stars hide your fires/ And these here are my desires which borrows and pares down Macbeth's line in act 1, scene 4: Stars, hide your fires,/ Let not light see my black and deep desires. Additionally, "The Cave" includes several references to The Odyssey, in particular the sirens that Odysseus encounters on his journey home. The song also contains many references to G.K. Chesterton's book, St. Francis of Assisi, in which Chesterton uses Plato's Cave as a way of explaining how St. Francis views the world from God's perspective. "Little Lion Man" appears to be a retelling in dramatic monologue form of Chretien de Troyes' Yvain, the Knight of the Lion, which is the story of a knight who goes mad after betraying a promise to his wife to return to her. Both "Timshel" and "Dust Bowl Dance" draw heavily from the John Steinbeck novels Of Mice and Men, East of Eden and The Grapes of Wrath. The band's change in sound on their third album was described by Lovett as a "natural departure." At the end of the Babel tour Winston Marshall traded his banjo for electric guitar in sound checks and Mumford started playing more drums as the band jammed on heavy instrumentals and even some Radiohead tunes. Banjo does not feature on the record, an instrument that had become synonymous with the band. NME reported that the band's sound is "More expansive than ever and decidedly heavier, thanks to the shift in instrumentation." The group also employed a full drumkit instead of kick drum. "We've had our standard line-up of instruments for the last six years and we felt like that was our palette, [but] we started picking up other stuff," said Lovett. "It's a very natural departure from some of that rootsier stuff." Lovett told NME that working with James Ford for Wilder Mind was part of trying something new. "We felt a need for change. Not from Markus [Dravs], but he was so closely attached to those first two records that as we had taken that time off, we wanted to try doing something new. It felt like, if we do our third record with Markus, does that mean we do our ninth and 10th records with Markus? At some point you have to try different things, as we collectively felt like it was time to try other stuff. Markus knows that we might well make the next record with him. We definitely haven't broken up [with Dravs], we're just playing the field!". The band have won a number of music awards throughout their career, with Sigh No More earning the band the Brit Award for Best British Album in 2011 and six overall Grammy Award nominations. The live performance at the 2011 Grammy ceremony with Bob Dylan and The Avett Brothers led to a surge in popularity for the band in the US. The band received eight total Grammy nominations for Babel and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The band also won the Brit Award for Best British Group in 2013.

Dave Matthews Band was formed in Charlottesville, VA in 1991 by South African native singer and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, the late LeRoi Moore, who played a wide variety of instruments from the saxophone to the flute, violin player Boyd Tinsley, drummer Carter Beauford, and keyboardist Peter Griesar (who left the band in 1993), all of whom Dave met in Charlottesville. In 1998, the band played shows with keyboardist Butch Taylor, although he was not officially a member of the band. Taylor played with the band for the stadium runs of the 1999 and 2000 summer tours. From May 18th, 2001 on, Taylor was a permanent fixture on stage, and in 2003 was no longer listed as "special guest". Even though he was never officially part of the lineup, the band recently announced that Butch was leaving the band via their website, and the 2008 summer tour had some of the first shows without Taylor in years. Rashawn Ross has performed at every normal show from 12.13.05 until the present, leading some to believe that he has joined the band, at least semi-permanently. It is also confirmed that Ross was in the studio with the band during the recent sessions. As of early 2009, Ross, long time collaborator Tim Reynolds, and new saxophonist Jeff Coffin are listed as "Touring Members". Early 1990s In the early 1990s, the band established a cult following through relentless touring with weekly stops at Virginia clubs known as Trax and Floodzone, an active taping community, and an independent LP, Remember Two Things. (Keyboardist Griesar left the band in 1993, shortly before the release of "Remember Two Things".) After signing to RCA Records, Dave Matthews Band, under the direction of producer Steve Lillywhite, released Under the Table and Dreaming in 1994, a critical and popular smash that firmly established the band's style of pop-rock with improvisational leanings. Under the Table and Dreaming would be the first of three albums released under Lillywhite's direction. This was followed by Crash (1996). For most of America, Crash was the record that put the Dave Matthews Band on the map. Featuring the hit single "Crash Into Me", as well as fan-favorites such as "Two Step", "Tripping Billies", and the Grammy-winning "So Much to Say", Crash would go on to be the band's best selling album. The Mercy Songfacts reports that Lillywhite lent his skills to their 2012 album Away From The World. Lillywhite hadn't worked with the band since a series of unreleased recordings in 2000, which led to the leaked Lillywhite Sessions. History David John Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1967. Two years later, his family moved to Westchester County, NY. His father was a physicist and worked for IBM at the time. He has two sisters (Anne and Jane) and a brother (Peter). After living in New York, his family moved to Cambridge, England in the early '70s. The family returned to New York where his father died in 1977. In 1980, the family moved to South Africa where the young Matthews went to several schools and "got more wise about the evils of government, there and in general." He first played at a club in Charlottesville (Miller's) where he worked as a bartender. He admitted to Playboy magazine that he was really never that good at bartending, but loved getting customers...well..."drunk as hell!" He was first discovered in a demo tape that he recorded with a couple of current band members. This all came about when he decided to put together a demo tape and decided that he needed some musical accompaniment; which ended up as the Dave Matthews Band. In 1994, his sister Anne died in a domestic tragedy at her home in South Africa. The Grammy nominated album "Under The Table and Dreaming" is dedicated to her. Community Dave Matthews Band is highly involved in giving a helping hand. In 2003, the Band held a concert entitled, "The Central Park Concert" which was held in New York City's Central Park. The concert helped New York City Public Schools, the band is a big supporter of education. The band also held a concert that helped victims of Katrina. Sadly, Leroi Moore passed away in 2008. After being seriously injured in an ATV accident in Virginia, Moore succumbed to his injuries on August 19, 2008. He was replaced by Jeff Coffin, famous for his work with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. Excerpt taken from Wikipedia.org -- the rest of this article can be found at: Wikipedia Official site: www.dmband.com

Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1996. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme shortly before he returned to his native Palm Desert, California. Homme has been the only constant member throughout multiple line-up changes; since 2013, the line-up has consisted of Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita, and Jon Theodore.

Kacey Lee Musgraves is an American singer and songwriter. She began her career in the early 2000s, when she self-released three solo albums and recorded another album as a member of the duo Texas Two Bits. In 2007, Musgraves appeared on the fifth season of the USA Network singing competition Nashville Star, where she finished in seventh place. In 2012, she signed with Mercury Nashville and released the hit single "Merry Go 'Round". Her major-label debut studio album, Same Trailer Different Park (2013), won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.

The early beginnings of Maoli, started in Maui with Glenn Awong, a 14 year old with a passion for music. In his sophomore year, the aspiring vocalist and guitarist began writing original music at the encouragement of a high school teacher. It was also during this time that Glenn started recording demos of his songs. By the time he reached his senior year, Glenn was ready to share his music to a greater audience. In 2005, Glenn and the band he formed won a Battle Of The Bands competition on the island of Maui. With numerous performances already under his belt, Glenn formed Maoli in early 2008 with a new lineup of talented musicians. This Fall marks the release of Maoli's full-length debut album entitled, Groovin, on Pacific Island Records. The album's lead single, No One, is already receiving airplay statewide and is gaining popularity on island music airwaves. Other standout tracks from Maoli include the heartfelt Write Me A Letter, a song about missing a loved one, featuring Malino’s Braddah Vince and the uptempo, Groovin’, featuring the sweet vocal sounds of Piilani Arias.

The Devil Makes Three is an Americana band from Santa Cruz, California, United States. The group blends bluegrass, old time, country, folk, blues, jazz, and ragtime music. The group's members are guitarist Pete Bernhard, upright bassist Lucia Turino, and guitarist and tenor banjo player Cooper McBean. “The rhythm is what our band is about." Says Pete Bernhard: Guitarist, Front Man. The Devil Makes Three are quite possibly the best band that you have never heard of. They have been constantly on tour, selling out dates across the country and in their neck of the woods on the West Coast drawing near capacity crowds nightly. This is all word of mouth. Over the years, the Devil Makes Three have garnered fans the old school way, playing a city, making friends, conquering fans and moving on. Laced with elements of ragtime, blues, country, folk and rockabilly, the critically praised, drummer-less trio - consisting of Vermont native, guitarist/front man Pete Bernhard, stand-up bassist Lucia Turino and guitarist Cooper McBean, also of rural Vermont - brings forth a genuine approach to acoustic music. The sound is deeply steeped in rhythm and alive with three part harmonies, while keeping a slightly punk aesthetic to their music and especially their live shows. Note: the following songs belong to a different band with the same name, a small local metal band from Northern Ireland: A Lesson Unlearnt Dead Feed the Greed Heaven Descent

Sons of Legion is a Soul Rock band from Nashville, Tennessee, consisting of members Adam McInnis and Daddy Jack -- two guys from opposite sides of the country that happened to cross paths and chose to walk down the same road. Sons of Legion is a dynamic band blending the raw energy of rock, the soulful depth of blues, and the timeless appeal of soul music. With a style that marries rugged grit with sophisticated class, they channel a vibe reminiscent of the GREATEST bands of the past. Renowned for their powerful performances and compelling lyrics, Sons of Legion have captivated audiences worldwide. Their music, featuring standout tracks like "Brand New Day," "Power," and "Firestarter," has garnered over 11 million streams on Spotify and has been featured on major platforms like ESPN, Dodge Ram commercials, Netflix, and NBC.

Lisa Anne Loeb is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author and actress. She started her career with "Stay " (1994) from the film Reality Bites, the first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 for an artist without a recording contract. She achieved additional top-20 singles with "Do You Sleep?" in 1996 and "I Do" in 1998. Her albums Tails (1995) and Firecracker (1997) were certified gold.

Joan Elizabeth Osborne is an American singer, songwriter, and interpreter of music, having recorded and performed in various popular American musical genres including rock, pop, soul, R&B, blues, and country. She is best known for her recording of the Eric Bazilian-penned song "One of Us" from her debut album, Relish (1995). Both the single and the album became worldwide hits and garnered a combined seven Grammy Award nominations. Osborne has toured with Motown sidemen the Funk Brothers and was featured in the documentary film about them, Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002).

Danny Kiranos, known professionally as Amigo the Devil, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and banjo player. His music is influenced by American folk, country, rock, and heavy metal, with themes of murder, death, and other dark subject matters which has led to his music being called "Dark Folk" or "Murderfolk". Kiranos created the record label Liars Club Records with the label Regime Music Group.

There are 6 bands that have the name Couch. 1. A German band, Couch blends ambient "mood" electronica with your typical band setup (guitars, drums, electronic keyboard), resulting in peaceful yet more engaging electronica. 2. Couch (Japanese) was formed in November 2002, bringing together ex-Benzo front man Koji Hiraizumi, Theatre Brook's current bassist Takashi Nakajo [ex-[artist]King Bees], and Tetsuya Kojima, one of the most prolific session drummers at that time. Signed to Tokiola Hanabee Label, Couch quietly released their first album Kyouka on December 3, 2003. The album gained the respect of both critics and fans alike. Drawing on the members' connections, when the band next entered the studio, they were joined by such artists as Taiji Sato, the other half of the band Theatre Brook, and Miho Iguchi of The Aprils. On September 8, 2004, Couch released their much anticipated second album Blow. 3. Band from Ann Arbor, MI. The duo of James Magas and Pete Larsen, you know, those guys who founded Bulb Records and of later Lake of Dracula (Magas) and "Fuck Pete Larsen" fame. 4. Korean punk band from Seoul. 5. Pop-Punk band from Norfolk, UK. 6. The Couch is a Neo-Grunge band from Hillsboro, Oregon. They have released one album called "Testings". 7. A Boston-based band which infuses pop, rock, funk and R&B/soul. Their vibrant sound comes from the band's members' backgrounds in jazz, a capella and musical theatre.

Rattlesnake Milk is an American band formed around 2012 in Lubbock, TX, by singer Lou Lewis. With the help of Lubbock friends Zach Davis, Andrew Chavez and Brad Ivy, the band recorded their 2013 self-released debut "Snake Rattle and Roll". In 2015, the band relocated to Austin, TX, and subsequently expanded to include bassist Erik Pawlak and drummer Corey “Chencho” Alvarez. In 2021, the band released their eponymous album on Feels So Good Records.

Ryman Auditorium is a historic 2,362-seat live-performance venue and museum located at 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North, in the downtown core of Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is best known as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. It is owned and operated by Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. Ryman Auditorium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and was later designated as a National Historic Landmark on June 25, 2001, for its pivotal role in the popularization of country music. A storied stage for Rock & Roll artists for decades, the Ryman was named a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark in 2022.

Rainbow Girls is an American eclectic folk trio of Vanessa May, Erin Chapin, and Caitlin Gowdey. They write and perform original material with roots in folk, americana, gypsy, funk, soul, and rock n'roll. In addition to their soaring four-part harmonies, the band members switch back and forth amongst a multitude of instruments including, but not limited to: guitar, ukelele, accordion, harmonica, banjolele, mandolin, dulcimer, bass, cello, piano, melodica, recorder, kazoo, washboard, djembe, drum kit, and stomp-tap percussion. Born in an underground open mic night in Isla Vista, CA, called "Bean Night," they began as an acoustic act, busking around the farmers markets of California before they hit the streets of Europe for a summer of couch surfing and busking. Since their return, they have evolved into an electric gypsy-americana-stomp-folk band, complete with drums, bass, and a whole lotta stompin'. They are known to put on one hell of a show. Don't miss Rainbow Girls, acoustic or electric. Adding colors to the duo Red & Yellow (Caitlin Gowdey & Erin Chapin), Rainbow Girls loosely formed in 2010, playing at a weekly, underground open-mic in Isla Vista. In December 2010, they set off for a week long self-recording trip to Joshua Tree and Big Bear Mountain, where they made their very own 5 song demo. At the end of January, after only a few shows, Rainbow Girls was put on hold while one of the gals skipped town to study abroad in Roma, Italia. Impatient, the three remaining members (at the time there were only 4 colors) followed suit in June, and the group of four spent the summer of 2011 busking and couch surfing their way around Europe, playing gigs and spreading music throughout Switzerland, Germany, England, Italy, the Netherlands, and France. Fifteen cities, six countries, four self-recorded audio tapes, two French recording studios, and 1 deportation later, they are now back at their ranch outside of Santa Barbara, playing gigs around California, and embarking on a series of tours to other states. In Spring of 2012, they toured to Seattle and back for 3 weeks, and again to southern Oregon to play a handful of music festivals. The following summer, Rainbow Girls toured the southwest, adding Arizona, Colorado, and Utah to their list of states. They traveled again to Seattle and back for their (End Of The) WORLD Tour in December of 2012. They recorded and released their first studio EP "Stomp Folk" in the beginning of September 2013, and their first official studio album in Spring 2013.

In today's ever advancing technological society, few things hold peoples interest for too long. Fortunately, great hard rock music has withstood the test of time. Take a heaping teaspoon of originality, sprinkled with an unrivaled live performance, and you have As You Were! With a smooth blend of classic, modern, metal, and groove, topped off with the occasional ballad, As You Were creates a surefire hit with a style all their own. Don't be fooled by their young faces. Individually, As You Were are music professionals who take the utmost pride in their craft. While spanning several years of individual hard work, with a relentless team effort that strives only for perfection, As You Were has built themselves from the ground up, into one of the best rock acts Southern California has to offer. They have amassed a large, and loyal following while playing some of the top spots in Southern California. These polished musical veterans have shared the stage with numerous big names from Poison, to Buckcherry, to Alien Ant Farm, and many more. They've performed numerous headlining gigs, and sold out shows to the delight of many screaming fans. In 2010, As You Were roared into the Southern California music scene and never looked back. They were the musical guests on Nightcap with host, Sebrina Brian of the Cheetah Girls, they followed that performance by overcoming many hard fought obstacles to beat out over 250 submitted bands, and take first place in The Sam Ash Southern California Championship, and earning them an endorsement with Electro-Voice (one of the best sound companies in the world). In late October 2010 they performed in front of a sold out crowd, as they released their first album entitled "Out Of Control" and their music video for their critically acclaimed tune "Rock All Night With You", which has been requested on several radio stations. In 2011 they stepped up their game, reinventing themselves with a new, slightly edgier groove, chock-full of catchy, memorable choruses that are sure to get stuck in your head. As You Were continues to build on their large, loyal following, which helps make them one of the more popular acts of any independent artist in southern California. Venues can attest to their hard work, and fans can vouch for a mesmerizing experience and jaw dropping performance. This is why they headline, and fill such venues as The House Of Blues over and over again. Early 2012, As You Were plans to release their first fully produced album entitled "The Calm Before..." at The House Of Blues Anaheim, followed by a unique, and slightly controversial music video. Then they'll take their high energy, and live intensity to the road, leaving only a wake of old & new fans screaming for more. As You Were has the brightest of futures, with an ever growing following, huge marketable music, and a live show that can't be beat. In the upcoming year, they plan to take the Southern California music scene, and beyond by storm.