SNAKE OIL SALESMEN, BIG BAD ROOSTER

SnakeOil Salesmen:
https://www.snakeoilsalesmen.n et/
Snake Oil Salesmen are trio out of Southern California that formed in the summer of 2012. Their musical genres range from punk rock, classic rock, blues, bluegrass and everything in between. They often identify as Americana.

Clay Coughlin is the singer/songwriter and guitarist of the group. He is also a multi-instrumentalist providing their album with piano/keys, banjo, mandolin, lap steel guitar, harmonica, Native American flute and clarinet. He is a huge fan of Classic Country and The Beatles.

Tristan Cole-Falek is the upright bassist of the group. He is an accomplished bassist in the so-cal area having played with Phil Alvin, The Blasters, Eddie Nichols and The Chop Tops. Aside from being a prolific musician he is also a master luthier, having built both his bass and Clay's signature guitar.



Nick Colliflower is the drummer of the group. He met Tristan while playing for Three Bad Jacks. Nick's early influences include heavy metal and punk rock which show up in his voracious drumming style. Born and raised in Huntington Beach he embodies the spirit of California. His passions include surfing, skateboarding and demolishing breakfast burritos.

Together they make up: SNAKE OIL SALESMEN. They took over three years to record and produce their debut album. They funded and produced the entire projects themselves, meticulously working until the final deadline to produce a truly original record. So whether you get a copy of your own to enjoy or you catch one of their electric live performances you are sure to have a good time with these guys. It's what they do best!

Big Bad Rooster:
https://bigbadroostermusic.com /
“Bluegrass has its roots in some of the oldest musical traditions of the United States and has long been a source of authentic story telling about rural life and working people. Though the genre has enjoyed a resurgence in interest as Americana music has regained some popularity, it can be difficult to find acts moving beyond old traditionals and pushing the genre into new territory. Thankfully, Long Beach, CA’s Big Bad Rooster are on the rise and available to please those ears looking for new flavor in a classic form. The band’s debut full-length album blends vibrant stories of modern life and contemporary struggles with an exciting style that will appeal to both purists and new-comers alike.

Delivering 10 songs in just under a half hour, Big Bad Rooster keeps their tempos fast and the energy high on their first release. The record pulls and flows quickly like a river with a strong current, yet the band always stays together and never once slips into sloppiness. In fact, the pacing of the album not only allows the band to show off their nimbleness and musical chops, it adds a fire and urgency to their music, keeping their recordings in lock-step with the power and heat of their live performances.

In addition to the quartet’s tenacity, skilled musicianship, and keen ear for wonderful vocal melodies and harmonies, the record has wonderfully full, immersive production that accentuates Big Bad Rooster’s sounds and style. Though the band produced and recorded the album all on their own, they manage to avoid so many of the pitfalls of home recordings by giving theirs more filled out, well balanced, and rich qualities, instead of opting for the more raw, lo-fi features of so many of their peers.

Most of all, what comes across so clearly on Big Bad Rooster’s debut is honesty and authenticity. There is soul and spirit in the band’s music that comes from deep within and can’t be taught or imitated. From even the first few seconds of the opening track, it’s easy to hear just how much of their honest selves the band puts into their music. It makes for an album that is captivating and easy to listen to from end to end.

All in all, the record is a solid debut for Big Bad Rooster, and hopefully just the beginning of what the band has in store.

-Simon Weedn, music writer, DJ, and host of Raw Power Hour.