 "Photo: The Rubberneckers")
Cow-punk; it's a breed rock n' roll and bluegrass, sometimes country but will always make your head bob. That's what the Rubberneckers play, a group of friends that enjoy writing and performing music together. The Rubberneckers are based out of Blue Lake and consist of four musically talented men, Clay Smith, Brendan Otto, Greg Lojko and Burton Hollister. They all met through friends of friends, member Clay Smith would call it "serendipity."
The Rubberneckers are going on five years together as a band. All four bandmates previously lived together in an old farmhouse in Blue Lake, but have since moved out to be on their own or with their ladies. "Serendipity doesn't just happen on Sundays," Smith explained.
Over time, some members quit, some were kicked out until they reached the band's current incarnation. "We settled into our sound more and stopped getting too drunk to play, though it does still happen to some degree occasionally," said Smith, the lead vocalist and rhythm guitar player.
On his off hours, Smith, originally from Gainesville, Fla. works some construction. "Clay is our inspiration. He has gone through so much and he still isn't dead, he is a testament to the human body and he likes to party, watch out ladies," said Otto.
Blue Lake local Nannette Brannon, said, "Clay is Superman on stage."
Otto, a junior at Humboldt State with a major in Liberal Studies, is the drummer and backup vocalist of The Rubberneckers. Smith says, "He is known as 'Captain Friendly: The Genius of Iowa' and has a great sense of humor.
The lead guitarist and backup vocalist, Lojko works at Wildwood Music and is a great soundman. Lojko is from Pennsylvania and Otto says, "Greg is a sensitive soul trapped in a 17-year-old boy's body, a 17-year-old boy who rips on guitar!" Hollister plays bass guitar and is a sashimi chef at Tomo Sushi. He is originally from Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
With his free time, he spends quality time with his son Asa, and his soon-to-be wife, Vanessa.
Otto explains, "Burton is the most efficient person I have ever met, he pretty much blows my mind all the time. He has not made a bad meal in over fourteen consecutive years. With Burton around you will get fed the best fire-roasted sweet potatoes you have ever tasted!"
Hands down, no question, the Jambalaya in Arcata is their favorite place to perform, and Otto agrees because they now serve real booze.
"I have been having more and more fun at shows and a big reason is because of the people that come. They dance, they sing along, they are super fun and of course we really appreciate it. Blue Lake is full of people that consider us their band and we love them for that," Smith said.
"We have a great fan base in the area, anyone from Blue Lake is cool," Otto said. Brannon says that "the boys are funny, sweet and hard-working, they sleep, eat and breathe their music."
She likes how they bring the local atmosphere together in one spot. An upcoming show is on Cinco de Mayo and is a benefit for Six Rivers School at the Bayside Grange. These boys love to party and Cinco de Mayo is the perfect opportunity for a fun show.
Then on May 12, they will play at the Petrolia Community Center. Most of their shows are $5 and if you like an energetic show with a group of guys that have a lot of fun together then go see The Rubberneckers live. Also check out their website at TheRubberneckers.com.
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