The Lumberjack

Issue date: 9/5/07 Section: Culture

Media Credit: Dragged By Horses EP album cover

"Can we play one more? Our drummer wants to play one more," Pablo Midence, the lead singer and guitarist for Dragged by Horses, asked the barkeep at the end of their July 20 gig at the Alibi.

They got the go ahead and banged out a tune from their 2005 self-titled album. With a new album due out Sept. 27 and a long list of tour dates around the country, bassist Jody Goldman, drummer Chris Jaster and Midence are a busy heavy rock trio.

In late 2002, Midence and Matt Marek started forming what would become the band's songs. After about six months, Goldman auditioned to play bass and has been with them since 2003.

Marek played his last show with them on Oct. 28, 2006. Marek moved on to play with The Ravens, "the best band in Humboldt County," as Goldman put it.

Since then Jaster has been setting up his tightly tuned black kit behind Goldman and Midence. After only a year of playing together, the three are a tight crew.

Behind The Alibi, before their show on Aug. 28, they cracked jokes about their "target demographic" and poked fun at each other.

It was easy to see this personal connection transfer over when they came on stage. These guys are friends.

"DRAGGEDbyHORSES is probably the record we sell the most out of local bands," said Adam (who denied to give his last name) from the People's Records about the band's first album.

Midence sings in his first language for the opening song to DRAGGEDbyHORSES EP, "No Es Negocio", or "it is not negotiable."

The rest of the seven-track album continues on lyrically in Midence's second language, English. Their second album will be available at all local record stores, and is being distributed by their label Highwheel Records.

To support the album, the band will continue touring up and down the West Coast of the United States, as well as adventures inland to Arizona, and Chicago.

As busy as they are (Jaster also plays drums in another Humboldt County band, Strix Vega), the band has played local gigs at least once a month.

The band is a big part of the Arcata, and Humboldt, music scene. They played the fourth annual Hops in Humboldt Beer Festival down in Fortuna and are helping the Humboldt Free Radio Alliance with benefit CD and concert.

Jen Savage, the midday DJ at KSLG,said the benefit CD is done and has an unreleased track from the band. She got a copy over the weekend and played tracks from it since Tuesday on her radio show, North by Northwest, which features regional artists.

After more touring without any merchandise, "We ran out of shirts and I have not had the time to get more printed," Midence said. "Although it would be nice, it's the least of our worries."

DBH is scheduled to play in Eureka on Sept. 22 and in Arcata on October 27.

Matthew Barry can be reached at mkb27@humboldt.edu

LINKS

Dragged by Horses Web site

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