Friday, August 20 we'll be opening up for Dennis DeYoung, founding member of Styx, at Celebrate Erie 2010 on the Main Stage on State St., the heart of Downtown Erie. Thanks to all those who joined our Facebook group, We Want Dirty Pickles at Celebrate Erie 2010.
Matty B. and the Dirty Pickles celebrates new CD
Published: June 10, 2010
Preview by Dave Richards
Staff writer
He was in a pickle. Of course. After all, this is Matty B. Has he ever done anything kosher with the Dirty Pickles?
They play songs inspired by '50s-era rockers such as Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, and Gene Vincent, not hip-hop or techno. They wear ties and suit jackets on stage, not ripped-up jeans and tees. In a deeply cynical age, they play with a scruffy charm and pure enthusiasm.
Makes sense, then, they'd take the unconventional road when they needed a new drummer. They brought in longtime friend Dave Schroeder, though his previous music experience was on bass and keyboards.
"We were basically sick of going from drummer to drummer to drummer," said singer-guitarist Matty Boland. "We just decided not to look for a drummer but someone we like and who would stick it out for the long haul.
"Dave has been with the band since the beginning. He's done our artwork. We went to high school with him at McDowell. We played his 18th birthday party; it was one of our first shows. He's always been a big part."
Boland and Pickles' bassist Ben Roemer devised a plan to ensnare Schroeder: They invited him to hang out and have a few beers. Then they said, "Hey, let's jam. Go sit at the drum kit."
"It was surprising," Boland said. "He actually had rhythm. We saw this was totally possible. So we asked Dave, you want to be in the Dirty Pickles as our new drummer? And he flipped out."
"It's actually kind of funny," said Schroeder, who designs the Pickles' flyers and posters. "At one point way back, I played bass and told Matty just once I want to fill in for a show. He was like, 'Yeah, I'll see what I can do.' So I guess I always kind of wanted to be [a Pickle]. Either way, I was a big fan. I love going to the shows and love the energy, so I'm glad I can try to fill those shoes."
After Schroeder acquitted himself live, Boland figured it was time to record the follow-up to "Picklebilly." But the studio sessions didn't go well.
"You got to have a solid beat, and it just wasn't solid enough," Schroeder said. "So we ended up scrapping it all."
"The drums weren't where they needed to be," Boland said. "We were kicking around the idea of having another drummer on it, maybe getting a studio drummer. But we decided Dave has worked too hard. He's going to be on this album."
"I was like, 'Hold on! Let me get one more chance,'" said Schroeder. "I realized I got to learn how to play to a metronome, and sat down for a bit practicing."
The Pickles had locked themselves into a June 12 date for their CD release. Under the gun, they recorded everything in about a week's time. Unflagging producer Nathan Harpts and Boland worked 'round the clock -- some days from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., straight.
When they finished, they had 12 songs that expand the Pickles' bracing, retro-influenced sound. If album one was straight dill, this one has other flavors that Pickles' fans should relish.
"'Picklebilly,' that whole album sounded the same," said Boland. "This one, I wanted to take it as many difference places as we could. I tried to put a little different guitar tone on every song. And just for the songs in general, I tried to incorporate a lot more blues, a little bluegrass and country, just to really show people that 'Picklebilly' isn't just what we do."
Schroeder suits their broader musical scope.
"I think our last drummer was very punk-oriented. I'm more of a jazzy kind of a guy," he said. "With my style, I think it helps us to be able to go into more blues and stuff."
"It was surprisingly easier with Dave, since he was new to drums," said Roemer. "He was developing while he was playing, and it was based off our style. So all his drumming experience was from playing with us."
Some "Kosher" songs such as "Jabber Jaw" precede "Picklebilly" and feature a raw, rockabilly edge. Others are new, like "Ca Ching" and "Trance."
"We were at Night Flights, and I got out my cigar-box guitar and made it all up on the spot," Boland said of "Ca-Ching." "The words I'm singing on the recording, I just freestyled them in one take, and it worked. Same with 'Trance.' That's a newer song, written this winter, which is my personal favorite. It's the 'Smoke Rings' of this album."
Boland plans to release a solo album within a month or two, and the group also reordered copies of "Picklebilly," which was sold out. But for now, they're excited about "Not Quite Kosher." Their faith in Schroeder paid off, and they love how the CD turned out.
"I've never been more proud of something," Boland said. "This is the first thing I've ever done where I can listen to it and pretend it's not me and like it and say, 'I'd go see that band.'
"I'm not very cocky about the Pickles at all. We got enough other people doing it for us. But this CD, once the final cuts were done, we knew we had something awesome."
Read the article at GoErie.com
The Dirty Pickles are coming your way!
May 2010
In between our frequent shows around town, we've been brewing up our newest album. Oh, you heard right. Wait! There's More! Along side our new album, Matty B is putting together an acoustic album inspired by his Unpickled side project. Not only that, but you can look forward to new merchandise (including shirts) to fuel our upcoming out-of-town shows. For those fans who The Man says can't drink that devil juice, we have an upcoming ALL AGES show in Girard on June 5th at the Platea Social Hall. We have exciting plans ahead, so stay tune for all the details by following our Facebook or Twitter over there on the right. (Dirty Dill says Hi!!!)
We're so excited, we're dishing out "Picklebilly" absolutely FREE! [click click double click]
The Dirty Pickles Spook NYC on Halloween and Rock the Socks Off of the 2009 NYC Marathon.
An account by Paul Shallenberger - Pickle Roadie and One of Our Biggest Fans
If you could catch lightning, hot glowing green, which way would you point it? If you had a seed accidentally planted at the northern edge of nowhere, sprouting, wriggling and writhing its way, where would you guide its vines? To New York City Man! Okay, drop the flowery metaphors and kick out the jams! A "budding", (Oops!), rock band from a forgotten working class city like Erie Pennsylvania can so easily remain there till they "wither" (Again, sorry) on the vine. But not if said plant/band can't help but flourish like a weed or outgrow its pot! MATTY B AND THE DIRTY PICKLES are this band! Too mean and too green, they're growing up and out and pointing themselves your way!
Rock Erie Music Awards 2009
Matty B and the Dirty Pickles have been nominated in this year's Rock Erie Music Awards for best alternative band. Their album, 'Picklebilly', is up for album of the year as well as 'The Way it Goes' for best song of the year. The Pickles will be performing their nominated song live at the award show on September 27, 2009 at the Bayfront Convention Center.
Photo by Chris Cambell
Update:
Watch a video from the show!
2008 New York City Marathon
Matty B and the Dirty Pickles just rocked out NYC this weekend, Saturday night at Uncle Mike's club in Tribeca, courtesy of Turnstyle Music, and then on Sunday at the 2008 NYC Marathon. After avoiding crisis Sunday morning, the boys rocked out hard for 4 hours in the freezing cold to support the runners. They were ecstatically greeted and cheered on as 39,000 people ran past and stopped for pictures and high fives from the group! In October, they opened for the 2nd time for the Misfits in Cleveland, OH.
Picklebilly
The Dirty Pickles just released their first full-length album Picklebilly. Check it Out!
Read what Dr. Rock of the Erie Times-News had to say about the album.
Also in August, Matty B and the Dirty Pickles won the Rock Erie Award for best Alternative Rock Band!! Congrats guys!!
Tonight, the music lives
September 07, 2007
Starting September 7th through the 22nd, the Dirty Pickles with original drummer Matt Kickin' Korytowski will perform as Buddy Holly and the Crickets in the Roadhouse theater's new musical biography "Buddy Holly: The Day the Music Died". The show will be performed on Friday and Saturday nights so come out and support the Pickles' first attempts to work a theater crowd. Check our [shows] page for dates and times.
[Click here to read the article that ran in today's edition of the Erie Times-News.]
