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As 2012 draws to a close, we’ll be looking forward to the 2013 and spotlighting 13 Phoenix bands that will be making a mark on the Southwest throughout the new year. Lauren Wise brings us this look at I Was Told There’d Be Whiskey, a rootsy rock ‘n’ roll outfit that incorporates elements of punk, country, and blues into its addicting sound.
I Was Told There’d Be Whiskey didn’t start out as a serious act, but it didn’t take long for the band’s mix of punk and country to clean up its act.
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In early 2011 Mickey Kawa (guitars, vocals), Chris Stylen (guitar), Kevin Shumway (bass), and Zach Shipp (drums) started goofing around, but when they were offered a show in April, they had to quickly write enough songs for a full set.
What they came up with works. Accented by cowbell and tambourine, knotted velveteen guitar, and throaty, whiskey-soaked vocals that blend country and punk, I Was Told There’d be Whiskey falls in line with like-minded genre miners like Drive by Truckers, Against Me!, Wilco, and The Gaslight Anthem.
They shine on their debut, self-titled LP, but do so even more in a live setting, where their ramshackle punk rock roots simmer under the rootsy arrangements.
