Under the umbrella of The Starkweather Boys, surf rock, Western swing, Little Richard, The Comets and even a bit of the Fifties-era Elvis Presley all find a comfy home.
The Boys show off that musical muscle on their new album, "Archer St. Blues." The following is an e-mail interview with lead singer Dave McPherson.
Oklahoma Gazette: Is it tricky to write original songs that are meant to reflect a time before you were even born?
DM: Well, the instrumentation reflects what we consider to be the standard for authentic rock 'n' roll, hillbilly, R&B, etc. But I've always meant for the lyrics to teeter on the edge of post-structure.
OKG: Why don't live music crowds dance anymore?
DM: Depends on where you go. West Coast people dance all the time, and here in the Midwest, people tend to get up and cut a rug later in the evening when they're a little less inhibited, if you know what I mean.
OKG: Which is worse when recording this kind of album: too authentic or too modern?
DM: You can't discount anything during the making of a record or you're limiting yourself. Art bumps against technology, and nowadays there's more equipment and techniques than ever at your disposal. I would say that there are elements on this record that definitely reach beyond a traditionalist perspective, but for the most part, sticking to the form does the trick. "Charles Martin