Don't miss Christmas TGIT: to feature Sugar Kane and the Whiskey Gypsies

By: Camille Izlar

Posted: 12/9/08

You might have seen them around campus, strolling to classes, at the mailroom or, as is most likely, smoking outside the Cap Bar, the famed members of UD's very own "Sugar Kane and the Whiskey Gypsies." Recently I was privileged enough to be talked at by Josh Neu and he was able to clue me in on the origins and general philosophy of the group. The members of Sugar Kane and Whiskey Gypsies are Peter Kane, Josh Neu, Neal McGowan, Steven Harrell, David Winstead with auxiliary appearances by Chris Wolfe and Nick Klein.

They have played at Battle of the Bands '07 and '08 as well as Mallapalooza, delighting audiences with their traditional folk songs. Josh categorizes them as "not as a cover band, but a half-cover band," meaning that their songs are original in the sense that they are new music layered on "borrowed" verses. From the stance of a sympathetic interviewer, this seemingly cryptic definition means that they appreciate the genuine goodness of classics songs, but they have enough creativity to augment them to their liking.

They employ a variety of instruments in their music including banjo, guitar, mandolin, base-guitar, harmonica, piano-horn, spoons, trash cans and a new-fangled instrument called "the wooden frogs." Their band came together quite naturally as friends who discovered that their combined talents created what Josh describes as an "ecstatic" brilliance. The only recruited member of the band was the irreplaceable Dave Winstead, who joined on the day they were set to perform at Battle of the Bands in 2007.

The band's name appears to have originated from the arbitrary combination of randomly selected words: "gypsy" and "whiskey." So don't fear that they are actually gypsy-esque in their natures: they might be desperate for attention, but they aren't driven to the extent of stealing wallets. Despite these circumstantial and accidental events of friendship, which may have created the band, Josh identifies whiskey, particularly Maker's Mark, as the material, formal and efficient cause of the band. "Our final cause is of course God, as we believe that our voices are in a small way participating in the angelic choir." A truly honorable ambition.

When asked about the manner in which the group practices, Josh replied that they don't usually set out a routine as much as they simply "live and breathe the ambient American folk-rock acid." Although I wouldn't usually categorize folk-rock acid as angelically sweet, I'm open to correction. The future of the band is uncertain as next semester two members of the band will be married and thereby not able to tour as much as they are accustomed. However, they are still living in the present and therefore will be playing TGIT this week; featuring new Christmas songs and old favorites. So come out Thursday night and if you enjoy or have enjoyed their music in the past, they ask no thanks except perhaps the occasional glass of whiskey.