Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulet! With the Mudbugz

March 29, 2006

Local bands abound in Northern Michigan, and with everyone jockeying for position at the region’s limited places to play, it can be hard to stand out.  So how do you make your band different enough - in a good way - to attract an audience?  Well, if you’re The Mudbugz, you choose a style of music that’s a far cry from the usual slate of local folk-rock, emo, or hardcore bands that make up the majority of what’s heard live “Up North.”
That strategy paid off with Express readers who have voted the Mudbugz “Best New Band” for 2006.
There might not be a lot of Cajun music or even cuisine in this region - with the exception of the wonderful Pearl’s in Elk Rapids - but with the quickly rising popularity of The Mudbugz, that could change as the demand for more exotic sounds will hopefully increase.  The Mudbugs expertly play a heavily New-Orleans-influenced brand of Cajun/Zydeco music that’s as hot as cayenne pepper, as much fun as Mardi Gras, and as infectious as a Northern Michigan flu bug. 
“What makes us different is definitely our sound,” accordianist and singer Todd Webb points out, “not a lot of people here in the North have heard our style of music.  Usually when they see an accordian, they’re thinking the Lawrence Welk show, or some old time polka music.  Not that polka is bad - I love polka - but this ain’t polka. It’s feel good dance music.” 
Even if you’re not a dancer, you’ll find your feet a-movin’ at a Mudbugz show.  Perhaps the biggest part of their repertoire is what’s known as the Zydeco sound - music that’s heavily syncopated, up-tempo, and anchored by the unique, peppy sound of that aforementioned accordian. 
Hailing primarily from southwest Louisiana, the Zydeco sound originated at the beginning of the 20th century, blending the music of the French-speaking Cajuns with African-American sounds, Caribbean music, the blues, and even a little R. 

CULTURAL MELANGE
The Mudbugz also throw in a little rock and funk here and there to mix things up even more. “Our style of music evolved from the first French settlers that came to Louisiana,” Webb explains, “when they arrived, they encountered African slaves, free blacks, Latino peoples, and also Native Americans.  The music that we play is a melange of all of these cultures and influences.”
And just who makes up The Mudbugz’ own melange?  Well, for starters, Webb, who plays both single and triple row accordions and also takes on lead vocals.  Brian Mckosky sings and plays both acoustic and electric guitars, Dan O’Donnell plays washboard and sings backing vocals, Matt Pfeile takes on bass guitar duties, and Jason Pitman locks it all down on the drums. 
The band began as an informal weekly jam session, fueled by Webb’s interest in the music of Louisiana.  But the groups’ enthusiasm took over, and before the quintet knew it, those jams had turned into weekly rehearsals.  Now the band - all of whom reside in the Petoskey/Harbor Springs area - plays live shows an average of three times a week. 
At those live shows, you’ll hear a wide range of Cajun/Zydeco infused songs, perhaps even a wider variety than you might hear in a more authentic locale.  The band plays a mix of covers and original tunes, most of their cover choices being from Louisiana artists including Boo Zoo Chavis, Chifton Chenier, Beau Jocque, and Geno Delafose. 
They get ideas from everything, Webb enthuses, “jam bands, jazz, Latin rhythms, rock, funk, country, and even some Tex-Mex polka tunes.  We also play traditional songs that we have arranged and made our own.” 
And the band’s originals are written “in-house,” by The Mudbugz’ own Brian Mckosky.  If you want to take their sound with you, The Mudbugz can oblige that request, too.
 
FOR SALE
“We do have a CD that we recorded in Matt Pfeile’s basement,” Webb chuckles, “but its more or less a demo that we sell at shows. We do offer it on our website if anyone is interested. The CD is a mix of Zydeco standards and a couple of original tunes. And there are also some live recordings from Legs Inn in Cross Village, which is the best venue in Northern Michigan as far as I’m concerned.”  
The Mudbugz’ unique sound is quickly growing in popularity, so chances are that in addition to that potential demand for more exotic sounds and foods here in Northern Michigan, there will also soon be demand for a full-length Mudbugz CD.  The band already has plans to work on more original material, and hope to record a full-length album in the near future, good news for their slowly but steadily growing base of Northern Michigan Cajun/Zydeco fans.  
The word “zydeco” is thought to have originated from the song “Les Haricots Sont Pas Sales” - a French title that means “the beans aren’t salted,” referring to the fact that the singer may have been too poor to afford to season the beans - but the way The Mudbugz are going, they’ll have beans, salt, and plenty more on the way.
 
Catch The Mudbugz at The Elmira Inn in Elmira on March 31st.  More show dates and other info can be found on their website, www.mudbugz.com.