The Growlers are Brooks Nielson (vocals), Scott Montoya (bass guitar, vocals), Matt Taylor (lead guitar, vocals) and Brian “don’t surf” Stewart (drums, vocals). They have an acid surf rock sound that could evoke haunted cowboys wandering beaches at night (watch the video "Habit of Dredd") rather than the classic carefree sounds of bands like the Beach Boys. These beach goth boys are from Long Beach and somehow incorporate a bent, wavy quality to their lo-fi garage rock sound that separates them from the rest of the crop.
Their album Are You In or Are You Out? was released in 2009 and since then, they've opened shows for such modern rock phenomena as the Black Keys. A little quirky, a little weird and a lot talented, the Growlers are a band to watch out for. In fact, they say so themselves. They say a lot of things about themselves. Don't be surprised if you see them running around late at night in questionable states of mind. This interview will give you a good idea of their amusing personalities and offbeat charm. Then, to introduce yourself to their music, listen to the song "Acid Rain." If nothing else, you will definitely get a kick out of this slightly awkward conversation with the NBC host.
Interview Bio - Nancy Woo, managing editor at OnlineRock, studied Sociology, Literature and Environmental Studies at UC Santa Cruz. A self-described "bohemian of sorts" she spends most of her time listening to music, reading, writing, freelancing in the world of journalism, tutoring writing, running, practicing yoga, attending live music and theater shows.
