Calgary rockers The Brenda Vaqueros finally get around to releasing a debut
The basement jam-space of The Brenda Vaqueros guitarist Brent Crosson is a veritable Pee Wee’s Playhouse of punk rock cult films and bizarro toys. In fact tucked in amongst the plethora of posters musical instruments and other kitschy retro doodads Mr. Herman himself can be found in both bow-tied ventriloquist dummy and VHS. box set form.
This smashingly decorated (and beer-stocked!) cellar is without a doubt one of the coolest places a band could hope to practise (a.k.a. hang out) in Calgary which makes it understandable that Vaqueros live appearances are so rare. However every time the country- and surf-tinged garage rock quintet pokes its head out of the clubhouse it’s bound to be a serious barnstormer.
“I’ve been playing with Brent and [drummer Darren Powel] for the last eight or nine years” explains guitarist Adam Kamis. “I really value that camaraderie above anything and it’s nice just to spend time with people who share a healthy appreciation of good music.”
The Vaqueros’ lineup draws from several different sectors and eras of the local music community making their stew of sounds all the more flavourful. Crosson is lovingly described as the band’s “silver fox” Kamis is a former member of beloved garage-rockers the English Teeth while bassist Steve Elaschuk has previously played with Wagbeard The Daggers Falconhawk and The Neckers. Meanwhile keyboardist Kenna Burima and drummer Darren Powell split their time between Crosson’s basement and touring the world with Woodpigeon. Burima also comes from a classically trained background.
“Kenna’s musical vocabulary is super cool because she actually has some schooling” Kamis says. “The rest of us are just basement bums while she has serious chops.”
“I actually find that to be a hindrance man” Burima fires back. “For this band I wish that I had no training at all. I never reference Schoenberg and with the music we play I feel that it comes from a place of rawness. So I’m unlearning everything — the beer definitely helps.”
Self-deprecating as always the Vaqueros describe themselves as “Mars Bonfire meets Morricone or Hazelwood meets Hawkwind — except without any of the talent.” Coming from a bunch of record collectors and two CJSW DJs (Kamis and Burima) the comparisons are apt but they definitely sell the band short in the talent department. The Brenda Vaqueros’ self-titled full-length debut released on their own Ant Farm Records imprint is packed with retro-rock jams that’ll get stuck in your head and make your hips want to twist. Sticking with their way-back sound it’s also available on vinyl exclusively.
“I like vinyl because it places a commodity value on the music as opposed to a CD which no one really cares about these days” says Kamis. “We could have done a CD-R and released this thing a lot sooner and for a lot cheaper but it’s worth it to us just to have a legit document. To this day I still think vinyl is the only legit document to gauge a band’s progress.”
“People can’t erase us” adds Crosson. “This way we’ll end up in a Salvation Army and 50 years from now someone will say ‘Remember this? She did tampon commercials they must be a terrible band.’ Of course Brenda Vaccaro was in Midnight Cowboy too….”
References to long-forgotten actresses aside there’s no pretension to be found in the world of the Vaqueros and in fact they seem content operating at a far slower pace than most letting their Steamwhistle muse take them where it may. For a group that’s stuck at it for so many years it’s refreshingly unusual that they’re only now dropping their debut album. The ball is rolling but fun still supersedes success.
“This is just a mile-post on the band’s journey” Kamis says of the album. “There’s been a definite upward arc in terms of quality and seriousness but the party aspect is still respected. Everything gels better songs come out easier and this album seems like a springboard into the next era of the Brenda Vaqueros’ existence.”
