Meet the Moonshine Bandits

When you add the ingredients of women, whiskey, 4 wheel drives, a twist of Johnny Cash meets the Beastie Boys, shake well & pour over ice – you get the Moonshine Bandits. California’s favorite blue collar outlaws, known as the Moonshine Bandits, have taken their outlaw brand of country hip-hop to the next level on their new album “Whiskey & Women” on Suburban Noize Records.

“’Whiskey and Women’ tells a story of our life out on the road.  Our motto has always been to live for the moment, which is exactly what we try and do with our music,” commented Tex from Moonshine Bandits. “This album is an inside look into our lives and it tells stories of the outlaws we’ve met along the road. This album offers an inside look into the women we’ve met, the things we’ve seen and been a part of out on the road. Sometimes you gotta raise a little hell to see a little heaven.”

Moonshine Bandits “Whiskey & Women” is a backstage pass that grants fans access to the group’s hell raising “Shiner” lifestyle. To aid them in this backwoods bush party the group called in some close friends to throw back some cold drinks in studio. Country superstar Colt Ford and alt-rocker Big B jumped into the studio on “For the Outlawz”, while Danny Boone from REHAB (who produced the radio hit “Bartender Song/Sittin’ At A Bar”) contributed the monstrous hook on “Moonshine On Me”. Daddy X and Dirtball from the Kottonmouth Kings drop by on the track “Fire It Up”, and singer/songwriter Sunny Ledfurd adds some country flavor to “Los Banos”. The album also features production by some of the best in both the hip-hop and country worlds including Tyrant (E-40, Bubba Sparxxx, Tech N9ne), Shannon Houchins (TLC, Colt Ford, Usher, Jamey Johnson), and former Uncle Kracker drummer Eric Hoegemeyer.

“We weren’t afraid to experiment on this album. Our musical tastes are pretty eclectic and we could be listening to Shooter Jennings or Hank Williams one minute and then E-40 or 2Pac the next,” commented Bird. “We listen to country one minute and hip-hop or rock right afterwards, so it’s only natural that our music reflects that.”

“People always try and put labels on our music and we could care less,” added Tex. “We made an album that we’re happy with and that’s why we signed with Suburban Noize Records because they believe in us. We have a ton of respect for the artists on their roster and they didn’t try and change us at all. Suburban Noize is just trying to help us take this to the next level, which is what we’ve been searching for in a label.”

Moonshine Bandits blue collar work ethic has allowed them to develop a fan base completely independent of the red tape of the music business. Moonshine Bandits have been seen performing with outlaw country music stars like David Allan Coe and Uncle Kracker, as well as hip-hop acts like Kottonmouth Kings and Haystak. The ultimate honor for Moonshine Bandits was receiving a phone call from the United States Military to perform at Fort Irwin, CA. The Moonshine Bandits performed on July 4, 2010 at the Fort Irwin Military Base located in the Mojave Desert for thousands of our U.S. Troops. The group has also earned an impressive amount of radio spins independently on channels like Nashville 11 on SiriusXM Radio and various Top 40 FM stations.

The Moonshine Bandits party hard lifestyle extends beyond music as the group’s name originated from Tex’s ancestors bootlegging alcohol during the Prohibition years in Northern California. Tex’s great grandfather used a barber shop as a front while he peddled alcohol illegally in baby carriages to community members, family, friends and politicians. Now the group has embraced the name and are currently preparing for the release of their own legal 99 proof Outlaw Moonshine in retail stores later in 2011 by Valley Spirits Distillery in California.

“This record was written for the blue collar Americans that keep this great nation going strong by grinding out the 9-5 every week,” closed Tex. “We’re working class musicians and those people keep us motivated to do what we do, as their support means everything to us. If we can help them forget everything and have fun for that one night we come through their town, then this is all worth it.”

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2 Comments

  1. The Moonshine Bandits make the kind of music I only dreamed about as a kid….a mix of country, rock and hip hop, the 3 major genres I grew up on…..they are geniuses who are doin big thangs for this Valley of Cali…I love everything they are attached to! SFFS

  2. Being a Cali girl, I have been a big fan of the Moonshine Bandits for a while now….. and LOVE THEIR SOUND! The songs they write scream central valley. Counrty at heart with an outlaw attitude mixed with a kickin’ beat! Thanks so much for the article!

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