The Dirty Words

Artist Information

Biography

The Dirty Words formed in 2004 when longtime musical partners David Clemmer and Joel Shupack met Mike Chastain through a community theater. When Joel left to pursue worldly ambitions, Clemmer and Chastain discovered bassist Scott Page, and it was then that the core of the band was established.

Employing the musical landscapes of Radiohead and Soul Coughing, the sarcastic ferocity of Modest Mouse, the heartfelt reflections of Neutral Milk Hotel, all wrapped up in a relentless barrage of harsh noises, The Dirty Words combine into a musical mail-bomb that you open on Christmas.

After a brief stint with a duo of saxophone players and an even shorter session with another guitarist, The Dirty Words picked up hardcore/metal guitarist Aaron Poplin after just one practice, returning him to his indie rock roots.

Over the years the band has tightened and evolved into a vehicle for a wide variety of concise but ornate, well-written songs, underscored by powerful, energetic arrangements that are products of full collaboration from each of the four members. While Clemmer is the chief songwriter and arranger, he brings the skeletal structure
on which Chastain, Page, and Poplin supply the muscle, blood, and soul.

Instrumentation

Mike Chastain: Drums
David Clemmer: Guitar and Vocals
Scott Page: Bass
Aaron Poplin: Guitar

Discography

"The International Machine" LP - October of 2008

Audio

• Winter
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• More
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• Sex Is a Secret
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• You Deserve
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Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Review of the CD Release Show [+ Show ]
  

  “Live, the Dirty Words are true to their name, unleashing gritty rockers often at jet engine volume...“Live, the Dirty Words are true to their name, unleashing gritty
  rockers often at jet engine volume and speed while blending
  punk tendencies with the highly emotive lyrical style of front
  man David Clemmer.”

• Show Interview [+ Show ]
  

  “In a world crowded with fey pop groups and aggro metal bands, The Dirty Words find a middle ground...“In a world crowded with fey pop groups and aggro metal
  bands, The Dirty Words find a middle ground where the
  guitars crunch and ring like a more-honest/less-ironic Modest
  Mouse, and frontman David Clemmer sings with his heart
  splashed across both sleeves.”

• Press for "The International Machine" [+ Show ]
  

  “What I like about this album from Central Oregon wildmen The Dirty Words is that it doesn't give y...“What I like about this album from Central Oregon wildmen
  The Dirty Words is that it doesn't give you time to react---it's
  opening track snaps open so hard that it startles the listener.
  And in that crack, that smidgeon of time that you are gasping,
  wondering, "What do I think of this music?"...they have you.
  This band bypasses your conscious subjective thought and
  goes straight into your squishies...This band is naked as the
  day they were born, and they are not apologizing or catering
  to anyone's fancy. This is the kernel of greatness.”

Setlist

The Dirty Words have over twenty-five original songs that average at about four minutes. Typical set lists are sculpted into a theatrical dynamic, reaching several dunes of climaxes before the end.

Covers only seldomly make it into the sets, but when they do, they range: Tom Waits' "In the Colosseum," Modest Mouse's "Doin' the Cockroach," M.I.A/The Clash's "Paper Planes/Straight to Hell," and Peter Gabriel's "Biko."

Basic Requirements

Calendar