The Buster Duanes

The Buster Duanes are a seven-piece collective from West Texas that contests the notion of the modern musical landscape. Instead of cultivating their voice to fit into one space in the musical continuum, the band melds its sound from the best of all genres – past and present – in order to create a unique listening experience. From studio to stage, The Buster Duanes are a rising dynamic force in the musical gamut.

Initially conceived as a blues-based two-piece power house known as Brick Bad River, Chase Francis, time keeper, and Tanner Griggs, riff technician, built the skeleton and tested the waters of Lubbock’s fragmented music scene. Locked into the same mindset since high school, the two musicians wanted to elevate their sound, and a two-piece just wouldn’t cut it. From their sessions in the jam room known as the “Sweat Box,” they used an innovative mindset to build upon their already sturdy framework. Ryan Ehrlich, eventually known as the ivory hammer, was added to the band when the three guys moved in together. First brought in to play bass, Ehrlich blew the dust off of his old Yamaha keyboard and put his brain to work, bringing his own sonic melodies into the mix. Then, looking for that last piece of the puzzle, Chase went on the recruitment trail, scouring the local music scene for an angelic voice and a blazing guitar. Ryan Young, lyricist/melodic physicist and member of a former collective that used to bill with Brick Bad River, was introduced into the group in late August 2011 after a quick night of trading beers. Young immediately contributed to the fold with his unique knack for insightful licks and emphatic lyrics. With the core unit intact, The Buster Duanes were ready to turn the local Lubbock music scene on its head.

Lighting up Lubbock’s club stages, The Buster Duanes showed promise with a new aesthetic sound in the land of red dirt and cover bands. Stumbling upon their next addition to the band at the tail end of a show, Tanner’s “enlightened” ramblings with two music majors from Texas Tech University led to an impromptu jam session at an already scheduled event. Jeff Stuart, boner handler, and Samuel Penon, bone daddy, blew the roof off their live on-stage audition with inspired trombone licks and eccentric attitudes. The band hence proceeded and never glanced back. Ready to infiltrate the market, The Buster Duanes then decided to take a stab at recording. Adopting help from two members of an Austin-based group, Language Room (Scott Graham and Todd Sapio), The BDs ripped through their recording session in one weekend in the music mecca of Austin, Texas. Bestowing intense dedication and a desire to craft a new sound, The Buster Duanes introduced their first release The Buster Duanes EP in February of 2012. The local Lubbock community began to take notice. Director and founder of the Gypsy Pow-Wow Music Festival, Chris Hensleu, says, “These guys are part of an amazing musical Renaissance among young musicians in Lubbock, TX.”

Honing in with inspired original tunes and an attitude to develop, The Buster Duanes sought to elevate their noise, once more, at the request of Francis. Young then enlisted the talents of a fellow Austinite, Lowell Gabbert, to fill the hole in the rhythm section. Coaching eventually ripped Lowell away after a 4-month stint with the band thus, the search for a new bass player was on again. Following a lead from a friend, The BDs auditioned Alan Brandt, otherwise known as the groove coordinator, and after funkifying one song he secured his place in the now 7-membered group. During this time, the band expanded their show circuit and introduced their music to high-profile clubs in Lubbock, 6th St. in Austin, and most recently Amarillo. Everyone now on the same page during the fall of 2012, the Duanes committed to a 10-band, 13-week competition in Lubbock for “The One: Battle of the Bands.” Competing against top-notch local talent, The Buster Duanes came out of the gruesome war on top. Big players and new ears in town started to take notice and spread the word, yet, The Buster Duanes still aren’t satisfied.

Building upon their successes, The Buster Duanes continue to attract listeners with their mélange of genre-spanning songs and energetic live shows. Promising avenues are now opening up for the band and the seven members look to inundate their musical mantra, “Make It Duane,” on the masses. An upcoming single release coupled with an eye-catching video to match, The Buster Duanes look forward to making waves in the musical community for years to come.