The 44 Territories
Detroit, Michigan, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2012 | SELF
Music
Press
(The 44 Territories) Hell or Highwater is tremendous fun. The record is aptly named; this feels like the country house band in Hell (and the fact that the opening song is called “Hellbound” only adds fuel to that theory’s infernal fires. The whole thing reeks of tobacco, whiskey, sweat, sex and sin, with the pumping bass of the Lone Wolf John Abel driving the record like dirty old Mustang. This is Detroit country – cars and women are the muses, and there’s a frantic desperation that makes the The 44 Territories very appealing. - The Metro Times
"(The 44 Territories) are no joke - they take their live performances seriously, and you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who has seen them and doesn't rave about their energy, their musicianship or the quality of their songs. There's a reason why this relatively unheralded band is touted in musicians circles and more than a few insiders think that the right break could propel them into national attention. They may be Detroit's best kept secret." - Real Detroit Weekly
Whiskey in the Jar is perfect in the sense that you feel like you’re in a basement somewhere. The cracked tiles and wood paneled walls make you feel right at home and the bar stocked with beautifully glistening bottles of hooch beg you to have a good time.
First up was (The 44 Territories). The quartet was armed with enough twang and jangle to tame a wild dog. Sure, any band can play in a bar but few can sound good in a bar. With precision, high energy, soul and grit, The 44 Territories fit all the criteria. - The Metro Times
Discography
Story (EP) - 2016
Photos
Bio
The 44 Territories know they are different. In taking their interpretation of Americana music – heartfelt lyricism, twangy guitars and evocative imagery – and marrying it to a distinctly Detroit rhythm and drive, they believe they have created something special. Now, they look to prove it, on record and at shows.
In the waning days of the band singer/guitarist Dan McKernan had formed a decade earlier, he and longtime drummer Erik Pelto came to a realization: the music they were creating was more than an evolution in their sound. It was an entirely new creation, one that owed much to the newest musicians they were playing with, bassist John Wolf Abel and guitarist Josh Weddle. It was a unique kind of Americana, steeped in the many traditions of roots rock and outlaw country, but with the drive that has marked music from Detroit great for generations. The boundaries were undefined.
And so, in 2015, The 44 Territories were born.
Individually, the members of The 44 Territories come from a variety of backgrounds, each as varied as the guys themselves. McKernan and Pelto spent over ten years playing in Desolation Angels, the alternative country band that built a reputation in the Midwest and east coast as a powerful live act and gave birth to The 44 Territories. Abel has played with artists as diverse as Tantric, Kenny Olsen and is also a member of Detroit soul artists The Infatuations. Weddle brings his southern rock and blues guitar from a variety of rock and gospel bands.
Last summer and fall, the band went into the acclaimed Rustbelt Studios to record their debut with Producer John Smerek (The Deadstring Brothers, Detroit Cobras, Kenny Tudrick). The resulting EP, Story, showcases all of the things that make The 44 Territories who they are: heartfelt songwriting, captivating storytelling, energetic performance and detailed musicianship. The songs are full of twang and gusto, from the California-country infused "101" to the southwestern "Blacktop Road" and the driving Outlaw Country of "Getting Even (and Movin’ On)". There’s even a cover of the Talking Heads "Psycho Killer", with an arrangement that would make Waylon Jennings (or Sturgill Simpson) proud.
Story will be released in the summer of 2016.
Finally, The 44 Territories added bassist Jason Bowes (Jeremy Porter and the Tucos, Fidrych) to the lineup to play a selection of live shows and join the band in songwriting. Informed in equal parts by the Drive-By Truckers and the Allman Brothers, Willie Nelson and Wilco, The 44 Territories aim to be a band that connects past, present and future of Americana music – and reminds listeners that Detroit has had a huge impact on that lexicon.
In their glowing review of the band, Detroit’s alternative weekly The Metro Times simply said This IS Detroit Country (music).The 44 Territories believe you will agree.
In the meantime, The 44 Territories will continue to be one of the most energetic live acts around, with regional dates.
Contact The 44 Territories at 586.214.5080, The44Territories@gmail.com or at www.the44territories.com.
Band Members
Links
