the subdudes- ZEWTOPIA 2006

One of the greatest aspects of the ZEWtopia Music Festival is that the Port City is given the opportunity to experience not only some of the best up-and-comers in the music industry, but also some of its established acts. NOLA-based band the subdudes is probably one of the greatest examples of the latter.

This sleeper outfit has been putting out music since 1987 to an extremely positive response. Their popularity has suddenly seemed to grow exponentially, and it’s safe to say that so far 2006 has been their best year.

After ZEWtopia, the subdudes will start getting ready for the numerous engagements at various venues and festivals across the nation. Needless to say, they are one of the must-see bands at ZEWtopia. It’s hard to believe the subdudes began as a supposed one-time collaboration between two bands, but this match made in the swamp didn’t face obstacles.

“We were in the band The Continental Drifters, and John (Magnie) and I discussed the fact that we had the tendency to run people off because we were too damn loud,” explains vocalist/guitarist Tommy Malone. “We said, ‘wouldn’t it be great if we could play in a more subdued fashion, so we could hear ourselves.’ That was the play on words where the name came from.”

Malone and Magnie decided that they would experiment with this more “subdued” sound. Since Magnie had a regular piano gig at the famous Tipitina’s, they decided it would be the perfect environment for this. So, they recruited Johnny Ray Allen and Steve Amedee and headed down to the club for their musical experiment.

“Our goal was to show up at this gig with only the sh*t we could carry in our arms and play very subdued, almost like a folk act to just provide an outlet for the songs we were writing,” Malone says. “So, that was the beginning of the subdudes. It was unplugged with piano and acoustic guitar.”

The subdudes did not focus on one style. They pride themselves to this day as travelers across the musical spectrum. When I tried to label them as Swamp Pop mixed with rock, Malone quickly corrected my assumption.

“I think we’re more diverse than that,” he offered. “We have ballads that are very sparse with instrumentation, we have guitar-driven songs, and we also feature the accordion on other stuff. It’s kinda schizophrenic, what we do. It’s many different styles. Primarily, we just try to play to suit the song. We’re all fans of a wide-range of music from Merle Haggard to Ray Charles.”

This “experiment” was a huge success, and the subdudes were on their way up. In 1989, they perked the ears of the A&R at Atlantic and released their first full-length offering, but three years later they said farewell to Atlantic and fell into the arms of Windham Hill.

With Windham Hill, they released “Annunciation” in 1994, which climbed to number 19 on the Billboard. Then, they released “Primitive Streak,” which climbed even further up the charts to number 15. However, in 1997 the subdudes decided to call it quits and pursue other projects, but the public wouldn’t have it. After a string of reunion shows, Malone, Magnie and Amedee decided to have a “permanent reunion” and recruited Tim Cook, Jimmy Messa and Sammy Neal to the band. They also decided they would play under the moniker of The Dudes. This name didn’t last long, and in 2003 they were once again the subdudes.

Soon after, they released “Miracle Mule” on Back Porch Records and the album that would bring them popularity “Behind the Levee.” Their song “Papa Dukie and the Mud People” became a pretty big hit and earned them a fair amount of radio play across the country, but what was it about this particular song that has finally garnered them so much attention?

“I think the fact that it is a true story, and it’s a counter-culture kind of anthem, which I think a lot of people are looking for right now,” Malone explains. “There’s something I think that’s going on in the country that’s rejecting what our government is putting out there right now. I also think in terms of a song, it’s got a couple of catchy hooks. It’s very singable. There’s something about nonsensical choruses that people really like. I think about ‘Hey Jude!’” With the popularity of “Papa Dukie and the Mud People,” the subdudes had to get used to the nationwide attention that they have been receiving. So, how are they dealing with it?

“It’s wonderful, of course,” Malone says. “It translates into bigger crowds at the venues. We’ve been playing pretty much sold-out shows. The shows have been great. It’s what we’ve been hoping for. The radio has been very, very accepting of this new album.”

The popularity has also had festival promoters frothing at the mouth to get them. Over the next few months, the subdudes have a full festival schedule and will play the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (of course), Festival Acadia, City Stages, the Austin City Limits Festival and the Bumbershoot Festival.

So, what’s life on the road like for the subdudes?

“Great shows, but pretty hellacious drives,” Malone says. “So far, we’ve driven through two blizzards. It’s pretty hectic, but it’s been worth it because all the shows have been real positive and very well-attended.”

Lucky for them, the spring weather in Mobile is exceptional, and hopefully ZEWtopia will not be an exception. If you get a chance to check out the subdudes at ZEWtopia expect a little bit of everything. They promise to give the crowd an eclectic, versatile sound that should appease even the harshest critic.

After the festivals, the subdudes plan on taking a break in October and spend the winter writing new music and recording a new album. It seems as if the subdudes might stick around for another 20 years.

Stephen Centanni is Lagniappe music editor. Contact him at scentanni@lagniappemobile.com.

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