Gonzo troubadour Todd Snider is the de facto leader of Hard Working Americans, a band that evolved out of his friendship with Widespread Panic bassist Dave Schools. The group’s self-titled debut began as a collection of Snider’s favorite songs, many from past tourmates like country traditionalist Kieran Kane (“The Mountain Song”) and the Bottle Rockets’ Brian Henneman (“Welfare Music”). Two of the album’s most memorable tracks (“Another Train” and “I Don’t Have A Gun”) are credited to Will Kimbrough, who played in Snider’s ’90s backup band, the Nervous Wrecks. Snider and Schools will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new feature on them.
Snider: i’ve never really been in a band band before
and when david agreed to do it
it opened the doors to anybody else i could have hoped for
and all my friends know that i want to be in a jam band
which doesn’t mean i want to stop being a folk singer
i just want to be in a rock ‘n’ roll band and everybody
we asked to be in it said yes so it really is my “favorite band”
and all i did was bring in songs and then have the best seat in the house
while the guys i consider the best song servers there are
do exactly what it is they know how to do best.
I’ve learned more about music and arranging it and performing it
in my short time around these guys than i have in my
whole 30 years of making music and i hope this band
stays together and keeps making records.
All the other guys know how to make great bands already
and have done so …
so i am grateful they would all do this with me
cuz i want to be in a great band too
seriously, i don’t know who you are reading this out there,
but how cool would it be to be in a great band.
who wouldn’t want to do that.
and I’m not the best singer, i know …
people don’t marvel at my voice
and would have by now if it was marvelous
but it is usually in key … i’m probably not the worst singer though
and i can honestly say that when it comes the rest of the roles in this band
we really do have what i consider “the best” of everything.
or shall i say my favorite … what difference does it even make
to someone who lives so deeply in fantasy anyway.
am i right? fucking-a i’m right.
