Black and White Logo
The BAND
Van Goat is:
Aidan Ward - Vocals, Clarinet, Guitar
Lindsay Alexis - Vocals, Trombone
Derek Burle - Vocals, Bass, Rhythm Guitar
Ben Einstein - Vocals, Keyboards, Pineapple, Slide and Rhythm Guitar
Taylor Moxon - Drums, Percussion
Contact email: vangoatband@gmail.com
Press contact: alex@publicdisplaypr.com
European Booking: kurt.de.bont@telenet.be
Label: Independent
Genre: Swing Punk
Hometown: Oakland, CA
Influences: Devo, Shannon & The Clams, Man Man
Sounds like: Squirrel Nut Zippers, Gogol Bordello, Shannon & The Clams
Van Goat's Stage Plot: Here
ONLINE
PRESS
KDVS - Top 10 Most Played Records
(3/8/15 - 4/21/15)
Clockwise From Top Left: Derek Burle, Ben Einstein, Taylor Moxon, Lindsay Alexis, Aidan Ward. Photo credit: Brant Ward
"LIKE A SKELETON BAND IN HELL- JAZZ ART PUNK ON HIGH." - AMERICAN PANCAKE
"Spectacularly catchy and exciting and addictive" - The Bay Bridged
"Masterfully mixing Swing, Surf, Punk, and Pineapples into a magical Concoction." - Balanced breakfast
BIOgraphy
“Back in the ’30s and ’40s, swing was a high-energy dance music that people would dance to ’til they passed out. These days, if a band starts up with the clarinets and the ride cymbals, you’ll probably start picturing your great grandpa doing the jitterbug. Oakland’s Van Goat breathes a healthy dose of punk rock into swing by stripping it down, raw and so energetic that you’ll want to upstage your granddaddy on the dance floor.” - Good Times Santa Cruz
Van Goat’s second album ‘Nobody Cares’ is a joyful song cycle of genre and dynamic extremes. The album finds the band incorporating a wider swath of genres into their already eclectic arsenal. Opener “Bad Boy Drunk” is decidedly country, with a soaring chorus evoking Mutations-era Beck and the refrain “I started to count up all my junk/ but ended up gettin’ bad boy drunk” is decidedly Hank Williams-esque in its self-deprecation. ‘Maia’ is a surf-rock explosion of guitars, high vocals and rhythmic breakdowns. On the album closer, ‘Nobody Cares’, Lindsay Alexis belts out the titular line ‘nobody cares’ like classic-era Etta James.
Alexis, who shares lead vocal duty with Aidan Ward (along with playing trombone and the occasional rhythm guitar), takes a much more central role in the vocals and lyrics of ‘Nobody Cares.’ Brooke Becher of the East Bay Express says of the Alexis-fronted “Ain’t All That Bad:”
Reverberated plucks taunt by the second in the intro of this blues-tinged, labor-class ballad, provoking Aidan Ward’s sly clarinet and Lindsay Alexis’ guttural vocals to steer the five-piece straight into a bombastic, full-band clash that opens the floor to a swanky, devil-may-care sway.
Van Goat’s latest release still sits squarely in their self prescribed genre of ‘swing punk’ but is a more mature and thoughtful collection of songs in structure, harmony, and lyrics. Loud, heavy surf-rock contrasts with swing and jazz; country with groove-centered funk, making for a dynamic and lively listening experience. “Nobody Cares’ is out now, For press inquires contact vangoatband@gmail.com
Notable Performances:
Shared the stage with: Dengue Fever, Agent Orange, Legendary Shack Shakers, The Phenomenauts, Igor & Red Elvises
Festivals played: Noise Pop, Henhouse Freshtival, Lagunitas Skunk Train, Sugartown Festival, East Lake Music Festival. European festivals include: Wild Rooster Festival, Old Cars Rockin’ People, Belgian Classic Trophy, The Festival of August 15 in Liege.
Nobody Cares - Album Cover
Van Goat - Full Color Logo
Photo credit: Brant Ward