The Jock Of Rock Presents: Spike Dogtooth
Cider Magazine Bellows Falls, Vt. January, 2013
The first time you hear the name “Spike Dogtooth”… what type of band comes to mind? Perhaps a thrash metal band, or maybe some punk rockers? Nope, guess again… how about a quartet of musicians self-described as “progressive acoustic music.” Yup, Spike Dogtooth is an ass kickin’, pickin’ band specializing in a variety of bluegrass, Irish and Celtic, traditional roots music and even a little cowgirl swing!
Photos courtesy of Spike Dogtooth
Formed in 1996 and based in Brattleboro, the original Dogtooth lineup included Lars Holden on fiddle, banjo and vocals, Christina Mancini on guitar, mandolin and vocals and Chris Ferrara, with Roger Hunnewell later cracking the lineup on percussion. “I met Lars in 1979 while he was playing banjo for Raw Honey, a bluegrass band on Cape Cod, where I grew up.” Christina said in a recent interview. “We became an item, both musically and otherwise and although the “otherwise” fizzled out, our music connection continues to this day.”
Christina moved to Vermont in 1989 and Lars a few years later, as he is originally from St. Johnsbury. They continued to play music together here and there, then Lars’ friend Chris started learning bass, began sitting in and the trio was formed. “We had a few practices, gigs and parties and then, were asked to play our first (official) gig, opening up for Banjo Dan and his Midnight Plowboys at Bellows Falls Union High School. Wow… we needed an official name now!”
So how did the Spike Dogtooth moniker come about? “The last (spike-dog) thing that I wanted was a traditional bluegrass name like The Booger Mountain Ramblers or something like that,” Christina said. “We wanted a name that had a cutting edge or hook to it, that would leave people curious to hear us. Lars then suggested we call ourselves ‘something like’ spike-dog-tooth… and the name just stuck.
Lars brought a strong bluegrass foundation to the band, having played huge festivals as a banjo player for Raw Honey. “I remember them being onstage in Ripley, West Virginia, with Bill Monroe scheduled to go on next… I was standing right next to Bill and watching him tapping his feet to Raw Honey’s ‘new grass’ sounds. He then borrowed the band’s Ampeg bass amp for his set… it was a magical time.
“We were all jam-fanatics at the Winterhawk, Greyfox and Rhythm and Roots festivals throughout the Northeast, hosting all-nighters at ‘Camp Dogtooth.’” The band worked as a trio for many years, developing a loyal following throughout Southeastern Vermont and beyond, but also liked to add many “special guests” into the mix as well. “We met Peggy Lecuyer at one of our Winterhawk midnight jams and she joined us at the Fred Fest/Roots on the River Festival and we also love having Tim Barker with us on guitar, which allows me to play mandolin. Local musician Kamas Choi has also jumped in with us on a bunch of gigs as a second fiddler.”
We’ve had a few drummers along the way, but Roger is just a great fit. He also plays for a fife and drum team and he jumps from drums, to conga, to bodhran, to sticks… always knowing how to modulate the volume of his sound as to not over power the acoustic instruments. Also, our bass player, Chris, is strongly influenced by jazz and has taught me about the mathematics of music… music by the numbers, as opposed to chord families.”
The music has created bonds that now stretch over 30 years. “Since I started playing music with Lars, we have spent so much time together that we can really read each other on stage… the years together have also created a loyal fan base which reunites at these different festivals each year, which has culminated into some of the best midnight jams one can imagine!”
Spike Dogtooth has several “self-produced” CDs and Christina has been writing her own songs ever since she got her first guitar at age of 13. “The songs are mine, but the boys in the band also contribute to the arrangements, create their own leads and suggest structural changes… we’ll play the song out until it ‘works.’ We don’t have any professionally produced CDs yet, however, I am a big fan of YouTube and creating pic-videos with our music… all easily located under a ‘Spike Dogtooth’ search. (You can also find them on Facebook)
“The songwriting feather in my cap came when WRSI radio nominated me as a finalist in their annual songwriting competition and we played at Molino’s in Northampton. We didn’t win, but I remember competing with great local musicians and it was great fun hearing my song on the radio advertisement all the time.”
In 2013, Spike Dogtooth will be doing some recording in Bellows Falls in January, before going back to New Orleans and then heading west to California in their festival camper. “We’ll come back with a new perspective and a few new tunes,” Christina concluded. “Always ready to ‘pick-ass’ when we return!”
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