F Co

F Co is a great young band out of the Houston area. They possess the musical chops to get them to the top and the sense of humor to keep them grounded. This band is definitely going places, even if it’s to jail. Many of us here at Galleywinter stumbled upon F Co a while back when they played George’s. Needless to say, we won’t be missing too many gigs in the future. For those of you who missed them that night and/or just don’t know much about them, check them out in this edition of 20 Questions! #9 may be the best 20 Questions answer ever! I’m gonna give this edition the Holy Ballz seal of approval!-Brad

1. What’s new and exciting with F Co? (Okay, butt-nose, stop it, quit hitting me . . . I’ll answer it) Even though we’ve been around for 3 years, this year and our new album “Any Other Way” is proving to be the springboard for bigger and better things (I’M ANSWERING IT ASS EYES!). After starting the year with Ryan walking in on Toby Keith pissing in a port-o-potty and calling him a “jack ass”, getting kicked out of backstage by Sammy Hagar’s security, being kicked back into backstage by Jerry Cantrell’s security, getting to see Pat Green’s two tour busses dwarf (sorry any dwarves out there) our trailer and being extorted by David Allen Coe’s drummer for 50 bucks to use his drums, we’ve had some really good shows and an unbelievable response to the new album (and actually the old album now that people are to learn who we are). Right now (I’m sorry to say) we are getting ready to head to Nashville for a round of auditions with record labels. Our first run in with Nashville 2 years ago, they wanted to change our name to “The Reign” (GAY!) and it was relatively unnerving (and expensive with lawyer’s fees). And yes I know, Nashville sucks, but with one existing child in the band and 3 (within 2 months) on the way, we need to pay bills. Our sound is our sound and we’re not good enough musicians to change it, so we’ll see . . . What else . . . oh, our episode of “Food Nation with Bobby Flay” is in reruns and we finally got kicked off LoneStarMusic’s top sellers after two months. That’s cool.

Enough about us, how’s your mom?

2. F. Co is a unique name. How’d y’all come up with it? And what were some of the names that y’all thought about using? It was ordained at birth by a host of angels.

Names that we tested God’s will with are: “The Tigers Sponsored By Tan’s Dry Cleaning” and “Hanzon”

3. Name association: -Django Walker – Jerry’s boy. -Dub Miller – Mr. and Mrs. Miller’s boy. -Jason Boland – Roams Texas with floorboards on his feet. -Rob Van Winkle – The funny thing about gloryholes . . . you never know who is on the other side. -Mike McClure – Let’s just say he caused a GREAT DIVIDE. Ha! Pass the tea, Martha. -Phil Pritchett – Little mighty. Mighty little. (Great guy, great performer) -Courtney Love – The tollbooth on the bacteria highway -Peter Dawson – According to www.peterdawson.com he owns the Center for Advanced Dental Study. That and music? Way to go, Pete! -Pat Green – Would like to see him pat Bleu.

4. If y’all could put 5 songs in a vault so we’d never have to suffer through them again and label them “Songs That Suck”, what would they be? And why? 1. “Sailing” by Christopher Cross 2. “Jump” by Criss Cross 3. Any of the Nazi-based putrid lies that come from that f-ing purple dinosaur and his cohorts of dancing nancies (or Big and Rich’s “Save a Cowboy . . .”) 4. “Mary Had A Little Lamb” – singer unknown 5. “Herpegonasyphillaids” – hasn’t been written yet

5. What are the origins of the band? How long have you been together? How’d y’all hook up? Well, we’re all originally from our moms (do I need to explain this?)

We’ve been playing together for 3 1/2 years and to date the only ones that have hooked up are Cody and Wayne (Yuck! Believe me, it was hard to videotape).

6. John Evans has worked closely with y’all, producing your cd’s and whatnot. John’s quite the eccentric. What’s it like working with him? It’s like working with Mother Teresa—minus the good looks. F.Co + JEB = LOVE

7. On the title track to your latest album, “Any Other Way”, the lyrics detail the struggles every upcoming band has in this scene. How much of that song is truth? Every word in that song is from experience . . . we’ve done all of that to every band we’ve ever seen. Seriously, it’s all true.

8. Collectively, how many times have the members of F Co been arrested and for what? Let’s just say Cody is now in the Scared Straight program (however, we don’t think it’s working. He still loves scarves and Asian furniture – and Colin).

9. What’s the worst concert you’ve ever seen and the worst album you’ve ever bought? F.Co and a million other bands were scheduled to play the Firehouse after the Rodeo two years ago. It was packed as crap. Well, well, well, who should walk in? Big and Rich. Even though they were only supposed to play 3 songs, they played the rest of the night with rousing renditions of “We’re Tools”, “Prison Sex Ain’t So Bad” and “I’m Cowboy Roy, I’m African American and In A Country Band, Isn’t that Weird and Original? Buy Our CD. Oh, and Did You See The Midget?”

Well, needless to say, we all bought their CDs, T-Shirts, Toaster Cozies, Big and Rich Air Fresheners and Pink Bandanas. Probably not the best call.

10. As a band, y’all participate in annual retreats to focus on goals, do team building exercises and bond. How did this come about? Has it helped you? What have you learned about each other? And which member of the band is the one you don’t want to be catching you when you fall backwards off the trust ladder? That was an old idea. An idea that was based upon honesty, trustworthiness, morals, ethics, betterment, spirituality, music, knowledge, friendship, and loyalty.

Aw, screw it.

11. Y’all do a wide variety of covers and have a vast array of influences. What are 10 albums you recommend everyone own? (No Specific Albums – Every album means something) Weezer Leo Kottke Waylon Reverend Horton Heat Son Volt Ezra’s Poundcake The Toadies Willie Jane’s Addiction The Highwaymen (all of them)

12. Favorite touring memory of the following towns/clubs. -Saxon Pub- Manzinillous (Casey Horan is one of the greatest people on Earth) -Chilly Willy’s – Licking that bartender’s back (at least he said he was a bartender) -George’s – Trying not to piss ourselves when Cope crumbled that chair like a cookie in an epileptic tug-o-war. -Firehouse – The fire. -Dallas – Playing at Bill’s (and then playing at his record store) -College Station – Hall of Fame and the mechanical bull that bruised Thomas’ daddy button so badly he toured with Mariah Carey in ‘01 -Houston – Stencel whizzing on the side of Garden in The Heights after a show only to have the manager walk out, see him and Stencel reply “Lots of stars out tonight, huh?” -Austin – Riding the train in Zilcher Park with our Children’s Hope Network children and eating ice cream -Ft. Worth – The one-eyed bartender at the Thirsty Armadillo who kept telling Ryan, “I’ve got my eye on you.”

13. Ya’ll have had some early success as a band winning a prestigious Battle of the Bands and being picked up by Warner Bros. Publishing in Nashville. What is your songwriting process like? Does everyone contribute? What’s been y’alls biggest music-related check? We have a series of writers that are brought in from around the world and placed into a section of Houston called Muzak Row. From there, they pen songs 14 hours a day using cut throat methods (and money from investors) to push their songs to the forefront of consideration. Once the band has narrowed the songs to the final 40, we scrap them all and have illiterate convicts write the ones that make the album.

The biggest check? Reality. (Music is hard)

14. How supportive are your wives and in-laws? Has there ever been any pressure to stop chasing the dream and get a real job? I think Ryan Mucha (lead singer) would be a great addition to the team at the local Subway. A jury of our peers will decide. Mucha? Hmmm . . . toasted.

15. Stories behind the following songs: -Tattoos and Tears – Thomas was sitting in his dermatologist’s office and was questioned about his safety-pin inflicted tattoo . . . the dermatologist starting singing in his ear and asked him to dinner. -Song On An Empty Floor – What if Elvis lived on? -Next to Neon – Drunk and people watching at The Tall Texan -18 Wheels of Beer – After a member ran into a beer truck . . . not to worry it was light beer. -King of Texas – Drunk, self-important crap (best song ever) -Roads are a River – Cruising to Lukenbach after playing KRVL. Roads. Rivers. Truck. -We Can Hold Our Own – Fighting with wife. -Time of Your Life – Fighting with wife. -Please Don’t Send Me – After mom calls someone an alcoholic (nearly makes him spit out his cologne) -You Are Everything – Loving wife (and yours) -Marooned in Modesto – See 18 Wheels . . .

16. Give an example of a perfect gig you’ve had. And an example of a nightmare gig. Perfect gig? We’ll let you know. Nightmare gig? Come see us at the Firehouse on the 26th.

17. Most embarrassing moment onstage for F.Co. When the band starts.

18. Rapid fire: –19. Favorite George Strait song. Strait Out of Compton

20. Compare/contrast the music F. Co makes with the crap that is regularly played on the radio. That’s what fans are for — fans that want a Chili’s Gift Certificate for answering correctly, that is.

#FCo