Trampled by Turtles coming to Lead

By Ruth Milne, Journal staff | Friday, February 09, 2007

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“We didn’t grow up in the Appalachians or anything like that,” said Dave Simonett, lead guitarist and vocalist for the nontraditional bluegrass band Trampled by Turtles.

In fact, the group is based in Minnesota, and its members weren’t raised on bluegrass at all. But when the four discovered the genre as adults, “we all took a liking to it,” he said.

So much of a liking, in fact, that they decided to do it themselves.

Three of the four were in rock bands when the Duluth, Minn., musicians decided to begin a bluegrass side project 3-1/2 years ago. It was intended to be something quieter, acoustic music they could play once in a while at home or in coffee shops, just to get out of the smoky bars.

In time, their other bands dissolved, and Trampled by Turtles evolved into each member’s primary project. And as the band’s reputation grew, so did the venues — the quartet no longer performs in coffee houses.

“We still play acoustic music, but we still end up in loud, stinky bars anyway,” Simonett says wryly.

Incorporating the high-energy, foot-stomping heritage of bluegrass with elements of other genres from punk to country, Trampled by Turtles’ music breaks new ground and appeals to a broad audience, from cowboys to punk rockers.

The band name is as deliberately nontraditional as its music. The members knew they didn’t want a typical bluegrass band name with foggy mountains and fiddles and so on. While brainstorming, the mandolin player, Erik Berry, suggested “Trampled by Turtles” as a joke.

The others loved it, and their bluegrass band was so christened.

“And now we’re stuck with it,” Simonett says.

The music and the name may be out of the ordinary, but Simonett’s lyrics cover familiar

territory. “The songs are kind of the same as what everybody’s songs are about. They’re about life, love, death,” he says, adding that the new album is more of an introspective work than the group’s previous releases.

“Trouble” was recorded in Minneapolis with producer Rich Madsen, who won the Producer of the Year award for Minneapolis Music Awards in 2006. The official release date for “Trouble” is Feb. 13, but it will be on sale at tonight’s concert.

For people who haven’t seen the high-energy band, video clips can be viewed online at www.trampledbyturtles.com. But local residents may remember Trampled by Turtles’ lively performance at last year’s Deadwood Jam.

“It was a blast,” Simonett says of the experience. He loves the Black Hills and, as a boy, used to come camping in the region with his father.

They don’t know if they will return for this year’s Jam, however. Trampled by Turtles may not tour as much in the near future, because Berry is soon to be a father.

“It’ll be our first band baby,” Simonett says.

But the four plan to stick with the band and keep playing bluegrass despite life’s changes.

Trampled by Turtles has played with several big-name bands, including Low, Camper Van Beethoven, Pedro the Lion, Nickel Creek and Cowboy Junkies. But when they perform in Lead, they are traveling alone, and the opening act will be local musician Chris Cady’s new band, Violent Hippie.

If you go

· What: Agent Cooper presents Trampled by Turtles, with opening act Violent Hippie

· When: 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9; doors open at 8 p.m.

· Where: Golden Hills Resort, Lead

· Admission: $10 at the door

Contact Milne at 394-8420 or ruth.milne@rapidcityjournal.com.