The Rickaneers

The Rickaneers have recently released their fourth record, and EP called "Leave it on the Floor". The record can be found on their BandCamp with the rest of their discography. The Rickaneers play Rock 'n' Roll; however their version of rock carries elements of psychedelia and punk. 

Each member of The Rickaneers find their inspiration in different places. For guitarist Darrell Wallace that place is in the works of bands like Radiohead and Rage Against the Machine or even rock n roll from the golden age, artists like Chuck Berry and Patsy Cline. Doug Brown, drummer, grew up with a friend who had access to some of the more rare music that was coming out of the Seattle grunge secne and would make tapes that he carried around at school in his walkman. Jesse Schanck, The Rickaneers' vocalist and guitarist, looks to many artists of varrying genres: The Beastie Boys, Wu-tang, and The Stooges. "When you're into music, you go through so many different phases and you're constantly learning and growing, and I think it all influences you, in a way," says Schanck. "You may not even know it, and then something comes out when you're playing music and you think 'Oh yeah that reminds me of that band or that singer',". 

Over ten years ago Brown and Schanck were introduced by a mutual friend. The first time the two met in person Brown brought his drum kit to Schanck's place where they ended up playing Nirvana and Black Keys songs. Eventually covers got old so the pair began making up riffs and beats. Soon they began writing their own music. Five years ago they began playing their music live. A producer friend introduced them to Wallace. Amazed by Wallace's skills on the guitar Brown and Schanck invited him to play a bit on their LP. The three ended up clicking musically. 

The Rickaneers try not to take themselves too seriously, this leads to the band having fun. When they recorded "Leave it on the Floor" they had a good time and they hope their listeners can hear that in the music. The Rickaneers had wanted to make a live record for some time and "Leave it on the Floor" is just that. Their producer Graham Shaw had just bought a reel to reel and was eager to use it so the pieces all fell together. "Leave it on the Floor" is compiled of four jams that the band had been playing at shows. "They're just a snapshot of where [we] were as a band at one time, and what [we] were into," said Schanck.