No Barbers Required

No Barbers Required is what happens when a person sits down and tries to write his own versions of classics like “There’s A Tear in my Beer”, “My Bucket’s Got a Hole in it”, “I Gotta Get Drunk”, “Misery & Gin”… No Barbers Required is what happens when a guitarist with a punk background joins in and puts his signature licks on the songs. No Barbers Required is what happens when someone dusts off his old drum kit and gets back to playing the rhythms his famous jazz drumming uncle taught him in his youth. No Barbers Required is what happens when a dobro/steel player, a fiddler and an upright bassist round out the line up to guarantee an authentic honky tonk sound. And Hard To Hold On To is what happens when the six members team up with Jay Lefebvre to put on record the songs they spent many years playing live.

Looking back while going further is what No Barbers Required has always been about. Heavily grounded in the honky tonk tradition set forward by the late great Hank Williams, the band brings a modern twist to western music. Taking influence from their different musical backgrounds, members bring their own personality to the music while still staying true to the genre. Their true-to-the-genre approach, like recording a live six-song EP of traditional material or playing at a bowling alley, seems to be working as they have been voted, for the last two years, as one of Montreal’s favorite country/folk act in the Montreal Mirror: Best Of Montreal’s readers poll.

Always fast-paced, their shows are the place to be if you’re feeling a little rowdy and want dance the evening (and the early morning) away. It’s not surprising to hear that they brought the same energy to the studio when it came time to record Hard To Hold On To, their debut album on Milagro Records. Filled with catchy songs sounding like they were recorded somewhere in the deep south, the record will only further the popularity of the band.