Sam Russell & The Harborrats! profile picture

Sam Russell & The Harborrats!

YEAR OF THE RAT NOW IN PROGRESS!

About Me


What a few people are saying about The Harborrats: "Pretty fucking cool: They're more a garage-soul band more than anything, but they work in lots of other stuff. The lead singer has loads of stage presence and a strong voice. The guitarist (who also occasionally plays mandolin) lays down lots of really cool, off-kilter leads that bring a fresh edge to some of the venerable early rock 'n' roll classics they cover. Some cool back-and-forth time shifts in many of their songs that really pack a punch when they jump back into a raucous chorus. Anyway, I highly recommend seeing these guys, particularly if you're into bands like the Reigning Sound, the Sights, the Woggles and the White Stripes."-Don Slack, KEXP

"It's easy to be icked out by the term "blue-eyed soul". It conjures images of middle-aged white dudes raping the soul of Sam Cooke and it's been applied to everyone from yacht-rocker Michael McDonald to the Off the Wall stylings of Justin Timberlake. But in the case of Sam Russell's Harborrats, whose past EP's have run the rootsy gamut between the Killer and the Boss, the term is apt."-Ma'chell Duma Lavasaar Seattle Weekly

"the doo-wopping local boys in the Harborrats defy rockabilly cliché and show promise with their unaffected take on blue-eyed soul and rock."-Hannah Levin, The Stranger

"The Harborrats...seem to get better each time I see 'em."-Lincoln Barr, leader of Red Jacket Mine

"The Harborrats are true Americana; a mix of soul, country and gospel with a dash of rock, triangulating a position between Waits, Springsteen and the Blind Boys of Alabama at their rockin'est. It's a strange mix but it works magic."- Scott Andrew , local lo-fi acoustic superhero

"I was able to get down on their rockin' set. and by rock I mean ROCK. 4/4 time at it's best."-NadaMucho.com


Since 2006, Seattle-based and Kenosha, WI-born singer/songwriter Sam Russell has recorded two EP's, The Katie Sermon and The Youngest Sister, while constantly working hard on the debut full-length Harborrats album, The Legend of Christopher Moon, set for early fall '08 release. In the studio Sam employs a large number of local Seattle musicians for recordings as well as the talents of Conrad Uno, Johnny Sangster and Brad Zeffren for engineering duties (at Egg Studios, Crackle & Pop/Avast/Electrokitty/Egg, and Chroma Studios, respectively). The current live crew for Harborrats shows includes Schuyler Jones on bass, Isaac Chirino on drums/percussion, Joan Dirska keyboards/vocals, Andrea Yoshida on viola/vocals, Michael Spaly on guitar/violin/mandolin/vocals and Dennis Jolin on percussion/guitar. As a whole, The Harborrats' performing and songwriting styles draw from a vast array of genres though rooted mainly in Americana, pop and soul music. The Harborrats' large repertoire of originals and covers also provides the foundation for wildly shifting setlists from show to show, guaranteeing no two performances will be the same.
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My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 6/30/2005
Band Members: Sam Russell-vocals/guitar, Schuyler Jones-bass/vocals, Isaac Chirino-drums/percussion, Joan Dirska-keyboards/vocals, Andrea Yoshida- viola/ vocals. Helping out on record and sometimes live are Michael Spaly-vocals/ guitar/violin/mandolin/banjo/nose flute, Dennis Jolin-percussion/guitar, Aliison Noel-keys/vocals/flute, Kate Noson-vocals, Shelby Earl-vocals, Ken Nottingham-bass/vocals, Dave Forrester-drums/percussion, Daniel Hunt-drums/percussion, Mark Livingston-bass, Jefferson Allen-drums, Clay Ballard-vocals/accordian, Nathan Wade-vocals/dobro/saw John Simpson-cello, Russ Fuller-bass/vocals, Chris Mullaly-vocals, Rachel Ferguson-vocals, Ian Rodney-guitar, Scott Andrew-vocals, Andrew Blakehall-keys, Micah Hulscher-keys, Johnny Sangster-begged-for guitar solos, Conrad Uno-accountant
Influences: Sam Cooke, Jonathan Richman, Charlie Rich, Dion, Sly & The Family Stone, The Ramones, Neutral Milk Hotel, Graham Parker, Iris Dement, Van Morrison, Timi Yuro, Buddy Holly, Wilco, Roy Orbison, Aretha Franklin, The Pogues, Otis Redding, David Bowie, Charley Pride, Rancid, James Carr, Led Zeppelin, Eddie Floyd, Mahalia Jackson, The Clash, Marty Robbins, Oscar Toney Jr., Ike and Tina Turner, The Kinks, Dan Penn, Magnetic Fields, Al Green, Phil Spector, Link Wray, Black Flag, The Chi-Lites, Nick Lowe, Pixies, Eddie Cochran, Hank Williams, Sonic Youth, Bob Dylan, Ricky Nelson, Erma Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, George Jones, Betty LaVette, The Elected, John Lee Hooker, The Grateful Dead, Skeeter Davis, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Nirvana, Desmond Dekker, Jimi Hendrix, Ann Peebles, The Soul Stirrers, Rolling Stones, Scruffy the Cat, Lou Reed, Merle Haggard, Clarence Carter, Steely Dan, The Supremes, Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, Pavement, Prince, Edith Piaf, James Brown, Judy Garland, The Stooges, Woody Guthrie, Muddy Waters, The Box Tops, The Velvet Underground, Bing Crosby, Chuck Berry, Arthur Alexander, Ruth Brown, Dan the Automator, New York Dolls, Rilo Kiley, The Replacements, Joe Tex, Willie Nelson, Rufus Thomas, The Beatles, Bobby Darin, Mudhoney, The Faces, REM, T.Rex, Carla Thomas, The Who, Velvet Underground, Waylon Jennings, Ray Charles, Neil Young, Curtis Mayfield, Elliott Smith, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jerry Butler, Bob Marley, The Flirtations, The Young Fresh Fellows, Guided by Voices, Miles Davis, The Archies, Tom Waits, Maxine Brown, Dolly Parton, Paul Simon, Jimmy Cliff, Sam & Dave, Irma Thomas, Elvis Presely, The Prisonaires, Harry Nilsson, Allen Toussaint, John Coltrane, Doc Pomus, The Monkees, Lucinda Williams, The Sex Pistols, The Platters, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Death Cab for Cutie, Steve Earle, Smokey Robinson, Daniel Johnston , The New Pornographers, Joni Mitchell, The Standells, Junior Brown, Billie Holiday, Jimmy Scott, Richard Thompson, Carissa's Weird, Brian Wilson/The Beach Boys, Reverend Gary Davis, Gene Pitney, Carl Perkins, The Isley Brothers, Burt Bacharach/Hal David, Weather Report, The Carter Family, Patti Smith, Queen, The Faces, Buck Owens, The Police, Marvin Gaye, Howlin' Wolf, Dusty Springfield, Neko Case, Leonard Cohen, Minus 5, Rod Stewert, Big Star, Toots and the Maytals, The Dusty 45's, Eels, The Band, Them, Jerry Lee Lewis, Del Shannon, Dropkick Murpheys, Conrad Uno
Sounds Like: your favorite record being tossed out the window by your soon-to-be ex-girlfriend
Record Label: self-released
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

ATTENTION HARBORRAT BLOG READERS!

Hi, I'm a blog! You know what that is, right? Well, I'm a Harborrat blog so that means I'll probably only be talking about specifically Harborrat-related stuff like being in the recording studio and p...
Posted by Sam Russell & The Harborrats! on Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:11:00 PST

6-5-08-COMET TAVERN

6/5/08-COMET TAVERN w/Kaylee Cole, August Anchor, David Bazaarline-up: Sam, Schuyler, Isaac, Joan, Andreasetlist: Love is a Big Big Word (just Sam)/Bo Diddley (Bo Diddley cover, duh)> Not Fade Away (B...
Posted by Sam Russell & The Harborrats! on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 01:57:00 PST

6/2/08-RECORDING SESSION-TRANSMARINE WAREHOUSE

6/2/08-Recording Session-TRANSMARINE WAREHOUSEEngineers: Chris Mullaly and Justin Roesertasks: recording drum break for middle of Abercrombie GirlJustin Roeser generously donated his time and family's...
Posted by Sam Russell & The Harborrats! on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:37:00 PST

5/30/08-BLUE MOON TAVERN or "Turn on Your Moon-light"

5/30/08-Blue Moon Tavern w/Justin Roeser & Velvet Driveline-up: Sam, Schuyler, Isaacsetlist: Tender Years (George Jones cover) > Not Fade Away (Buddy Holly cover)/One More Cigarette/Heart of Satur...
Posted by Sam Russell & The Harborrats! on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 11:22:00 PST

5/24>26/08-STUDIO SESSIONS

5/24-CRACKLE AND POP STUDIOS w/Johnny-recorded Michael on Abercrombie Girl and Empty Classrooms, Schuyler on Empty Classrooms, Joan on A Moment's Notice and Gina Marie Across the Ocean, and me on...
Posted by Sam Russell & The Harborrats! on Wed, 28 May 2008 03:09:00 PST

5/19/08-STUDIO SESSION-EGG STUDIOS

5/19/08-STUDIO SESSION-EGG STUDIOSEngineer: Conrad UnoTasks-overdubbing mandolin, violin, Michael's voice, percussion to Carissa's in Texas-transferring misc files to hard driveBack to Egg for the fir...
Posted by Sam Russell & The Harborrats! on Tue, 20 May 2008 08:27:00 PST

5/17/08-JULES MAES SALOON,

5/17/08-JULES MAES SALOONline-up: Sam, Michael, Schuyler, Isaac, Joan, Andrea, John Simpsonsetlist: Taps> Artificial Chocolate/When I'm Gone/Train Wreck > Friends/The Legend of Christopher Moon (w/She...
Posted by Sam Russell & The Harborrats! on Mon, 19 May 2008 06:48:00 PST

5/9/09-BOUNDARY BAY BREWERY (BELLINGHAM)

5/9/09-BOUNDARY BAY BREWERY (BELLINGHAM)line-up: Sam, Schuyler, Isaac, Joan, Andreasetlist: Tire Swing/Elevator Mirror/Abercrombie Girl/The Giveaway/Empty Classrooms/The Youngest Sister/Waiting on th...
Posted by Sam Russell & The Harborrats! on Sat, 10 May 2008 12:24:00 PST

5/5/08-STUDIO SESSION CHROMA SOUND

5/5/08-STUDIO SESSION-CHROMA SOUND STUDIOSor "the best Cinco de Mayo ever of 2008"Engineer: Brad ZeffrenTasks:Empty Classrooms-re-recorded choruses to click track       &...
Posted by Sam Russell & The Harborrats! on Wed, 07 May 2008 05:10:00 PST

MY HEAD IS A BALLOON HEADED FOR THE HILLS

If shrewd observers of this page will notice our band name seems to have a few extra letters in it, well it's true. I've been back and forth for the last year on whether or not to start billing the ba...
Posted by Sam Russell & The Harborrats! on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 03:57:00 PST