Moonshine Willy

Moonshine Willy, originally based in Chicago, began its meteoric rise to fame and fortune in 1992 as the power trio of Kim Docter, Mike Luke and Nancy Rideout (guitar, bass, lead guitar). Born out of the Rockabilly scene, they soon realized they had neither the clothes nor the discipline to stay on the Carl Perkins band wagon. They tried on various short, hyphenated descriptions, as all bands must, with varying results.
“One of Chicago’s better known punk/country bands…” – www.centerstagechicago.com
“Post modern rockers…” - www.metroactive.com
“Loopy…” - Country Music Standard Time
The addition of Rachael Ferro on fiddle, and Nancy’s addition of banjo and mandolin to her mix coincided with the latest entry in the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary: Insurgent Country. It seems Moonshine Willy had found its hyphenated description, and its record label. (Note: The band, and their ilk later settled on “alternative country.” two awful words that taste awful together. However, the abbreviation, “Alt-Cunt, while more painful to write home to mom, rolled off the tongue easier, and seemed to say “fuck you” in a much more punk rock fashion.)
Before Rob Miller and Nan Warshaw were movers and shakers as CEO’s of the best little whorehouse in Chicago (aka Bloodshot Records), they were the best little dj’s at a bar on Lincoln called Delilah’s, playing favorites (theirs) of old country, honky tonk and obscure nuggets of greatness. Moonshine Willy had bar stools engraved with their names and butt prints. Was the weekly Wednesday attendance due to the pint glass vodka tonics, the playlist or dreamy Mary, the bartender? Enough cocktails eventually lead to two major events – the signing of Moonshine Willy as Bloodshot’s first artist, and the conscription of Rob Miller as the band’s first touring drummer. Nothing David Geffen wouldn’t do for Rufus Wainwright.
The next few years were really your basic montage of rockin’ and rollin’ and whatnot. The practices, the hundreds of live shows, the cross-country tours in the old van (Vanzilla), cross-country tours in the new van (Jean-Claude Damn Van), cross country tours in the Winnebago (“future traveling needle exchange program vehicle”), all created the Moonshine Willy stench, more romantically - mystique. The band released three full-length cds on Bloodshot, and contributed numerous cuts for compilations. But really, after all the recording lights dimmed it’s really the live shows that live on somehow.
Personnel changes on strings were kept to a normal level, while the Spinal Tap-ian array of drummers kept the band honest. Chris Ganey, Lance Willy, Pat Skvoretz and currently Mike Reed bucked the trend and chose to ”get in the van” multiple times. Pop quiz: How many of the following people were MW drummers? Randy Sabo, Perry LaFine, Mike Miller, Winston Churchill, Lawrence Peters, John Jones…
Are you in Moonshine Willy? If your name appears on the following list, you KICK ASS! (** indicates you are currently kicking ass).
George Goehl (mandolin/banjo/guitar/funny ass stories)
Chuck Uchida (guitar/vocals/monster engineering)
Chris Estrada (mandolin/guitar/vocals/flowing locks)
Lisa Marsicek (fiddle/vocals/sassy attitude)
Rachael Ferro (fiddle/vocals/disarming charm)
Nancy Rideout 1960-2007 (guitar/mandolin/banjo/dog-lover)
Chris Ganey (drums/dry commentary)
Lance Willie (drums/vocals/handsome mother fucker/no relation)
Pat Skvoretz (drums/vocals/fashion forward)
Rob Miller (drums/Detroit Tigers)
Mike Reed** (drums/vibes/glock/mogul)
Jon Williams** (mandolin/guitar/accordian/vocals/ungodly talent)
John Poston** (banjo/guitar/vocals/Atari collection/evil genius)
Jessica Billey-Poston** (fiddle/vocals/sweetness and light….thank goodness)
Mike Luke** (bass/vocals/calming demeanor/double python)
Kim Docter-Luke** (guitar/vocals/songwriting/manic drive/meds)
Common misconceptions about Moonshine Willy:
Moonshine Willy is not an old blues musician.
Moonshine Willy will not play Rocky Top for you, no matter how loud you yell.
Moonshine Willy will pull a pop song out of its ass and whoop it like a donkey.
Moonshine Willy is not named after the Wesley Willis song ; it’s the other way around.
Moonshine Willy is not straight edge.
Here’s an official discography, for all you superfreaks who like such things:
1993 Moonshine Willy demo tape (very rare, valuable and super cool, don’t ever sell yours)
1994 For a Life of Sin (compilation) (Bloodshot BS-001) Way Out West
1994 7” 3-song vinyl EP (Bloodshot BS-002) 33 rpm (Baby Alive, Nevermore, Alone)
1995 Hellbent (compilation) (Bloodshot BS-004) (Roulette Wheel)
1995 Pecadores, full-length cd (Bloodshot BS-005)
1996 7” 2 -song vinyl single (Bloodshot BS-013) 45 rpm (Complicated Game, George Set me Strait)
1996 Bold Displays of Imperfection, full-length cd (Bloodshot BS-018)
1997 Rudy’s Rockin’ Kiddie Caravan (compilation) (TNT Records – TNT1) Skip to my Lou
1998 Bastard Child, full-length cd (Bloodshot BS-032)
2000 Down to the Promised Land (compilation) (Bloodshot BS-060) Turn the Lights Down Low – re-recorded kickass bluegrass version
2002 Making Singles Drinking Doubles (compilation) (Bloodshot BS-100) (Complicated Game, George Set Me Strait, Alone