"The Broken Numbers Band, a multi-instrumental 5 piece based out of Los Angeles, California, play feel good, american roots rock music, combining crafted and tasteful songwriting with sweet vocal harmonies, an honest and sincere work ethic, and a classic musical sensibility that is clearly drawn from the soil and from the soul."

The self-titled debut album from Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants shows a new, perhaps unexpected side of the longtime Foo Fighter lead guitarist: his skill at writing slightly dialed-down, infectious Americana-laced rock songs. The album is chock-full of soulful pedal steel- and twang guitar-accented songs steeped in his longtime appreciation of classic country artists (Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams), rockabilly (Gene Vincent, Elvis, Eddie Cochran), and deep-rooted rock bands (The Replacements, The Rolling Stones, X). Built around Shiflett’s innate pop sensibilities and punk enthusiasm, each track reveals new layers on repeated and ever rewarding listens.

Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants sets aside Shiflett’s big guitar sound played through a distortion pedal and a loud amp in favor of twangy electric guitars and his beloved Martin acoustic. The album highlights his versatility and skill not only as a guitarist – showcasing his deft playing in an entirely new light – but also as a songwriter: the songs are some of the best, most realized that he’s written. Lyrically, the songs frequently deal with loss…Loss of love, as in the soulful, heavy, ballad-esque “God Damn;” in the chiming keys and buoyant, ringing guitars that belie the crestfallen relationship-gone-wrong of “Get Along;” and in the pedal steel, mandolin, and evocative guitar solo that underline the heartache on “Bandaged”…Or of life, as in the stirring, bluesy groove of “An Atheist’s Prayer;” the rueful slide guitar, country swing of “Death March;” and the spry, jaunty, Old 97s-ian “Baby, Let It Out.”

For Shiflett, also known for his two albums with rock/punk project Jackson United, the formation of The Dead Peasants can be traced back to preparation for a 2008 performance at the Hootenanny, a punk-rockabilly festival in Orange County, CA. A short while after, friend Joey Cape (of Lagwagon) asked him to open on an acoustic tour, for which Shiflett re-worked a few older songs for a more intimate setting in addition to some cover songs (such as this album’s “Burning Lights,” which Joe Strummer plays in the 1990 Finnish movie I Hired A Contract Killer). Inspiration struck throughout this process and he began writing the songs that would make up Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants over the course of 2008/9.

The album was recorded in December 2009/January 2010 at the Foo Fighters’ Studio 606 in Los Angeles, CA, with house engineer John Lousteau, who both engineered and handled the drums. Shiflett called upon friend Derek Silverman to play keyboards and the trio would become the core band for the recordings. Once the basic tracking was done, various instrumentation was added by a select group of esteemed players, including Davey Faragher (Elvis Costello and The Imposters, Jenny Lewis, John Hiatt) on bass, Greg Leisz (Wilco, Lucinda Williams, Whiskeytown) on pedal steel, Stevie Blacke (Beck, Weezer, Colbie Caillat) on violin and mandolin, Eddie Perez (Dwight Yoakam) on guitar, and Audra Mae on backing vocals.

"Technically pure, slightly jaded, no-nonsense and honest with stellar storytelling for the every-man." The Far West came together in early 2010, each member having left other bands to pursue a unique sound they weren't getting elsewhere. Robert Black, hailing from Texas has played in dozens of bands from the plains all the way to the coasts (in both directions). In his Texas days he backed a number of bands in all day BBQ hoedowns and late night jam sessions. He even had a band share a bill with Townes Van Zandt. In Los Angeles, after working as a session bassist for several LA bands like Leslie & The Badgers, West of Texas & many others, he met singer Lee Briante. Briante comes from the fertile Hudson Valley of NY, by way of the rolling hills of Western Mass. His parents instilled a deep love of music in him from a very early age, taking him to see a wide variety of music like Arlo, Pete Seegar, Charlie Daniels and many others. Memories of rowdy irish bands burning through bow rosin in low ceiling riverside taverns stand out in his mind. Lee has been playing in bands since he was 15 or so, among others he played in the Northampton, MA ambient band paris., the Boston band 1986 and the LA based Queen Victoria. Ready to start a project of his own he made contact with Robert Black by posting a simple craigslist ad that consisted of nothing more then a Waylon Jennings video. James Williams is the bands lone CA native. He brings his unique style to the band, playing organ, piano and keys,
He has played in Biirdie, the breakups, and SpongeBob SquarePants and the Hi-Seas. and performed live on KTLA Morning News, KXLU, and KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic with Nick Harcourt. On top of all this, he was the recipient of his high school's Louis Armstrong Jazz Award Virgina born guitarist Brian Bachman had been playing in several bands in LA, but after sharing a bill with The Far West, he wanted in. TFW wanted him too and once the timing worked out Brian joined up and added a depth and excitement to the sound that was greatly needed. After seeing Alabama native Alan F. Rogers drum in a downtown LA bar The Far West knew they had to have him. It turned out Alan was looking for something just like The Far West, and after some mutual appreciation smoke blowing, the lineup was solidified.

Once The Far West came together they got right to work, gigging all across Southern California in places like The Echo, Pappy & Harriets, Hotel Cafe, Cowboy Palace Saloon, Taix, Silverlake Lounge & many more. The American Legion Post 416 in encinitas had become a familiar venue to them and it was here that over 3 days in December 2010 The Far West recorded an album of original songs with he help of Engineer/ Producer Colin Mclean. Done live-to-tape with minimal overdubs this record captures the live energy and beautiful tone of the Legion Post. The boys have been gigging ever since, making stops at the 2011 & 2012 SXSW festival in Austin & countless jukejoints across the southwest. They're proud to share stages with their contemporaries like Mike Stinson, Brennan Leigh, Broken Numbers Band, David Serby, The Americans, Tony Gilkyson, JD McPherson and many more.