Rubberneckin'

The Rowdymen formed in Winnipeg in the late 1990s around singer-guitarist Jason Allen and bassist Rob Zaporzan, who had been playing together since 1994 in the shifting lineup of the Winnipeg rock band Chocolate Bunnies From Hell. Their shared interest in rockabilly surfaced on the way to a gig when Allen put a Joe Ely tape on in the car and discovered that Zaporzan knew the material well enough to sing along.

Around 1997, Allen and Zaporzan put together The Rowdymen with guitarist Rob Pachol and drummer Dean Desrocher. The band drew heavily from the country side of early rock and roll, particularly the stripped-down sound of the Sun Records era, while mixing original material with songs associated with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Johnny Burnette, Gene Vincent, Roy Orbison and other early rockabilly and country performers.

The Rowdymen became regulars on the Winnipeg roots circuit, with Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club serving as one of their home stages. On June 16, 2001, they recorded a performance there completely live with no overdubs. Engineered by Lenny Milne, the recording became their first CD, Rowdy Duty, released through Stringbreakin' Records. Its twelve tracks included “Baby, Let's Play House,” “Rock Billy Boogie,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Rocket In My Pocket,” “Black Slacks,” “Lonesome Train,” “Say Mama,” “Claudette,” “Kaw-Liga” and “Rumble.” The album thanked Times Change(d) proprietor John Scoles for making the recording possible.

By early 2002 the group was playing beyond Winnipeg, including an appearance at the Viking Hotel in Gimli. They also appeared at Dauphin's Countryfest that year and returned to the festival in 2005 and 2011.

The lineup changed before the band's next album. Dwayne Dueck, previously with Winnipeg blues band The Shuffleheads, took over on guitar, while Ken McMahon, formerly of the Rockin' Highliners, became the drummer. Original guitarist Rob Pachol remained connected to the group and later contributed additional guitar to their next recording.

By 2003 The Rowdymen were working steadily enough that the band members had left their day jobs to concentrate on music. Their second CD, Rubberneckin', was recorded that year at Bedside Studio in Winnipeg with Len Milne producing and Art MacIntyre serving as executive producer. It became the first CD released by MacIntyre's Transistor 66 Record Company.

Unlike the predominantly cover-based Rowdy Duty, Rubberneckin' gave much more space to the band's own writing. Jason Allen contributed “The Old Hereafter,” “Alley Cat” and “Two Weeks Notice”; Rob Zaporzan wrote “Skinny Little Town,” “Forest For The Trees” and “Stones You May Gather”; and Dwayne Dueck supplied “Rolly Oat Mama” and “Hillbilly Sound.” Allen and Rob Pachol co-wrote “Brokedown.”

The album also included Ray St. Germain's 1959 song “She's A Square,” with St. Germain himself appearing on the track, and “I'll Apologize,” associated with Winnipeg rocker Gene Pyrz. The remaining covers included Fats Domino's “All By Myself” and Roy Orbison's “Rock House.” Pachol returned as a guest guitarist on six tracks, while Zaporzan added dobro and mandolin to “Stones You May Gather.”

Manitoba Film & Sound supported touring behind Rubberneckin', and “Two Weeks Notice” was included on the promotional compilation Country Music Made in Manitoba. The album's liner notes also thanked Bob Timmers of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and Dan of the Silverjets for helping the band in Las Vegas.

The Rowdymen continued recording during the decade. Their version of “Clap for the Wolfman” appeared on the Winnipeg tribute collection Guess Who's Home, while “The Old Hereafter” and “Legend of Johnny Rumble” appeared on the Zombie Night in Canada compilations. In 2007, The Rowdymen LTD collected material from the band's catalogue along with recordings including “Sittin' and Thinkin',” “Race With the Devil,” “Johnny Rumble,” “All the Way” and “Clap for the Wolfman.”

After a period away from regular activity, The Rowdymen returned with Gas, Liquor & Fireworks! in 2009. The album included “Johnny Rumble,” “Too Little Too Late,” “Woke Up in My Clothes Again,” “Jump and Twist,” “Ode to Possum,” “She's Too Good for Me,” “All the Way,” “Whisky Road,” “Faded” and “Tear It Up.” Joanne Rodriguez, known from the Angry Dragons and American Flamewhip, appeared as a guest, while drummer Ken McMahon contributed material to the album.

The group remained part of Winnipeg's rockabilly community into the following decade. In 2013 they appeared at the first River City Rumble at Winnipeg's Metropolitan Entertainment Centre, sharing the event with the Farrell Brothers, Brent Parkin, Kim Lenz and the Jaguars, and former Stray Cats bassist Lee Rocker.

-Robert Williston