Derailers











Derailers
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A honky tonk band following the tradition set by Buck Owens, Austin, TX's Derailers were led by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tony Villanueva and lead guitarist Brian Hofeldt, longtime friends who grew up together in Oregon. After playing in various Portland-area rockabilly outfits, Villanueva relocated to Texas at the age of 19, and Hofeldt soon tagged along; after settling in Austin, the duo joined forces with Vic Gerard Ziolkowski, the bassist in a band called Two Hoots & a Holler, and began focusing on playing straightforward honky tonk music. In 1995 the Derailers issued their first LP, Live Tracks; following their second release, 1996's Jackpot, Terry Kirkendall became the group's permanent drummer. Reverb Deluxe appeared in 1997, and two years later the Derailers returned with Full Western Dress. By this point the lineup had shifted to include drummer Scott Matthews and bassist Ed Adkins. Here Come the Derailers appeared in 2001; it was the band's first for Sony's Lucky Dog imprint and featured a slicker version of their signature sound, designed for larger exposure. Genuine, their second effort for the major label, appeared in March 2003. It included songwriting contributions from Jim Lauderdale and Al Anderson. Change was in the wind for the Derailers soon after Genuine was released; Villenueva amicably split with the band in order to become a pastor, Hofedt stepped into the forefront on vocals and guitar, and the band recruited steel guitarist Chris Schlotzhauer and pianist Sweet Basil McJagger to round out the lineup. Dissatisfied with the direction the band's sound had taken under Sony, the Derailers went to Palo Duro for their next release, 2007's Soldiers of Love. Produced by Buzz Cason, the album found the band turning away from the slick Nashville sound of Genuine and upping the rock vibe that characterized much of their earlier work. 2007 also saw the release of Under the Influence of Buck, a 13-track tribute to Buck Owens. 2008 will see the release of yet another album, "Guaranteed to Satisfy".
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06/04/2009 - Derailers kick off Summer in the Park - Read More
05/10/2008 - Summer series is showcase of Texas music talent - Read More
02/23/2007 - Make tracks to witness 'the Derailers' - Read More
08/21/2006 - The Derailers to play last Summer Concert Series show  - Read More
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Average Rating : 4.7              Total Reviews: 17


Derailers  09/17/2008            
Kaitlyn Hofeldt
Hey this question goes to brian....um our last names are the same and i was wondering who are your parents??? If u dont want to post publiclly email me at [email protected]
Derailers  11/21/2007            
Pirate Paul, Houston
Whoa, now. I hear a lot of people saying the Derailers just ain't the same without Tony. I know, I know. I saw them just about every time they came to Southern California, had every record, the whole works. First time I saw them in Houston, right after Tony's departure, I said the same thing. The Derailers are in trouble if they don't get somebody with a strong lead voice to fill Tony's boots. But I'm here to tell ya, after hearing the tribute to Buck, I am blown away. Brian doesn't just sing Buck, he practically channels him! It's clear to me that Brian has stepped up to the mic in more than one way, and in a remarkably short period of time too. Where Dwight gives you only a hint that these songs were once Buck's, Brian makes them Buck Owens songs all over again. If I want to pick nits, it's not gonna be with Brian's singing. On both Dwight's and the Derailers' tributes, I would like for the steel to have been a little truer to the style, instead of caracature. Heck, even Brian himself played the Tele in a way that made you feel Mooney, on earlier Derailers works. Just my two cents.
Derailers  09/11/2007            
[email protected]
With this 13-track tribute to the music of Buck Owens, the Derailers return to their Bakersfield roots. Formed in Austin in the mid-90s, the Derailers were Owens' most vocal enthusiasts throughout the last years of his career. They covered his songs live and on disc, and performed at his birthday parties and his club (The Crystal Palace). Owens was an inspiration, mentor and colleague to the young band. Their studio debut (1996's excellent "Jackpot") featured the same joie de vivre that made the Buckaroos classic '60s singles and LPs so exciting. Lead vocalist/guitarists Brian Hofeldt and Tony Villanueva rediscovered the thrill of blazing through the haze of a honky-tonk with twin Telecasters, singing heartfelt, plainspoken songs of love and loss. The Derailers wrote some of the best Buck Owens songs not actually written by Buck Owens. ¶ As the band's career developed they followed some of Owens' other musical leads, integrating pop and rock sounds and beats. They signed briefly with Sire, then with Sony's short-lived Lucky Dog imprint and finally with Sony themselves. Paired with Nashville producers and songwriters, their releases gained a slickness that diluted the sting of their Bakersfield roots. Villanueva left the band at the end of 2003 (eventually returning to his Oregon hometown to become a pastor), and Hofeldt retrenched by adding a full-time steel guitarist and pianist. The resulting album (2006's "Soldiers of Love") featured a mixture of country twang, jangly pop, rockabilly and blues that didn't always feel cohesive; more a tour through Brian Hofeldt's ecelectic influences than the vision of a band. ¶ Finally, returning to the inspiration that first launched his public career, Hofeldt and his Derailers have recorded a dozen titles from the pen of Buck Owens, together with a cover of the Chuck Berry song ("Johnny B. Goode") that Owens and the Buckaroos often played in their live shows. The return to form suggests that while Hofeldt's head may hold a broad array of musical influences, his heart remains with Owens' brand of twangy country music. In earlier incarnations of the band, Hofeldt provided the smoother end of Owens vocals, while Villanueva provided the saltier, sadder side. Their Buck-and-Don vocal pairings also included their dual Telecasters. This time out, Hofeldt provides all the leads, shadowed much more lightly by harmony vocals and balancing his guitar against Chris Schlotzhauer's pedal steel and dobro instead of a second Telecaster. ¶ Impressively, the changes all work to the project's benefit. Hofeldt's vocals have never sounded better, channeling Buck Owens' easy tone without imitating it, and the sting of his guitar plays perfectly against acoustics, steel and dobro. The arrangements stay close to the originals, but with Hofeldt so deeply in the zone, these covers offer many of the same thrills as the originals. One can hear him thinking of his first meeting with Owens as he sings "My Heart Skips a Beat" and pouring the distress of Owens' passing into "Cryin' Time." ¶ While it would have been nice for Villanueva to have guested on these sessions, his absence actually pushed Hofeldt and band to rethink their presentations. The changes are subtle, a vocal inflection here or a line of organ or honky-tonk piano there, but it shows just how thoroughly the Derailers have imbibed the originals, and how fluent they've become with the hybrid honky-tonk/country/pop language that Owens defined. There's no topping Owens' original sides (check out "21 #1 Hits," the 3-CD "Buck Owens Collection," or original LP reissues like "Together Again/My Heart Skips a Beat"), but the Derailers didn't set out to make these versions better, only tributes to sustain the artistic legacy of their primary inspiration. And that they've accomplished. 4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2007 redtunictroll at hotmail dot com]
Derailers  03/06/2007            
Larry C.
Here Comes the Derailers: While the songwriting clearly peaks on this effort, the production is a disappointment. If only these songs could've been produced with that Bakersfield style, instead of that syrupy Nashville sound. "There goes the Bride", "All the Rage in Paris" "I See my Baby" and "Bar Exam" stand out. If only it sounded like the Deluxe Reverb album!
Derailers  02/24/2007            
J.D. Bailey
Sorry guys, but without Tony as your frontman, you ain't worth seeing anymore. ...I never could stomach Brian's voice.
Derailers  07/05/2006            
Jackson Taylor
I love Tony, but Brian brings something a little more to the vocals, been a big fan since the late 90s evern remember these bots from way back in the Portland Orgen days. Keep Twangin fellas
Derailers  06/11/2006            
Chris
Just got a listen, and this is by far the best release by the band in their long and prosperous history! "An American Man" is the perfect tribute to Johnny Cash!
Derailers  12/24/2004            
Bordello Bob Tumlinson
These guys are a piece of heaven when they sing their love songs. They make you want to squezze the closest girl. These guys are smooth and polished ane dress better than the average stage act. These guys never disappoint when they are on stage. I have seen them live more than five times and the are always tops.
Derailers  11/21/2004            
James
These men are a class act. Their music has soul and it's the kind of thing that changes your life. You are missed.
Derailers  06/24/2004            
Eric Calderon
Texas country at its finest.
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