The hottest and newest group sharing the name:
There’s no shortage of country music in Crooks’ hometown of Austin, TX. But ask anyone who has crammed into a packed honky-tonk to catch one of their infamously rowdy late-night shows and they’ll tell you there’s something that sets them apart from the rest.
Crooks are breathing new life into decades-old musical traditions, stripping away the polish and shine of modern radio country and replacing it with earnest songs about life, work and pain. Sometimes it’s weary and lonesome, sometimes it’s downright bleak, and oftentimes it’s just reckless fun. Suddenly, country music is dangerous again.
Frontman Josh Mazour formed Crooks in 2007 as a two-piece band, playing stripped down sets at dive bars around Austin. Things have grown from there. He’s now joined by drummer Rob Bacak, stand-up bassist Andrew VanVoorhees, and multi-instrumentalist Sam Alberts, who alternates between guitar, banjo, mandolin, and trumpet. Live, Crooks are an even greater spectacle, as fiddle, trumpet, and accordion players jump on stage throughout their set.
Crooks released their debut LP ‘The Rain Will Come’ this year, featuring guest appearances from accordion legend Flaco Jimenez of the Texas Tornados, and produced by Danny Reisch, known for his work with other Austin luminaries like The Bright Light Social Hour, Okkervil River, Shearwater, and White Denim.
Mazour lists songwriting greats like Hank Williams Sr., Townes Van Zandt, Billy Joe Shaver, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Blaze Foley and even Kurt Cobain as influences on his style, which he describes as “just unapologetic country songwriting.”
“Country music is honest music,” he says. “You can get straight to your point, and if no one likes it, that's fine. But you don't have to hide your feelings in tired metaphors and youthful whining.” ‘The Rain Will Come’ has been a resounding success, kicking down doors for the band on a national level. American Songwriter called it “a driving slice of country noir,” and CMT.com praised it as “rugged and lonesome,” saying “this style of country music makes you want to keep your tab open.” KUT-FM put their money on Crooks as the “Austin artist most likely to score big in 2012,” while the Austin American-Statesman predicts that “the seemingly endless stream of media praise… points toward something bigger coming.”
But Mazour takes it all in stride. “I write songs because it's the only thing I'm good at doing. I have no idea what else to do with myself at this point,” he says. “I know I'm still gonna piss some people off, make mistakes, and that I have a lot to learn. If I write a drinking song, it's probably because I went to sleep at six in the morning the night before. That's another thing that sets us apart from a lot of country musicians. I don't think these some of these guys even go to bars anymore. We do, a lot.”
http://www.reverbnation.com/crookscountry#
Here is the first (most notorious) group:
In 2004 The Crooks started their musical journey. Five different forces joined together to make their own music, rock as they never heard before. Many gigs were played and many prizes were won. And things went well. They first released their home made demo, "Dirty Demo", in 2006. A year later followed by the first studio EP "Red". Things still went well and The Crooks were happy to share the stage with lots of great local and international bands, and did so for the following years.
But all of a sudden their bass player decided to quit, and the crooks had a rough year. They decided to start a project called "Phat Thommie's Rock 'n Rolla", playing covers of their heroes. But after a few gigs it was clear that the crooks needed to continue their own crusade of rock.
Determined to find a new bass player, auditions were arranged. After a long search they finally found the right guy with whom they could continue what they do best. The year is 2009 and the band is ready to spread this crook-mania all around the globe again. Be part of it, get crooked!
Biography (Dutch)
In 2004 begon de muzikale reis van the Crooks. Vijf verschillende krachten kwamen samen om hun eigen muziek te maken, rock zoals nog nooit te horen was geweest. Vele optredens werden gespeeld en vele prijzen werden gewonnen. Alles ging goed. Ze brachten een zelf gemaakte demo uit, 'Dirty Demo', in 2006. Een jaar later werd deze opgevolgd door de eerste studio EP 'Red'. Alles ging goed en the Crooks waren blij dat ze het podium mochten delen met vele goede locale en internationale bands, en deden dat dan ook de jaren daarop.
Maar plots besloot hun bassist te stoppen, en hadden the Crooks een lastig jaar. Ze besloten een side-project op te starten dat 'Fat Thommie's Rock 'n Rolla' heette, waarmee ze covers van hun helden speelden. Maar na een paar optredens was duidelijk dat the Crooks niet konden zonder het maken van muziek, en besloten ze door te gaan met hun eigen kruistocht.
Vastberaden een nieuwe bassist te vinden werden er audities gehouden. Na een lange zoektocht vonden ze eindelijk de juiste persoon waarmee zij konden voortzetten wat ze het beste kunnen. Het jaar is 2009 en de band is klaar om zijn crook-mania weer over de wereld uit te spuwen. Be part of it, get crooked!
The other Crooks:
The second is a mod revival group from London, England. After the enormous success of the Jam, The Crooks, like the Chords and Secret Affair, picked up a parka, italian suit, and a vespa and played lively, vigorous songs, equally inspired by their contemporaries and other old mod groups, like the Kinks and Small Faces, for instance.
The third group is a 4-piece new wave dirty rock group out of Roseville, Minnesota.
There is a fourth, unsigned two person instrumental band of this name from Warrenville, Illinois formed in 2007.
THE 5TH: Psychedelic/Blues/Rock haling from DETROIT, MI consisting of Jordan Krebs - Guitar,vox Taylor "T-Rey" Reynolds - Bass Ben Van Camp - Drums, backing vox
Played with : the Muggs, Outrageous Cherry, Brian Vander Ark The Hard Lessons, Mick Bassett and the Marthas, The Handgrenades, Serenity Court, the Cetan Clawson Revolution, Beggars, Oatmeal, The Wall Clocks, The Pizazz, Fixer, Bang Camaro, Johnny Nobody, the Weathervane Cocks, the Ypsitucky Colonels, Commerce and Hiller, SPAG Burlesque, Calvinball,The Darts, The Cosmic Eyes, Third Coast Kings, Mega~Weedge, Trains Can't Stop, Carolyn Striho, Satori Circus, The Hosts, The T-Radicals,Amen Cowboy, Spade Wencer, Blue Black Hours, and more. ..
http://www.facebook.com/thecrooksdetroit
http://www.myspace.com/crooksthe
Waiting For You
The Crooks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mosey on home at no particular time
'Cause Saturday's a canvas you can paint as you please
Pastel impressionism washed in green
The blur of the evening, short and thick on my mind
Takes the edge off the heat of the pounding summer grind
Tomorrow morning I'll be headed out west
Foot on the pedal, nothing tying me down
Still find myself on shaky ground
Your guess is as good as mine
So until we meet again, darling, thank you for your time
It's T minus twenty, I'm halfway over the state
A few short turns and I'll be parked at the gate
City veins are pumping hard pushing me through
Trapped in the rapids there ain't much one can do
My grandmother's voice fills the back of my head
Faded and gentle, like the low tide she said
When I was your age, I threw in the towel
Bought a flood-stained dive bar on the tired side of town
Left the girls with the key, let them wander the tracks
Married a tattered rag and seldom came back
I went and died young with plenty of patches to mend
And I think wherever you're at darling that you'll be fine in the end
I know tomorrow you'll be headed out west
Choking on the valley air and swimming in sweat
Foot on the pedal, nothing tying you down
Still finding yourself on shaky ground
Your guess is as good as mine
So until we meet again, darling, thank you for your time
In "Waiting for You", The Crooks paint a picture of the bittersweet moments and uncertainties that come with living in the present while anticipating the future. The first stanza describes the singer's relaxation on a Saturday, enjoying the freedom of having no plans yet enjoying the pastel colors of the sunset. The second stanza describes him leaving his current life and heading towards his goals out west, despite feeling scared and unsure of what awaits him. He remembers his grandmother, who took a chance on an unconventional life and found happiness, and hopes that he too will find his way. The chorus reiterates that he's on shaky ground, but he'll continue moving forward and cherishes the memories he's made.
The song balances nostalgia for the past with hope for the future and captures the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye to someone who has been a part of your life. The lyrics are open to interpretation - the singer's goals are not specified, so listeners can imagine their own stories and passions. The chorus "your guess is as good as mine" could speak to the uncertainty of the future, or maybe even the inevitability of change. The line "swimming in sweat" could be interpreted as a struggle or as a sensation of being alive.
Overall, "Waiting for You" touches on themes of nostalgia, growth, and hopefulness while celebrating the warm human connections that hold us together in uncertain times.
Line by Line Meaning
Head to the bank, sign the dotted line
Go to the bank and sign an important document that seals the deal.
Mosey on home at no particular time
Take your time and go home whenever you feel like it.
'Cause Saturday's a canvas you can paint as you please
Saturday is a blank slate for you to do whatever makes you happy.
Pastel impressionism washed in green
The day is full of soft, muted colors, with green dominating the landscape.
The blur of the evening, short and thick on my mind
The memories of the evening are hazy in my mind but still vivid.
Takes the edge off the heat of the pounding summer grind
The evening cools down the heat of the relentless summer and provides respite.
Tomorrow morning I'll be headed out west
I'll be leaving for the west tomorrow morning.
Choking on the valley air and swimming in sweat
The hot valley air makes it difficult to breathe, and sweat is pouring off my body.
Foot on the pedal, nothing tying me down
I have the freedom to go wherever I want, with no obligations or restrictions.
Still find myself on shaky ground
Despite this freedom, I'm unsure of myself and my decisions.
Your guess is as good as mine
I'm not sure what the future holds or what I should do next.
So until we meet again, darling, thank you for your time
Until we see each other again, thank you for spending time with me.
It's T minus twenty, I'm halfway over the state
It's twenty minutes until I arrive, and I'm halfway through the state already.
A few short turns and I'll be parked at the gate
I just need to make a few more turns before I arrive at my destination.
City veins are pumping hard pushing me through
The city is alive and moving, propelling me forward as well.
Trapped in the rapids there ain't much one can do
Stuck in the chaos of the city, there's not much one can do to slow down or escape.
My grandmother's voice fills the back of my head
I can hear my grandmother's gentle voice in the back of my mind.
Faded and gentle, like the low tide she said
Her voice is soft and subdued, like the ebb of the ocean tides.
When I was your age, I threw in the towel
When I was your age, I gave up on something and quit.
Bought a flood-stained dive bar on the tired side of town
I bought a run-down bar on the less desirable part of town that had been damaged by a flood.
Left the girls with the key, let them wander the tracks
I left the girls in charge and let them freely explore.
Married a tattered rag and seldom came back
I married someone who was unloved and came back rarely.
I went and died young with plenty of patches to mend
I died young with lots of unfinished business to take care of.
And I think wherever you're at darling that you'll be fine in the end
I believe that no matter where you go or do, you'll be okay in the end.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Henry Bird-Postler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gordon Spence
Had this album as a young mod back in the 80s .. played it loads..