Biography
The Beat Farmers fused roots rock, country-rock, blues, rockabilly, folk-rock, and unadorned rock & roll into their sound. The San Diego outfit possessed a flair for absurdity while boasting several accomplished players who delivered honest, deeply felt songs—occasionally poignant—whenever they paused their drinking. From countless local bar dates the musicians refined their craft until a more discerning Los Angeles crowd discovered them; that bar-band spirit persisted throughout their career, marked by a consistent eagerness to please, a drive to deliver unforgettable performances, and an intolerance for nonsense. Their strongest work emerged in raw form, with the unvarnished 1985 debut Tales of the New West standing as their most rewarding release. Van Go, issued the following year, adopted a smoother production yet showcased the group in strong shape through a collection of standout tunes. The 1987 album The Pursuit of Happiness proved their most cohesive and aggressive rock effort, while the 1990 concert document Loud and Plowed and...LIVE! captured the collective in its element, with an audience matching the band’s evident enjoyment.
Dan McLain assembled the Beat Farmers in 1983 after drumming in the Penetrators and the Crawdaddys and serving as president of a Kinks fan club. McLain also performed under the larger-than-life persona Country Dick Montana, a deep-voiced figure who led the loosely country-oriented Country Dick and the Snugglebunnies. Several skilled players passed through that project—one, Richard Banke, later became Skid Roper, Mojo Nixon’s collaborator—before the lineup tightened into a more focused unit featuring Country Dick on drums and occasional vocals, Jerry Raney handling vocals and guitar, Buddy Blue on guitar and vocals, and Rollie Dexter on bass. Now called the Beat Farmers, they established themselves on the San Diego club circuit. Victory in a citywide Battle of the Bands contest in 1984 opened doors to Los Angeles venues, where they aligned with like-minded acts including the Long Ryders, the Blasters, Los Lobos, and X.
Rhino Records extended a one-album contract as the band’s profile grew, resulting in the $4,000 recording of Tales of the New West, produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos and Mark Linett and released in 1985. The independent album moved briskly and drew enthusiastic notices in both the United States and England. Demon Records, which had licensed Tales of the New West for the U.K., followed with the six-song EP Glad ’N’ Greasy, which also sold quickly amid favorable British press. Curb Records, then distributed by MCA, signed the group to a seven-album agreement. During the sessions for the first Curb release, Van Go, Buddy Blue departed after clashing with label representatives; fellow former Snugglebunny Joey Harris stepped in as lead guitarist and completed the tracks. Issued in 1986, Van Go earned positive reviews, yet Curb struggled to promote the band and sales remained modest. Dave Jerden, later known for work with Jane’s Addiction, Alice in Chains, and Social Distortion, produced the next Curb album, 1987’s The Pursuit of Happiness, which emphasized the band’s more serious material and delivered a harder, more rock-focused sound. Although “Make It Last” gained traction at country radio, stations withdrew support once they realized the Beat Farmers were primarily a rock act, and the album failed to outperform its predecessor commercially.
Disillusionment with Curb mounted as the musicians prepared their third album for the label, the more refined 1989 release Poor and Famous. In downtime, Country Dick Montana and Joey Harris joined Dave Alvin, Mojo Nixon, and a nine-piece ensemble for shows billed as the Pleasure Barons, described as “a Las Vegas revue from acts who aren’t going to be asked to play Las Vegas.” The tour secured an actual Las Vegas booking, later preserved on the 1993 album Live in Las Vegas. The Beat Farmers closed 1989 with three nights at San Diego’s Bacchanal Club, which were taped for future use. To their surprise, Curb assembled and issued Loud and Plowed and...LIVE! from those recordings in 1990 without the band’s involvement. That release ended their association with the label; they exited the contract in 1993.
Health setbacks, including kidney cysts and thyroid cancer, had begun to affect Montana by the time the Beat Farmers could record elsewhere. They continued regardless, issuing their first studio album in five years, Viking Lullabys, through the Texas independent Sector 2 in 1994. A subsequent tour supported the record, followed by the 1995 Sector 2 album Manifold. Additional live dates ensued until November 8, 1995, when the band performed at the Longhorn Saloon in Whistler, British Columbia. Three songs into the set, Country Dick Montana collapsed from his drum stool. Initially presumed a prank, the incident proved fatal; he had suffered a massive heart attack at age 40. The Beat Farmers disbanded within a week. Bar/None Records released Montana’s posthumous solo album The Devil Lied to Me in 1996.
Jerry Raney subsequently fronted the Farmers, a project featuring various Beat Farmers alumni that recorded Loaded in 2005 and Fulmination in 2009. Two further live collections emerged after the original group’s dissolution: Live at the Valley Spring Inn, 1983 in 2003, documenting an early performance, and Heading North 53° N 8° E: Live in Bremen in 2016, drawn from a 1988 German tour. In 2021 Blixa Sounds issued a deluxe reissue of Tales of the New West that appended Live at the Valley Spring Inn, 1983 as a bonus disc.
Dan McLain assembled the Beat Farmers in 1983 after drumming in the Penetrators and the Crawdaddys and serving as president of a Kinks fan club. McLain also performed under the larger-than-life persona Country Dick Montana, a deep-voiced figure who led the loosely country-oriented Country Dick and the Snugglebunnies. Several skilled players passed through that project—one, Richard Banke, later became Skid Roper, Mojo Nixon’s collaborator—before the lineup tightened into a more focused unit featuring Country Dick on drums and occasional vocals, Jerry Raney handling vocals and guitar, Buddy Blue on guitar and vocals, and Rollie Dexter on bass. Now called the Beat Farmers, they established themselves on the San Diego club circuit. Victory in a citywide Battle of the Bands contest in 1984 opened doors to Los Angeles venues, where they aligned with like-minded acts including the Long Ryders, the Blasters, Los Lobos, and X.
Rhino Records extended a one-album contract as the band’s profile grew, resulting in the $4,000 recording of Tales of the New West, produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos and Mark Linett and released in 1985. The independent album moved briskly and drew enthusiastic notices in both the United States and England. Demon Records, which had licensed Tales of the New West for the U.K., followed with the six-song EP Glad ’N’ Greasy, which also sold quickly amid favorable British press. Curb Records, then distributed by MCA, signed the group to a seven-album agreement. During the sessions for the first Curb release, Van Go, Buddy Blue departed after clashing with label representatives; fellow former Snugglebunny Joey Harris stepped in as lead guitarist and completed the tracks. Issued in 1986, Van Go earned positive reviews, yet Curb struggled to promote the band and sales remained modest. Dave Jerden, later known for work with Jane’s Addiction, Alice in Chains, and Social Distortion, produced the next Curb album, 1987’s The Pursuit of Happiness, which emphasized the band’s more serious material and delivered a harder, more rock-focused sound. Although “Make It Last” gained traction at country radio, stations withdrew support once they realized the Beat Farmers were primarily a rock act, and the album failed to outperform its predecessor commercially.
Disillusionment with Curb mounted as the musicians prepared their third album for the label, the more refined 1989 release Poor and Famous. In downtime, Country Dick Montana and Joey Harris joined Dave Alvin, Mojo Nixon, and a nine-piece ensemble for shows billed as the Pleasure Barons, described as “a Las Vegas revue from acts who aren’t going to be asked to play Las Vegas.” The tour secured an actual Las Vegas booking, later preserved on the 1993 album Live in Las Vegas. The Beat Farmers closed 1989 with three nights at San Diego’s Bacchanal Club, which were taped for future use. To their surprise, Curb assembled and issued Loud and Plowed and...LIVE! from those recordings in 1990 without the band’s involvement. That release ended their association with the label; they exited the contract in 1993.
Health setbacks, including kidney cysts and thyroid cancer, had begun to affect Montana by the time the Beat Farmers could record elsewhere. They continued regardless, issuing their first studio album in five years, Viking Lullabys, through the Texas independent Sector 2 in 1994. A subsequent tour supported the record, followed by the 1995 Sector 2 album Manifold. Additional live dates ensued until November 8, 1995, when the band performed at the Longhorn Saloon in Whistler, British Columbia. Three songs into the set, Country Dick Montana collapsed from his drum stool. Initially presumed a prank, the incident proved fatal; he had suffered a massive heart attack at age 40. The Beat Farmers disbanded within a week. Bar/None Records released Montana’s posthumous solo album The Devil Lied to Me in 1996.
Jerry Raney subsequently fronted the Farmers, a project featuring various Beat Farmers alumni that recorded Loaded in 2005 and Fulmination in 2009. Two further live collections emerged after the original group’s dissolution: Live at the Valley Spring Inn, 1983 in 2003, documenting an early performance, and Heading North 53° N 8° E: Live in Bremen in 2016, drawn from a 1988 German tour. In 2021 Blixa Sounds issued a deluxe reissue of Tales of the New West that appended Live at the Valley Spring Inn, 1983 as a bonus disc.
Albums
