Biography
The Riverboat Gamblers burst out of Denton, Texas, in September 2001 by issuing the “Jenna Is a No Show” 7", a slim vinyl artifact that somehow captured the explosive force already legendary in their UNT house-party performances. An instant classic resulted. Tim Kerr produced the band’s self-titled full-length for Vile Beat, adding further fuel to their combustible rock & roll approach. Teko, aka Mike Wiebe, supplied the whooping lead vocals, while guitarists Freddy Castro (Fadi El-Assad) and Colin Ambulance (Colin James), bassist Spider (Pat Lillard), and drummer Jesse 3X (Jesse Hamilton) completed the lineup. In the manner of the Catheters and Tight Bros from Way Back When, the Gamblers embraced unrestrained 1970s cock rock without concern for nuance. Although major labels expressed intense interest after the group’s typically volcanic 2003 South by Southwest appearance in Austin, Texas, the band chose rawking indie powerhouse Gearhead, which released Something to Crow About in June 2003. A heavy touring schedule followed that summer, including dates alongside MC5, Burning Brides, and Flogging Molly. April 2005 brought a signing with Volcom Entertainment, summer participation on the Warped Tour, and the April 2006 arrival of To the Confusion of Our Enemies. At that point the core of Wiebe, Castro, and Lillard was augmented on guitar by Ian McDougall and, later, on drums by Mark Baker. The configuration endured only a handful of tours; while supporting Against Me! in March 2007, former Gorilla Biscuits drummer Luke Abbey assumed the drum chair. After the comparatively restrained 2009 album Underneath the Owl, the group delivered a harder-edged statement with 2012’s The Wolf You Feed.
Albums