Mo'Debly

Well, we ain't rock stars we play music in bars. Though now and then we kick the shit outta some jams. This is How it Happened…. In 1980, having been exiled from New Orleans while a member of Aces88, C.Mac found himself in Austin, Tx. He was on his way to the west coast, but an overnight stop and a recommendation by the Red Rockers turned Austin into his new home. Mostly because of a club scene powered by Raul’s club. However… Austin in the... More

Well, we ain't rock stars we play music in bars. Though now and then we kick the shit outta some jams. This is How it Happened…. In 1980, having been exiled from New Orleans while a member of Aces88, C.Mac found himself in Austin, Tx. He was on his way to the west coast, but an overnight stop and a recommendation by the Red Rockers turned Austin into his new home. Mostly because of a club scene powered by Raul’s club. However… Austin in the 80’s was like being in Berkeley in the 60’s, Mac soon separated from the Ace’s. Forming a band he named Trouble Boys, he deviated from the punk background of his previous band. The Trouble Boys began playing rockabilly in Austin clubs about 6 months prior to the release of the Stray Cats first LP. In timely fashion, they became premier performers of the Austin club/ concert scene. Sharing stages with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Steven Doster, The Romantics, Joe Ely, The Squeeze and The Clash earned them a name and a mention in Texas Monthly’s volume on music history.Reed Berry was discovered lurking outside a window at an early Trouble Boys rehearsal; guitar in hand and playing the songs he heard through the window. All of about 16 yrs old, he and Mac became fast friends instantly.  Originally from Waco, Reed moved to Austin in 69. His parents were music lovers. So much so, they raised Reed up under the tables at Soap Creek Saloon and the Armadillo World Headquarters. He left home at 15 with a guitar and a backpack, hitch hiked and train jumped all the way out to the land of Owsley on the west coast. The Trouble Boys lasted till 83, when Mac left along with bassist Tom Rowsey and singer Alice Berry. Having come across a young Monty Warden, the band Whoa! Trigger was formed to take the rockabilly wave to a “no drums” sun sessions sound. After Mac’s sudden departure from Whoa! Trigger, Reed was invited to step in as guitarist. He spent the 3 hour drive from Austin to Houston learning the Whoa! Trigger catalog for his first show with them the next night. The ensuing success of Whoa! Trigger with Reed as guitarist is Austin music history; winning the Austin Chronicles best new band in his first year with them. After Whoa! Trigger broke up, Reed stayed on to help Monty write songs in 86 and that led to The Wagoneers and their first LP, Stout and High released in about 1988 with high acclaims.Mac had a new group of players in mind, centered around Bassist Jimbo Wallace prior to The Rev. Horton Heat. Unfortunately it was a very short lived project, resulting in Mac’s return to New Orleans, where he played for years prior to Hurricane Katrina with musicians John Markley (Louie Fontaine and the Starlight searchers), bassist Kent Box and the bands Absinthe Minded, Whiskey Bone, and O.L.D. The hurricane was all the catalyst needed to send Mac back to Austin and reunite him with Reed. By sheer chance Mac moved into a house in central Austin, which had new neighbors as well. It was there that Jon Alderson comes into the picture. Musician, engineer, and producer, Jon grew up in his dad’s recording studio and learned the ins and outs of sound. He plays bass with Chris Catalina and the Native Americans, but was instantly the right fit for Mo’ Debly on drums. Peter Treese was the mainstay bass player for Mo’ Debly. He and Reed grew up together and when Reed picked up the guitar, Peter picked up the bass. Later on, when Mo’ Debly formed, Peter was the logical choice and he laid the foundation for the band to build its sound on.  Turns in life changed Peter’s path and he departed Mo’ Debly as friends. Several iterations of bass players later, Mo’ Debly found Dave Curran. Answering an internet ad, Dave connected with the raw sound of the band. Although Dave had only been playing bass for just a little over a year, he brought an approach and style that Mo’ Debly had been looking for. And when Dave said he would never play a song the same way twice, Mac, Reed and Jon knew they found their bassist. The chemistry is unstoppable.Mo’ Debly. Less