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Band takes on new sound with folk, Irish influences
BY JOEL GEHRINGER / Lincoln Journal Star
Thursday, Oct 06, 2005 - 11:51:36 pm CDT
It’s not uncommon for a band to cross genres with its music. Many groups dabble in different styles and experiment with new sounds. What is uncommon is for a band to switch genres completely, leaving all their old material behind and starting anew with a completely different style. The Killigans did both.
“We just kind of play what we want, what we feel like playing together, what we enjoy,” said lead singer Brad Hoffman.
Hoffman, along with brothers Chris and Pat Nebesniak, are founding members of the band formerly known as Settle for Less.
But about two years ago, the trio switched their old vibe for a new project that crosses the lines of folk, punk, Irish and Americana.
They’ll sample that sound Saturday at Duggan’s Pub, 440 S. 11th St.
“We don’t play anything hardcore, but we’re not pop-punk, either,” Hoffman said. “We still have sort of a punk feel.”
These days the Killigans use instruments such as mandolin and acoustic guitar. It’s quite a change from the old days.
Hoffman and the Nebesniak brothers started Settle for Less in 1999. Originally, the band was a ska-punk outfit, though not as known as similar groups, like the JV All*Stars.
“But we were friends with those guys so we would open for them a lot,” Hoffman said.
Nevertheless, Settle for Less gained a small following in Lincoln and continued with ska until Hoffman moved to California in the spring of 2002.
After moving, he discovered an Irish bar named Tom Giblin’s.
“We had always liked Flogging Molly and the Pogues,” Hoffman said, “but when I went out there and heard all these folk tunes, it was awesome.”
Hoffman found a new interest in Irish and folk music. Unbeknownst to him, Chris Nebesniak also had switched his interest to folk.
“It was totally coincidence that Chris was back here getting into the same thing,” Hoffman said.
When they learned of each other’s new interest, the two started recording demos and mailing them between Nebraska and California, which allowed them to write songs even though they were 1,300 miles apart.
“By the time I moved back (in spring 2003), Chris and I were on the same wavelength,” Hoffman said.
Once again, Settle for Less began playing its ska songs together, but band members said they just weren’t as into the music, so they began experimenting and giving their songs more folk and roots elements.
“We had to go with our guts,” Hoffman said.
The new material initially met mixed opinions.
“It was an interesting reaction (from fans),” Hoffman said. “People would come up to us and say, ‘What are you guys doing? I came here looking for Settle for Less the ska band and I saw this Irish, folk stuff.’”
By October 2004, the band added Greg Dank on fiddle and changed its name to the Killigans.
“Right about the time we hired Greg, things fell into place,” Hoffman said.
Just a year later, the Killigans is nearly finished with its first album, due out in mid-November.
“Everything in it sounds really big, and the vocals should sound really energized,” Chris Nebesniak said. “There’s one laid-back song in there. Otherwise, it’s pretty much rousing, drinking music.”
Both he and Hoffman said they know they’re not the first group to play their genre of music, and they gave credit to Flogging Molly, the Tossers and the Dubliners for influencing them.
The Killigans just want to enjoy playing music, members said, no matter what genre that may be.
“This music’s been around forever,” Hoffman said. “If anything sets us apart, it’s that it’s catchy. We’re just trying to play music and have a good time.”
Reach Joel Gehringer at 473-7254 or jgehringer@journalstar.com.
If you go
What: The Killigans, The Amalgamators
Where: Duggan’s Pub, 440 S. 11th St.
When: 10 p.m. Saturday
Admission: $5, 21 and older
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