Story by Susan Latiolait
Photo provided by the Water Tower Bucket Boys
Sarcastically describing themselves as the Kelly Clarkson of bluegrass, the Water Tower Bucket Boys and the music they make clearly do not fit one particular genre. With a unique sound that can most closely be described as indie-folk psychedelic bluegrass, this Portland-based band is embarking on a tour that will take them up and down the West Coast and through the United Kingdom and southern Ireland.
The fun-loving and outgoing band consists of an inimitable blend of instruments with Kenny Feinstein (vocals, mandolin, guitar, harmonica), Josh Rabie (vocals, fiddle, guitar, harp) and Cory Goldman (vocals, banjo, guitar). The group has previously played with Mumford & Sons, Wilco, and Woody Pines.
Listen for the group Friday, February 11 at 4 p.m. on KWVA campus radio before they play live at 9 p.m. at Sam Bond’s Garage. With undeniable musical talent and creativity, the Water Tower Bucket Boys sat down with Ethos to discuss their music both here and abroad.
Susan Latiolait: How did you meet? How did the band start?
Kenny Feinstein: We met through school. Cory and I met in high school and we played in a punk band together.
Josh Rabie: When we all got to college we started playing bluegrass together.
KF: Playing on the streets is really how we got our start whether it was Portland, Eugene, Alabama, or anywhere.
SL: I see that you all play many instruments and all participate in vocals. Does this help in your songwriting?
Cory Goldman: We can arrange things kind of anyway we want. We can switch the instrumentation around completely or not. People sing the songs they write, pretty much. We generally sit around together and work with different arrangement options and see what harmonies sound best. It is individual song writing but a group arrangement process.
SL: Who are some of your musical influences?
JR: We are all over the map as far as influences. We started off playing traditional bluegrass and then we got more into songwriting and trying new things. We have been working on acoustic covers from Rihanna and Lady Gaga.
KF: And the reason for working on those songs is because we got a call from the show America’s Got Talent. We are going to do Rihanna’s “Only Girl (In the World).”
JR: And Sublime’s “What I Got.”
SL: Are you really trying out for America’s Got Talent?
KF: We had never even seen the show, but we got a call inviting us to an invite-only audition. We can’t make it because we will be on tour but we are going to send them a video, but yes, we did get an invite for the show. We should know in a couple of months if we are going to make it to the next round of auditions.
SL: Is there an album you have put out that you are particularly proud of?
JR: We have put out four albums and we are probably most proud of our recent one, Soul Kitchen, which came out April 20, 2010. It’s our first album of all original songs. We are proud to show everyone the new sound we have been working on.
SL: Explain more about your upcoming tour.
CG: We are going down to California to play at the San Francisco Bluegrass & Old-Time Festival.
JR: We will also be playing a week in the Bay Area. We will also be playing in a high school in Oakland where we’ll give them a demonstration of this music and show them that it’s cool. It’s fun to branch out and play to the younger kids, get them inspired. Last time we did it they were really into it. We like getting the music out to younger kids and trying to get them to play the instruments and have fun with it like we did.
SL: Are you finding that your kind of music, the psychedelic bluegrass sound, is branching out more to the public?
KF:  Especially with some of our newer songs and newer approach it is becoming a more pop sound. I think psychedelic bluegrass is much more pop than traditional bluegrass.
JR: Psychedelic is key there.
CG: We are really trying to be the Kelly Clarkson of bluegrass.
SL: What is next for you?
CG: We want to collaborate with Justin Bieber.
KF: And Snoop Dogg.
JR: We are looking forward to going abroad. Places like Holland, Japan, and Australia are on our roster for next year. We want to go all over the world and get our music out there.
KF: Basically the goal is to have a good time and make a living at the same time.

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Water Tower Bucket Boys, Playing Psychedelic Bluegrass