Deadstring Brothers

Kurt Marschke: vocals/guitars
Philip Skarich: bass/backing vocals
Masha Marjieh: back vocals/percussion

It may be a surprise to hear the wistful Americana sounds of Detroit’s Deadstring Brothers coming from a city better known for loud rock. However, desolation, frustration and regret have always been present where great country music has been played. Detroit has its share of these characteristics, from its bombed-out inner city to its sterile suburbs.

Not unlike Exile-era Stones, the Deadstring Brothers’ self-titled debut delivers a menacing sound that draws equally on the melancholy of country ballads and the abandon of rock and blues. The band’s music is deeply rooted in the storytelling and instrumental traditions of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and the “Outlaw Movement,” but is also informed by the song structure and understated aggression commonly associated with Detroit bands.

Deadstring Brothers began as a two-piece in fall 2001 when muilt-instrumentalists Kurt Marschke and Philip Skarich met and discovered their mutual love of old country music. Between the two of them, Skarich and Marschke play banjo, mandolin, lap steel, guitar, bass, and percussion. With the addition of singer Masha Marjieh and a rotating cast of talented backing musicians, Deadstring Brothers started playing live, and later headed into the studio.

The haunting melodies on Deadstring Brothers reveal the influence of early ‘70s rock icons like The Band and Gram Parsons, while Marschke’s vocals betray the more modern influence of outré singer/songwriters like Jeff Buckley, Leonard Cohen, and Nick Cave. Deadstring Brothers have worked to develop their own take on Americana, drawing influences from a variety of sources. “It’s all in there somehow,” declares Marschke, “but blues and country music just feel the most natural.”

Deadstring Brothers’ live performances have the energy of lo-fi guitar rock, but sophisticated arrangements keep them from being “just another Detroit band.” In their hometown, the Deadstring Brothers have shared the stage with acts ranging from Cat Power and Eleni Mandell to Jesse Malin, the Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash and Jesse Sykes. In early 2004, Deadstring Brothers took their act across the pond, hitting clubs and radio stations in London and much of the UK. They are embarking on a tour with Bastard Sons in the States, and bringing their tunes to a town near you…