Left to right: Richard Holmes, Joe Krowka, Cliff Killion, Danny Mayor

Profile: Danny Nash and the Ramblers

By: A. Jonas, Chicagoactor.com Executive Staff

They’re slick. They’re raw. They’re bitchin. They are Danny Nash and The Ramblers.
This four member band is creating a stir on the local club circuit.

We managed to catch up with lead singer Joe Krowka for some chattin’.

Q: Where did the name Danny Nash and The Ramblers come from?

A: The guys in the band picked this one out. We wanted to keep it with a car theme.. Our old band was the Blue Lincolns. So instead of the Nash Ramblers we went with Danny Nash and the Ramblers. And of course there is no Danny Nash.

Q: Who are the members of the band?

A: Cliff Killion-lead guitar and background vocals
Richard Holmes-bass guitar background vocals
Danny Mayor-drums and background vocals
Joe Krowka-rhythm guitar and lead vocals.

Q: How did you all get together?
A: We were all in a band together for a long time called the Blue Lincolns. We enjoyed each other’s company and playing abilities. Everybody brings something fun and exciting to the group.

Q: You said that everybody brings something fun and exciting to the group..describe what each individual member brings to The Ramblers.

A: Cliff is like our musical professor. He has a vast knowledge of what works and what doesn’t.
Richard is a solid bass player and a person who keeps everybody in line. We practice at his house and he is very knowledgeable about electronics. Which always comes in handy. Danny is our joker of the group. He keeps things light and reminds us it’s about the music. And we remind him to show up on time. I may not be the best musician, singer or guitar player. But I know how to work a crowd and get them going. Once we do the whole bad takes over and gets the crowd into a frenzy.

Q: What kind of music does the band play?

A: We play originals, contemporary and classic rock music. We play Johnny Cash to Tom Petty. Stones to surf music, rock-a-billy and the blues. More variety the better.

Q: Well they say that variety is the spice of life…but surf music? Somehow, I can’t picture you singing with a beach ball being thrown about like The Beach Boys or shall I say the remaining members of the Beach Boys do when they are on tour. How does the band choose the songs and who sings what song?

A: The thing about surf music is anything but throwing a beach ball around. Surf music puts you in the pipeline as your ready to hang ten or wipeout. No such antics as beach party bingo. Being the only lead singer in the group it’s easy to figure out who is singing the song. As far as back up singing goes we move it around as much as we can. It’s a whole network of different combinations. Of course we’re going to do songs we can sing. Which still covers a large genre of music.

Q: I don’t see ABBA on your list of cover tunes. What classics does the band cover and why?

A: No you won’t see ABBA on our list or Bay City Rollers. Nothing against that type of music but it’s not our cup of tea. Our classics are what they are CLASSICS. “Treat Me Like A Fool,” Elvis. “Road House Blues,” Doors. “Don’t Let Me Down,” Beatles. When I sing “Oh Darlin’” I walk into the crowd and have people sing along with me. They just love it. Especially the girls.The important thing to remember is we do the classics our own way. We give it the Nash Rambler touch. We are not a tribute band.

Q: How would you describe your voice quality…for instance Paul McCartney has a smooth voice, Don Henley has a raspy rugged type of voice quality, as does Bruce Springsteen…..

A: My voice quality is what it is for that particular song. It could be raspy or scraping the throat. Or a softer voice for a ballad. Some songs I can rest my voice while I’m singing while other songs are hard core in your face.

Q: We understand that you write a lot of the band’s material. Would you elaborate?

A: I’ve been writing songs since I was a little kid. I’ve been in many bands since I was 15. In everyone of those groups I wrote songs for them. I wrote songs accordingly to what kind of band it was. The Nash Ramblers are working on some new songs we wrote as a band. I think these tunes will be some of our best original material.

Q: How did your parents react to your obvious passion for performing? In your house, what music did your family listen to?
A: Growing up in a large family we were always performing for each other. I remember listening to a lot of different kinds of music. Frank Sinatra, Polkas, Billie Holiday and a wide assortment of children’s music. We played those records constantly.
My escape to the outside world was my transistor radio I played under my pillow at night. It might have been a transistor radio but it was the size of a bread box. I bought my first guitar against my father wishes. And spent a lot of time away from the house practicing. And when I told my parents I’m studying acting they were not very pleased. Yet they came to see me perform in a play. I wondered why would they come and see me if they didn’t want me to be in this kind of work. They told me that if I wanted it bad enough I would go after it in spite of their differences. Very smart.

Q: Who are your personal music heroes and why? What is your favorite type of music-blues, rock-n-roll….hip hop…yes, I definitely can see you doing some hip hop material…..

A: My personal heroes are Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, Neil Young and many more. These are guys that just kept going in spite of all kinds of adversity. Great lyricists. Great players. Great people. I love all types of music. Every single genre of music has something to offer. I can’t say I like any one more than the other. There isn’t one song on our set list that I don’t enjoy doing.( I think the only hip-hop I would do is when my pants are at my ankles and I have to get to the bathroom.)

Q: You’ve been writing songs since you were 15. That means that you have a huge catalog of songs. Just how many songs have you personally written?
A: I’ve written so many songs that they’re not all categorized. Some are just started. Some are half finished. Some may never see the light of day because of the different music I’m playing now. Playing in other bands through the years allowed me to write all kinds of different songs. Songs for movies. I even have a Christmas song I wrote for an independent movie that I hope will be on the radio next year. More songs than I can remember.

Q: From Paul McCartney, to Johnny Cash, to The BeeGees, to The Eagles, they all agree that writing songs are a very personal experience for the songwriter. What is your most personal song and why?

A: Almost all my songs are personal. Some are from personal experiences. Some are other people’s experiences. If I HAVE to pick one song it would be “Can’t Let It Happen Anymore”. The first two verses were written about someone I was emotionally attached to. The last verse was written many years later when that person was no longer in my life. Of course “Mama Always Knew” is also a very personal song. “Frisco” is a personal song even though it was co-written. Bob Steele has been a song writing partner of mine for many years. A lot of our songs are about are travels around the country to bad marriages. But they are personal.

Q: I believe you told me that you had written a song for a movie….tell us more about that and the process….

A: It works both ways. I had an audition to play Santa in this movie. The script had the same feel as my song did. So I took it to the audition. Afterwards I presented it to them. They didn’t hire me for the part but they loved my song enough to use it. For the movie “Sprinkle The Infield” I hadn’t read the script yet but was working on the lyrics as I drove cross-country to California. The only thing I knew about the script was it was somewhat about a group of older guys coming back one more time to play for the softball championship.The song started to sound like a Hootie and the Blowfish tune. After I read the script, the movie is supposed to take place in Chicago. I dropped a few lines and turned it into a blues tune.

Q: How do you like to write….and we don’t mean in your birthday suit! Does the music come first or the lyrics? Some songwriters will sit in a room with a piece of paper and a musical instrument and treat it like a 9-5 job. Other songwriters have the gift of a song popping in their head….so tell us your secret……

A: If I’m collaborating of course it’s a little easier, Two heads are better than one. Sometimes it just pops into my head. Other times it seem to take forever. For two years I played with a group who never left the basement. Very good musicians but didn’t have great desire to play out. The lead guitar player had written all this music with another person who had passed away. He wanted me to write all the lyrics for about fifteen songs. But he would not change one chord, note or anything in respect to his deceased friend. I had to weave all the lyrics in and around the melody. Some were smooth and easy. Others just took forever and I found myself writing a ton of lyrics just for one song. It was quite a challenge I enjoyed.

Q: The Moody Blues have just opened their music catalog for consideration in TV/Radio Advertising Commercial campaigns, they join the ranks of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, even The BeeGees in doing so. However, some artists still refuse to do so. They feel that it is selling out. How do you feel about that, and would you consider opening your music catalog for TV and Radio commercials?

A: If an artist feels like he’s selling out then he is. If he doesn’t feel like selling out he isn’t. It’s that simple. I doubt if any up and coming artist would feel that way.(selling out) Why wouldn’t they want their song to be heard and the money that comes with it. Besides a song on a commercial gets more air time than the radio. Some songs become more popular when they’re played over and over again. It allows a whole generation to hear something (over and over) again that they might not have otherwise.

I would love to have one of my tunes or more in commercials. And if they wanted to redo it to their needs, please be my guest.

Q: Do you sleep with a tape recorder and a pad of paper and pen near your bed?

A: I used to sleep with a pad by my bed but not anymore. I do what Jagger does and probably a lot of other artists. Carry around with me a tablet and pen and when I hear a phrase, line, group of words that sound good together I write them down. In California, I once hiked three miles into a canyon and was able to come up with the one line that I needed to finish a song that was going to be in Western movie. The producer loved the music so much he decided to put it in during the credits. Not a bad place to be. Except he didn’t want any of the lyrics. Just the music. That’s show business.

Q: What song in your set is the absolute favorite of audiences?

A: Every song we do gets a great response from the audience. Some more than others. When people are up and dancing and singing along with us we know we’re playing the right songs. Johnny Cash “Folsom Prison Blues” people really go overboard for as well as the song “California Sun” and our original tune “Bitchin.” It’s so great to hear people sing the lyrics along with you to an original tune.

Q: Some bands love performing so much they never want to leave the stage. Springsteen and The E Street Band and The Eagles play for 3 hours, how long is your set?

A: We don’t believe in playing the traditional 45 min. on and 15 min. breaks. That’s ridiculous. In clubs, our first set is over an hour and our second set goes well over that. When people are dancing and having a great time we are not going to stop to take a break. We just keep playing.

Q: Rehearsing can be daunting. Some bands prefer not to rehearse and like it “raw.” However, Glenn Frey said The Eagles have something that is known as “The Circle Of Fear” which as Frey explains “There’s nowhere to hide. You like to kinda come out here and see that everybody’s got it and we’re all, you know, singing the right things.” What is The Ramblers’ “circle of fear”? How many times do you rehearse and for how long?

A:When we rehearse it’s usually four to five hours long at least three times a week. Each rehearsal is used for a specific reason. Some rehearsals are just for vocals while others would be for new songs. And others just running through the entire show. Then of course we practice individually when we’re at home. Our only circle of fear is when the cops come around and surround us.

Q: You play rhythm guitar in The Ramblers. Did you have formal training? And do the other members of the band have formal musical training?

A: We all have some musical training. We all have been in bands our whole life and that’s musical training you can’t get in a classroom.

Q: What careers do the band members have outside of The Ramblers?

A: Outside of the band I’m an actor/model painter of homes and residential construction. Danny is a musician. Richard works in the glass business. Cliff is in the trim business

Q: Do The Ramblers have a website?

A: We are working on a website which we hope will be up and running shortly.

Q: The Moody Blues, The Beatles, The Eagles, The Rolling Stones, just about any band will say that being in a band is like being part of a family….your thoughts?

A: Being in a band is like a marriage and like family. You have conflict yet you really care about each other. I believe bandmates are closer than most friends. Because you are friends first. Sometimes there is friction but most times we do it because it’s so much fun.

Q: What do you see for the future of The Ramblers?

A: I see the band for the future adding a keyboard player as well as some horns. Down the road of course. A band is a living breathing thing and you have to keep re-inventing yourself to stay where you want to be.

Q: What is the next project for Danny Nash and The Ramblers, an album perhaps?

A: We’re looking forward to recording our new songs which will be part of our new CD.

Q: With your experience, do you have any advice that you would like to share for up and coming bands?

A: I’m not one to give advice but if your in a band just keep at it all the time. Musicians will come and go
but if you believe in what your doing it will happen. The more you put in the more you’ll get out of it.

Danny Nash and The Ramblers will be playing at the following venues:
Friendlys Tap- Feb 9th in Berwyn on the corner of Oak Park and Roosevelt Rd.
Feb. 17th at Doc Ryans in Forest Park at 4 pm for the CAEEL Benefit
Feb. 23rd at Circle Inn on Circle Ave. in Forest Park. Show starts 9:30 pm.

For more information on Danny Nash and The Ramblers email Ramblers@Chicagoactor.com.

Joe Krowka has been an actor for over 25 years and is a member of AFTRA and SAG. Currently, Krowka is
represented by several Chicago talent agencies including: Shirley Hamilton Talent Agency, Grossman/Jack Talent Agency and Stewart Talent Agency.