​Knot your average band

They know it’s only rock ‘n roll, but they like it

The Knotties’ sound is gritty--maybe even a little bit dirty, but it’s only rock n’ roll right? Front man Channing Minnema’s throaty vocals evoke a sound well beyond the young band’s years. The Knotties are a four-man blues rock band consisting of Channing Minnema (guitar and vocals), Josh Wilcox (guitar and vocals), Michael Mooridian (bass and vocals), and Jon Hunter (percussion).

They’ve gotten a reputation in Fargo Moorhead for their signature blues rock sound and high energy performances. Imagine early Black Sabbath meets The Record Company with an occasional peppering of funk.

High Plains Reader had a chance to chat with bassist Michael Mooridian prior to Locals on the 8 Fest this coming Friday at the Aquarium. The proceeds from Locals on the 8 Fest will go benefit the volunteer-run 95.9 Radio Free Fargo.

High Plains Reader: How long have The Knotties been around?

Michael Mooridian: We've all played or jammed in various combinations for at least a couple years before the Knotties came together. Channing and Pop actually used to play around Fargo in a rock group called The Richards in which Pop was the lead singer and Channing drummed. But the Knotties truly came together with the four of us for the first time early last summer.

Because we all were veterans of the Fargo music scene, we were lucky enough to play some of our favorite venues just months after forming.

HPR: I was chatting with Channing a while back and he mentioned that you guys may be relocating to Lake Lillian -- he mentioned a killer recording setup. Can you tell us a bit about your plans out there?

MM: Channing and Jon live in Lake Lillian (that's near Willmar, Minnesota), while Pop and I live in Fargo. We tend to do most of our practicing and songwriting in Lake Lillian, though. It's a small town, and it's out of the way; and because of this, it serves as a sort of musical oasis, a place where we can disappear to for an entire weekend and just enjoy each other’s company and jam in the old town hardware store. Soon, though, we'll be moving over to an old church in the town, and we plan to start hosting shows there. Channing and Jon will also be living in the church!

HPR: Who are your influences? I dig the blues rock -- it sounds not of this decade (which I think is a good thing).

MM: We definitely draw a lot of influence from the past, but that's not really a conscious choice. We just love 60s and 70s blues and psychedelic rock! Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, etc. But we aren't strictly old school. Jon has a very diverse taste in music; Pop loves the Kings of Leon as well as Catfish and the Bottlemen; I (unsurprisingly) have a deep love for the Red Hot Chili Peppers; and Channing (a little surprisingly) adores Tool. And you can hear all of these influences throughout our songs; even Tool crops up during some of our more orchestrated, longer segments. The outro to "Final Bid" comes to mind.

But we've never made a conscious effort to sound or not sound like another band. If the sounds of other artists come out in our music, it's because those artists affected us at one time or another.

HPR: I see that you were just on tour--how long were you on the road and what were some of your highlights?

MM: We set out on an eight-day tour and made it as far as Nashville. But more than any single stop, I think we all miss spending time on the bus with each other. Sure, we sometimes fight like brothers, and we know exactly which buttons to push when we want to get the other members riled up! But we all found that it was really hard to come back to our normal routines after living mere inches from each other for so long. We can't wait to do it again.

HPR: You are known for your high energy shows, was it difficult to maintain that level of enthusiasm throughout your tour?

MM: I have never seen my bandmates fake their love for performing, for their music, or for their audience. Our music is the first and truest passion any of us have, and I don't see us slowing down anytime soon.

HPR: Your facebook bio notes a sense of restlessness in your music--how would you describe the sense of restlessness? Where does it stem from?

MM: It's tough to put this into words -- especially briefly -- but we'll try.

Without getting into personal details, my bandmates have seen a lot in life--both in their lives and of the world. Channing is originally from Florida, and Pop hails from North Carolina. They're both far from home, and I don't think either of them feel as though they've ever really put down roots in any one place.

As for myself, my roots run a little too deep. I come from Jamestown, a small town in North Dakota without much to offer in terms of art, culture, or open mindedness. (Channing spent several years in Valley City and would likely concur with these feelings.) I spent the first 25 years of my life without much to show for it, and I intend to never waste another day. I want to see what life has to offer -- the good, the bad, the different. Jon hails from an even smaller town in Minnesota, and while I can't speak for him, I suspect he shares a lot of the same feelings as I do.

HPR: What's next for the Knotties?

MM: Over the course of the last year, we've recorded several demos of varying quality. This summer, we intend to lock ourselves up in Lake Lillian and record our first true LP in its entirety. We have a lot of songs that we want to share with friends, family, fans, and strangers.

You can hear our collection of mastered demos as theknotties.bandcamp.com until then, though!

IF YOU GO 

Locals on the 8 Fest 

Friday, May 26, 6:30pm-1am 

The Aquarium, 226 Broadway, Fargo $8, proceeds to keep KRRF open