Rum Runner

Rum Runner was formed in Calgary, Alberta at the end of 2001. In lieu of the demise of their previous band, longtime musical associates Al Drinkle (guitar/vocals) and Kurt Jensen (bass) enlisted the likes of Mike Longfield (drums) and Brad Rosgen (guitar) to complete the original lineup of their most ambitious venture to date. Working out various growing pains as they went along, one of which was Brad, the young band set out in pursuit of their goal: to marry the 20th Century’s most eclectic music with the ethics and energy embodied by Punk Rock. Drawing musical influence from such artists as Bukka White, Bo Diddley, The Who, Big Youth and the Pogues, and lyrical inspiration from the likes of Raymond Chandler, Albert Camus and the spirit of youth, Rum Runner has been successful in brewing a style of rootsy Punk Rock that is as exciting as it is unique. And one could hardly forget to mention their furious live show and curious penchant for Prohibition Era imagery. However, the frequency of lineup changes had become a slight problem for the band. Al, Kurt and Mike worked unsuccessfully with three rhythm guitarists between the summers of 2002 and 2003, even recording their 7” A Tribute To The Pogues (Pedestrian Records) as a three-piece. Recognizing the constant training of new members as a major impediment and quaintly blaming the “nature of guitarists” for their seemingly perpetual lineup troubles, Rum Runner worked with various “fill-in” musicians for a time and entered the studio again as a three-piece in the summer of ’03. These four days in the studio resulted in the band’s debut full length, "Association", which was released in March of 2004 on New York’s Longshot Music. Meanwhile, the band solved their guitarist problem by handing Mike a Gibson hollowbody and recruiting Carey Maillot as their permanent drummer. With a box of records, Rum Runner hit the North American roads twice in ‘04, winning over scores of new fans with their refreshingly post modern Punk Rock. Ten days in the studio during July ’05 resulted in the Dead Men are Heavier than Broken Hearts 7” (Longshot Music) and the band’s sophomore long-player, Rum Runner "In Guns At Cyrano's", which will be released by Stumble Records in June of 2006. Consisting of twelve songs that witness the union of Blues, Bluegrass, outlaw music, ‘50s Pop, Reggae and Punk Rock, the record stands as Rum Runner’s most successful step towards satiating the public craving for a fresh kind of high energy music that looks way back for inspiration.

Association (2004)

01 - Association
02 - Nervous Wreck
03 - Whiskey And Wisdom
04 - Torn Ten Dollar Bill
05 - Balls
06 - Street Credibility
07 - The Green Sod
08 - 10:30 In The Morning
09 - Dragonflies
10 - Nagelbett
11 - Industry
12 - Streams Of Whiskey

Dead Mean Are Heavier Than Hearts 7'' (2005)

01 - Dead Mean Are Heavier Than Hearts
02 - Body Of An American

Sings... Tonight! Tonight! Tonight! & Icewagon 7'' (2011)

01 - Tonight! Tonight! Tonight!
02 - Icewagon

In Guns At Cyrano's (2012)

01 - The Punks Are Due On Maple Street
02 - So Long Outsider
03 - Sugar Sweet
04 - These Tiny Hours
05 - Glass Heart Roller
06 - My Rifle, My Pony And Me
07 - Hollywood Gods
08 - Discourse On The Canadian Interpretation Of The Irish Pub
09 - Secrets And Lies
10 - The Visitor
11 - My Way Home
12 - Dead Men Are Heavier Than Broken Hearts

What's The Music Mean To You? (2013)

01 - Love's Lovely Counterfeit
02 - Tobacco Eyes
03 - What's The Music Mean To You?
04 - Volnay
05 - Die Quietly
06 - The Dipsomaniacal Sentimentalist
07 - Lareina
08 - The Leaving Of Liverpool
09 - A Portrait Of The Artist As A Drunk Man
10 - The Solar Pessimist
11 - Sacrifice
12 - You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond

Rum Runner & The Blotto Boys
A Tribute To The Pogues EP (2003)

01 - Rum Runner - If I Should Fall From Grace With God
02 - Rum Runner - Streams Of Whiskey
03 - The Blotto Boys - Transmetropolitan
04 - The Blotto Boys - The Boys From Hoserville

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