Thunderpants Johnson's Hillbilly Orchestra

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In the winter months of 2003 two friends were hanging out, playing acoustic guitars, in a living room, on a Sunday afternoon. Week after week, Sunday after Sunday, they did it again. The more beers they drank, the more they mixed random blues and country songs into their song list. It was much more loose than your standard band practice. More like hanging out and playing acoustic music for fun. They'd play a few tunes, shoot the shit, smoke a few cigarettes, play a few more tunes, and repeat in different order. Because of the relaxed nature to these "sessions", family and friends were often known to swing by at anytime. What happened next is that these family and friends wanted to play music with them as well and quickly started becoming part of the fabric of the music that was being played. Two guitars expanded to became three and a harp. Three acoustic guitars became too much, so one guitarist switched to a mandolin to mix it up. Once that happened the flood gates were open for something a little different. It was in these early stages that the idea of a jug band came about. They were already playing lots of old blues and country tunes that they started to investigate jug band music. They realized that it would be ridiculous, but to do it right they needed to get some homemade instruments into the mix. Almost immediately they found a washboard player, a jug player, and a washtub bass player sitting on the living room couches and the idea was in full swing. Throw a handful of kazoos in there and a Massachusetts jug band was born!! Sometime in these early stages the mandolin was switched out with a banjo. This gave everything a much more rhythmic/driving sound which seems to be the signature of the band today. The intention was never really to go out and play shows, it was more about hanging out and having a good time. However, in the Fall of 2004, after many Sunday afternoons of hanging out on Cedar St drinking beers and having a few laughs while belting out tunes, "Thunderpants Johnson's Hillbilly Orchestra" got together on stage at Evos Arts Institute in Lowell, MA and played for an audience for the first time. No one in the band will say that they sounded good, but they definitely made an impression. From that point on TPJHO have been playing shows month after month with many of the people from that night at Evos still in attendance. A few instruments have been added and/or changed hands over the years, but the spirit and attitude of the band is still a bunch of friends hanging out, playing music, and having a good time. The vibe they give off is infectious and sure crack you up and make you stomp your feet.