Country-meets-punk band doesn’t stray from its roots

Megan Clemens

Punk and country.

The genres have about as much in common as George W. Bush and Saddam Hussein.

It’s too bad, then, that Grahm Reynolds isn’t involved with politics — if he can combine the two musical styles, he can probably mend the differences between just about anyone.

“I bleach my hair, drink beer and love traditional country music,” says Reynolds, head man of Four on the Floor.

Reynolds says he calls himself a punker, although he admits he may not fit the punk-rock stereotype.

His band is composed of two parts, one half being Four on the Floor and the other Overdrive. The bands include Jeremy Evans on lap steel and guitar, fiddler Emily Nelson, bassist Ed Schneiders, drummer Troy Ulrich and Reynolds on lead guitar and lead vocals.

Half of the band plays the country side of the music and the other plays punk rock. Reynolds says this mix gives the band’s shows more variety.

Originally from Alabama, Reynolds says there was no escape from traditional country music from the start for him.

“When you’re from the South, it’s standard issue — you’re born and then you get your Willie Nelson box set,” he says.

Reynolds says he challenges students to make the road trip down to Des Moines for the show.

“I’m 34 years old and I rocked it at the M-Shop all night on a Monday. It’s a tit-for-tat thing,” Reynolds says. “If I can do it, 20-year-old students can.”

One of Reynolds’ dreams is that an artist of the caliber of Willie Nelson would walk into one of his shows and be impressed.

“I’d hope they’d say ‘Wow, they made me want to drink some beer and have some fun,'” Reynolds says.

The band member’s ultimate goal is to get signed and prove traditional country music is still vital — and play more shows.

“If I could, I’d play every night of the week, get up and go to work hung over and still have a smile on my face,” Reynolds says.

Reynolds says he thinks what his band is doing in unique. He says he feels the Des Moines music scene is oversaturated with kids misguided by what is popular rock music.

Through it all, Reynolds says he intends to stick to his original influences and steer away from the new form of country he has seen.

“Country music isn’t all shiny and buffed-up music videos singing about ‘Who’s your daddy,'” Reynolds says. “We’ll show you a honky-tonk, beer-swilling, good song-listening time and then finish you off with a little punk.”


Who: Oh My God, Four on the Floor

Where: Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines

When: 8 p.m. Tuesday

Cost: $5