When two days of torrential rains dumped more than a foot of water in Nashville last May, country/punk duo Jason and the Punknecks awoke to a localized flood in the tour van.
It was one of the best things that could have happened to them.
After the water destroyed the eighth in a string of beat-up vans the couple had owned since going on the road in 2005, the Punknecks bought another set of wheels – new ones, for once.
“That was a turning point for us,” said co-lead singer/guitarist Polly Punkneck. “A big part of our touring was fixing up these freaking vehicles to get to the gig.
“It took so much out of us. The new van … was a huge blessing.”
And for a do-it-themselves band like the Punknecks, being able to finance a monthly payment was a sign that five years of near-nonstop touring had finally paid off, Polly said.
After enduring a year of floods and signing onto an ill-advised touring slot with a rockabilly road show, Polly said the Punknecks’ plan for 2011 is to continue a long-standing tradition of keeping the odometer spinning. Their show tonight at JJ’s Bohemia will kick off a touring schedule that’s already booked through the summer.
Onstage, Polly and her husband, lead singer Jason Punkneck, delight in good-natured banter between songs, but Polly said complementing each other romantically and musically is the real driving force behind the band.
When they met in Los Angeles in 2003, Polly said, the physical chemistry was immediate, but Jason’s passion, punk attitude and house-whiskey growl filled in the blanks on her background in musical theater, bluegrass and choirs. She did the same for him, helping him hone his natural abilities with a dose of technicality.
“For him to be able to give me a love and passion for music that doesn’t have that technical stuff really rounds me out,” she said. “We’ve given each other something. He’s helped me relax, and I’ve helped tone him up. It’s an intense relationship.”
Contact Casey Phillips at cphillips@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6205.
IF YOU GO
* What: Jason and the Punknecks.
* When: 9 p.m. today.
* Where: JJ’s Bohemia, 231 M.L. King Blvd.
* Admission: $5.
* Phone: 266-1400.
* Venue website: www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia.
RELATED LINKS FOR WEB:
http://www.myspace.com/jasonandthepunknecks