About eight years ago, a friendly bet was made between a pair of writers: West Plains would have a music scene worth ink within 10 years.
Enter Broken Knuckle, a new grunge band making waves and cultivating a local music community through collaborations with promotion company West Plains Underground, Ozark County-based studio Flotsam Farm Records, and area acts like Kingdom Falls, Phantom Sam and Jumpin Jacks.
The group's sound is a potent mix of ‘90s nostalgia and raw energy, delivered by a band with a deep connection and a whole lot of fun. Its performances are enthusiastically received by the group’s fans — affectionately known as “Knuckleheads” — who turn out in numbers to dance and sing along.
Broken Knuckle rehearses in a cozy, historic house near the West Plains Public Library, a space that feels akin to a time capsule to the glory days of garage bands. Here, vocalist Michael Hullinger, guitarist Tim Zeman, bassist Eric Tumminia, and drummer Kody McCartney weave their musical magic. And musical magic it is.
The band is nothing if not authentic: From the rehearsal space to the performance stage, the energy remains the same.
“I feel like our practices look and feel like they do at, like, Wages,” says Hullinger of the band’s verve, referring to Wages Brewing Company, a venue Broken Knuckle plays frequently.
This band isn't afraid to get wild. Songwriting is an organic process, fueled by riffs, jams and a willingness to experiment. Zeman — known to some Knuckleheads as “Baby Slash” for his style — throws down killer solos, while self-proclaimed “viking drummer” McCartney throws curveballs on the drums, keeping everyone on their toes.
"We know each other really good," says Zeman, and that translates into a tight, dynamic sound.
Hullinger’s vocals and lyrics are a powerhouse blend reminiscent at times of Alice in Chains’ Layne Staley and Stone Temple Pilots’ Scott Weiland, and at others, Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath’s Paranoid era with a touch of Trent Reznor’s angst. It all works together to perfectly complement the band's intense energy.
Watch for Tumminia, who can't stay still during live shows, bringing the excitement right into the crowd. And don't miss Zeman’s Jimmy Page-esque stylings as he casually shreds on his guitar, or McCartney, whose two decades of drumming lend themselves to a high-energy, confident performance.
Broken Knuckle's self-titled debut CD — cassette tapes are available for the true grunge aficionados — is a journey that is at once evocative of youth 20 years ago, while progressive and forward-moving. Songs like "Death Came Knocking" showcase the band's full power, while "People Are Fish" captures the quintessential weirdness and existentialism of grunge in the early '90s. Tracks like "Carpet Farmer" add a touch of whimsy, while “Had it All” brings the emotion.
“Death Came Knocking,” in this writer’s opinion, is the perfect opening number for this CD. Not only does it showcase the band’s overall synergy and balance — from the interplay between Tumminia and Zeman in the intro to the subtle “knocking” of the drums throughout accentuating Hullinger’s impassioned vocals — it sets the stage for the remaining tracks to come, in which band members take turns having their individual moments to shine.
Broken Knuckle has a packed schedule of upcoming shows, including gigs at Mother's Brewing in Springfield, the Ozark Metal Fest in Hardy, Ark., and a special total solar eclipse celebration right here in West Plains.
- March 24, 5:30 p.m.: Mother’s Brewing Co., 215 S. Grand, Springfield. Broken Knuckle will play as part of the Queen City Shoutout, which runs from March 18-24 in multiple Springfield locations and is an effort to support poverty relief in the Ozarks.
- March 30, 6 p.m.: Ozark Metal Fest, Historic Hardy Gym, 203 School St., Hardy, Ark. In addition to Broken Knuckle, the lineup includes Kingdom Falls, Burning Genesis, Se7en and Noble Kings.
- April 6, 6 p.m.: Path of the Moon Shadow show at Below Grade, 313 Washington Ave. In a celebration held ahead of the April 8 eclipse, the band will perform alongside Fayetteville, Ark.-based Ghost Hollow, and Howell County’s own Sacrifice the Truth, out of Mtn. View. Enter through the back door of West Plains Bike Shop.
- May 17-18: Spring Jam at the Music Farm, 451 Liberty Hill Road, Hardy. Performers also include Jumpin Jacks, Se7en, Spitfire, Cosmic Criminals, Phantom Sam, Native Souls and Kingdom Falls.
- June 21-22: Slacker Solstice at Flotsam Farm, 13962 Highway 181 in Sycamore. The lineup of more than two dozen acts from Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas will coincide with the longest day of summer. Guests should be prepared to share a potluck dinner, pitch in a small donation for camping and join in a float trip on Bryant Creek.
Find more details about individual shows, including admission prices on Facebook by following @Brokenknuckleofficial. Watch videos of past sets on YouTube by following the band’s channel: @brokenknuckle8259.
The album is available for purchase in digital form on Bandcamp by visiting www.brokenknuckle.bandcamp.com, and CDs and cassettes are available at live shows or by reaching out to Flotsam Farm Records on Facebook.
