Edmonton cowpunk pioneers Jr. Gone Wild have played the South Country fair bef
ore. Frontman Mike McDonald definitely has.
“Yep . A long time ago. It’s hard to remember though. But I’ve played there in different bands and my solo band has played there,” McDonald said. He is glad to be part of the thirtieth anniversary fair. He will be bringing his family to stay the weekend.
“ I’ve booked those days off. There’s always such a great vibe there,” he said.
Jr. Gone Wild formed in the early 1980’s and combined their love for country music, roots, punk and classic rock, blending all of those influences into an upbeat, energetic sound that is all their own. They reformed three years ago with founding frontman Mike McDonald, bassist Dove Brown, drummer Larry Shelast and lead guitarist Steve Loree.
“ We’re going to get there a day or so before to give us time to feel the energy,” he said.
They are excited to play.
“We don’t do a lot of talking. We just play and let the music do the talking. It’s very high energy,” he said.
“There is always something exciting to discover,” he said adding he is looking forward to seeing Scott Cook.
They are focusing on writing music for a new CD, but have emerged to play the occasional gig including South Country Fair, The Beaumont Roots and Blues Festival and a special fundraiser for the Fort McMurray fires.
“They enjoyed playing a Fort McMurray fundraiser at a new bar called The Needle Vinyl Tavern.
“It was great. There was 10 hours of music and s they stayed mostly on time. We raised thousands for the Red Cross,” he said.
They also enjoyed playing the Beaumont Roots and Blues Festival.
“It’s a smaller festival like South Country Fair. I always enjoy the smaller festivals more where you don’t have to walk five miles to get anywhere. And the people who organize them really have a love and passion for the music,” he said.
“We get a call every few months, so that’s the thinking behind recording a new album so those calls keep coming,” he said.
“It’s a slow process, but we’re generating some really good music. Some of us want the new CD out sooner than the others,” he said.
Jr. Gone Wild plays the South Country Fair on Saturday, July 16 at 9 p.m.
