Swagger

Swagger Bio:

In 2006, after 10 years playing with the Limricks and the McGrath Brothers in Orange County, CA, Rick Butler relocated to Utah and began searching out local musicians to start a new band with. Rick met up with local Celtic-influenced artist Eric Slaymaker. Eric recommended his violinist Dennis Harrington and Rick promptly gave him a call. The prior year Dennis had joined up with Sam Cottrell to perform with American Idol star Carmen Rasmussen (2nd season). Dennis called Sam, who called bassist Stephan Allen whom he'd worked with during the 2002 Olympics under Bryan Anders (TMG Recording artist). Rick had made inquiries for a drummer at some local shops and one day Mark Motonen turned up for rehearsal. The band was complete.

In the spring of 2007 Swagger began their assaut on the local pubs and clubs in Salt Lake, Park City, and Sundance. After nailing down a repetoir of traditional Irish songs and covers of Flogging Molly, the Young Dubliners, and the Pogues, Rick began demonstrating his own material. By that winter Swagger entered the studio to record their first Album, Trouble On The Green, and had it ready for release for St. Patrick's Day at the local pug the Piper Down.

Now regulars at Piper Down as well as several other establishments, Swagger began finding larger venues within which to woo audiences. Deer Valley, the Highland Games, and Park City's Oktoberfest have been great successes and put the band in front of larger audiences. Over labor day weekend 2008 Swagger began establishing themselves outside of Utah with two nights at Tom Grainey's in Bosie, ID. Plans for Colorado and Southern California are under way.

Swagger's sound mixes traditional Celtic music with elements of rock, punk, jazz, latin, and ska to form driving grooves under melodic overtones.

The tune Tito takes that Celtic root and mixes it with a flavor of Salsa and Flamenco to tell the story of an Irishman getting himself in over his head (literally) while drinking and gambling in Mexico. Rick's penchant for irony make for great storytelling while he and Dennis soar over the top with their mandolin and fiddle. Mark and Stephan lay down a great groove to dance to.

On Miner's Code Rick gets a bit serious talking about the plight of coal miners taking great risks with little reward. This song pushes the envelope on hard, driving rock with Sam on slide guitar. As always, Dennis counterpoints the melody and guitar parts superbly.

Piper Down was written by Rick to get the band into the club. They now feature it on their comercials. Again themed in blue collar overtones, it features punchy rock with a little humor.

Trouble on the Green tells the story of vengance as a Scot finds his family and land destroyed by a neighboring clan.

I Will Love You is a bit more misty than the band usually gets, but Rick has fond memories of traveling through Ireland and Scotland with his wife. It makes for a lovely ballad.

Speaking of ballads, Sam also contributed a piece on the acoustic called Skye. The Aisle of Skye is off the coast of Scotland and was where Bonnie Prince Charlie was hidden after a failed conquest against the English.