Today we’d like to introduce you to Committeemen.
Hi Committeemen, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Committeemen started when DJ Gilmore-Innis (guitar, vocals) responded to an ad on Craigslist that Ken Dannelly (drums) posted after the pandemic. The lockdown had ended a previous project DJ was in and put several of Ken’s other projects on hold. DJ remembers Ken’s ad as saying “absolutely no blues,” which made him laugh.
We had a really hard time finding a bass player in the beginning. Eventually, we recorded a demo with just the two of us, hoping that if it turned out well, we might attract someone who fit. Luckily, that worked, and we found a great guitar player named Rich Giraldi and a bass player named Chris Spurgin. We recorded our first EP with Alvaro Rodriguez at Geodesic Sound in Seaside. We loved working with Alvaro, his studio is incredible and he’s made a really great space for bands to unwind and feel comfortable to get the best out of them. We are still very proud of that first EP, which blended garage rock and post-punk.
Unfortunately, Chris had to relocate to Indiana for work, and that’s when we found Matt Kast to join on bass. Matt brought a ton of positive energy into the band and really kick-started us out of a rut. We recorded a single called “Simulated” at Geodesic, and then Rich also had to leave the band. Matt introduced us to Graham Bell, and we all instantly hit it off. Graham brought an arsenal of guitar pedals, creating really interesting sounds and hooks that added more depth to our songs.
We started playing pretty much any gig we could get, and in so doing met many people and began honing our live show. We’ve played at a brewery parking lot, skate park, artists’ studios, coffee shops, empty clubs, full clubs, big stages, and no stages at all.
Around this time, we met CJ Burton, who runs Shiny Tone Recordings. They helped us record and mix a single—a cover of “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)”—for a mixtape promoting the independent film Booger by our friend Mary Dauterman.
We felt like CJ really understood what we were going for and decided to return to Shiny Tone for the EP we are currently rolling out. We have released two of the four songs (“Therapy” and “Old Rope”), with the full EP dropping this summer. CJ did an excellent job, especially with the mixing, and we’re very happy with the results. This EP channels bands like IDLES and Parquet Courts, and features the new lineup exploring and developing a more specific Committeemen sound.
In March, we were lucky enough to be part of Treefort Music Fest in Boise, ID. It was an incredible experience—five days of live music spread across venues all over downtown Boise. We talked to so many people at the festival who felt that Treefort is one of the best places to discover up-and-coming bands, so it felt like a great fit for us. The festival really takes care of its artists, and we had the chance to play on a big stage with amazing sound for a ton of people.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Our biggest struggle is managing the calendar. We only get so much time together to rehearse, play shows, and write new music. We daydream about renting a house on the beach for a whole week just to focus on writing. Even when we do find time to work on new material, it’s easy to feel drained from the day or the week, which can make it hard to focus and stay creative. That’s why we each try to work independently at home, so when we come together to write, we already have ideas to build on.
We ourselves are probably the next biggest obstacle. Making art is hard, and now that social media feels like a prerequisite for being in a band, it’s easy to get distracted from the creative process. It’s so tempting to compare ourselves to our peers or let the statistics from some app influence how we feel about our music. We constantly have to remind ourselves that our goal is to make music we’re proud of—and that should always stay at the forefront of our minds.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a band, we’re trying to mash up all of our collective influences into something unique. Ken and DJ started the band with the intention of being a “post-punk” project—which, of course, is a pretty broad label.
At first, we didn’t have a specific idea of what the band would be—just a clear sense of what it wouldn’t be. That led us to swerve between garage rock, post-punk, and indie. Since Matt and Graham joined, we’ve started to develop a more consistent sound—one where the songs are each distinct, but share signature elements like spacey guitars, catchy bass hooks, big drums, and gritty vocals.
We like that our songs are hard to pin down. We love bands like OSEES, Gang of Four, Parquet Courts, and IDLES—but we don’t want to be a carbon copy of any of them. Instead, we try to pick apart what we love about those bands and piece it together into something new. It’s kind of like building a collage.
We hope our live show is what really sets us apart. We try to leave everything onstage—sweaty, hoarse, and completely exhausted by the end of the set. We also try to support the wider music community however we can—whether that’s other bands, photographers, videographers, or artists. We’re all pretty involved in the local scene. Graham does a lot of live concert photography through his photo collective, Focus Group. DJ runs a zine called Infinite Piss that highlights local bands and artists. Matt goes to a wild number of shows, and Ken has been a fixture in the Houston music scene for a long time.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Oh boy—this question assumes we’re even capable of learning anything.
But honestly, I’ve been feeling a lot of appreciation lately for anyone pursuing a creative path. Life can be absolutely brutal, and there are practically no resources to help artists and bands offset the high cost of living. I’d say 99% of the bands you see—locally or even nationally—have other sources of income just to get by.
I used to be more cynical when I saw a band I didn’t like or didn’t think was particularly good. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to admire the sheer effort people put into their art. The time, love, and—frankly—money that goes into making music and contributing to a creative community is something I deeply respect now. I’ve been playing music long enough to know how hard it is. Being in a small band can be unforgiving, humbling, and sometimes downright demoralizing.
But then you write a song that gets you excited again, or you play a great show, or someone you respect says something kind about your music—and suddenly, it all feels worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/committeementx
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/committeementx/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ruedefense
Image Credits
Clare Kemp
Instagram: @clareingoodlight
