Today we’d like to introduce you to The West Mains.
Hi The West Mains, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Chris Loudermilk and I (Chris Wardwell) met in second grade on a baseball team. He (Chris) was the pitcher, and I (Chris) was the catcher. We also went to elementary and high school together. In college, we started playing in Screaming Waheenees, a classic rock band. Chris was the bass player, and I (Chris) played guitar. After Screaming Waheenees, we played in different bands, got married, became dads, went to a lot concerts, etc. Then around 2015, we started a surf band called Dude Man Hey, which strictly played covers in venues like The House of Blues, Leon’s, and a host of breweries. After several drummers exploded onstage, we started a new project, The West Mains, which focuses more on writing our own original surf tunes. Why are we called “The West Mains”? Chris and I spent many hours of our youth playing street hockey and wiffle ball in front of his house on West Main.
(PS If it’s too confusing, you can call us by our middle name: Patrick. Yes, we also have the same middle name.)
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Yes, so far, everything has been pretty smooth. Being in a band is kind of like being in a serious romantic relationship. You do not go into it with just anyone. It’s too much time and effort to spend with someone who is not on the same page. We have been friends since we were 8 years old, and we have also been in a few bands together, so we knew we could work with one another. The new part of the equation was writing music together, but that’s gone pretty well. Neither of us has thin skin, and we value each other’s opinion, so when someone says, “No, that part of the song is not working for me,” there’s no hurt feelings. We just keep working on it until we are both satisfied.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
Without a doubt, we are the best surf band in Houston, Texas! Just because we are the ONLY surf band in Houston doesn’t diminish our pride in that title at all! But seriously, we are currently focused on writing and recording more songs right now. Hopefully, in a few months, we will start searching for a drummer – preferably one who will not explode onstage. Then it’s time to rehearse and start booking gigs, and then we will be off to the races.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
On June 17, 2023, we released our first EP, Out of Reach, which can be found on all the major streaming platforms. Mike McAloon, who played drums for the stout Irish rock band, Blaggards for over a decade, is an old friend. He was kind enough to lend his services for this endeavor. He did an awesome job, and we are very grateful!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewestmains/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWestMains
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheWestMains
- Other: https://linktr.ee/thewestmains
Image Credits
Chris Loudermilk
Chris Wardwell
