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Drunk Jackals were formed in 2015 in Corinth, Greece. Influenced by their environment and their favorite music, they chose the path of old boogie/country rock and have successfully released a single called ‘Tonight’ (2015), the EP ‘Seven Souls’ (2016) and their debut album ‘Countryside’ (2017). On May 11th they perform live at Crow Club in Athens.

You mention that you are inspired by “the vast, unforgiving desert known as Corinth in Greece”. For those of us who know only the Isthmus, can you explain if this statement is metaphorical or literal, or both?

Actually this sentence was written more as a joke. Sadly, there is no desert in Greece. So it has a metaphorical sense. Corinth is a small city where the days are sometimes slow and not that much happens. You can say that this stillness was a source of inspiration, as well as the simple, quiet day-to-day life. That’s not to say that we don’t want to get loud too. It’s a contrast.

Which bands are your top favorites and a main influence?

Our influences, think are pretty straightforward. We drew mainly from 60’s and 70’s rock, i.e. The Rolling Stones, T-Rex, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, AC/DC, but also from the garage revival of the early 00’s, i.e. The White Stripes, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Gary Clark Jr., Clutch etc.

Our favorite bands differ a lot between the four of us. But we all share a Steel Panther keychain.

Your releases have a very good production and your sound alone has drawn much attention. Is this a result of personal effort?

Firstly, thank you for the positive feedback! We care a lot about how we sound, and it’s a pleasure to get positive comments. I wouldn’t say it’s a result of personal effort, it has been more a collaborative one. Many people helped us and contributed to the final result.
From our producer Elias, Giannis at WRECK It SOUND Studios, Vlasis in sound engineering, to George Bokos who did the mastering at Grindhouse Studios. We have to thank all of them and many more who helped in other ways.

In general our time is considered difficult, economically speaking. What are the pros and cons for a new band like you?

It’s a difficult time financially, especially in Greece, that is true, and of course that creates problems for any band I believe, established, or new like us. We all have day-jobs and we devote any spare time and money to our band. But I don’t see it as a con. We like what we’re doing and as long as we can, we will keep on doing it. People still go to gigs, they support local bands, and a scene has formed. This I believe will get even better in the future. So, the financial difficulties are simply part of the game.

What do you think is more beneficial, playing a lot in live shows or releasing a new album more often?

As far as I am concerned, for a new band that seeks to make itself known and get people to listen to its music, playing a lot of gigs is the most beneficial. You have to go out there and hopefully make your music heard by as many people as possible. Of course the album is like the vehicle you travel on. People can get a taste of your band, and have an idea what to expect before a gig. For now it’s a balancing act, favoring the live shows.

Speaking of live shows, on May 11th you perform at Crow Club in Athens. Is Athens a second home for you?

Corinth is an hour away by car from Athens, so it’s very easy for us to travel back and forth. You could say Corinth is a suburb of the capital. I know that from certain regions within Athens it takes the same amount of time to get to the centre. So, yes, it’s like a second home!

Do you plan playing in other cities as well within the next months?

We’ll be playing at a handful of festivals in Greece during the summer and afterwards we are planning our very first tour in support of our album in Greece and some venues in the Balkans. Hopefully we’ll have more details soon.

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I guess it’s soon to ask, since your debut album was released last year, but are you working on any new material at the moment?

Yes, our debut album is pretty fresh, but we are making a lot of music. Right now we’re trying a lot of new ideas, some songs have formed and more will surely come. Hopefully we’ll have an albums’ worth sometime next year, when we’re planning on getting back to the studio. But that’s still a long time away.

Thank you very much for your time! Close this interview as you will.

We are welcome. Thank you for the interview, it’s been a great honor. We hope our gig at Crow Club goes great, we share the stage with two great bands, 4LT. and Downtown Association, and we’d love to see you there.

Last but not least, keep on drinkin’.

Photo credits: Ellie Kosmidi

Mary Kalaitzidou