Dexter Romweber
Dexter Romweber | |
|---|---|
Blues-rock | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician Singer-songwriter Multi-instrumentalist |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar and piano |
| Years active | 1983–2024 |
| Labels | Norton Records Bloodshot Records Third Man Records |
| Website | Bloodshot Record: Dex Romweber |
John Michael Dexter "Dex" Romweber (June 18, 1966 – February 16, 2024) was an American
Early life and education
Romweber was born in
Romweber's mother was a pianist who encouraged her son's interest in music and purchased his equipment.[3] His first band, Gary and the Resistors, started in the family's cellar, with classmate Hunter Landon (The Bad Checks) on vocals.[3] When the duo decided they needed a drummer, they called his sister Sara and pulled together some pots and pans from the kitchen.[3] At the time Romweber was 10 years old and his sister was 12.[3] When they recruited Chris "Crow" Smith on guitar, the band became The Remains.[4]
Romweber's next band, Crash Landon and The Kamikazes, was started while attending Culbreth Junior High, with stand-up bassist Tony Mayer (Good Old Chicken Wire Gang Boys Band) and Hunter Landon on drums. Later, Romweber's sister Sara Romweber played drums with the Kamikazes.[5][6]
Career
The Flat Duo Jets
Dexter began playing with Chris "Crow" Smith, with material culled mainly from his family's record collection. They called themselves The Flat Duo Jets, after hearing Gene Vincent refer to his Gretsch Duo Jet guitar.
The Flat Duo Jets' first release, In Stereo, was recorded live in the studio in 1985 and originally released on cassette by Dolphin Records. The band was also featured around this time on MTV's The Cutting Edge, in a segment directed by
In the late 1990s, The Flat Duo Jets signed a major label contract with Outpost Records, a now defunct imprint of Geffen Records. The result was 1998's Lucky Eye, produced by Scott Litt and Chris Stamey, which demonstrated a markedly different approach from their previous lo-fi efforts. The album featured a more polished sound for the band, accompanied by horn and string arrangements. Poor album sales were met with disappointment by the band, and it was shortly after the release that, after nearly 15 years as a band, Dexter and Crow went separate ways. Dexter maintained that the primary reason for the split was embezzlement of the band's proceeds on the part of Crow, though Crow disputes this.[citation needed]
Solo projects
In 2001, Dexter finally resurfaced with a new solo album, Chased By Martians, followed by Blues That Defy My Soul in 2004. Around this time, Dexter's influence was beginning to surface in interviews with artists like
Also in 2006, a documentary about Dex and The Flat Duo Jets began playing at film festivals. Upon completion of
Dexter's band, The Dex Romweber Duo, began as Dexter and drummer Crash LaResh, who performed with Dexter from 1995 to 2007. The original Duo toured extensively and recorded several 7 inch releases and recorded two full-length albums (Chased By Martians and Blues That Defy My Soul), but these were credited as solo Dex Romweber releases. Crash LaResh left the band in 2007 and was replaced by Dexter's sister, Sara Romweber. In 2009, the pair released their debut album, Ruins of Berlin, on Bloodshot Records.[9] The album featured guest appearances from Exene Cervenka, Cat Power, Neko Case, and longtime friend Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids. The band toured the U.S. twice in support of the record, playing support for The Detroit Cobras on the second tour.
On the April 29 and 30, 2009, Dex and Sara were invited to record at Jack White's Third Man Records in Nashville, Tennessee, and they put out a 7-inch vinyl as part of Third Man Records' new "Blue Series". The sessions resulted in the Romweber original "The Wind Did Move", featuring Jack White on bass, background vocals and the saw, while the record's b-side was a cover of 1930s blues woman Geeshie Wiley's "Last Kind Words Blues", on which Dex and Jack share guitar and vocal duties. It was released on vinyl on June 9, 2009, and on iTunes shortly after. Dexter and Sara also returned to Nashville in 2010 to play a show at Jack White's live venue. The show was recorded onto 8-track reel-to-reel analog tape and is available on vinyl from Third Man Records.
In 2011, the Dex Romweber Duo released their second album on Bloodshot Records, titled Is That You in the Blue?.[10]
Romweber also fronted Dexter Romweber and The New Romans, an ensemble of 7 musicians and 3 female backing vocalists that began in 2006. They have released one limited CD called "Night Tide" and mainly play shows in their home state of North Carolina, more specifically in
In 2016, Romweber released the record Carrboro on Bloodshot Records.[11][12][13]
Personal life and death
His older brother, Joe Romweber, was the lead singer for UV Prom and Eraserhead, while his sister Sara Romweber was a member of Let's Active and Snatches of Pink.[3]
Romweber died on February 16, 2024, at the age of 57.[14]
Equipment
Romweber played the
Discography
Flat Duo Jets
- In Stereo (1985)
- Flat Duo Jets (1990)
- Go Go Harlem Baby (1992)
- Safari (1993)
- White Trees (1993)
- Introducing the Flat Duo Jets (1995)
- Red Tango (1996)
- Wild Blue Yonder (1998)
- Lucky Eye (1998)
- Two Headed Cow (2008)
- Wild Wild Love (2017, Daniel 13)[16]
Dex Romweber Duo
- "Empty Heart"/"Heart Of Stone" (split 7-inch with ? and the Mysterians; part of Norton's "Rolling Stones Cover" series) (2003)
- Dexter Romweber Duo and Throw Rag – Twelve Bad Studs (a 12-inch split release) with Crash LaResh on Drums (Demonbeach, released c. 2004)
- Ruins of Berlin (2009)
- Live at Third Man (2010)
- Is That You in the Blue? (2011)
- Images 13 (2014)
Solo discography
- Folk Songs: Solo Collection (1996)
- Chased by Martians (2001) with Crash LaResh on drums
- Blues That Defy My Soul (2004) with Crash LaResh on drums
- Piano (2006)
- Carrboro (2016)
References
- ^ Gilbreath, Aaron (June 11, 2012). "Dex Romweber Duo: All the Requisite Billies: The Untold Legend of Dex Romweber". Oxford American. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012.
- ^ Mateer, Chris (November 24, 2011). "Interview: On The Road With Dex Romweber". Uprooted Music Revue. Archived from the original on November 29, 2011.
- ^ Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ Pressman, Joshua (April 11, 2009). "LAist Interview: Dexter Romweber of the Flat Duo Jets". LAist. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
- ^ Barrett, Matt. "The Golden Age of North Carolina Music". North Carolina Travels. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
- ^ Arndt, Jeff (September 2001). "Dexter Romweber: Beyond the Flat Duo Jets". Perfect Sound Forever.
- Rolling Stone.
- ^ Reed, Bryan C. (December 30, 2015). "Dex Romweber and Cool John Ferguson, experts in fresh takes on old sounds". Indy Week.
- ^ Menconi, David (July 26, 2011). "Dex Romweber Duo, 'Is That You in the Blue?' (Bloodshot)". Spin.
- ^ Danton, Eric R. (September 9, 2016). "Dex Romweber: Carrboro Review". Paste.
- ^ Zimmerman, Lee (September 13, 2016). "The Wild, Wacky Stylings of Dex Romweber". No Depression.
- ^ Tunis, Walter (September 22, 2016). "Flat Duo Jets vet Dex Romweber lands in Lexington with solo show". Lexington Herald-Leader.
- ^ Dexter Romweber 1966–2024 Louder Than War
- ^ Silverman, Jack (October 14, 2016). "Dex Romweber's Silvertone Soul". Premier Guitar.
- ^ Murphy, Dylan (October 26, 2017). "Flat Duo Jets: Wild Wild Love, PopMatters". PopMatters. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
External links
- Dex Romweber at AllMusic
- Dexter Romweber discography at Discogs
- Dexter Romweber at IMDb
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