Over the course of more than 20 years and seven studio albums, two live CDs plus a DVD, the subdudes have quietly become one of America’s musical treasures. The group with its roots in New Orleans and Colorado is a living synthesis of American music, a cauldron of sound that mixes meaty grooves, jazzy dynamics, soulful R & B swagger, intricate vocal harmonies, cheeky rock ‘n’ roll attitude and folky social consciousness – not to mention sharp musicianship and ensemble playing. It’s tight enough to be loose, never sl oppy. Their distinctive sound is that of Steve Amedee’s souped-up tambourine, which they used to replace the traditional kick drum. Their decision to forgo conventional rock drumming gives them a unique sound.
In March 1987, John Magnie (vocals, keyboards, accordion) and Tommy Malone (vocals, guitars) started a new band…
Magnie had begun his musical career in the Denver area with a blues band, then came to New Orleans in the ‘70s, where he studied the work of the great NOLA piano men James Booker and Professor Longhair. Eventually he co-founded the legendary “Little Queenie and the Percolators,” in its time one of NOLA’s hottest bands.
In 1980, Tommy Malone joined the Percolators. A native Louisianian, he’d started at 14 in a cover band called Elroy (which included a neighbor and drummer named Steve Amedee), then at 18 moved to New Orleans and began working with his two older brothers in Dustwoofie, a country-rock band. After the Percolators lost steam, Tommy and John formed the Continental Drifters. “I think we were trying to be edgy, and we just ended up being loud,” said John.
One night, as an antidote to the volume and a general dissatisfaction with the direction of the Drifters, they decided on a different set of rules. On March 16, 1987, John, Tommy, their friend Johnny Allen from the Drifters plus Amedee, a buddy and veteran of the Bourbon Street music scene, came together at Tipitina’s. Their rule for the night was, play only what you could carry into the club. Listening to the tape afterward, they knew something special had happened. The honed their unique sound over the next nearly 10 years before calling it quits.
But the breakup didn't stick.
In 2002, the core members of the subdudes - Magnie, Malone and Amedee - got back together and brought with them two other longtime musical partners, Tim Cook and Jimmy Messa. They're still going strong, and this fall will release their fourth post-reunion CD, ‘Flower Petals.’