Tyler Jakes and The Bootleggers are a 4-piece garage/punk, blues-influenced rock band from the San Francisco bay area. Their sound blends elements of rock n' roll, heavy blues, garage, punk, outlaw country, gypsy folk, and surf music. Influences include the Sex Pistols, Iggy & The Stooges, Pixies, Muddy Waters, Tom Waits, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Manu Chao, Neil Young, Johnny Cash, and The Rolling Stones. Jakes has recorded and self-released three albums, scored an independent short film, and had one of his songs featured in an Emmy award-winning television show.
BIO
When Tyler Jakes' first album, Lo-Fi Matter, was released in late 2005, Pulse of the Twin Cities drew comparisons as broad as Bob Dylan and BRMC saying that, "Jakes is intent on laying down some truly dirty rock and roll here...Lo-Fi Matter is a great starting point". Rift Magazine added, "On Lo-Fi Matter, Jakes displays great range and talent as a song writer". The first track on Lo-Fi Matter, "Lie Awake", was used during the opening credits to the short film "Under The N", with Jakes also performing the film's score.
Jakes moved from his home of Minneapolis, MN, to San Francisco, CA, in early 2008 and formed Tyler Jakes & The Bootleggers. The band features Jakes on vocals and guitar, Clint Taxdahl on trumpet and guitar, Nick Payne on drums, and Jerry Langhorst on bass. Their live show also frequently incorporates guest musicians and dancers. Shortly after forming the band, the Emmy award-winning Discovery Channel program Deadliest Catch featured the song "Gamblers Off The North Pacific Shore", a song Jakes had written and recorded specifically for the show.
In May 2008, Jakes released his second album, Rocking Hoarse Calypso. It featured the single, "Off The Track", which reached number one on the hot charts of thesixtyone.com, holding the top spot above such acts as Arcade Fire, MGMT, and Grizzly Bear. Vernon Reid (of the Grammy-award winning, Living Colour) described Jakes’ songwriting as being “gritty and witty”.
Tyler Jakes & The Bootleggers spent the remainder of 2008 and 2009 performing on a regular basis in the San Franscisco bay area, as well as touring the west coast. Highlights included shows opening up for Th' Legendary Shack Shakers, performing at the Baxtalo Drom Festival, and playing the Bob Dylan after-party at Blakes On Telegraph in Berkeley, CA. S.F. Bay Area Rock wrote a feature on the band, proclaiming, "…they seem to truly appreciate the crowds that come out and put on a show fit for thousands."
On November 4, 2010, Jakes released his third album, Burning Down The Underground. Jakes recorded the album primarily at his home studio in San Francisco. The album was promoted to college radio by Tinderbox Music. It was very well received, picking up airplay on over 150 stations across the U.S. and Canada, charting multiple times in the Top 20. The Music Cycle wrote, "Burning Down The Underground stays true to the deep bluesy rock sound that has come to garner Jakes such acclaim. At the same time, however, Jakes continues to push the boundaries of sound and genre creating unique and interesting fusions of music".
Tyler Jakes & The Bootleggers begin their fourth tour of the west coast on Feb. 3, 2012, in Bakersfield, CA.
Complete tour schedule:
2/3 - Bakersfield, CA (Riley's Tavern)
2/4 - Fresno, CA (Audie's Olympic)
2/9 - Sacramento, CA (Old Ironsides)
2/10 - Concord, CA (Vinnie's)
2/11 - Livermore, CA (Pine Street Station)
2/15 - San Francisco, CA (Grant & Green Saloon)
2/16 - Eugene, OR (Luckey's)
2/17 - Portland, OR (Kenton Club)
2/18 - Seattle/Tacoma (TBA)
2/23 - Salt Lake City, UT (Fats Grill)
2/24 - Grand Junction, CO (Rocky Mountain Pub)
2/25 - Denver, CO (Lion's Lair)
