The American Dave Hogan is a
seasoned musician in his heart and
to his core. His search through a
wide range of styles including folk,
hard rock, bluegrass, country and blues has given him
a wealth of musical material. In recent years, the
singer and guitarist from Stratford, Connecticut has
been active with his band Graylight Campfire, however
we're discussing Hogan's solo project, Fun Box. This
time machine turns the clock back forty years to the
era of the untitled debut album by Crazy Horse. Hogan
was inspired by it, as it's one of his favorite records.
The album Fun Box spent overtime in my CD player as
the rain pattered against my windows these last days.
Along with Hogan's voice, guitar and piano, Graylight
Campfire bandmates Dennis Jackson (drums), Brian
O'Callaghan (bass) and some friends including Jason
P. Krug (vocals), Kris Santala (vocals) and Tim "T-
Bone" Stone (keys) on the album draw cheerfully from
the alt. country and Americana keg.
The semi-acoustic High, Dry & Lonesome, Go Away,
Downbound Train, and Out in the Open are all strong
songs with a prancing Crazy Horse on his team.
They're infinitely charged with both authentic and
contemporary feeling. Must an artist reinvent himself
each time, or maybe just do what he does best? I lean
back in my chair when I hear for the umpteenth time
the familiar and elegant sounds of Next Time Around,
World's Oldest Question (want to be singin' the blues?)
and Please Come Home. And you know how that is?
By the conviction and the charm brought by this
incredible album by Dave Hogan." —John Schoenmakers
seasoned musician in his heart and
to his core. His search through a
wide range of styles including folk,
hard rock, bluegrass, country and blues has given him
a wealth of musical material. In recent years, the
singer and guitarist from Stratford, Connecticut has
been active with his band Graylight Campfire, however
we're discussing Hogan's solo project, Fun Box. This
time machine turns the clock back forty years to the
era of the untitled debut album by Crazy Horse. Hogan
was inspired by it, as it's one of his favorite records.
The album Fun Box spent overtime in my CD player as
the rain pattered against my windows these last days.
Along with Hogan's voice, guitar and piano, Graylight
Campfire bandmates Dennis Jackson (drums), Brian
O'Callaghan (bass) and some friends including Jason
P. Krug (vocals), Kris Santala (vocals) and Tim "T-
Bone" Stone (keys) on the album draw cheerfully from
the alt. country and Americana keg.
The semi-acoustic High, Dry & Lonesome, Go Away,
Downbound Train, and Out in the Open are all strong
songs with a prancing Crazy Horse on his team.
They're infinitely charged with both authentic and
contemporary feeling. Must an artist reinvent himself
each time, or maybe just do what he does best? I lean
back in my chair when I hear for the umpteenth time
the familiar and elegant sounds of Next Time Around,
World's Oldest Question (want to be singin' the blues?)
and Please Come Home. And you know how that is?
By the conviction and the charm brought by this
incredible album by Dave Hogan." —John Schoenmakers
Keep To Movin',the latest
offering by the Rock/Americana/
Alt. Country group Graylight
Campfire. They're ‘straight-up 3 piece rock and/or roll
with a little twang and a positive vibe,’ and quite
possibly the finest musical act to emerge from Fairfield
County.
Graylight Campfire, "the super-delegates of rock n
roll,” is made up of former Rafter Bats, Dave Hogan on
guitar/vocals and Brian O'Callaghan on bass/vocals,
and Pete May on drums. Dave and Brian also perform
as an acoustic duo.
Keep To Movin' is the Stratford, CT band's follow-up
to 2008's All Are Welcome Some May Stay, and there's
no sophomore slump here. The album kicks off with
the warm and welcoming “Hello Old Friend,” a country
rocker that'll have the listener tapping their toes and
singing along on the chorus. The toe-tappin' quickly
turns to foot-stompin' with the next track, “Start All
Over.” From there the band continues to explore
various musical genres, from ska to southern tinged
rock-n-blues, and rockers reminiscent of the Stones or
Faces. Their playing has a fresh but rootsy feel and
there's plenty of twang. The vocal harmonies are also
of note. AND these boys can jam. Some of the heavier
moments conjure up images of a Yellow Fever-era Hot
Tuna. Most of all what makes this album a stand out is
the songwriting. Mr. Hogan wrote 5 of the albums
tracks, with the remainder penned by or co-written with
Brian O’Callaghan.
On this outing, the trio is augmented by guest
musicians Scott Camara, "T-Bone" Stone, and Dan
Tressler on dobro, keyboards, and fiddle respectively.
I know it's only March, but this IS a top ten release for
2010. Buy it.” —Adam Devalt
offering by the Rock/Americana/
Alt. Country group Graylight
Campfire. They're ‘straight-up 3 piece rock and/or roll
with a little twang and a positive vibe,’ and quite
possibly the finest musical act to emerge from Fairfield
County.
Graylight Campfire, "the super-delegates of rock n
roll,” is made up of former Rafter Bats, Dave Hogan on
guitar/vocals and Brian O'Callaghan on bass/vocals,
and Pete May on drums. Dave and Brian also perform
as an acoustic duo.
Keep To Movin' is the Stratford, CT band's follow-up
to 2008's All Are Welcome Some May Stay, and there's
no sophomore slump here. The album kicks off with
the warm and welcoming “Hello Old Friend,” a country
rocker that'll have the listener tapping their toes and
singing along on the chorus. The toe-tappin' quickly
turns to foot-stompin' with the next track, “Start All
Over.” From there the band continues to explore
various musical genres, from ska to southern tinged
rock-n-blues, and rockers reminiscent of the Stones or
Faces. Their playing has a fresh but rootsy feel and
there's plenty of twang. The vocal harmonies are also
of note. AND these boys can jam. Some of the heavier
moments conjure up images of a Yellow Fever-era Hot
Tuna. Most of all what makes this album a stand out is
the songwriting. Mr. Hogan wrote 5 of the albums
tracks, with the remainder penned by or co-written with
Brian O’Callaghan.
On this outing, the trio is augmented by guest
musicians Scott Camara, "T-Bone" Stone, and Dan
Tressler on dobro, keyboards, and fiddle respectively.
I know it's only March, but this IS a top ten release for
2010. Buy it.” —Adam Devalt
Why does the
small state of Connecticut produce so many great
country rock bands? Maybe it's the water! In any case,
add Graylight Campfire to the illustrious list. Their
sophomore effort, "Keep To Movin'," sounds like an
amalgam of Neil Young, The Marshall Tucker Band,
The Band, The Grateful Dead, and ska.
The group consists of Dave Hogan (guitar, vocals),
Brian O'Callaghan (bass, vocals), and Pete May
(drums) with guests Scott Camara (dobro), Tim "T-
Bone" Stone (keyboards), and Dan Tressler (fiddle).
Hogan and O'Callaghan write all the material, either
alone or in collaboration.
Graylight Campfire will capture your heart with their
down home, "come as you are" vocals, tunes, and
jams. The CD kicks off with the gentle country beat of
"Hello Old Friend," a song about two buddies
reconnecting after a bitter disagreement. The "special
guests" shine on this gem.
The next two songs showcase the band's special blend
of country funk. In "Start All Over" Dave Hogan
provides a series of alibis for some dastardly deeds.
"Where were you the night they took young Annie's
life? I was holed up with someone else's wife." "Time
To Run," featuring the "Casey Jones" beat, finds
O'Callaghan singing of his inability to move. "It's a
crazy situation but I don't care. Come time to run, I just
sit right there." "Perfect Day" evokes a "Blue Sky"
mood. "Got me a blue sky. Got me a sunshine walk. I
hear the birds singing. Seen a double rainbow fall. It
don't take too much to make a perfect day. I want to
share it with the world but I don't want to give it away."
In the country waltz, "Lookin' For a Reason", a working
man tries to find meaning in his grueling life.
But the real treat of this record lies in the up- tempo
jam tunes. Let's start with the two pumped up ska
tracks. "Strange As It Seems" enumerates the insane
and contradictory emotions of love. "Ever since I've
loved you, my eyes won't see the color black. I can't
get enough love to roll me over in my sack." The
album closer, "The Day You Cease," features a jacked-
up hook that powers an angry diatribe. The band jams
the tune out like crazy. The power rock of "Summer
Wind" will billow your sails. "Summer wind will blow on
my feet again. No matter where I go or where I've
been. It's been a long, long time since I don't
remember when, Summer wind will blow me home
again."
The title cut, "Keep to Movin'" takes that energy and
slams into 5th gear. Think of Marshall Tucker's "24
Hours At a Time." "Tires on the road, boots on the
stage, sun on the pavement, all part of the game. I tell
myself got to keep to movin'. " O'Callagan slips in a
tasteful bass solo and Hogan rips out a merciless guitar
lead powered by the fuel-injected rhythm section of
O'Callaghan and May.
In this day of perfectly computerized, sound-alike,
cookie-cutter radio, Graylight Campfire shines like a
beacon in the dark. So much energy, so much groove,
just so much damn soul!" —The Working Musician.com
small state of Connecticut produce so many great
country rock bands? Maybe it's the water! In any case,
add Graylight Campfire to the illustrious list. Their
sophomore effort, "Keep To Movin'," sounds like an
amalgam of Neil Young, The Marshall Tucker Band,
The Band, The Grateful Dead, and ska.
The group consists of Dave Hogan (guitar, vocals),
Brian O'Callaghan (bass, vocals), and Pete May
(drums) with guests Scott Camara (dobro), Tim "T-
Bone" Stone (keyboards), and Dan Tressler (fiddle).
Hogan and O'Callaghan write all the material, either
alone or in collaboration.
Graylight Campfire will capture your heart with their
down home, "come as you are" vocals, tunes, and
jams. The CD kicks off with the gentle country beat of
"Hello Old Friend," a song about two buddies
reconnecting after a bitter disagreement. The "special
guests" shine on this gem.
The next two songs showcase the band's special blend
of country funk. In "Start All Over" Dave Hogan
provides a series of alibis for some dastardly deeds.
"Where were you the night they took young Annie's
life? I was holed up with someone else's wife." "Time
To Run," featuring the "Casey Jones" beat, finds
O'Callaghan singing of his inability to move. "It's a
crazy situation but I don't care. Come time to run, I just
sit right there." "Perfect Day" evokes a "Blue Sky"
mood. "Got me a blue sky. Got me a sunshine walk. I
hear the birds singing. Seen a double rainbow fall. It
don't take too much to make a perfect day. I want to
share it with the world but I don't want to give it away."
In the country waltz, "Lookin' For a Reason", a working
man tries to find meaning in his grueling life.
But the real treat of this record lies in the up- tempo
jam tunes. Let's start with the two pumped up ska
tracks. "Strange As It Seems" enumerates the insane
and contradictory emotions of love. "Ever since I've
loved you, my eyes won't see the color black. I can't
get enough love to roll me over in my sack." The
album closer, "The Day You Cease," features a jacked-
up hook that powers an angry diatribe. The band jams
the tune out like crazy. The power rock of "Summer
Wind" will billow your sails. "Summer wind will blow on
my feet again. No matter where I go or where I've
been. It's been a long, long time since I don't
remember when, Summer wind will blow me home
again."
The title cut, "Keep to Movin'" takes that energy and
slams into 5th gear. Think of Marshall Tucker's "24
Hours At a Time." "Tires on the road, boots on the
stage, sun on the pavement, all part of the game. I tell
myself got to keep to movin'. " O'Callagan slips in a
tasteful bass solo and Hogan rips out a merciless guitar
lead powered by the fuel-injected rhythm section of
O'Callaghan and May.
In this day of perfectly computerized, sound-alike,
cookie-cutter radio, Graylight Campfire shines like a
beacon in the dark. So much energy, so much groove,
just so much damn soul!" —The Working Musician.com
The opener, "Hello
Old Friend," is a
campfire song indeed,
an old-fashioned country tune that could’ve come out
of Nashville back when country music had heart. Or
like something The Band would’ve jammed on in their
Woodstock basement with no care as to whether or not
anyone else would ever hear it.
The Band is the typical go-to reference for most of
these old-fashioned rootsy-type Americana groups that
are once again back in style (The Felice Brothers, for
example), and I’d avoid using them for comparisons
except that it’s so true. A fiddle and piano/organ help
fill out the sound of the core trio at times, with happy
results.
"Strange as It Seems" is a foray into the straighter pop
realm, with an offbeat, almost ska guitar that would
lend itself well to swaying back and forth. "Keep to
Movin’" is reminiscent of Dylan’s "Stuck Inside of Mobile
with the Memphis Blues Again," with a Southern rock
feel that’s more Mobile than Memphis. —Mike Sembos
Old Friend," is a
campfire song indeed,
an old-fashioned country tune that could’ve come out
of Nashville back when country music had heart. Or
like something The Band would’ve jammed on in their
Woodstock basement with no care as to whether or not
anyone else would ever hear it.
The Band is the typical go-to reference for most of
these old-fashioned rootsy-type Americana groups that
are once again back in style (The Felice Brothers, for
example), and I’d avoid using them for comparisons
except that it’s so true. A fiddle and piano/organ help
fill out the sound of the core trio at times, with happy
results.
"Strange as It Seems" is a foray into the straighter pop
realm, with an offbeat, almost ska guitar that would
lend itself well to swaying back and forth. "Keep to
Movin’" is reminiscent of Dylan’s "Stuck Inside of Mobile
with the Memphis Blues Again," with a Southern rock
feel that’s more Mobile than Memphis. —Mike Sembos
In the months before the Daffodil
Festival, music director Rob DeRosa burns the
midnight oil, perfecting his all-Connecticut musical
lineup.
Just when DeRosa thought he had the perfect 32-band
mixture of sounds, Dave Hogan came knocking at his
door with his smooth, bluesy sound looking for a spot.
Never the one to turn away local talent, DeRosa
accommodated and made Hogan the festival's 33rd
performer.
"After years of honing the schedule to maximize the
amount of acts in a reasonable time, I had settled on 32
as our best number," said DeRosa. "This year we
celebrate 33 years as a festival, so I thought I'd add a
33rd performer."
Hogan will act as a roving musician at the festival,
performing two songs on all three stages on the
festival's opening day, Saturday, April 30.
Music has been a part of Hogan's life since he was 12
years old. He has been playing his own style of rock
and roll, blues and folk for 16 years.
"My musical background is a mix of a lot of different
sounds," said Hogan, who hails from Stratford. "There's
folk, hard rock and blues thrown all together. I kind of
like to mix it all together, and what comes out is this
Americana sound. Some is a little harder and some is
folksier. There is even some country in there."
Hogan plays mainly originals with his group Graylight
Campfire. He throws a few covers into his sets, but tries
to stay true to his own creative juices.
Hogan is a seven-year veteran of Gathering of the
Vibes, an annual summer music festival in Bridgeport.
The performances have made him right at home when
performing to outdoor crowd.
"Outdoor shows are great," Hogan said. "They have
their own energy. You gotta throw it out there a little
more because people tend to spread out a little bit
when they are outdoors. If you get a nice day, you can
feel the good vibe. You get the elements around you
and that's really what music is all about."
Though he is most comfortable playing with the breeze
blowing through his rock-star long-brown hair, Hogan
will take a gig just about anywhere for a chance to
share his music.
"I got a lot of gigs popping up all over the place, both
big and small," Hogan said. "Wherever I can get a gig
I'll be playing. We play the opening gig at Stratford
Little League and play at pig roasts and parities. Big
gigs, small gigs, indoor or outdoor, I just wanna play as
much as possible." —Stephanie O’Connell
Festival, music director Rob DeRosa burns the
midnight oil, perfecting his all-Connecticut musical
lineup.
Just when DeRosa thought he had the perfect 32-band
mixture of sounds, Dave Hogan came knocking at his
door with his smooth, bluesy sound looking for a spot.
Never the one to turn away local talent, DeRosa
accommodated and made Hogan the festival's 33rd
performer.
"After years of honing the schedule to maximize the
amount of acts in a reasonable time, I had settled on 32
as our best number," said DeRosa. "This year we
celebrate 33 years as a festival, so I thought I'd add a
33rd performer."
Hogan will act as a roving musician at the festival,
performing two songs on all three stages on the
festival's opening day, Saturday, April 30.
Music has been a part of Hogan's life since he was 12
years old. He has been playing his own style of rock
and roll, blues and folk for 16 years.
"My musical background is a mix of a lot of different
sounds," said Hogan, who hails from Stratford. "There's
folk, hard rock and blues thrown all together. I kind of
like to mix it all together, and what comes out is this
Americana sound. Some is a little harder and some is
folksier. There is even some country in there."
Hogan plays mainly originals with his group Graylight
Campfire. He throws a few covers into his sets, but tries
to stay true to his own creative juices.
Hogan is a seven-year veteran of Gathering of the
Vibes, an annual summer music festival in Bridgeport.
The performances have made him right at home when
performing to outdoor crowd.
"Outdoor shows are great," Hogan said. "They have
their own energy. You gotta throw it out there a little
more because people tend to spread out a little bit
when they are outdoors. If you get a nice day, you can
feel the good vibe. You get the elements around you
and that's really what music is all about."
Though he is most comfortable playing with the breeze
blowing through his rock-star long-brown hair, Hogan
will take a gig just about anywhere for a chance to
share his music.
"I got a lot of gigs popping up all over the place, both
big and small," Hogan said. "Wherever I can get a gig
I'll be playing. We play the opening gig at Stratford
Little League and play at pig roasts and parities. Big
gigs, small gigs, indoor or outdoor, I just wanna play as
much as possible." —Stephanie O’Connell
Guitarist and songwriter
Dave Hogan has a broad back-
ground in music to his credit
with groups such as Red One,
The Great Upsetters and The Rafter Bats, probably all
completely unknown to European music fans. In 2006,
this musician from Bridgeport, Connecticut branched out
as a solo artist, and ventured into the Americana and alt.
country genre.
With his backing group "Graylight Campfire, 2008 and
2010 saw the release of two albums, to only moderate
success. Quitting isn't in Dave's vocabulary, so he
gathered some musical friends around him in the studio
to record his new solo album, Fun Box. Ten original
compositions were given a place on this record, most
notably easy-listening Americana songs.
Opener "Time Can Change," "High, Dry & Lonesome"
and "Next Time Around" offer a good swinging pace,
reminiscent of Neil Young & Crazy Horse, a group that
Dave Hogan himself claims as his main source of
inspiration.
The acoustic Neil Young (or was it our own Admiral
Freebee) was probably in Dave Hogan's mind when he
wrote "Out In The Open", the closing number of this
record. A few more tracks worth looking at, slower
tempo country songs "World's Oldest Question" and
"Please Come Home," followed by the frenzied, turbo-
charged "Downbound Train," in what we can we say is
rock and roll in its purest form.
It goes without saying that Dave Hogan and his friends
had a lot of fun recording this album, and that good time
radiates entirely in the quality of the ten songs that shine
on this beautiful album. —Valère Sampermans
Dave Hogan has a broad back-
ground in music to his credit
with groups such as Red One,
The Great Upsetters and The Rafter Bats, probably all
completely unknown to European music fans. In 2006,
this musician from Bridgeport, Connecticut branched out
as a solo artist, and ventured into the Americana and alt.
country genre.
With his backing group "Graylight Campfire, 2008 and
2010 saw the release of two albums, to only moderate
success. Quitting isn't in Dave's vocabulary, so he
gathered some musical friends around him in the studio
to record his new solo album, Fun Box. Ten original
compositions were given a place on this record, most
notably easy-listening Americana songs.
Opener "Time Can Change," "High, Dry & Lonesome"
and "Next Time Around" offer a good swinging pace,
reminiscent of Neil Young & Crazy Horse, a group that
Dave Hogan himself claims as his main source of
inspiration.
The acoustic Neil Young (or was it our own Admiral
Freebee) was probably in Dave Hogan's mind when he
wrote "Out In The Open", the closing number of this
record. A few more tracks worth looking at, slower
tempo country songs "World's Oldest Question" and
"Please Come Home," followed by the frenzied, turbo-
charged "Downbound Train," in what we can we say is
rock and roll in its purest form.
It goes without saying that Dave Hogan and his friends
had a lot of fun recording this album, and that good time
radiates entirely in the quality of the ten songs that shine
on this beautiful album. —Valère Sampermans
Dave's on these stations:
A Bridgeport, Connecticut-based song-
writer, vocalist and guitarist, Dave
Hogan is a veteran of three critically-
acclaimed groups: Red One, The
Great Upsetters, and The Rafter Bats. He’s been a
musician for most of his life, having collaborated with a
large number of musicians through the years. His solo
career started in 2006, and “Fun Box is his current full-
length release, featuring 10 tracks.
Dave successfully handles multiple genres. His
musical style ranges from Americana and alt. country
tendencies, to 70′s rock and acoustic, with some
additional elements in between as well to tell a
complete story. His vocal interpretation is extremely
convincing. It possesses a fresh energy; a very
personal and enthusiastic view. What is also important
to say, all of his 10 songs are accessible yet refined,
thus should satisfy even the average listener’s ear.
In some aspects his work reminds me of James Taylor,
but the album itself presents its own personality. Dave
as a songwriter has shown enough of his own “tricks”
and catchy melodies that offer an original portrayal of
his musical heritage.
“Fun Box” as an album satisfies in every regard, and I
recommend it particularly for old school and 70′s music
fans. —Branimir Lokner
writer, vocalist and guitarist, Dave
Hogan is a veteran of three critically-
acclaimed groups: Red One, The
Great Upsetters, and The Rafter Bats. He’s been a
musician for most of his life, having collaborated with a
large number of musicians through the years. His solo
career started in 2006, and “Fun Box is his current full-
length release, featuring 10 tracks.
Dave successfully handles multiple genres. His
musical style ranges from Americana and alt. country
tendencies, to 70′s rock and acoustic, with some
additional elements in between as well to tell a
complete story. His vocal interpretation is extremely
convincing. It possesses a fresh energy; a very
personal and enthusiastic view. What is also important
to say, all of his 10 songs are accessible yet refined,
thus should satisfy even the average listener’s ear.
In some aspects his work reminds me of James Taylor,
but the album itself presents its own personality. Dave
as a songwriter has shown enough of his own “tricks”
and catchy melodies that offer an original portrayal of
his musical heritage.
“Fun Box” as an album satisfies in every regard, and I
recommend it particularly for old school and 70′s music
fans. —Branimir Lokner
| Local Band Review's 2011 Picks "A recap of what some of the local folks thought were the best of the best in Connecticut music this year." |
| Dave Hogan – Fun Box Favorite cut, "High, Dry and Lonesome" Local Band Review Editor's Pick 2011 Listeners' Choice - Favorite Artist The Local Bands Show on WPLR The Grimm Generation – The Last Record Party Homegrown’s (WESU) Robbie DeRosa The Grimm Generation – The Last Record Party IndepenDisc’s Gary Gone The Mill Valley Taters 2011 Band of the Year IndepenDisc’s Gary Gone |
Friday night we decided to travel way out of our
comfort zone to check out Graylight Campfire at
Ray Kelly’s in the Black Rock section of
Bridgeport. And I am so glad we did! Not only is
it a pretty cool place to see a band (and just right for
GC), but pretty easy to get to for out-of-towners.
Graylight ripped up the place with a combination of
Graylight tunes – old and some new material (yay!),
some solo Dave Hogan, and a few covers thrown in,
including an awesome “Bertha”. Well worth the trip!
—Lisa Sanchez-Gonzalez
comfort zone to check out Graylight Campfire at
Ray Kelly’s in the Black Rock section of
Bridgeport. And I am so glad we did! Not only is
it a pretty cool place to see a band (and just right for
GC), but pretty easy to get to for out-of-towners.
Graylight ripped up the place with a combination of
Graylight tunes – old and some new material (yay!),
some solo Dave Hogan, and a few covers thrown in,
including an awesome “Bertha”. Well worth the trip!
—Lisa Sanchez-Gonzalez
Dave Hogan hit the stage... showcasing his great
guitar playing and wonderful songwriting. Dave
plays in many local bands in the Fairfield County
area and has also just released a new CD, Fun
Box. I do believe he may be in the running for the hardest
working musician in CT right now. You can check his site
for his very full schedule of shows and catch him either
solo, with his electric trio Graylight Campfire, sitting in with
The Grimm Generation at one of their shows, or with The
Mill Valley Taters. —Aim D’Amaro
guitar playing and wonderful songwriting. Dave
plays in many local bands in the Fairfield County
area and has also just released a new CD, Fun
Box. I do believe he may be in the running for the hardest
working musician in CT right now. You can check his site
for his very full schedule of shows and catch him either
solo, with his electric trio Graylight Campfire, sitting in with
The Grimm Generation at one of their shows, or with The
Mill Valley Taters. —Aim D’Amaro