The Band of Heathens

Biography

The Band of Heathens is an Austin-based roots-rock and Americana band that formed organically in 2005 when three singer-songwriters—Colin Brooks, Ed Jurdi, and Gordy Quist—began collaborating during weekly residencies at Momo's, a local Austin music venue.[2] What started as a spontaneous side project called the "Good Time Supper Club," featuring three singer-songwriters in the round backed by bassist Seth Whitney and drummer John Chipman, quickly evolved into a full-fledged rock and roll band.[3] A local newspaper misprint that billed them as "The Heathens" inadvertently gave the group its permanent name.[2] The band's early success came through live performances, with their first two albums being live recordings—Live from Momo's (2006) and Live at Antone's (2007)—before their self-titled 2008 studio debut, produced by Ray Wylie Hubbard, topped the Americana charts and earned a Top-10 year-end spot.[2][3]

Throughout their career, the Band of Heathens has maintained artistic independence while building a sustainable business model for their music. After significant personnel changes in 2011-2012, with Colin Brooks departing and the rhythm section transitioning, co-leaders Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist redefined the group's sound on 2013's Sunday Morning Record, adding keyboardist Trevor Nealon, drummer Richard Millsap, and later bassist Jesse Wilson in 2017.[1][3] The band has released ten albums total, including One Foot in the Ether (2009), Duende (2017), Stranger (2020), and the critically acclaimed Simple Things (2023), which blends rock, blues, soul, and folk with heartfelt songwriting.[2][3] Known for their energetic live performances and dual-lead vocals, the Band of Heathens has performed over twelve hundred shows across thirteen countries while remaining proudly independent, establishing themselves as a model for sustainable independent musicianship in Austin's competitive music scene.[1]

The band's approach to business and sustainability has become notable within the Austin music community. Co-founder Gordy Quist, who holds a degree from Dartmouth and has business experience, helped establish a disciplined financial model where the band committed to saving half of all gig money for recording and touring.[4] Notably, they pioneered an early form of crowdfunding for their debut album, offering fans the opportunity to pre-fund the project with a promise of 80 percent of album sales going toward repayment plus 20 percent profit—a commitment they fulfilled in just two-and-a-half years.[4] All current band members earn their living from the band and side gigs, with no traditional nine-to-five employment, making them a working middle-class band that has successfully navigated the challenges of the modern music industry.[4]

Fun Facts

• The band's name originated from a newspaper misprint that billed their Good Time Supper Club residency at Momo's as 'The Heathens,' and the accidental name stuck permanently.[2][6]
• Gordy Quist arrived in Austin in 2004 with only the goal of making enough money to eat and continue playing music, eventually co-founding one of Austin's most successful independent bands.[4]
• The Band of Heathens pioneered an early form of crowdfunding before Kickstarter became popular, offering fans the opportunity to pre-fund their 2008 debut album with a promise of 80 percent of sales going toward repayment plus 20 percent profit, which they fulfilled in just two-and-a-half years.[4]
• The band has performed over twelve hundred shows across thirteen countries while maintaining complete artistic independence and never borrowing money after their initial crowdfunded debut, establishing a sustainable business model that has become a model for other Austin musicians.[1][4]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Ray Wylie Hubbard - Producer of the band's self-titled debut album (The Band of Heathens (2008)) [2008]

Key Collaborators

• Colin Brooks - Co-founding member and principal singer-songwriter (Live from Momo's (2006), Live at Antone's (2007), The Band of Heathens (2008), One Foot in the Ether (2009), Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster's Son (2011)) [2005-2011]
• Ed Jurdi - Co-founding member and principal singer-songwriter, continues as core member (All Band of Heathens albums) [2005-present]
• Gordy Quist - Co-founding member and principal singer-songwriter, continues as core member (All Band of Heathens albums) [2005-present]
• Trevor Nealon - Keyboardist, joined during lineup restructuring (Sunday Morning Record (2013) onwards) [2009-present]
• Richard Millsap - Drummer, joined during lineup restructuring (Sunday Morning Record (2013) onwards) [2012-present]
• Jesse Wilson - Bassist, joined the band (Duende (2017) onwards) [2017-present]
• Seth Whitney - Original bassist in the Good Time Supper Club residency (Live from Momo's (2006), Live at Antone's (2007), The Band of Heathens (2008), One Foot in the Ether (2009)) [2005-2012]
• John Chipman - Original drummer in the Good Time Supper Club residency (Live from Momo's (2006), Live at Antone's (2007), The Band of Heathens (2008), One Foot in the Ether (2009)) [2005-2012]

External Links

• Spotify
• [Wikipedia](Not found in search results)