Woof. Drinkin’ with the Barndogs.

This story begins as per my loitering-out-the-back-door-of-the-club chats, in between sets with my pal, Pete Szymanski—drummer for Syracuse’s very own Barndogs. Everybody knows that the Barndogs are a great roll, these days. Household name by now. Playing top gigs such as Taste of Syracuse and the Vinyl Albums series. With a collection of like feathers in their Barndog hat, these classic rockers remain one of the busier groups in Central New York. They’ve been together a long time. A rock and roll band that stays together a long time is a rare thing. And that’s fascinating to me.

So, while loitering, I told Pete its time to do a story. He suggested Clark’s Ale House, downtown, and it was on.

There we were with our robust ales, on a sunny Sunday afternoon. An inconspicuous little table with some elbow room. Five rockers talking about rock and roll.

The Barndogs consist of Andy Comstock: bass and lead vocals;  Mark Westers: guitfiddle and backing vocals; John Kapusniak (aka John Kapp): keys; Pete Szymanski: drums and vocals. This is a well-seasoned band. They have great chops but more importantly they’ve been playing together a long time, which means they are counting to 4 in their own special way – not to mention the twelve years of rocking together, which means they have their own sense of musical ESP. which again = results in having their own matter of style. And since this is rock and roll, baby, it should have a matter of style.

Mean hands on these musicians, but fun gentlemen off the stage. We had a few laughs.

CS: So this particular lineup has been together for about 5 years, if I understand it right. But also twelve. What?

John: The four of us have been together for about 12-13 years.  Previously we had a female lead singer  and decided that we needed to go in a different direction in order to play the songs we wanted to play.  We have a more muscular sound now.

Andy: It’s been just the 4 of us for the last 5 years.

Mark: I met Andy through a mutual friend at a gig. He was playing bass in the band and my acoustic trio did a few tunes during the break and he came up jammed with us on a couple. We were looking to round out the band so Andy came aboard.

Pete: I was the last cog. A previous incarnation of the band was already functioning. I had been completely out of circulation for about 7 years or so – sticks literally hung above the fireplace, when my old friend (and distant cousin) John called me out of the blue one evening wondering if I was looking to play.

CS: Hmmm. Sounds kinda complicated. Haha. You certainly to play together like you’ve been playing together a long time. Cool. I’ve also become aware that I’m the first to feature you in an editorial. I’m totally scratching my head on this. How is it that no one has covered this group before?

Andy: Not sure really.

John:  Not sure, but there are a lot of cover bands around, and most of the coverage I’ve seen is on younger artists playing original music, or at least music that sounds original.

Mark: We’ve managed to stay somewhat below the radar until just the last couple years. Our profile is a little higher now thanks to gigs like Taste of Syracuse and Vinyl-Albums Live.

CS: Well, I’m delighted to have the honor. You’re a terrific band. Ok, so on with a standard question: If you were presenting the band for the first time today, how would you characterize your music?

Andy : Classic Rock focusing on 60’s and 70’s era…

John: … Music that we grew up with and still love…

Mark: …Stuff people know. Some stuff people don’t realize they know! Nothing too heavy. Stuff you can shake your ass to!…

Pete: …Lots of Allman Brothers, Doors, The Beatles, The Cream and a generous spattering of other somewhat similar stuff.

CS: We’ve established what you sound like and how long you’ve been rockin. You’ve been together a long time. What’s your secret to that success?

John: We love playing together, we’re friends. No major personality conflicts, letting stuff go sometimes, understanding that the music and the band is bigger than each of us as individuals.

Mark: Communication is the key, I think. Treating each other with respect. Not playing so much that it becomes a chore.

Andy: I’d have to chalk it up to experience, both in our prior endeavors and together as a group

Pete: Also, retooling after a previous incarnation gave us an opportunity to re-invent ourselves; it added a spark of something new [for us]. We also have pushed ourselves and have been included in some rather ambitious projects. Working so hard on such common goals has helped to keep the spark sparkin’.

CS: Nice. That’s what it’s all about. How did you each get started in music?

John:  My mother loved music, sang in the church choir, and she instilled that love of music into me.  Piano lessons in grade school and love of rock’n’roll.  After that, discovering people like Ray Charles and other genres opened up a whole new world that continues to unfold for me to this day.

Pete: Truthfully, I don’t remember. Music has always just been. My earliest recollections of life involve music – sitting in a high chair on a sunny spring morning after my brothers had left for school and hearing Sweet Caroline on the radio (which my parents always had playing) – singing along to records – The Beatles specifically – when is was 3 years old. I started classical piano lessons when I was 6. My teacher, Professor John Hutchinson, studied during the summers when he was a teenager, in Vermont under the Von Trapps (yes THOSE Von Trapps!) When I was 10 I discovered the drums (the death knell for the piano)! A neighbor that lived across the street played and let me give his kit a try one day. Inexplicably, I was able to play a beat on my first attempt.

Mark: I got started by listening to the records my parents had. My Mom was into the Beatles and Elvis and Little Richard. My dad was a jazz guy. Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubek, Big band stuff. My first and biggest influence on guitar was and is Eric Clapton.

Andy: Music runs deep in my family. My Dad was a doo wop singer in the fifty’s, My mother is an accomplished piano player and there was always music in our house growing up. My aunt is a music teacher and that’s where I got my start learning instruments. I played Tuba, sousaphone and trombone in school, then my father bought me a bass and an amp for christmas one year, and the rest was history

CS: Please offer a Barndog highlight.

Andy: Strictly the 4 of us, I would say “Vinyl albums Live the second” where we performed the LA Woman album by The Doors in 2011 It was a coming out party of sorts for us. If we’re counting the Barndogs PLUS Allman Bros Tribute, I’d have to say playing in front of 8000 or so opening for Blues Traveler at Taste of Syracuse 2014. That was a rush

Mark: A personal highlight of mine was being invited by Doug Gray to jam with The Marshall Tucker band at BalloonFest. He was standing side stage watching us do our Allman Brothers set and came up to me and told me he liked the way I play and would I be interested in sitting in with his band. Very cool for me.  Opening for The Outlaws at Fireworks over Utica was another great show. Huge crowd really into our show.

John:  Have to say opening for Marshall Tucker at Balloonfest and having your guitar player asked to join in with them onstage for a few songs.  Also, opening for John Popper and Blues Traveller at Taste of Syracuse.  That was the biggest crowd – 7 or 8 thousand – and we played an Allman Brothers set with extra players and the response from that big crowd was definitely a highlight.

Pete: For me, It was being posed with the idea of The Barndogs Plus – a tribute to The Allman Brothers, bringing in additional players who have included Chad Mac, Tim Robinson, JT (Jerry Tarolli) and Sue Royal. Specifically playing the opening slot just before Blues Traveler on the Taste of Syracuse Main Stage – in front of roughly 7k-ish people.

CS: Way cool. Good memories indeed.

OK. Now…. this is the part of the show where I ask the most serious question of all time. Crazy Barndog war story?

John: Years ago we used to play this place down in Groton and it was a younger crowd, inexperienced bartenders, and no bouncer.  The band is lined up against a wall facing the bar, so the patrons are close.  Fight breaks out and Andy and our singer at the time get kind of pushed back against me and Pete.  Our singer, a female, showed no fear pushing back.  We stopped playing there after that.

CS: Your thoughts on the CNY music scene?

Mark: I love the scene in Syracuse. For the most part everyone supports each other. It’s a small town so you have to get along with people. We can all succeed. There are plenty of good quality gigs out there to be had. I’m very lucky because not only do I play with The Barndogs but I also have an acoustic duo, McArdell & Westers, and I play with the very talented Lisa Lee. There are some great musicians in Syracuse. I’m happy to be part of it.

Andy: Love it, we are very lucky to have such a diverse, active scene for a city our size

John:  There is a lot of musical talent here for a town this size.  I think if you’re looking to see live music you can pretty much find most genres covered.  I think it’s mostly a country and classic rock type of audience that goes out, and the younger players have a few outlets to ply their craft. R&B and folk also draw.

CS: How about some good ‘ol-pro Barndog advice for the musicians coming up through the ranks?

John:  Believe in what you’re doing.  There is no shortage of people telling you you’re wrong. Practice as a band so you play together as a single unit. Don’t get caught up in your own ego. If you write, keep writing, and writing, and writing.

Mark: My advice would be to study music. Read and write. I wish I had when I was younger. I’m just self taught and have fun doing what I do. But don’t really consider myself a “real” musician.

Andy: Don’t stop, don’t ever stop. Also and maybe more importantly, play for yourself, do it because you enjoy it.

CS: Whats on the horizon for you Barndogs?

Pete: Steady as she goes..

Andy: More album projects for sure, and expanding our offerings of the classic rock genre we cover. There may be some original work in the future as well. You never know

John:  Keep doing what we’re doing, adding new material and having fun.

Mark: Who knows what the plan is? We know our place. We are a bunch of old guys playing covers. Keep learning new songs that make people want to dance a little and have a few cocktails.

CS: Where do we find you?

Mark: Find us on Facebook. The Barndogs. And of course the Table Hopping club listings.

CS: Thanks for hanging out, guys. Great visiting with you.

Barndogs: Thanks, Chuck!

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Chuck Schiele is an award-winning musician, record producer, editorialist, activist and plays in the SaltCityChill.com. To be considered for this article please write chuck.schiele@gmail.com

Chuck Schiele

Chuck Schiele is a lifelong, award-winning musician, art director, producer, editorialist, artist, activist, member Quatrocollective.com and fan of the CNY music scene. To be considered for this column, please write chuck.schiele@gmail.com.