For all of those ignorant stonkers out there, there are 5 groups called The Crooks. The hottest and newest group sharing the name: There’s no shortage of country music in Crooks’ hometown of Austin, TX. But ask anyone who has crammed into a packed honky-tonk to catch one of their infamously rowdy late-night shows and they’ll tell you there’s something that sets them apart from the rest. Crooks are breathing new life into decades-old musical traditions, stripping away the polish and shine of modern radio country and replacing it with earnest songs about life, work and pain. Sometimes it’s weary and lonesome, sometimes it’s downright bleak, and oftentimes it’s just reckless fun. Suddenly, country music is dangerous again. Frontman Josh Mazour formed Crooks in 2007 as a two-piece band, playing stripped down sets at dive bars around Austin. Things have grown from there. He’s now joined by drummer Rob Bacak, stand-up bassist Andrew VanVoorhees, and multi-instrumentalist Sam Alberts, who alternates between guitar, banjo, mandolin, and trumpet. Live, Crooks are an even greater spectacle, as fiddle, trumpet, and accordion players jump on stage throughout their set. Crooks released their debut LP ‘The Rain Will Come’ this year, featuring guest appearances from accordion legend Flaco Jimenez of the Texas Tornados, and produced by Danny Reisch, known for his work with other Austin luminaries like The Bright Light Social Hour, Okkervil River, Shearwater, and White Denim. Mazour lists songwriting greats like Hank Williams Sr., Townes Van Zandt, Billy Joe Shaver, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Blaze Foley and even Kurt Cobain as influences on his style, which he describes as “just unapologetic country songwriting.” “Country music is honest music,” he says. “You can get straight to your point, and if no one likes it, that's fine. But you don't have to hide your feelings in tired metaphors and youthful whining.” ‘The Rain Will Come’ has been a resounding success, kicking down doors for the band on a national level. American Songwriter called it “a driving slice of country noir,” and CMT.com praised it as “rugged and lonesome,” saying “this style of country music makes you want to keep your tab open.” KUT-FM put their money on Crooks as the “Austin artist most likely to score big in 2012,” while the Austin American-Statesman predicts that “the seemingly endless stream of media praise… points toward something bigger coming.” But Mazour takes it all in stride. “I write songs because it's the only thing I'm good at doing. I have no idea what else to do with myself at this point,” he says. “I know I'm still gonna piss some people off, make mistakes, and that I have a lot to learn. If I write a drinking song, it's probably because I went to sleep at six in the morning the night before. That's another thing that sets us apart from a lot of country musicians. I don't think these some of these guys even go to bars anymore. We do, a lot.” http://www.reverbnation.com/crookscountry# Here is the first (most notorious) group: In 2004 The Crooks started their musical journey. Five different forces joined together to make their own music, rock as they never heard before. Many gigs were played and many prizes were won. And things went well. They first released their home made demo, "Dirty Demo", in 2006. A year later followed by the first studio EP "Red". Things still went well and The Crooks were happy to share the stage with lots of great local and international bands, and did so for the following years. But all of a sudden their bass player decided to quit, and the crooks had a rough year. They decided to start a project called "Phat Thommie's Rock 'n Rolla", playing covers of their heroes. But after a few gigs it was clear that the crooks needed to continue their own crusade of rock. Determined to find a new bass player, auditions were arranged. After a long search they finally found the right guy with whom they could continue what they do best. The year is 2009 and the band is ready to spread this crook-mania all around the globe again. Be part of it, get crooked! Biography (Dutch) In 2004 begon de muzikale reis van the Crooks. Vijf verschillende krachten kwamen samen om hun eigen muziek te maken, rock zoals nog nooit te horen was geweest. Vele optredens werden gespeeld en vele prijzen werden gewonnen. Alles ging goed. Ze brachten een zelf gemaakte demo uit, 'Dirty Demo', in 2006. Een jaar later werd deze opgevolgd door de eerste studio EP 'Red'. Alles ging goed en the Crooks waren blij dat ze het podium mochten delen met vele goede locale en internationale bands, en deden dat dan ook de jaren daarop. Maar plots besloot hun bassist te stoppen, en hadden the Crooks een lastig jaar. Ze besloten een side-project op te starten dat 'Fat Thommie's Rock 'n Rolla' heette, waarmee ze covers van hun helden speelden. Maar na een paar optredens was duidelijk dat the Crooks niet konden zonder het maken van muziek, en besloten ze door te gaan met hun eigen kruistocht. Vastberaden een nieuwe bassist te vinden werden er audities gehouden. Na een lange zoektocht vonden ze eindelijk de juiste persoon waarmee zij konden voortzetten wat ze het beste kunnen. Het jaar is 2009 en de band is klaar om zijn crook-mania weer over de wereld uit te spuwen. Be part of it, get crooked! The other Crooks: The second is a mod revival group from London, England. After the enormous success of the Jam, The Crooks, like the Chords and Secret Affair, picked up a parka, italian suit, and a vespa and played lively, vigorous songs, equally inspired by their contemporaries and other old mod groups, like the Kinks and Small Faces, for instance. The third group is a 4-piece new wave dirty rock group out of Roseville, Minnesota. There is a fourth, unsigned two person instrumental band of this name from Warrenville, Illinois formed in 2007. THE 5TH: Psychedelic/Blues/Rock haling from DETROIT, MI consisting of Jordan Krebs - Guitar,vox Taylor "T-Rey" Reynolds - Bass Ben Van Camp - Drums, backing vox Played with : the Muggs, Outrageous Cherry, Brian Vander Ark The Hard Lessons, Mick Bassett and the Marthas, The Handgrenades, Serenity Court, the Cetan Clawson Revolution, Beggars, Oatmeal, The Wall Clocks, The Pizazz, Fixer, Bang Camaro, Johnny Nobody, the Weathervane Cocks, the Ypsitucky Colonels, Commerce and Hiller, SPAG Burlesque, Calvinball,The Darts, The Cosmic Eyes, Third Coast Kings, Mega~Weedge, Trains Can't Stop, Carolyn Striho, Satori Circus, The Hosts, The T-Radicals,Amen Cowboy, Spade Wencer, Blue Black Hours, and more. .. http://www.facebook.com/thecrooksdetroit http://www.myspace.com/crooksthe