SQUIRT GUN

And it has. Squirt Gun erupted on the local music scene on the spur of the moment 10 years ago. Music aficionado Susan Bates needed something new, something fresh, for a gig at her downtown venue, Tipsy McSway’s. She turned to friend and veteran guitar slinger Crawford, who reached out to fellow troubadour Dan. They focused on a rock-n-roll format from the freewheeling 1980s, recruited a drummer, rehearsed a few songs and hit the stage for their debut in a matter of days.

For all its seat-of-the-pants beginnings, the band’s inviting sound has staying power. Ten years down the road from that first show in January of 2013, Squirt Gun is still drawing crowds to pubs and bars around the Golden Isles several times a week. Filling out Squirt Gun’s current lineup is lead guitar extraordi-

Dan and Crawford both know the secret to their success.

“We want to be the band that you want to see live,” says Dan, 55.

And this rocking quartet sets the tone on stage, playing their music for the pure joy of it. With songs you know by heart from an easygoing era that still draws listeners from several generations, the crowds are all too happy to join the party.

“The thing everybody says about our band — and it’s true — is that we have fun,” says Crawford, 54. “We all laugh and cut up on stage and we are glad to let in the audience in on what we’re cutting up about. If we weren’t having fun up there, we would have stopped a long time ago.”

But Crawford’s wise-cracking demeanor belies a simple fact. This foursome’s fun-and-games approach to rock-n-roll is backed by polished and veteran musicians who take their craft seriously. Jeff filled the band’s lead guitar niche years ago, but the band founders speak of him still with a fresh sense of awe.

“Jeff is beyond phenomenal,” Dan says. “And he’s also got the rockstar look and attitude, so that’s good.”

“Jeff was probably the best thing that ever happened to Squirt Gun,” Crawford adds. “He gave us new life.”

The band went through a succession of drummers before finding a keeper on the sticks with Scott.

“He’s the best drummer we’ve ever had,” Crawford says. “He’s awesome.”

As for Crawford, music has coursed through this Golden Isles native’s veins since boyhood. He gravitated to saxophone and keyboards early on, performing in his middle school band and later joining older peers in local rock bands while still in high school at Glynn Academy.

As a grownup, Crawford never considered a real job that did not have a beat to it. The local music stores he haunted as a youngster hired him later on. During his years trying to break out in Nashville, Crawford landed a job with guitar manufacturer Fender. He later worked as a district sales manager locally with the famed Gibson guitar company. Crawford opened SoGlo Guitar Gallery in downtown Brunswick in March of 2019.

“Look around you,” Crawford says, sitting inside SoGlo, shooting the bull with a slowly-revolving cast of musical characters. “I left a six-figure salary for this.”

Dan has wanted to rock-and-roll all night and party every day on stage since he first saw bassist Gene Simmons and Kiss as a youngster. While he is not nearly so theatrical, Dan takes the legendary band’s showmanship to heart with Squirt Gun.

“I just play bass,” says Dan, who started out in heavy metal bands in his home town of Atlanta. “It’s all I ever wanted to do from the first time I saw Kiss. The way (Simmons) holds the bass like a weapon, the way he plays it. They put on a show. No one wants to see a band just stand there and play.”

No chance of that when Squirt Gun entertains their local fans with 80s classics such as Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl,” Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell,” and Simple Minds’ “Don’t You Forget About Me.” With anthems like the Beastie Boys’ “Fight For Your Right (to Party!),” the tunes of that decade were meant for good times. In addition to 50-somethings who helped define that era in their youth, the generation that followed was spoon fed 80s music as background to Disney Channel shows, Crawford notes.

“There’s a saying, ‘Ladies Love the 80s,’” Crawford says. “You get the ladies in the bar and the guys will come. The 80s were a great time, and there was nothing really political about it. It was all about having a good time. And that’s why we have so much fun at our shows.”

GOLDEN ISLES ROTARY CLUB’S CHILI COOKOFF

The Golden Isles Rotary Club recently hosted its annual Red Hot Chili Cookoff at Postell Park on St. Simons Island. Cooking te ams set up booths to serve attendees. Judges selected their favorite batch and participants voted for their favorite recipe. The judge’s winners were FaithWorks, first place; King & Prince Beach and Golf Resort, s econd place; and Brunette and a Bucket Cleaning Co., third plac e. The People’s Choice winners were A/C Guys, first place; Bubba Garcia’s/Gnats Landing, second place; and Berkshire Hathaway HomeService Hodn ett Cooper. The best booth theme prize went to Bubba Garcia’s/Gnat’s Landing.

JEKYLL ISLAND ARTS ASSOCIATION’S SPRING ART FESTIVAL

The Jekyll Island Arts Association recently hosted its Spring A rt Festival in the historic district on Jekyll Island. Potters, painters, authors, weavers, and others shared their wares. Some offered d emonstrations of various mediums. For more information about the arts association, visit jekyllartists.com.

First Friday

Downtown Brunswick recently held its monthly First Friday event along Newcastle Street. Stores stayed open later and restauran ts hosted bands. The block party reoccurs on the first Friday of every mo nth.

HOSPICE OF THE GOLDEN ISLES’ DOVE SOCIETY

Glynn Visual Arts recently hosted its 70th anniversary gala at the A.W. Jones Heritage Center on St. Simons Island. The event was themed the Art of the Low Country. It featured musicians, live painting demonstrations, and a silent auction. The art center has been offering classes and exhibitions since 1953. For details on Glynn Visual Arts’ p rogramming, visit glynnvisualarts.org.

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