MUSIC FEATURE
well as with the “abrasize jazz” trio Brut Beat. He’s While their most recent coworking experience also played in punk bands 2013 Wolves and The may have brought the crew together in its most Luciferean Agenda, among others. As Ogres, the band members have put together official manifestation, one could argue that Ogres all their diverse areas of expertise to craft a mashup has been in the works for decades. Each of the members share childhood stories of genres that changes as the tracks do with one another from growing up in Gaston County The mythical tale of Ogres together, namely in Mount Holly, where they all ‘What Gaston County sounds like’ was a long time coming gathered at the pool every summer as kids. Aswell Each Ogres track starts with a loop. Aswell creates and Blackwood are brothers. Bennett and Aswell were a beat — maybe just the drums, but oftentimes with BY RYAN PITKIN classmates, as were Childers and Blackwood. at least one guitar worked in — and loops it for two Childers was the first person to record Aswell to three minutes. He sends that off to Childers, who Despite its location just over the Gaston County playing drums when the latter was 11 years old. writes lyrics based on how the track hits him. border, closer to Charlotte than more popular spots like The two even still remember an especially physical, Once Aswell gets it back, he teams with Crowders Mountain or Kings mountains, most Queen tense game of backyard basketball. Blackwood and Bennett to create a more complete City residents are not familiar with Cramer Mountain. That may be due to its exclusivity, as it’s not a tourist venue like others in the area. The mountain is home to Cramer Mountain Club, a country club that caters to some of the more affluent folks living in and around Cramerton, a town of less than 5,000 people on the banks of the South Fork Catawba River. It was in the club that local musician and restaurateur Scott Blackwood opened Khakis and brought on his brother Justin Aswell and longtime friend Robert Childers to work there. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the trio found themselves in what they now call a “bizarre” situation, dealing with the “Gaston County rich” who weren’t interested in taking orders from any government or health official. “Being at the country club during the start of it, it was a hotbed for a lot of alt, right-wing takes on a lot of shit,” recalls Aswell. “It was pretty intense.” “People [were] screaming at you for wearing your mask at work, which you have to do, but they’re mad PHOTO BY CODY BENNETT about it,” Childers continues, shaking his head. Though OGRES (FROM LEFT) JUSTIN ASWELL, ROBERT CHILDERS, CODY BENNETT, SCOTT BLACKWOOD never proven, he’s convinced his own bout of COVID-19 When I meet with the four guys in the open- instrumental around Childers’ lyrics. Of course, this came at the hands of one of the club’s members. air dining room at Miguel’s Restaurant on Little cycle sometimes has to repeat itself a few times And yet, the group of longtime friends couldn’t Rock Road, close to the Gaston County border, the before it’s complete, says Aswell. be happier with what came out of the otherwise bonds they have built over years of friendship are “There are times when [Robert] will give me stuff hellish experience: Ogres, their genre-bending clear. Their musical connections, on the other hand, and by the time I’m done with it he listens and says, punk, hip-hop, Southern rock experiment. would only be apparent to those who have paid ‘Oh shit, I gotta re-record my parts. I was singing to “We’re serving [club members], and in our close attention to each of their careers. that other stuff,’” he explains. “He needs to reinterpret leisure time writing these subversive songs that Aswell is best known around the city as a producer his stylings to match the new instrumental.” are coming out of our experiences with people who and DJ, building his name at hip-hop and b-boy “Which is a great, true form of collaboration that think we’re their fucking servant,” Childers says. events like Knocturnal. Blackwood built his rep as a I really dig,” Childers continues. “That’s all in there, and the project probably would promoter and manager, though he’s also a producer, What comes out is a mashup of all the influences not have happened had it not been for that.” most recently working with Aswell on a freestyle the group has grown up with and performed in their Since finishing their first track in September production series called Brotherly Love. Bennett is respective projects. “Proletariat Gate Guard” has 2020, the group has brought on guitarist Cody best known as the bassist for once-popular Charlotte a dance vibe reminiscent of Beck, while Childers’ Bennett, and will play their first live show together Southern rock band Swamp da Wamp. Americana roots are apparent in “Gone To Harlow.” at Snug Harbor on Sept. 18 alongside Telepathetics, Childers’ resume is familiar to folks in all corners According to Childers, the band’s sound goes back Adam Cope and Duke Massive. They say they have of Charlotte’s music scenes. He’s played drums to those days at the Mount Holly community pool. two projects worth of material ready to go, and hope to with his father in David Childers & the Serpents, as “When we were kids we would make mixtapes and release one of them in October.
NOT A FAIRY TALE
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Old friends make a new sound
trade them amongst each other, and it was like a circle of dudes in Mount Holly that would do that,” Childers recalls. “And I feel like this band is one of those mixtapes coming to life. It is everything that we’ve been growing up on and listening to coming out.” One connecting theme throughout is the hip-hop influence, though no single song could necessarily be labeled as such. Childers says that’s another product of the small Gaston County town. “In Mount Holly, cypher culture, be it drum battling to rap battles, it was like something you grew up doing, it was everywhere,” he says. “It was at all the parks and basketball courts. It was multiracial and there were different groups that would rap together, and there would be battles. It was just how we grew up, and it was a natural thing.” He insists that, though no one would call him a rapper, it’s always been present in his music. “I make the hip-hop that comes out of being a weird-ass dude from Mount Holly that’s always grown up going to punk rock shows and loves Wu Tang Clan,” he says. “I was definitely very much inspired by that no matter what. I’ve always lyrically and vocally approached it like a hip-hop song while still singing and being punk rock with it.” “It’s what Gaston County sounds like,” explains Blackwood.
