Military Special
Minneapolis band Military Special has quickly become notorious for their rollicking sets of electric party rock—and for spreading their unique brand of beer-fueled mayhem across the grain belt.
Founded officially in 2007 by former bandmates Joe Schweigert and Peter Blomgren, the band went through several different permutations in its earliest days before settling on their current, six-member crew. James Shaff has played with the band since its inception, and Charlie Smith since they began playing live. Danell Norby met Schweigert while studying in Amsterdam in early 2007, and joined the band a year later. Matt Robshaw became the band's third drummer in 2008, following Geoff Freeman and Jake Hartnett.
Though they have been compared in the press to Bloc Party, TV on the Radio, and LCD Soundsystem, the band cites influences as wide-ranging as Devo, New Order, Gap Band and The Time. Of course, having grown up in '80s Minneapolis, the band seems equal parts Revolution and Replacements—borne at the confluence of "Purple Rain" and "Let It Be."
They released their first album—a self-titled EP—in September of 2008. Twin Cities music press greeted the album warmly, and praised the band for bringing some dance tunes into an otherwise determinedly folk-and-shoegaze scene. Six months later, Military Special returned with their full-length debut "Civil Union," and was praised for their seamless melding of electro and indie rock.
The live show truly has to be seen to be believed. In the Twin Cities, few acts have fans as fiercely devoted as Military Special's, or as ready to dance: limbs and bodies bounce across the floor, clothes are ripped off, shoes removed and tossed on stage; to quote one recent booker: "People go nuts." And Military Special loves it. In town, they have become the unofficial band of last call, playing right up to (and often well past) the flashing lights, packing the floor 'til 2AM—or whenever.
And for the immediate future? With another dreaded Minnesota winter upon them, Military Special looks forward to hunkering down and working on their next record, and hopes to hit the road in search of warmer climes.
