Just before hitting the stage to make their ACL appearance, the small town Texas based band Dexter and the Moonrocks sat down to discuss their southern upbringing and innovative style.
With a sound that can only be described as “Western Space Grunge” Dexter and the Moonrocks take a blend from their diverse range of influences to create a completely unique style of modern rock music. The small town West Texas band consisting of bassist Ty, guitarist Ryan, vocalist James, and drummer Fox, got to live out every local Texas band’s dream of headlining one of the stages at the prolific ACL festival. After gaining a massive social media following and developing their innovative sound Dexter and the Moonrocks broke out of their small town to become one of the hottest new bands to come out of the great state of Texas. Right before making their ACL debut, ORB got a chance to talk to Dexter and the Moonrocks vocalist James and drummer Fox about the band’s humble beginnings and ideas behind their distinctive style.
ORB: Tell me a bit about yourselves. Where are you from and how did you start?
James: Dexter and the Moonrocks is literally just four not smart homies getting together and playing music from small town Texas. So, not used to the city and stuff, just very chill, we stay at home because there’s nothing to do in our town, kind of people. But, it’s been so cool just being able to do this kind of stuff, especially with our best friends.
Fox: We’re just a group of idiots that just started playing music together in West Texas and started playing all the bars. It just came together really quickly thanks to social media and how good the music’s been, and every opportunity we’ve gotten we’ve taken it, and it’s been super incredible to be here.
ORB: What influences your sound? What are some of your most influential artists?
Jmaes: Honestly, it would be easier to give you a list of sounds that haven’t influenced us. I mean, it’s just such a long list but I grew up on all that 90s grunge movement and then got into a bunch of indie bands like Modest Mouse, Death Cab For Cutie, Postal Service, stuff like that, but I try to listen to everything.
Fox: I think what James said is absolutely right. I think from Twin Sized Mattress, to Modern Baseball, to Chappell Roan, to Treat Your Revival, to Nirvana, to Alice In Chains, to Tyler Childers, to anybody, BigXthaPlug. We listen to so much and take so much from it. I think that’s kind of why we work because we’re this genre-less band. We just want to make good music and we don’t have to fit a square peg into a hole. We’re just going to make good music and hopefully people like it.
ORB: So do you guys see your sound changing in the future from project to project or are you trying to maintain a consistent sound?
James: I could see it changing as just us evolving as musicians and evolving as a band but I always want to sound like us to a certain extent.
Fox: I don’t think we’ll ever get to a point where we’re super corporate and super produced and going after hits and viral TikTok stuff. Maybe we’ll try different stuff, like maybe we’ll do this, or maybe we’re really into a Queens of the Stoneage record, or maybe we’ll do this with drums and guitar, or we’re really into a Sturgill Simpson record and we’ll try some other stuff, what would that sound like? I think we’re always trying to add stuff together and just do stuff that’s cool and we don’t really care if it’s “the right way to do it.”
ORB: Fair enough. You guys describe your genre as ‘Western Space Grunge’. What does that entail?
James: I think it’s whatever you want it to entail. It goes back to not wanting to put ourselves in a box of what genres are and just wanting to create something new. We think that we have a unique sound. We don’t know where it fits. We’re making it fit somewhere.
Fox: There’s so many people that are like oh, if you want to listen to country then you have to wear a country hat, you have to wear boots, and you got to starch your jeans. And it’s like no, you can dress up in all black, and put on black lipstick, and you can be a little goth and listen to country music. Same thing goes for grunge. You want to listen to grunge? You can wear a cowboy hat. I know more cowboys and blue collar workers that listen to Creed and Alice in Chains than I do just regular people. And we grew up around all of that and it’s blending both of it and it’s getting the people who feel like they’re too country for grunge, or too grunge for country, a home. You’re welcome whether you think a pair of boots means cowboy or it means combat. I welcome you either way.
ORB: As a Texas based band, how does it feel to be performing at one of Texas’ largest music festivals?
James: We haven’t played very many festivals, so it’s still something pretty new to us. This one has felt, so far, the most special, just because it’s one that we grew up coming to, from Texas. So very special.
Fox: Yeah, I mean, I was fifteen coming here, and I was paying money. Now it’s like, I’m getting paid to be here?! Like it’s crazy and it’s very cool, and it’s everything you’ve ever dreamed about when you’re watching bands on stage and you’re like one day I’m going to do that, and it’s like oh, I AM going to do that! Today is one day and that’s cool.
ORB: Seeing as though we’re in Austin, do you have any local spot recommendations for any out of towners in Austin for the festival?
Fox: Armadillo Den and the Rustic Tap are two places that very early on let us play there. And we love the Armadillo Den. Shout out Bret, he’s the owner. He also owns a place called Warren’s in the Grapevine area, but a phenomenal place. Scoot Inn, also really awesome, those are the ones that are sick.
You can stream Dexter and the Moonrocks on all streaming services now, including their latest single Like You (Like You), and catch them touring across the US now. Also, you can donate to their relief funds for the victims of Hurricane Harvey, links on their instagram page @the_moonrocks.
I’m a photographer currently based in Austin after recently relocating from Denver, CO. I graduated from the University of Colorado, Denver in 2019 with a degree in Business Management. I love music of all genres and have been going to live shows since I was 5 years old. Some of my favorite artist currently include Freddie Gibbs, Lola Young, Ivy Lab and Knocked Loose, but that is always subject to change.
