Out of the love for Exotica, Blues, Surf Rock and Country-Western music comes the unique sound of the Tiki Cowboys. Founder Eric "Baron" Behrenfeld is a drummer, percussion and ukulele musician having worked with a long list of Blues, Rock, Country and Tiki musicians spanning over 25 years in Chicago's vibrant music scene.
In 2007 the original four song EP, A Taste Of Tiki was released, which became the springboard to the forming of a live acoustic-electric band in the summer of 2009.
Throughout the years I performed as a hired drummer and percussionist as well as with my Tiki Cowboys band.
Then 2020 hit with the covid lockdowns....
"I completely went "GONZO" and produced the LOCKDOWN (DnB) track that was driven by my dire angst about what we were going through with the lockdowns in Chicago starting back in early 2020. Not being able to go to the beach or parks or pool, see or perform music, then having the schools and restaurants closed as well had really turned me into a very angry Tiki Cowboy indeed no doubt! My musical direction shifted abruptly because of the lockdowns that were happening in Chicago and worldwide while I was working on songs for the latest Tiki Cowboys album I am recording, called Rise And Shine. With the clampdown of unconstitutional "Medical Tyranny" that was forced upon us all, it catapulted the song Lockdown to be born out of that manufactured plandemic. Not being able to work, play, perform, talk to people, along with the forced mask wearing and social distancing policies being adopted without debate, it became a mandate nightmare for myself and most musicians, along with the entire entertainment industry, and let alone everyone else that had to "Shelter in place." and work and go to school from home via the internet and Zoom meetings. Forced isolation is not fun for anyone. This is a psychological lockdown as well as a physical one."
"That all said, this is my Protest Song about the 'Red Pill' moment now happening in real time as I write here. Playing drums and a bass ukulele was all that I needed to drive this powerful DnB single track. It's also my first "Drum And Bass" composition, which is new musical territory for me as well. Some of the sound effects of the sirens, a jet, a fire truck and ambulances in the recording were recorded by me in my Chicago neighborhood where I reside. Those sounds became instruments in and of themselves, and were very organic in nature with how well they fit with the tempos, mood and vocals of the song."
"It was extremely urgent for me personally to get this single released right away following the prior Tiki Cowboys single, Good Morning that was released in 2019. Good Morning was the warning, and Lockdown is what that warning is about. Lockdown was a very spontaneous and emotionally pertinent song I banged out in the Spring of 2020 on drumkit at my music room, The Blue Leopard Lair (www.theblueleopardlair.com). I looped that drumbeat I had recorded on my iPhone, later adding ukulele bass, then mixing in the chaotic sound effects throughout the track. With these emotions still raw and pent up in me, like a whistling tea kettle, I wanted and needed to record and document these feelings through my instruments, and really pump the vocal volume WAY THE F*CK UP on this very hard core DnB track. This recording was very demanding and draining as a performing artist. I had to dig canyon deep to create this kind of raw, urgent and crushing sonic intensity in such a very basic and primal manner. There was no other way to do it, this DnB composition required that instrumental simplicity to have the most massive binaural impact. CRANK IT UP!"
"Did you hear the rooster crow? Good Morning! The Lockdown is here!"
Eric "Baron" Behrenfeld (aka Tiki Cowboy) - October 10, 2021
To listen to and purchase music, see videos and for more information about the band, please visit: www.tikicowboys.com
