Line-up: Mike Wiebe (Guitar, Vocals), Ben Snakepit  (Bass), Chris Pfeffer (Drums)

Hometown: Austin, TX

Story (Official): Even the hardiest rock ‘n’ roll frontmen would probably find leading the Riverboat Gamblers to be a full-time job and then some. Mike “Tekko Buller” Wiebe has been the singer for the Austin-based punk band since 1997, slowly but surely building a nationwide following through tireless road work, logging multiple Warped tours, releasing five albums, and even landing a track on the most recent Rock Band game. Nevertheless, despite having a full plate between the Riverboat Gamblers and his other band, High Tension Wires, Wiebe still felt compelled to show yet another side of his musical personality by forming Ghost Knife.

It all started when Wiebe had some downtime and started thinking about exploring a different sound by tossing some ideas around with bassist Ben White and drummer Chris Pfeffer, the former rhythm section for seminal San Francisco punk heroes J Church. The spontaneous way things came together was part of Wiebe’s plan for the project. “The Gamblers tour all the time and book our shows way in advance,” he explains, “And High Tension Wires all live in Denton and have kids and grown-up jobs on top of other bands. I missed getting a call to play a house show a day before and being able to jump on it. I missed playing a show on a Tuesday night because a friend’s band was coming through. I like having a mobile group that isn't as tied down by finance or location.”

But even though Ghost Knife is indeed an in-the-moment kind of outfit, their music is anything but underdeveloped. In fact, the band’s songs are among the most ... Read more