The Waco Brothers April 1, 2011

The Waco Brothers were one of many projects spearheaded by Jon Langford, the frontman of the seminal British punk band the Mekons. An alternative country outfit based in Langford's adopted home of Chicago, the Waco Brothers's approach grew out of mid-'80s Mekons records like Fear and Whiskey and The Mekons Honky Tonkin', which explored the group's interest in roots music. After the Mekons eventually returned to a more straightforward, punk-flavored sound, the Waco Brothers emerged over a decade later as a vehicle for Langford's long-dormant country leanings. Fusing honky tonk and rockabilly with Langford's typically political lyrics, the group is, for the most part, comprised of fellow British expatriates.