Sceneazine.com
The American Gonzos
occur in a band.
by Jenny Johnston
Who in the band came up with your name? What,
if any, reason did you guys choose it? Does it have a
meaning behind it or does it stand for something?
All three of us came up with the name. We are all
fans of the writing style of Hunter S Thompson who
created Gonzos journalism. We were originally going
to call the band The Gonzos but found out there was
another group going by that name in the UK. So we
changed it to American Gonzos. Suck it England!
T
he American Gonzos are a rock power trio
known for their raucous performances, musicianship and catchy tunes. These North Carolina rockers pull inspiration from all genres including rock, funk,
punk and alternative to make a delicious stew of original sound.
The band was formed in the fall of 2010 where they
began writing music and performing all over the southeast. In 2011, The American Gonzos recorded and released their self titled debut album followed by a sophomore release, No Way To Live, released in October of
2013.
Let’s start off by introducing the band. Who are
members and what instruments do they play?
Andrew Thelston - Guitar/Lead Vocals
Michael Dean - Bass/Vocals
Justin Tobias Burleson - Drums/Vocals
So how long have you guys been playing in this
band? And is this everyone’s first band they’ve played
with?
American Gonzos is 4 years old. Almost ready for
Kindergarten! We each have been in many bands prior
to joining up. It helps cut through the bullshit that can
So when did you guys start as a band. Has anyone
played in other bands together?
This isn’t our first rodeo! All three of us have been
in many bands in the past. Our drummer Toby (Justin)
sang with Dawn of Dude. Andrew and Mitch (Michael)
had a funk band in college called Summertime Whisky
Band. Andrew has also played with the Asheville based
Afromotive and Zansa.
Is there one person who writes all the songs or do
you guys write as a band?
We are writing and