The Menders
“The Menders deliver a range of musical influences that captivate the listener as they weave through genres in seemingly effortless fashion. To experience them live, you might begin the night listening to a modern folk band before you fare shockingly in the presence of a driving, get-the-hell-out-of-my-way rock 'n' roll performance. Every step of the way, you know you are listening to a group of musicians that love what they do.”
- Brett Barest, Anderson Independent Mail, 2016
Based out of Gastonia, NC, The Menders have been blending influences such as the Beatles, The White Stripes, The Doors, and Black Sabbath into a harmony laced garage rock sound. Since 2011, they've been honing their craft around NC, SC, GA, TN and FL at venues such as Neighborhood Theatre, The Visulite, The Royal American, The Hideaway, Burns ALley and The Cave. The Menders seek to offer their fans and listeners a music experience that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Vocals, Guitar / Jesse Watson
Vocals, Keyboard / Jonny Boswell
Vocals, Guitar / Wes Forbus
Drums / Phil Anderson
Bass / Robbie Thornton
The Menders Live
“The opening track, “Come On In” starts with some folky acoustic guitar notes reminiscent of The Menders of the past before co-lead singer Jonny Boswell’s gravelly growl sets an entirely different tone to things. Lead singing duties are shared by Boswell and Jesse Watson but, for the first time, Boswell takes the larger share of the carries on this album. The result is a louder, more club-you-over-the-head type of sound as The Menders make no bones about the fact that they are first and foremost a rock & roll band.”
Brett Barest
ForthRight
Records
2021 -
Review of
the Devil’s Reel
Lane Claffee
CLTUre Magazine
2017
“The Menders are a truly rare musical act. Hailing from Gastonia, North Carolina, a city often overlooked in terms of being a hub for artistry, the band incorporates elements of folk-punk and rock to create their own distinct sound. Since 2011, The Menders have been putting out their blend of “Jack White meets Doc Watson” garage-folk, and their 2017 full-length, Nina, stays true to that description.”
Becky Huskins
MYCIty Magazine
2017
"It’s a tough call, but I think my favorite song on the record is “Out of the Light” because it combines every element that makes The Menders a true phenomenon: the tender vocal stylings, the powerful driving sound, the garage-style guitars, and story-telling lyrics that paint a dark but beautiful picture. I can also hear some of their local influences in their style like David Childers and The Serpents, Sinners & Saints and Bless These Sounds Under the City."
Mark Kemp
Creative Loafing Charlotte
2017
"On this album, Boswell puts his gurgling shrieks to a few more tracks, including "Like Me Too" and "The Demon." But as much as I admire Boswell's unbridled rock 'n' roll spirit, it wasn't his songs that initially brought me to this story. I was first taken by an acoustic YouTube video of the band doing Watson's "Carolina Highway," a deeply Southern folk song that sounds more like it came out of the Greenwich Village Bleecker Street folk revival of the early '60s."
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