Don Chambers (described as a weather-beaten balladeer who writes creaky dirges and Southern tales, haunted around the fringes but always solid underneath, also looks like he’s been dragged through a bush backwards after a blinding night on bad moonshine”
Don has been playing music (1989 - present), was in the band Vaudeville (1991 - 1998), did a solo record called “Back in the Woods” (2001). Soon after, Goat was formed and recorded the aptly named “Don Chambers and Goat” album (2005) followed by the cumbersomely named “I Got the Recollection of the Blood of the Lamb” (2007). The present record is called “Zebulon” (Sept 2008).
While the band has changed members as these endeavors go, the core members are as follows Matt “Pistol” Stoessel (guitar, pedal steel), Bandon McDearis (Drums), Jim Wilson (ladder, percussion), Fritz Gibson (bass), and the ones who got away - Patrick Hargon (guitar), Lisa Hargon - Smith (bass), Kevin Lane (bass).
ON ZEBULON "I take a lot of notes when traveling, town names, street names, business names, signs and wonders all along the way. All this goes into a book to be visited later when I have forgotten the details and the directions. While touring south Georgia with the band I saw a sign for the town of Zebulon, in Pike's County. Songwriting is like the guy giving you directions with way too many details, "now once you pass the sign with the bullet holes turn left at the Doolie Hill Trailer Park, you know they say ole Doolie he had a predilection for vegetables, well then hang a louie till you get bored and then look for the twisted oak tree with a pair of rotting converse sneakers hanging in em and then...". You have no idea where he's telling you to go. Hell, you forgot where you where going, but your fascinated with the rhythm of speech and details, your eyes are glazed over and you lose track of time. I like records that give you that kinda feeling, like your going somewhere and you not sure how you'll get there, sometimes the music ends and you feel you have arrived, other times you're sure you went somewhere but your not sure exactly where it was, but it definitely was traveling. These are adventure songs, instructional and subjective, throw out the map and drive, the joy is in the journey. Moses said the tribe of Zebulon would suck of the abundance of the seas and of treasures hidden in the sand. That's what we are going for here, the pirates dream of buried treasure. Another Zebulon was Zebulon Montgomery Pike Jr., for which the afore mentioned town and county was named. He was an American soldier and explorer for whom Pikes Peak in Colorado is named. Oddly, he never actually made it to the top of the mountain now famously named after him. These songs came out of travel and adventure, being away from home and coming back. Feeling stuck and feeling like your floating, untethered and strange. Waiting to feel homesick, while you are living in the mercury present."
- Don Chambers