Rusty Pigeon’s Joe McCarthy Is Stranded On Dead Broke Street (The Witzard Interview)

Rusty Pigeon’s own Joe McCarthy dressed up as Santa in his Toyota Tacoma (SOURCE: Joe McCarthy)

Joe McCarthy (@rustypigeon_) proudly proclaims on his Instagram page, “I’m not a musician, I’m just an a$$hole with a guitar…” Now, I can’t personally vouch for the latter because in all of our interactions, Joe has been a sweetheart! I started communicating with Joe back-and-forth online back in May/June ahead of the release of Rusty Pigeon’s latest EP, Dead Broke Street. Joe currently front Rusty Pigeon—previously known as both The Rusty Pigeons and/or Rusty Pigeons—and spent time making, recording, and playing live music as part of Baracus, One Left Standing, Shipwreck AKA Shipwreck AKA, and Styrofoam Ships. He’s a highly-skilled union carpenter by trade. I know it’s taken a while to come to fruition (mainly because life just happens sometimes and, as you may have already notice, our full site re-design/re-launch!) but here’s said interview with Joe McCarthy of Rusty Pigeon! Rusty Pigeon’s new Dead Broke Street EP is now available on streaming services. Joe and his band of merry misfits should be playing some shows in and around Philly early next year, too. Read all about it below and listen along with Rusty Pigeon’s fantastic new Dead Broke Street EP

I. Who is Rusty Pigeon and who else contributed to your latest EP, Dead Broke Street?

Joe McCarthy: Rusty Pigeon is a solo project started by myself, Joe McCarthy, back in 2017 with the idea of becoming a band. I've been fortunate to play music in the last few years with Ginger Knight, drummer of Riverside Odds & THE RAMOMS, and Tony Jeeter, fiddle player from Citizen Riot. As the songs for Dead Broke Street came together, I had great mentoring from my whiskey-drinking Pandemic bud, Joel Tannenbaum from Plow United & The Blackburns, who, also, played bass [on] the EP.

II. What's the story behind the Dead Broke Street album cover image and how does it relate to the themes heard across the EP?

McCarthy: The image is a picture I took in South Dakota. It stopped me dead in my tracks and I had to capture the street sign and landscape. My good friend, Frank Chappell, III, came up with the idea of the album cover and turned a South Dakota photo into a bar napkin sketch complete with my [Toyota] Tacoma [truck]. Each song [on] the EP has a story that touches on being down and out, broke, drunk, and having sh*t luck.

III. What is the intended meaning of significance behind the EP title, Dead Broke Street?

McCarthy: To quote Pee Wee Herman (R.I.P.,) "I don't know!"

IV. How would you say your overall sound, style, and musical approach has changed progressed, and evolved since your last full-length release, 2020's The Outlaws Are A$$holes EP?

McCarthy: Around 2020, I started to get more comfortable and figure out what I wanted to do with my music. With Dead Broke Street, things really came together—I came out of my shell, developed my own style, got loose with the lyrics, and combined comedy and seriousness. These four songs felt perfect to me, but imperfect enough to reflect the down-and-out vibe.

V. Who or what would you readily cite as some of your primary sources of inspiration and influence while creating the Dead Broke Street EP?

McCarthy: Old County music, like John Prine, Willie Nelson, and Roger Miller with a hint of Mojo Nixon and The Dead Milkmen.

VI. How was the Dead Broke Street EP recorded? What went into the typical writing, recording, production, creation, etc. processes of or relating to the making-of Dead Broke Street?

McCarthy: Dead Broke Street was recorded at Jewelbox Recording Studio, mixed by Scotty Sandwich, and mastered by [Mike Bardzik (The Boils, THUNDER & GLORY) at] Noisy Little Critter. I had written the songs on an acoustic guitar, mostly at my kitchen table amped up on coffee with my kids running around the house. My song-writing process isn't forced and there's no deadlines. I keep the writing fun, loose, and party. I knew Ginger [Knight] for a long time and she was happy to get involved. She's one of the best drummers I've ever worked with. She added backing vocals to some of the songs and brought a creative touch to the recording process. Joel and I became close friends over the past few years, I would bounce songs off of him and take his feedback into consideration. There's lots of things in these songs that Joel [Tannenbaum] helped solidify. Now, Tony [Jeeter] is a local Punk Rock legend, playing fiddle in numerous bands across the city and I had wanted to work with him for years. I reached out on a wish, he was up for it, and it's clicked ever since. His fiddle playing is like the glue for the songs, bringing out the exact sound I wanted.

VII. Who is El Wingador and what in the world inspired you to write, record, and release a song about him?

McCarthy: El Wingador is a Philly/South Jersey folk hero/Wing Bowl champ that deserved his own song. If you don't know what the Wing Bowl is, Google it. Joel had found an article about El Wingador getting pulled over in Nebraska with 254 pounds of weed and one kilo of cocaine and said I “had to write a song about him.” One night, my friend, Jimmy Barber, and I got drunk on rye whiskey and came up with the chorus in his South Philly backyard. "One kilo to get me to LA…" and the rest is history.

VIII. How would you say your careers as a union carpenter and general contractor have actively affected and influenced your song-writing processes?

McCarthy: When I first started playing music solo, I was working in The Navy Yard as a union apprentice. Basically, construction work and Folk music go hand-in-hand. All it took was paying attention to the world around me and I found there were lots of stories and characters to write about and never a dull moment or a lack of d*cks drawn in Porta Johns.

IX. For someone potentially hearing your music here for the first time, how would you attempt to best describe Rusty Pigeon's overall sound and musical style?

McCarthy: Folk County Punk with a bottle of rye whiskey. It's, basically, the best story-telling with the best music you'll hear, if you drink enough.

X. Are there any like-minded musicians and/or music-making friends of yours from across the Tri-State Area that you might like to recommend our readership listen to and check out, as well?

McCarthy: Sidepocket Louie, The Blackburns, Riverside Odds, Bored As Hell, Crossed Keys, Vulture Raid, Calling Hours, Bill Burleigh, Michael Rudolph Cummings, Jared Knapick... the list goes on. Follow me for more recommendations and let's party.

XI. Dead Broke Street's Bandcamp release page describes it as consisting of "songs from the depths of Philly about the ups, downs, and sh*tty hands we’re dealt, laced with whiskey and wing sauce." What is your preferred whiskey and wing sauce and why for each?

McCarthy: Whiskey: my go-to’s are Kinsey Rye and any good rye that's on sale.
Wing Sauce: I've got some Sweet Baby Ray's in the fridge right now. When it comes to wings, the hotter the better, but not enough to ruin your day or b*tth*le.

XII. What's planned next for Rusty Pigeon?

McCarthy: I'm about to go to a pool party... and Follow me on Instagram (@rustypigeon_) for upcoming shows and random morning coffee jams. We'll be at Revilla Grooves Record Store in Milltown, NJ on 8/26 [at] 2:00pm with Mikey Erg (The Ergs!) & Joe Jack Talcum (The Dead Milkmen) and on 9/9 at 6:00pm, we'll be playing in Edison, NJ at The Rock of Ages Punk Rock Flea Market. On 9/22, we'll be at Century Bar in Philly with Danny Attack & Erin Incoherent.

Rusty Pigeon, L-R: Joe McCarthy, Joel Tannenbaum, Ginger Knight & Tony Jeeter (SOURCE: Joe McCarthy)