ION INDIE MAGAZINE July 2015, Volume 14 | Page 149

make them--we all do. Try to stay away from the bullshit that some of these guys try get you by. Just do your homework. That
way, when the offers do start coming in, you'll know what you're up against.
Kiki: Revisiting the “Van Zant Legacy”, tell our readers your feelings on playing songs like “Free Bird” and “Sweet Home
Alabama”. Do you play them because you think that is what the audience expects to hear or are they in your set as more of a
homage to your roots?
RM: We don't want to be known as a Skynyrd cover band. We no longer include Lynyrd Skynyrd songs unless a venue
specifically requests it. We play Shanytown original music. We do include a few Johnny Van Zant Band songs--as Robbie Gay
(our lead guitarist) wrote the majority of them--and together, Robbie and I played with Johnny Van Zant for fifteen years. The
legacy is not so much the music per se, put keeping alive the Van Zant family legacy itself and its personal contribution to the
industry. First it was Ronnie, then Donnie, Johnny, and now Shanytown.
DJ: Just to let everyone know, we have had those songs in our set before, but don't play them at every show. We're very proud
of our roots in Southern Rock and love those songs, but however, we would like to move our own music and sound forward. So
when you come to one of our shows and don't hear “Freebird” or “Sweet Home Alabama”, please don't hold that against us.
Just come along for the ride and have a good time.
Kiki: Of what are you most PROUD in regards to Shanytown? And what are you most thankful for?
RM: We were initially "discovered" by a producer at a venue; we did it ourselves without help from the family, which was
important. I'm proud of that and proud of our tenacity. I am most thankful for my bandmates and their dedication.
DJ: We are very proud of our self-titled CD “Shanytown”, we have had a great response from it from all over the world and we
are thankful just to be able to do what we love…playing music.
Kiki: Let’s talk a bit about the new music you have coming out…can you share something about what your fans ca