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"Our slogan isn’t completely true,” says Wicked Saints lead singer Paul McCarty. "Some is slightly toxic.” Wicked Saints' music is a cool ecclectic mix of styles – from folk-rock, americana, swampy Louisiana grooves to reggae styled pop/blues, a driving beat, or sweet and heartfelt.

Paul McCarty sings lead, and plays guitar and harmonica. He was raised in a musical family in the musical city of New Orleans, and was a music composition major at Loyola University of New Orleans with a background in indie film scoring. He currently holds the record for most mentions of music in his bio.

Although folk-influenced, his songs seek stranger directions melodically, harmonically and lyrically, sometimes drawing upon his childhood influences like Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot and Led Zeppelin, and sometimes resorting to some college-knowledge. “I almost always start with a groove and a melody and then fit words into the melody. Each individual song might have it’s own message. For example, Todd Palin should leave his wife, or Paul will never have a successful relationship, or Be kind to blackbirds.”

Born in New Orleans, Paul is a lifelong Saints fan, thus the band name.“New Orleans has a great musical tradition as everyone knows. I'm less influenced by it than you would think I am, but more influenced by it than I think I am.”
 

Chad Watson plays bass and currently qualifies as the most saintly and least wicked member of the Wicked Saints.

"Holding Down the Fort" has been the longest running passion of Chad's life. Since the Beatles first came to America, he's been in love with the electric bass. "My dad played upright bass clean through my childhood years. I’ve always felt close to that low-end rumbling, whether it was in our living room as dad practiced or on the various records we played on our stereo hi-fi with the bass turned all the way up!"

Chad has a rich career, having played with Charlie Rich, Janis Ian, Freddy Fender, The Imperials, Kim Fowley, Little Feat, Delaney Bramlett, Hal Blaine, John Molo, The Seeds, David Arkenstone, Truth, Bijan Mortazavic, Alber Lee, Chris Spedding, Eric Gale, Adrian Belew, Thad Jones, Carnagie Hall, Budokan, and The Kennedy Center with the Windham Hill Solstice Tours. Chad is also an amazing guitarist and mandolin player and plays solo or with his wife Pam Loe. Check out his music at chadwatson.us.

John Gannon, Wicked Saints' drummer, has dubbed himself the most oxymoronic Wicked Saint. Beyond that, however, he gives the band a real range of character, from a cool groove with a light touch, or a train-beat, even a strong Bonhamesque beat.

But hand him a guitar and he'll tell you a story of his own. Honed from years of campfire singing, John brings a great energy to the microphone and holds your attention. John's narratives might leave you laughing or bring a tear to a glass eye.

Check out his songs here. youtube.com/yuppiecampfire.

Bobby Thomas was originally a loaner from the band, The Heatseekers and plays piano and accordion. Bobby and Paul played a Genghis Cohen show together and Paul decided he must become a Wicked Saint. Wicked Saints' legal team, scoured the loan contract and found a loophole which allowed them to keep Bobby forever, at no additional cost. It was worth it.

Bobby loves to lay low, but he's not hiding. He's lurking in the shadows of his fedora hat, waiting for the perfect moment to ambush you with an accordion swell. Bobby graduated from Dick Grove School of music in composing and arranging.

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Also recording with us and sometimes appearing live with us.... 

Brent Michelle graced the album with her beautiful soulful background vocals, but when she picks up the guitar and plays a set of her own music you'll be drawn in. Brent's relatable lyrics expose the truth behind untold thoughts. She tells stories of her own life and others dear to her. There's nothing she loves more than performing in front of the energy of an audience. That is where she finds inspiration to keep pursuing her art.

She released her first EP, Becoming, in March 2010. Her next single is City Of The Lost which will be released in 2011. You can follow her at brentmichelle.com.

David Vidal played slide guitar for Wicked Saints' debut album. He grew up in New Mexico and Colorado, in a musical family that moved often. His father was a boogie woogie piano player, who also sang cowboy songs accompanied by guitar. His three older sisters had a vocal trio that performed at churches and schools.

Vidal taught himself guitar from a book of blues standards, and started playing in jam bands bands in high school in Denver. After graduating, he took off hitchhiking across America, guitar in hand. He wandered up to Oregon, through Canada and up to Alaska. Over to Minnesota and Michigan. Chicago, Washington D.C., New York City and up to Vermont. He landed for awhile in Missouri, and then to Tucson, and then San Francisco, where he lived on a houseboat and played his songs in the coffee houses of North Beach.

He turned twenty one in Merida, Mexico, and returned to the states hopping freight trains. After settling in Phoenix for a few years and playing in rock bands, he moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a songwriter and in the studio at Criterion Music in Hollywood. He toured in Europe with the band Village of Odd Waters, and has released four critically acclaimed solo albums, in addition to having songs in numerous films and television shows.

Find his music at davidvidal.net.

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Wicked Saints' debut CD was partly produced, recorded and mixed by Annie Miles at Milestone Recording & Post in Los Angeles (Walkin' On The Water, The Way I'm Strung, Nothing To See, Died Along The Way & Mama), and the rest recorded at David Vidal's studio, Wilmac Studio by Max Vidal, and mixed by David Williams at Melrose Music Studios.

Album #2 is in the works as we speak, co-produced by Paul McCarty and Brad Swanson. In addition to Paul, John, Chad and Bobby, featured artists will again include Brent Michelle and David Vidal, as well as guitarist Peter DiStefano (Porno for Pyros, Lance Herbstrong), percussionist Steve Reid (Supertramp, The Rippingtons), a string arrangement by composer Xavier Capellas (The Others, Bruc The Manhunt, The Sea Inside), and vocalist Trisha Rarich (Granville Junction) among others. Stay tuned!