Jon Dunbar is a copy editor at The Korea Times, as well as editor of the Foreign Community page and curator of the Korea Times Archive. If you have suggestions for possible articles, or wish to contribute articles yourself, contact jdunbar@koreatimes.co.kr.
Texas Flood drenches Seoul's music scene with blues
Kim Chang-soo, left, and Josh Schwartzentruber of Seoul-based blues rock band Texas Flood / Courtesy of Texas Flood
By Jon Dunbar
Texas Flood feels like one of those bands that's been around forever. I'm pretty sure my first time seeing them was at HBC South in June 2018 and they had already been known to me for several years by that point.
Oddly enough, Josh Schwartzentruber, the band's main guitarist and singer, couldn't seem to remember when the band started either. When asked, he replied, "That's a really good question ... I also feel like Texas Flood has always been there."
The core of Texas Flood is Schwartzentr ... Schwartzen ... let's just go with Josh, and drummer Kim Chang-soo, or "Downtown Charlie Brown," as Josh called him during an interview with The Korea Times.
They have known each other since the early 2000s, but Josh says they started making music together only about 10 years ago.
"We both have a blues background so it made sense to play music that came natural to us," said Josh, a recording artist who has been playing in bands since he was a kid (although he was vague on how long ago that was). "We were both on the same page musically by the time we teamed up together."
Josh Schwartzentruber performs with Texas Flood for HBC South at Revolucion in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, June 16, 2018. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Except, he added they have been out of sync with each other in one way. "When I had long hair, Charles had short hair. Now Charles has long hair and I have short hair. We traded!"
Together, they have been pumping out their heavy brand of blues for let's call it about a decade, sometime after the breakup of Josh's previous bands, country blues band The Pines and Led Zeppelin tribute band Over the Hill and Far Away.
Kim, a professional drummer, had previously played in bands The Soju Kings and Los Diablos.
Kim Chang-soo plays drums for Texas Flood at the final Phillies basement show in central Seoul's Haebangchon, April 15, 2023. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
"We originally wanted to make a band that paid homage to all the great music from Texas: Freddie King and Stevie Ray on the blues and Willie and Waylon on the country tip. Eventually, it evolved into two bands: Texas Flood the blues band and The Outlaws the country band," Josh said, adding that The Outlaws are currently on hiatus.
The band's setlist is mostly covers by the greats, which they use as templates to create something raw and new.
The original lineup featured bassist Chris Harder, Josh's bandmate back in The Pines, until Harder moved back to Canada.
"Chris always has a spot in the band if we ever find ourselves in the same place," Josh added.
They've gone through a few bassists since then, and the role is currently filled by the talented No Jae-whan.
"All the players in Texas Flood are virtuosos. We all came up in the 'old Itaewon/Hongdae' music scene and are therefore all on the same page," Josh said. "Set up, plug in, LET 'ER RIP!"
Texas Flood plays at the final Phillies basement show in central Seoul's Haebangchon, April 15, 2023. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Texas Flood was announced as one of the 100-plus bands set to play this year's Block Party in central Seoul's Haebangchon and Gyeongnidan area, which runs from Sept. 21 to 22. They should be a great addition to the mix.
"We like to play sweaty rock shows whether that expresses itself as a giant beer festival or a dingy basement," Josh said. "It's the vibe that counts."
Follow @texasfloodseoul on Instagram for more information.