Taking their name from a derogatory term for “tourist,” Da Howlies formed in the winter of 2003, bringing together five distinctly different musicians with a number of common interest and tastes.

Zach Hanner	Bill Ladd	John McIntyre	Paul Currier	Seth Moody

It all began when Wilmington, NC, actor Zach Hanner (“The Patriot” “Runaway Jury” “ Dawson’s Creek”) received a shiny new Martin ukulele for Christmas. Hanner and friend Bill Ladd (Johnny Quest, Jolene, The Jazz Vipers), a virtuoso steel guitarist, started ruminating on the idea of playing Hawaiian music, inspired by some vintage Hawaiian tracks from western swing legends Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant. Soon local cameraman John McIntyre (“Dawson’s Creek” “One Tree Hill”) brought his bluegrass and alt-country flavor to the group and percussionist Paul Currier (The Iguanas) came on board with his eclectic collection of drums, cymbals and Spike Jones-style noisemakers. Bassist Seth Moody (Summerset, The No Diddleys) completed the picture, ordering a standup bass after his first rehearsal and adding some much need low end to their sound.

Da Howlies repertoire began with classic “hapa haole” (half-Hawaiian/half-caucasian) tunes like “Little Grass Shack,” “Hukilau” and “Tiny Bubbles.” Soon they were adding original songs like “Wrightsville Beach Wahine Girl,” “Maui Wowie” and a haunting ballad about a treacherous Hawaiian woman, “Why Kiki?” Children of the ‘80s, the band soon began tipping their hat to their earlier influences, putting together covers by The Pixies, The Ramones, Echo and the Bunnymen and even Lynard Skynard, all rendered in their dreamy Hawaiian style.