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The Moondoggies' latest inspired by fatherhood

Rock history is full of stories about absentee dads but the guys in the Moondoggies say fatherhood has actually inspired some of their best songs.
Credit: Bryan, Saint

Everett, Wash — Take your favorite 70's rock albums, pour that sound through a modern day Northwest filter and you'll get something like what The Moondoggies have been playing since 2005.

“We really camped out on Neil Young and the Band when we first started playing together,” said Caleb Quick.

The Moondoggies have toured the country, promoting albums recorded for Subpop imprint Hardly Art. Their music may be timeless, but times have certainly changed since the last album.

“It is a completely different universe it feels like than it was five years ago,” said Kevin Murphy who writes the band’s lyrics.

“Six years ago I was staying out until 6 AM,” he said.

Now Murphy has other priorities.Two daughters, eight month old Zuma and three year old Sunni. Quick has three kids, including Layla.

“My oldest is nine years old. So for me these things changed a lot longer ago,” said Quick.

Rock and roll can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, but it doesn't usually conjure up images of responsible adults trying to get their babies to take a nap.

“I think I thought once I had kids it was over, and I have kind of experienced quite the opposite,” said Quick.

Both of the songwriters say they've been able to focus more on the music, which is more complex and more adventuresome on the new album, A Love Sleeps Deep, which features Sunni on the cover.

Parenthood, the great distraction from art, has actually enhanced the music of the Moondoggies.

“Your heart is increased. Your pallet is bigger. There are more colors to pull from,” said Quick.

The Moondoggies are finding inspiration at their feet.

“ It is an amazing experience to have these little blossoming human beings with their personalities coming into the world. You have no shortage of things to write about now,” said Quick

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