The Dewars do as they please to find success in St. Augustine

By Matthew Goodman | gargoyle@flagler.edu

From stepping away from baseball in 8th grade to being asked to leave St. Augustine’s Sangrias in their 20s, twins Anthony and Zach Dewar have done whatever they please in their first decade of playing music together.

Their band, “The Dewars,” has gained national attention recently after being featured on MTVU. The Dewars created a music video for their song “Switzerland” with Flagler graduate Brady Bigalke of Noble Light Productions. It became part of an online competition for a chance to be added into their full rotation of music videos.

The video is only their most recent success story. The brothers started their music career in 8th grade while living in West Palm Beach.

Under the name of “Suburban Home Drums,” the Dewars played in what Anthony describes as an “after-school stoner band,” consisting of “an ever-revolving cast with the kids we carpooled with.”

Since then, they have changed their name simply to “The Dewars.” The two remain the only permanent members of the group so far, though they are hoping to find at least a live drummer.

“All of our drummers go crazy,” Anthony said, “or do heroin or are ‘too metal.'”

The brothers drew inspiration from “Goodbye Babylon,” a collection of 135 gospel songs dating from the 1920s to the 1950s. They loved the sound of low-fi recordings and implanted it into their unique style.

They began playing songs in Bradenton, Florida. The duo later moved to Tallahassee where they collaborated with friends and began recording their first album, “Songs from the Neverglades.”

After an extended tour with “Surfer Blood,” The Dewars began to record again with the help of a producer. Things did not go as planned and they found themselves in St. Augustine with their father in 2011.

“We had to either get jobs or get gigs,” Anthony said.

They began playing anywhere they could, often covering sad songs then mixing it up with their own renditions of top 40 and their own songs. The duo didn’t enjoy their stint in covering as much but found it necessary to continue the dream.

The band has found acclaim at Nobby’s Sports Tavern and the twins have come to have a fond relationship with the location.

“Nobby’s has the kind of music we play,” Anthony said.

Across town, the pair has a different relationship with Sangria’s Wine and Tapas Bar. The Dewars have been banned from the bar after playing their song “Pedophile Pete” during a show.

“It’s not sacrilege, but it can be productive. It’s kind of like the class clown (of music),” Anthony said about their lyrics.

The band typically begins each show with their song “All a Part of the Show” from their most recent EP, “Adult Singalongs.” They consider it a warning that whatever happens, happens.

They hope to finish another album in the coming year and get a new video out every two months.

Anthony says the story of life for the twins is a fishing saying: “The more hooks we have out there, the more likely we are to get a fish.”