Folk Bands and Artists
The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer
http://www.harpoonistaxemurderer.com
With a name like the Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer, you might be forgiven for thinking that the Vancouver-‐based duo is some sort of concept group, based on a hypothetical love story between Captain Ahab and Lizzie Borden.’ – Chris Oke, Yukon News
In reality, Shawn ‘The Harpoonist’ Hall and Matthew ‘The Axe Murderer’ Rogers evoke much more than just grisly nautical imagery. Armed with an arsenal of harmonicas, a mess of foot percussion, and a road-worn Telecaster, the duo kick out raw and primal blues in the tradition of a ‘decades-deep blues style’ (Scott Brown, What’s up Yukon), while infusing the genre with a jolt of renewed energy.
The two met and bonded over music while recording a radio jingle. Their memorable name is inspired by a lyric from Kris Kristofferson’s ‘Bobby McGee’ that references the blues harp, (‘I took my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana’) and ‘axe’, a common term for the guitar.
