by Ed Solt
Photos by Donna Balancia
Before Katey Sagal donned the iconic red bouffant wig as Peggy Bundy to chomp bon bons and routinely ridicule and love Al Bundy on the Fox TV show “Married… with Children” or stepped into the role of badass biker mama Gemma Teller Morrow in FX’s hit series “Sons of Anarchy”, she was a sought-after singer. Throughout her award-winning career, the Hollywood Walk of Fame inductee never lost touch with the music scene, her ardent love for song finally culminating this year in the formation of supergroup The Reluctant Apostles.
Music was her first and most abiding love. Sagal initially wanted to become a singer-songwriter.
“Since I was a kid, I always sang, long before becoming an actress,” she said. “I began as a backup singer for Etta James, Bette Midler, and Bob Dylan in the ‘70s,” Sagal said. “In the ‘80s, ‘90s, and 2000s I released a couple of my own records.”
Touring with James, “The Matriarch of R&B” who sang such musical masterpieces as “At Last,” recorded in 1960, Sagal played Hermosa Beach’s Lighthouse Café during the 70s club scene. On Sunday, Sagal returns to Hermosa Beach with The Reluctant Apostles to perform at Saint Rocke.
Sagal isn’t banking on her fame with the new band. It’s about getting back inside the music.
“I just really wanted to be in a band,” said Sagal. “I wanted to be a band member — to be just the singer in a band where we are all equal parts, all members trading off on vocal duties.”
Sagal shares the stage with members of Forest Ranger, the band responsible for Sons of Anarchy’s popular soundtracks. The Forest Rangers are lead by Sons of Anarchy music supervisor, Bob Thiele, Jr. As a songwriter, Thiele’s work has been covered by Ray Charles, Bonnie Raitt, and Aaron Neville. His father is legendary record producer Bob Thiele (John Coltrane, Gil Scot Heron, Buddy Holly). Also playing in both bands, bassist Davey Faragher likewise has a rich resume as a founding member of Cracker and band member with Elvis Costello and the Imposters. Drummer Michael Urbano (Cracker, Smash Mouth, Camper Van Beethoven), longtime Thiele collaborator John Philip Shenale (Tori Amos and Jane’s Addiction) and lead guitarist Billy Harvey round out the band.
“I am so blessed to be a part of an amazing band,” said Sagal, who also contributes guitar, bongos, and a mighty drum stick on a few songs. “We all work on various gigs but this is our love project. We love playing together.”
The Reluctant Apostles is not your average soul/retro cover band crooning “Mustang Sally” for the umpteenth time. Sagal deems the sound “psychedelic soul music.”
“We do a lot of covers of obscure old songs,” she said. “A lot of tracks that you’ve might have heard and sort of know.”
As a labor of love, Sagal strides for a sense of casualness, simply just playing. There’s no marketing behind the band or ambition to sell out arenas.The lack of stress is conveyed by the fun and easy aspect of the Reluctant Apostles music making; the band is a pleasure to see, and hear.
“We are playing to play because we love it,” Sagal said. “It’s all fun-loving. It is the spirit of what music should be.”
The Reluctant Apostles headline Saint Rocke Sunday, October 16. Opening are South Bay’s Indie sensation “Lost Beach” and “SON WEST,” the new musical love child of Kira Lingman and Sara Dee. Doors open at 6 p.m., showtime at 7 p.m. For more info and tickets: saintrocke.com. ER
