Biography
Merican Slang’s fan base loves to dance, and they love to party until last call!
Merican Slang celebrated the release of its debut album, "Livin in Merica," produced in Albuquerque at Central Root Recording Studio, in 2015 on the Fourth of July! The track, “Funky Feeding Frenzy,” features Hakim Bellamy, Albuquerque’s FIRST Poet Laureate. Merican Slang tours the US performing at premier venues and festivals throughout the Southwest and has shared the stage with international acts ranging from Cody ChesnuTT (Roots, "Seed 2.0, featuring Cody ChesnuTT"), Thompson Square, Frank Hannon (Tesla), Morris Day and the Time, and One Be Lo.
Band Members include James Haynes (Guitar/Vocals), Dave “Can-Push” Pankuch (Bass/Vocals), and Eddie Birch (Drums/Vocals)
James Haynes
Technical rider and stage plot: Guitar: Fender Statocaster, Amp: Quilter Head with XLR out., vocal microphone
James Haynes attended DePaul University and Columbia College in Chicago, IL, where he studied Music Business. Haynes was a band leader in New York, Chicago, and Albuquerque. James began his music education playing trumpet at age 11 and completed three years of symphonic band. Haynes then, at age 12, was inspired to learn guitar. He took four years of private guitar lessons with Gordon Moore in Syracuse, NY. James started his first band at age 14 and has since performed at venues all over the country including Syracuse, Chicago, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Colorado and Texas. Haynes also spends some of his free time teaching guitar in local Albuquerque Elementary Schools.
Technical rider and stage plot: 5-string Carvin bass, GK-800RB bass amp
(head), Yorkville 1-15” bass cabinet, vocal microphone
Dave Pankuch, son of Albuquerque saxophonist Peter Pankuch, has been
playing music most of his life and has been a part of the Albuquerque music
scene for over 20 years. John Sanks, his high school band director, was very
influential in many ways including exposing Dave to different styles and
educational approaches to music. John and Peter played music together for
years before Dave attended high school, making the bond between student
and teacher immediate and lasting.
After high school, Dave marched in Drum Corps International sanctioned group, The Troopers, based out of Casper, Wyoming. In the two seasons, he played contra bass bugle at over a hundred different venues including sharing a bill with John Cougar Mellencamp and marching in Bill Clinton’s inaugural parade in Washington D.C. After the corps, Dave pursued a career as a gigging musician and a private instructor of the bass guitar. Many of his students have gone on to pursue a professional career in music playing the bass.
His many musical endeavors has led him to sharing stages with world renowned talent such as Blue Oyster Cult, Cake, Bob Dylan, The Killers, Butch Miles, Gin Blossoms, and many others. He has also played music in a variety of venues and places, from Hawai’i to Belize and over 40 US states in between, as well as in such famous venues as The Whiskey A Go Go, The Rainbow Room, Mile High stadium, CO, and Gilette Stadium, MA.
His most recent group, Merican Slang, has embraced and enhanced his talents. Not only is his gift for the bass highlighted in the group, but the writing aspect has definitely been creative and experimental, allowing for growth and exploration into his own musical identity. His musical style has been described as maintaining a jazz sensibility with a rock n’ roll attitude, and as such he is a highly versatile performer.
Dave Pankuch
Eddie Birch
Eddie is a drummer from Oakland California with a long lineage of musical talent. His father (Gaylord Birch) was the drummer for many gold and platinum artists including, Carlos Santana, The Pointer Sisters and, Graham Central Station. His Mother has a long history of music education and professional playing centered in jazz and funk. Eddie is born from funk royalty and has been groomed from birth to follow in his parents footsteps and continue the prestigious Birch name. He now makes his living gigging and teaching drums and music theory in private lessons. easy.