Crankshaft Bio:

Forging his own brand of high-energy, low-brow Upper Mississippi blues, the one-man band powerhouse Crankshaft has been gigging around Minneapolis for nearly three years.  Expanding his fan base with every frenzied performance, Crankshaft earns his living as a musician. After the release of his newest studio album, Junkyard Rhythm, he took his show on the road playing 26 shows, in 14 states, in only 30 days!
Born into this world from gas station cassette tape collecting semi-truck drivers, Alex “Crankshaft” Larson was introduced to blues, rock 'n' roll, and R&B as a pup.  In 1996 he traded a combination oil/wood stove to his uncle for his first electric guitar and amp.  In April 2008, while self-employed as a contractor, he started practicing as a one-man band and was playing shows two months later. Larson self-produced and released three albums during the next two years.  In 2010, he decided to hang his hammer up for good and focus on his music.  Larson's newest release, Junkyard Rhythm, features a backing band, "The Gear Grinders," which gives the album a more full sound than his previous recordings.  He performs as a one-man band, and as the leader of a trio hiring on a drummer and a upright bass player whenever he can.
Give him a listen, and if you like what you hear, tell someone (or everyone) you know. Then come to a show! When Crankshaft's not touring he can be found every Thursday at the Eagle's Nest Lounge in Robbinsdale, MN (41st & Co. Rd. 81).

Festivals Booked For 2012:
April - Juke Joint Festival - Clarksdale, MS
July - SoundTown Music Festival - Somerset, WI
August - Bayfront Blues Festival - Duluth, MN
August - Rumble Fest. - Amherst, WI

Performance Highlights:
2011 - Toured 4,635 miles around the east side of the United States, playing 26 shows, in 14 states, in 30 days
2011 - Performed at the Double Door - Chicago, IL
2011 - Performed with Nick Savage (Sax Player for Bo Diddley '88 - '08) - Gainesville, FL
2011 - Summer events - Minneapolis Messaround, Memory Lanes Block Party, Bearded Lady - (Local)
2010 - Summer events - West Bank Music Festival (Local)
2009 - Toured 1,412 miles around the Minnesota state map, playing 13 shows, in 13 days
2009 - Summer events - The Deep Blues Festival, The Anoka Car Show - (Local)

Has Opened For:
Alex Ligertwood - Lead singer for Santana '79 - '95.
T-Model Ford - The oldest active Delta Blues Player! Signed to Fat Possum & Alive Naturalsound.
Bob Log III
- Has toured internationally since 1993, signed to Fat Possum & Sympathy for the Record Industry.
Dennis "Fergie" Frederiksen - Lead singer for Toto '84 - '86.
Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm
- Grandson of Delta Blues legend R.L. Burnside.

Recording Highlights:
Has produced, recorded and written 26 songs on three independently release albums since 2009.
Has sold over 3,700 CDs since 2009.
Has collaborated with 16 different Minneapolis musicians in the studio including:

Bruce McCabe - Piano (Johnny Lang, Lamont Crampston, Hoop Snakes)
Keith Boyles - Upright Bass (Kenny Burrell, Patrick Auburn Hare, Nigel Kennedy)
Patrick Harison - Accordion (Minnesota Orchestra, Patty and The Buttons, Jack Klatt)
Javier Matos - Harmonica (The Blue Devils, The Dog House Lords, The Innocent Sons)
Elmer "Danger Johnson - Upright Bass
(Dave Wolf, Al Subola, Trailer Trash)
Jeremy Krueth - Drums (Sunshine Behavior, American Revival)
Page Burkum - Drums (The Cactus Blossoms, The Innocent Sons)
Johann Swenson - Drums (Cadillac Kolstad, Jack Knife and the Sharps)

Crankshaft Archives:
Performance listings from 2010 to current
Flyers/Art from 2008 to current
Monthly Updates from 2011 to current

Radio Highlights:
(Live Radio Performances)
2011 - Crankshaft and the Gear Grinders - 90.3 KFAI's Live From Studio 5 - Minneapolis/St.Paul, MN
2010 - Crankshaft - 88.1 KVSC's Monday Night Live - St. Cloud, MN
2010 - Crankshaft - 90.3 Live on KFAI's House Party - Minneapolis/St.Paul, MN
2009 - Crankshaft - 90.3 Live on KFAI's Radio Rumpus Room - Minneapolis/St.Paul, MN
(National Tracking)

The Album "Junkyard Rhythm" has received play on 37 FM stations and podcasts since spring 2011 including:
NPR's Car Talk - Nationally Syndicated (USA)
The Current - 89.3 FM - Minneapolis, MN
103.9 FM - Hastings Community Radio - Wauchope, Australia
KLAX - 90.7 FM - Berkeley, CA
WGCS - 91.1 FM - Goshen, IN
KBSA - 90.9 FM - Eldorado, AR
KDAQ - 89.9 FM - Shreveport, LA

(more)

Crankshaft's Music Videos:







8.5"x11"
Crankshaft Booking
One Sheet

(Click on the image to
download and save the .pdf file)

 

 

8.5"x11"
Junkyard Rhythm CD
One Sheet

(Click on the image to
download and save the .pdf file)

11"x17"
Crankshaft And The Gear Grinders
Venue Flyer

(Click on the image to
download and save the .pdf file)

 

 

11"x17"
Crankshaft - One Man. One Band.
Venue Flyer

(Click on the image to
download and save the .pdf file)

Press Kit Photos:
(Click on the images to download and save the .jpeg files)

 

Clip Art:
(Click on the images to download and save the .jpeg files)

 

Radio Tracking:
"Louisiana Bayou Santa" (Single) - Released Fall 2011:
(Radio)
KFAI - 90.3 FM - Minneapolis, MN
KVSC - 88.1 FM - St. Cloud, MN
89.3 The Current - Minneapolis, MN
(Podcast)

Very Spatial Podcast Episode #334
Big Enchilada Podcast Episode #43
Rock Around With lOllie Vee #9
Mottey's Black and Blues Show #7
Days In The Parkcast #9
IndieMusicSampler.com

404 Funny

Junkyard Rhythm (full length album) - Released spring 2011:

(Radio)
NPR's Car Talk - Nationally Syndicated (USA)
The Current - 89.3 FM - Minneapolis, MN
103.9 FM - Hastings Community Radio - Wauchope, Australia
KLAX - 90.7 FM - Berkeley, CA
WGCS - 91.1 FM - Goshen, IN
KBSA - 90.9 FM - Eldorado, AR
KDAQ - 89.9 FM - Shreveport, LA
KLSA - 90.7 FM - Alexandria, LA
KLDN - 88.9 FM - Lufkin, TX
KIOS - 91.5 FM Omaha, NE
KASU - 91.9 FM - Alamosa, CO
KASF - 90.9 FM - Alamosa, CO
KFJM - 90.7 FM - Grand Forks, ND
WXAV - 88.3FM - Chicago, IL
WRPI - 91.5 FM- Troy, NY
WKUF - 90.7 FM - Flint, MI
WSSB - 90.3 FM - Orangeburg, SC
WRLR - 98.3 FM - Chicago, IL
KCSS - 91.9 FM - Turlock, CA
WKDU - 91.7 FM - Philadelphia, PA
WTJU - 91.1 FM - Charlottesville, VA
KVSC - 88.1 FM - St. Cloud, MN
KFAI - 90.3 FM - Minneapolis, MN
WPRB - 103.3 FM - Princeton, NJ
KZSU - 90.1 - Stanford, CA
WCOM - 103.5 - Carrboro, NC
WFMU - FM 91.1 - Jersey City, NJ

(Podcast)
The Bull Pit
"Boom Boom" Blues Radio
Mój Odtwarzacz
Pozytywne Zacisze
Le Stream
Daily Pod
My Pocket Player
Local Current
Mottey's Black and Blues Show
Live 365: The Shop Album Rock