In repose within the bowels of the Bowery Ballroom sit the Bobby Lees, the Woodstock-bred punk band composed of vocalist and guitarist Sam Quartin, bassist Kendall Wind, drummer Macky Bowman and guitarist Nick Casa. Their set will soon begin, and sounds of their casual chit-chat can be heard from around every corner of the place. By now, one would think pre-show rituals would be well underway.
In truth, the decision to step away, they told me before their last show, is actually due to a collection of internal crises. Unbeknownst to their supporters, that post had been a long time coming for the Bobby Lees. Without the backing of a big label, they’ve paid for all three albums and mapped out every tour on their own.
After their November Instagram post, some unlikely help did arrive from a longtime supporter of the band: Jason Momoa. He’s since offered to finance a new album, featured them on his Max series, On The Roam, andat a few of their final gigs. “Things that professionals we had hired in the industry couldn’t do for us, this guy who liked our music did in a week,” Casa tells me of Momoa’s support. “There is music that helps me, and the Bobby Lees have been there for me,” Momoa writes in an email.