Greg Rekus plays hard and works much harder. 

In his three years as a solo artist – after a decade-long career as frontman of High Five Drive – the punk/folk singer-songwriter has managed two European tours, five trips down south and countless more across Canada, all in support of his 2010 debut album The Dude Abides.  

“I’ve been on the road as much as I can be,” Rekus says. “Tours seem fun and glamorous and they are, but it’s a lot more work than people think. You’re up until 3 am at the shows and then awake by 9 am to drive, hunt down record shops and try to drop off CDs, visit college radio stations and bug them to do interviews or play live over air. Someone hearing the name somewhere makes such a big difference.”

The Fest heard Rekus’s name, as he’s been invited to play the well-known punk/underground music festival in Gainesville, Florida. 

The Fest runs from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3 and features such acts as The Bouncing Souls, A Wilhelm Scream and The Flatliners.

“To be asked to play The Fest is huge,” Rekus admits. “I think it’s one of the best festivals going on right now in North America. It’s the kind of festival I want to be a part of, it’s still pretty grassroots. They have a lot of really big bands but at the same time artists like me, who aren’t really well-known, get a chance to get on one of the smaller stages.”

Enroute to Florida, Rekus will be making stops in Minnesota, Indiana, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, playing old favorites and some new songs from his upcoming album Punkoustic, due out in January 2014.

The album – produced by John Paul Peters (Propagandhi, Comeback Kid) – was tracked at Private Ear Recording and features ten new songs from Rekus.

“I took time off work. We recorded for ten days straight,” he says. “I think it’s one of the best things I’ve ever worked on. I worked on the songs for about two years, editing and editing and re-editing. I had about 20 songs and dwindled it down to my favorite 10.”

Fans of Greg’s music can expect a more full sound on Punkoustic. In addition to his trademark stomp box, acoustic guitar and raspy vocals, Rekus has added a backing band to the mix, composed of bassist Nick Kouremenos (The Johnsons) and drummer Jamie Rojas (The Perms, Flying Fox and the Hunter Gatherers).  

Though the band won’t be a part of his live act, it’s no big deal. Rekus is a one-man riot. 

An explosive passion for his music is evident in the way Rekus jumps and flails between howling verses and frenzied strumming, not to mention his relentless pounding of his tambourine-clad stomp box, which gives future medical students hope that there will always be a kneecap to operate on.   

After all, Rekus admits: “I get sweaty up there.”

Published in Volume 68, Number 8 of The Uniter (October 23, 2013)