Pittsburgh local band spotlight: Rattle Bones

“Silver Bullets,” the debut album from Rattle Bones, is “chock full of isolation blues, riff-happy rave-ups, guitar noir, three-part harmonies, bittersweet melodies, and a bitchin’ backbeat,” according to singer/guitarist Gary Martin.

Or, in other words: “This record could be the soundtrack to your Saturday night excess or to your Sunday morning regret,” he added.

Rattle Bones will play Millvale Revival, a showcase put together by Opus One Productions, on April 5, with the event doing double duty as an album release show.

The trio, which formed last year, have already had interesting experiences on the road.

“I think our out-of-town shows in the summer of ‘24 were nothing but odd, surreal, and exciting moments, often all at the same time,” Martin said. “Boston had us performing unrehearsed live and acoustic on terrestrial radio, which was great! Boston also unexpectedly required us to make the nine-hour drive back to Pittsburgh overnight, because our hotel was giving off ‘Fear & Loathing’ vibes. I blame Expedia.”

Martin filled TribLive in on what else we should know about Rattle Bones:

Band: Rattle Bones

Band members: Gary Martin (lead vocals and guitar); Eric Rodger (bass and backup vocals); Tom Hohn (drums and backup vocals)

Founding story: I moved back to western Pennsylvania after 13 years in southern California and started looking for bandmates. Tom responded to an ad that I had placed in a local rag, and Eric is an old friend who volunteered to play bass. Alas, Rattle Bones was off and running!

Origin of band’s name: I wanted a name that evoked excitement along with mystery. Rattle Bones feels mystical to me but also evokes the sound and result of live rock ‘n’ roll.

For fans of: Rolling Stones, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, The Replacements, The Gun Club, AC/DC

Influences: Musically, the Rolling Stones, Beatles, The Kinks, David Bowie, Tom Waits, Van Halen (David Lee Roth era), Bruce Springsteen, Ramones, Prince, Paul Westerberg, Bob Dylan, plus many more. Thematically, the songs often draw from film (like David Lynch) and literature (like Hunter S. Thompson), plus pop culture, vintage advertisements, spaghetti westerns, plus many more random sources.

Releases: Debut record, “Silver Bullets,” Feb. 28, 2025

Next shows: The Millvale Revival show on April 5 at Mr. Smalls Theatre will serve as a record release party for “Silver Bullets,” with 3 Leagues to Rome, The Jaded Lips and Drown the Deep also on the bill. $12 advance tickets available at info@rattlebonespgh.com. Other shows include March 30 supporting Spread Eagle at Rayne Drop Inn II in Marion Center; April 13 supporting The Steepwater Band at Jergel’s in Warrendale; April 19 at Musica in Akron, Ohio; April 26 with Dying Breed at 31 Sports Bar and Grille in Bridgeville; May 18 with Spread Eagle at Smiling Moose in Pittsburgh; May 23 with The Cynz at Parkside Lounge in New York City.

How to find them: Rattle Bones can be found on their website, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

Three other Pittsburgh area bands to check out: The Jaded Lips, 3 Leagues To Rome and Drown The Deep. These are the bands that are a part of the Millvale Revival show, and they’re all quite excellent!

Favorite pizza shop: Giovanni’s, downtown Pittsburgh

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