You know what they say — there’s nothing that bonds humans more than sharing a mercury-poisoned turkey over Thanksgiving break.

At least, that rings true for friends, bandmates, and (both literal and metaphorical) brothers Russ and Brad Hansen, Sam Baker and Ty Tullar.

In 2021, the foursome suffered a culinary misfortune that would go on to bond them for life — solidifying them as a full-on, real-deal musical group with an official band name inspired by the poultry incident: The Dirty Turkeys.

Three years since that fateful Thanksgiving, the Boulder-based rockers are going strong, and are on the cusp of releasing not one, but two debut albums made in a record-breaking recording streak at Colorado Sound Studios — a cool 28 songs recorded over the course of two days.

It’s hard to put a thumb on the sound of the Dirty Turkeys — in many ways, the musical sound is as varied and unpredictable as the band’s voracious musical output. On the album “Cowboy Caravan” — set to release on Oct. 31 — the band showcases a sophisticated surf-rock vibe, while “Froth” — set to release “sometime in the near future” — leans into a heavier, punk-influenced sound, reflecting the band’s evolving energy.

Whether performing in the living room of a CU Boulder house party, or performing at Belly Up in Aspen, The Dirty Turkeys live performances capture a frenetic, kitchen-sink vibe that feels handcrafted for hard-listening, obsessive rock fans who also enjoy a good dance party.

The Dirty Turkeys just wrapped up their its tour, crossing five state lines and playing iconic venues like The Viper Room in Los Angeles and The Fox Theatre in Boulder. Ty (drums), Sam (bass), Russ (guitar) and Brad (lead vocals) credit their close-knit relationships for fueling the band’s creative spark, both on and off stage. The live shows are as much about raw energy and improvisation as they are about the deep bond between four friends.

The Band’s latest single off of Cowboy Caravan, “Quinceniera,” streaming now, is a distorted, funky, “face-melter” written about being wasted at a friend’s 15th birthday party. The song is a fun jam that perfectly encapsulates the band’s high-energy, humor-laden sound.

Below, the band members dive into their musical journey, the origins of their distinctive sound and what it’s like to grow creatively while staying true to their house-show roots.

Q >> How did the early days of The Dirty Turkeys come together, and when did you realize you had that special mojo as a band?

TY >> Brad, our singer, and Russ, the guitarist, are brothers, and they actually went to preschool with Sam, our bassist. All three of them grew up in Castle Rock, so they’ve known each other practically their whole lives. I met Sam about three years ago in college, and we instantly became best friends. He introduced me to Brad and Russ, and the four of us just clicked. From there, the band really took off.

SAM >> We started off by jamming together in Ty’s basement. We’d turn off the lights, lose track of time, and just play for what felt like an entire month. It became a nightly ritual, and before long, it turned into something really special. What sparked the magic was that nearly every time we jammed, we’d come up with a new song — something fresh, avant-garde and unlike anything we’d ever played before. That’s when we knew we had something, and it just made sense to stick together and keep exploring where the music would take us. Then, the following fall, Brad rejoined us, and his arrival really completed the group. Russ and I were honing in on our instruments, and we realized we needed someone to take over as the frontman so we could focus more on playing. Brad brought that essential element to the band, and from there, things really started to click.

Q >> What’s up with turning the lights off?

RUSS >> Sam and I were both new to music, and we were figuring out our instrument skill and so like, by turning the lights off, it kind of turns your brain off from like the mathematical aspect of looking at a guitar. You’re kind of just listening and listening to what you’re playing and reacting to that. So we call those “Dark Jams.”

Q >> Tell us about your two albums. Why did you choose to record them both separately?

TY >> “Froth” is a collection of our earlier music — it’s more punk, and like heavy, heavily distorted rock. As we continued to play as a band, we kind of switched genres as we moved along. Now, we make a more laid-back, surf-rock kind of music, but we like to play both our old stuff and our new stuff just as much.

SAM >> When we started working on the “Cowboy Caravan” album, Russ was in this creative zone, almost like a Prince phase, where he was churning out five or six songs at a time. He’d already come up with ideas for lyrics or had full grooves in place. We went back to the “dark jam” sessions in the basement back home in Castle Rock, and it all came together. Just two days before going into the studio, we ended up writing five songs, and they were already polished and ready to record. It was such a rare and unexpected burst of creativity that it really shaped our new sound, almost overnight. Ty and I were also experimenting with grooves that weren’t rooted in pop or traditional Western styles — they had more of a Western or African feel. We were really excited about that, because it’s the direction we wanted to take our music.

Q >> You began your journey playing house shows at CU Boulder, but recently you’ve been touring larger venues across the West. How did performing on tour compare to those intimate house jam sessions?

TY >> We just wrapped up our very first summer tour, playing over 30 shows across the country in the span of two months. We crossed five state lines and performed at some really iconic venues, like The Viper Room in L.A., the Sheridan Opera House in Telluride and The Fox Theatre in Boulder. As part of our plan for each tour, we’ve decided to include at least one standout venue every month. Despite these larger shows, we still have a deep love for house shows and parties. There’s something special about playing for our friends and our Boulder family in those intimate settings. So even as we continue to play bigger venues, we’ll always stay true to

our roots by mixing in those smaller, more personal gigs.

SAM >> My goal lately has been to approach each live performance like one of our “dark jams” — to be fully present and really listen to everyone on stage. It’s not an easy thing to achieve, but that’s when I perform most naturally. That’s when my body just flows with the music. It’s hard to replicate that level of focus when there’s a crowd, lights, and noise, but that’s what I strive for — keeping my ears wide open, just like in those basement jams.

RUSS >> The best music really does emerge when we’re in that state — when everyone on stage is deeply in sync and reacting to one another. For us, it’s all about energy, dancing, and the connection between music and the audience.

Q >> The chemistry between the band members is a key part of your sound. How do your relationships as brothers and childhood friends influence your music and performances?

SAM >> I think music makes it really easy to get close to someone. It’s a natural way to build a bond. All of our relationships are really interesting because there’s a whole lot of love between us. We’re all pretty mature, but we treat each other like brothers. It’s kind of fun to watch Russ and Brad fight like real siblings, and the rest of us join in by goofing around in the same way. We’ve got this strong, locked-in relationship, and it’s something a lot of bands don’t have.

We’re really lucky in that way. Before we went on tour, all our friends in other bands warned us that we’d start hating each other after two weeks. We were waiting for it, like, ‘When is it going to happen?’ But after two weeks, we were still having the best time of our lives. It never happened.

There’s so much love between us, and we know each other so well. We don’t just communicate with words; we communicate through our instruments, and that’s what makes this all work.