Darius Rucker's Howl Owl Howl marks new chapter for three rock icons
- carsydog0
- Sep 25
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 27
Three decades of rock history converge in one band.
Rock's newest supergroup, Howl Owl Howl, brings together Darius Rucker of Hootie & the Blowfish, R.E.M. co-founder Mike Mills, and Steve Gorman, the former drummer of The Black Crowes. But beyond the star power, the group is about something simple: friends making music they love.
The seeds were planted in 2019 at a Nashville benefit show. By 2021, Rucker, Mills, and Gorman were in the studio, letting ideas flow without limits. “The concept from day one was, ‘Let’s just write a bunch of songs together and see what we think, see if there’s anything cool that comes from it,’” Gorman says on the band’s website. Fans of all three artists are eager to hear the fruits of their labor, with an upcoming album billed as covering genres from garage rock to blues and beyond.
“It feels great to be singing with a rock band again,” Rucker says. “It’s like buddies getting together, but also getting to play with your idols. The stuff we’re writing is so different than anything I’ve tried to do before.” Mills adds, “You never can explain band chemistry. We all like each other. And we all admire each other musically. All those things come together and if it weren’t fun, we wouldn’t be doing it.”
Their debut single, “My Cologne,” drops October 31. The full album, set for release in 2026, promises originals that are personal, playful, and unapologetically rock. The new trio, plus a "fluid rhythm section," is set to play the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. on November 6, after kicking off in Indianapolis and Chicago. Setlists are expected to include new originals alongside classic tracks from each member’s storied catalog.
“I hope people listen to this and realize it’s just three old rock & roll friends that started hanging out,” Rucker says.
With decades behind them and a fresh playground ahead, Howl Owl Howl is proof that rock can still evolve, even when you know the players. It is friends playing with the freedom that comes from experience, and fans are invited along for the ride.
See below for a full list of tour dates:
November 3, 2025 @ The Vogue in Indianapolis, IN
November 4, 2025 @ Metro Chicago in Chicago, IL
November 6, 2025 @ 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.
November 7, 2025 @ Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ
November 8, 2025 @ Paradise Rock Club – Music Hall in Boston, MA
November 11, 2025 @ Webster Hall in New York, NY
November 12, 2025 @ Union Transfer in Philadelphia, PA
November 14, 2025 @ Georgia Theatre in Athens, GA
November 15, 2025 @ Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, GA
