Old Man Markley. Photo courtesy of Lindsay Beaumont.

Los Angeles-based punk/bluegrass hellions Old Man Markley are coming to the Fillmore Charlotte on March 5, supporting the legendary Celtic Punk band, the Dropkick Murphys.

With the release of three EPs and two full-length studio albums, including their newest creation, “Down Side Up,” Old Man Markley are sweeping the country and taking names.

I was fortunate enough to talk to the band’s newest drummer, Jeff Fuller. Fuller was more than excited to be touring with the Murphys and was ecstatic to promote the newest album.

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So can you give us a brief back-story on Old Man Markley? Where did you guys meet? What made you agree on playing Bluegrass and Punk? How did you yourself get in the band?

Jeff: I actually am not an original founding member. I joined the band about a year ago. They formed in 2007/late 2008. Bunch of friends who went to school together and played in punk bands in Los Angeles.

A lot of punk background. They have been playing punk basically their whole lives. One night they just pulled out a bunch of acoustic instruments and just developed. They were just, ya know, really into doing this.

Old Man Markley’s debut album reached No. 8 on the Bluegrass charts. Did you guys anticipate the album to do that well? You must have been surprised.

Jeff: You know, I’m actually not on that record but I don’t think anybody anticipated that. The record has a hint of bluegrass but you know it’s not what everybody would really think of as bluegrass. The band was just like, “Whoa we’re actually on.” I don’t think anybody in the band really expected it to do that well.

So how about the new album, “Down Side Up”? Better?

Jeff: I think it is. Again, I can’t really speak since I wasn’t there for the first one but some people may not like this record as much or some may like it better. I like it better. Then again, I am biased.

I think there is more variety from song to song. I think it’s a little more mature also in the song written. There were a lot of song writers involved. Kind of like the Beatles. A George song then a Lennon song. I hope it does well, I love it.

Tell me what it’s like on your day off when you’re not playing with the band. Do you explore the city you’re visiting or explore new territories? 

Jeff: We actually don’t get a hotel room unless we are really dying for a hotel room. Sometimes we will pull up at a truck house. Some people in the city will put us up in the city. We had a friend put us up last night actually. With seven people in the band someone will typically have friends or family.

Sometimes we get a chance to hang out in the city on days off. Last night we played Dallas, so that night we just drove from Dallas to Austin. So they’ve been spent driving (laughs).

This is cliché but if you could offer advice to any up and coming artists (or bands) what would you tell them?

Jeff: I would say never give up. I guess that’s pretty cliché too. When you think things aren’t going right you just have to keep pushing. My parents couldn’t relate to what it was that I was doing. They were like: “Why not just go to school and get a business degree?” And I went to go study music.

If you believe it deep down that you can do it, then go do it.