Common misconception #1: "You've got bagpipes.  So that must mean you're a celtic rock group."

No, not really.  I learned bagpipes in a pipeband and played a lot of celtic music, so I know what celtic music is.  Some celtic music I like, some I don't but to be honest, The Rusty Nails are not a celtic rock band although you may hear some slight fringe celtic-isms on some songs.  It was never our intention from day one to be a celtic rock group. 

Common misconception #2: "The Rusty Nails' biggest influence is The Pogues."

No, not really.  Perhaps early on during the first record and a little bit after that but not so much anymore.  There's a wide range of influences ranging anywhere from Fugazi to Peter Gabriel, but if you have to point to one group, it would have to be Big Country.  They were a big inspiration that kind of got it all started and that influence still pops out on "Old Soldier" (Vestiges) and "Around the Sun" (The New Colony).  Also, look out for a cover of Big Country's "Harvest Home" in 2008.   Long live Stuart Adamson!!!

Common misconception #3: "The Rusty Nails are Punk!"

That all depends on your perception of what exactly "punk" means.  There are a few rare  examples of individual songs that could be categorized as punk.  But to give the Rusty Nails the generalized description of "punk" is probably inaccurate unless you define punk as an entity that will never let itself be pigeonholed.  I heard the author, Mitch Albom (who wrote 'Tuesdays with Morrie'), say that the 'worst thing you can do to an artist is pigeonhole that artist."  He's absolutely right about that.  THE RUSTY NAILS WILL NOT BE PIGEONHOLED!!!!!!!