The Wacky Tobaccers have made waves in UD’s student life, performing at the first TGIT of the year and during freshman orientation. The band’s somewhat quirky name was suggested by harmonist Meg Teller.
The band had been toying around with several options and could not settle on just one, until Teller finally said, “Well we all smoke tobacco. Let’s just be the Wacky Tobaccers.”
The band’s formation was largely incentivized by UD’s infamous Battle of the Bands tradition held every fall. Luke Iacoviello, lead singer, said the idea to start a band came to him while listening to music on a road trip through Kansas. The prospect of performing at Battle of the Bands excited him and he began recruiting members.
Despite placing second in last year’s Battle of the Bands, the band is very hopeful for the coming competition this fall, feeling more confident after all the hard work they have put in this past year.
The lineup of the band has shifted since its beginnings in the Summer of 2023. New energy is supplied by guitarist and harmomist Jack Spurgin, drummer Peter Farley, and a new addition of the fiddle played by Clare Safranek.
Iacoviello and Teller remain the band’s only original members and both are thrilled about this year’s new contributors. Agnes Hernandez, a senior at UD who serves as the band’s social media manager, said, “Jack is a great addition, because of his fantastic guitar skills, and also the harmonies of his voice are huge.”
While The Wacky Tobaccers have evolved to playing new original songs, they are primarily known for playing covers. The debut of Luke Iacoviello’s original song at last month’s TGIT was received well by the student body. Iacoviello also decides the band’s set list, which he described as simply “listening to the radio, learning songs he likes on his own and then presenting them to the rest of the band for their feedback.” He admits he allows other band members to present songs for the set list, except for one instance when Teller proposed the idea of singing a Taylor Swift song, which was met with some criticism from other band members.
Both Iacoveillo and Teller acknowledge that the band has been heavily influenced by the vibrant music culture at UD. The band’s primary inspiration is Battle of the Bands, but UD traditions like Friday Nights also played a major role in the band’s formation. They also credit TGIT for a major milestone in the band’s development. Teller said, “TGIT was a significant experience,” as it made her feel more confident and comfortable on stage due to the supportive environment of the UD student body. However, it is not merely the UD culture that has inspired her participation in the band, but also family ties as her own brother started a successful band, “The Stillwater Hobos,” when he attended UD.
The Wacky Tobaccers is a great example of the joys that can come from embracing UD culture. Teller said, “I’ve had the absolute best time of my life and I can’t wait to tell my kids I was in a college band. It’s been such a good chapter in my life.”