Ryan Anderson views his music as a means to express himself, something he and his bandmates take to heart with Dexter and the Moonrocks.
The Southern alternative rock and red-dirt country band is on tour to support its new album “Happy to Be Here.” The jaunt dubbed “Happy to Be (Everyw)here Tour” comes to Encore on Thursday, July 17.
“Even before I could play guitar, bands like Alice in Chains, Foo Fighters and Nirvana were always big for me,” Anderson said.
“The guitar to me almost felt like another singer, and I just wanted to make cool-sounding music.”
The Texas-bred band is comprised of Anderson (guitar), his cousin Ty Anderson (bass), James Tuffs (vocals, guitar) and Ryan Fox (drums). Each member came from humble beginnings: a fry cook, an oil field operator, a concrete surface decorator and a children’s baseball coach.
Relaxed attitudes and close relationships continue to be a key strength for the band.
Anderson and his cousin have known each other since birth, and Anderson has known Tuffs since they were 13. The band met its drummer, Fox, through a music networking app, and according to Anderson, he remains a great fit. He explained that his musical upbringing and close connections with other family members also contributed to the band’s existence.
“Growing up with my first cousin and our bass player, Ty, we were surrounded by family who could play instruments,” Anderson said.
“I watched another cousin play guitar and learned a few chords. My stepdad, every day up until I graduated, would sit me down with him and help me learn how to play guitar. The songs I learned were older and weren’t what I was interested in, but I became obsessed with the guitar.
“I was a ‘concrete surface decorator,’ a job title a co-worker of mine created. I did this job with my father-in-law. I didn’t get to know him until that job, which had us working 10 to 14 hours a day, six days a week. He was integral to the band from the jump.
“He knew what we were trying to do even when we weren’t worth a damn. He told me that anytime I had a show, I was more than welcome to miss work, so long as I gave enough notice. He was very lenient.”
Last year’s album “Western Space Grunge” and the single “Sad in Carolina” topped charts, furthering the band’s reach. The group has received acclaim for its melancholic lyrics paired with fuzzy, downtuned guitars.
Anderson explained that Shea Abshier from the band Shea Abshier & The Nighthowlers helped the group come up with the sub-genre and album name “Western Space Grunge,” and went into how the band name came to be.
“‘Moonrocks’ is just super weed, and space is awesome,” Anderson said. “We always liked the idea of merchandise featuring aliens and astronauts. It just fit the direction we were going, more into stoner rock and alternative. With ‘Dexter,’ we don’t know anyone with that name. Many bands from Texas use a fake name, and honestly, it wasn’t a long conversation. We all thought it was cool.”
Before this tour, the band performed at the legendary Austin City Limits Festival, Welcome to Rockville and Lovin’ Life Music Fest. This year, along with the tour, the group will play support roles for upcoming concerts with Cage the Elephant, Whiskey Myers and Red Clay Strays.
One of the challenges for Anderson wasn’t creating music, but rather living up to people’s expectations.
“It’s tough because half of our discography was written before we were playing shows,” Anderson said. “There’s no pressure when no one cares about your music. It’s easy to write music that means a lot to you, too. When people hear it and want more, it can be scary and hard.”
With the band’s popularity on the rise, Anderson looked back at earlier works, reflecting on the professional recording process.
“For me, one of our harder songs was probably ‘Birds and the Bees,’ which was our first time in a real studio with a renowned producer and engineer who knew what they were doing,” Anderson said.
“It was a little intimidating, but they made us feel right at home. I never understood what ‘overdub’ meant until that recording. Now, it’s the part I look forward to most because you get to express more of yourself in the song.”
For all their music, Anderson said that he takes a carte blanche approach with his guitar playing.
“We all have similar tastes, and thankfully, the guys let me run free in a sense,” Anderson said. “They all hang out and watch the overdub because they enjoy it. I’ve always had kind of a free rein for what sounds good or what feels good to me. I still look around and make sure everyone feels good about it.”
Dexter and The Moonrocks “Happy to Be (Everyw)here Tour”
WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, July 17
WHERE: Encore, 5851 E. Speedway Boulevard, Tucson
COST: Ticket prices start at $32
INFO: encoretucson.com
This article appears in Jul 3-10, 2025.