What can one say about a band named Poop House Reilly? Although the band’s name might be goofy, and its songs even goofier, Poop House is not a band to laugh at, but rather a band to laugh with.

Judging by the name, it is obvious the band has a sense of humor. The songs might feature comedic lyrics, but the music fueling them is superb. Poop House is an extremely talented country-rock band with deep roots in humor.

The band is the brainchild of front man Ian “Poop House” Hummel.

“Poop House Reilly started about 10 years ago as an acoustic duo, playing Sunday nights at Not Al’s,” Hummel said.

Hummel said after the duo fell apart he began writing songs. “I think that ‘Vicky the Vegetarian Veterinarian’ was my first song,” he said.

The years passed, and finally Poop House recorded an album, “The Beloved Songs of Poop House Reilly,” which has been out for nearly a year. The members on the recording are Paul Abbot, on drums and bass, and Rob Pilic on the lead guitar.

There was a falling out between Hummel, Abbot and Pilic, but Poop House did not die with their departure. The strength of the band lies with Hummel, the creative force behind the songs and music that is Poop House Reilly.

After Abbot and Pilic’s departure, Hummel gathered up new musicians, and Poop House was back on the horse.

The band’s current line-up is (in addition to Hummel) Colin “the Fonz” Valek on bass, Josh “the Professor” Tully handling lead guitar duties and Jim “Stomp Winchester III” Downing manning the drum kit.

Valek and Downing were in a band called Joint Project, which also included Tully, but it was initially Valek and Downing who became the new Poop House Reilly.

“Obviously those two sound great together cause they had been in a band together for a long time,” Hummel said. “They had the right attitude. They liked the music, and wanted to play.”

The band played as a threesome for a while but soon picked up Tully for the lead guitar parts, filling out the Poop House sound.

“A lot of these songs, I don’t know why, I did knowing I can’t play lead guitar. I wrote them with a lead break in there,” Hummel said. “We’d just play louder for those parts.”

Valek agreed.

“I wanted a lead guitar player,” he said. “We (Tully and Valek) were in a band together, so I just brought it up.”

Tully joked that he was sorely needed.

“I’d see you guys as a three piece and be like ‘yeah this is rockin’ but it needs a lead guitar,’ ” he said.

Although the recording is great, Poop House live is among the most exciting and fun musical experiences that one can have. They have played numerous shows, but none as fun as its last show of 2000 at Ruby Tuesday.

“It was packed full of people, and when that happens that’s when you’ll hear our best gig,” Downing said.

“We feed off the energy of the people,” Hummel explained. “We siphon the energy out of their souls and bring it into our melting pot of rock.”

“We’re also big hams.” Valek added. “It’s hard to ham it up to an empty place.”

The band agrees its worst show was undeniably the Easy Rider Festival in December. Easy Rider is a motorcycle magazine, and its party drew predominately biker types.

“The stage was moving all around, like it was made out of balsa wood,” Tully said.

“People were looking at us like ‘What the hell are you doing?’ ” Hummel added.

“We did not do enough Molly Hatchet,” Downing laughed.

The Poop House sound comes from a variety of influences including jazz, funk, the blues, country and hard rock. Although the band draws its style from different genres across the spectrum, Poop House agrees on one in particular.

“I think probably our single greatest influence over the whole band is Brak from Space Ghost,” Hummel said. “Brak presents the Brak Album Starring Brak is just great.”

Poop House also does something they call the “Jug Band,” sort of a hillbilly hoe-down. The band members take a washboard, and washtub bass and an acoustic guitar playing some originals and some covers.

“The Jug Band was a genius idea that I had,” Hummel joked. “My original idea was to have us leave the stage and go into the crowd with no amplification.”

Ultimately, Poop House wants to cover top 40 songs with the “Jug Band,” giving them a whole new feel.

Poop House hopes to be back in the studio this summer working on a new record. The band will take a new approach to recording, rather than the traditional manner of laying down individual tracks and then mixing at the end of the sessions. Normally each member will be in the studio alone, just recording his part of the track.

“We’re going to try and do more of live type of thing,” Hummel explained. “We’ll be in the studio, but we’ll all be set up and playing together.”

Poop House Reilly will play on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17 at Andyman’s Treehouse. If one has a chance, they should come out and see one of the greatest acts around the fair city. The music is tight and the humor is great. Poop House will not disappoint a music fan of any taste.