Original publication: BikerTrash.com
Original byline: Amy Edgerly
January 2004
Music Notes by Amy
“Los Lonely Boys”
“Stone Coyotes”
January 2004
Happy New Year, Everyone! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Ah, the holidays . That time of year when good will abounds, enemies put aside their differences, all is forgiven and there is peace among men. The holidays are also that time of year when we draw near to those we love the most, our friends, our family. Yes, I believe we all would agree that the holidays bring to mind images of family, of togetherness, of the bonds of love. I truly hope that all of you, bikertrash and non-bikertrash alike, had a holiday season wherein you and yours felt truly cherished and loved.
In light of the season of family and togetherness, it is most fitting that this month’s column should be literally about family. Well, two families to be exact. One is a family of brothers, the three Garza brothers who hail from San Angelo, Texas. The other is also a family of three, the Keith-Tibbles family, husband, wife and son, who hail from the other side of the world, Greenfield, Massachusetts. I met both families in December and saw both families perform live at venues here in Houston. I hope after reading about the Garzas and the Keith-Tibbles, you will run out and experience them for yourself. Consider these introductions my belated Christmas gift to you.
Los Lonely Boys
By now I suppose everybody has already heard of these guys, but fortunately I slipped in just under the wire before their mega-fame and was yet able to secure a little face time with these guys. The Garza brothers get more press than a Chinese laundry. You may have seen them in Rolling Stone (one of the few artists in there anymore of interest – did I say that?) or in one of many Texas publications: The Austin Chronicle, the Houston Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News, The San Angelo Standard-Times, or in newspapers around the country: The Philadelphia Enquirer, the Boston Herald, the L.A. Times, The Village Voice, and I haven’t even listed the entire catalog of clippings included in their press kit. In fact, the thing is so thick that when it arrived and I started reading through it I must admit I was feeling more and more intimidated with the perusal of every piece. Thoughts like, “these guys are already famous, they won’t have time for a small-time chump like me”, and “what in the hell am I ever going to talk to these guys about? They’ve already discussed everything with everyone else!!” Panic, anxiety, total confidence meltdown. Funny though, not once did the thought ever occur to me to pass up the chance to meet these guys and see their show on December 6, at Numbers in Houston, opening for The Mavericks. When it comes right down to it, I’m a goofy starstruck music fan first and foremost, and nothing was going to keep me from this meeting. Hang journalism!
And this is why: their CD simply titled Los Lonely Boys.
Because this CD was also included in the fat press kit and I spent half of November swimming in it and I still didn’t want to get out. This is no exaggeration: I actually had a religious experience, if you will, listening to this CD. I was alone in my truck, the volume cranked, (which I find to be the best music listening environment for me) and as “More Than Love” was playing, for a moment I transcended the bare listening experience and caught a glimpse in my mind of the truth that these three brothers doing what they do and the way they do it is a God-given, God-driven event. We’ve all experienced this at one time or another – some fleeting event, some words spoken in casual conversation, some certain moment of epiphany stands out in our perception as something bigger than ourselves, something inspired, and we just know that the hand of God is right in the middle of it. This whole Garza thing, the family, the music, the songs they write, the sounds they make together is such a thing of beauty that it has to be touched by the Divine.
And that’s what I can tell you that hasn’t been said about these guys yet. I don’t need to describe their sound or their songs to you again. I don’t need to tell you again that Los Lonely Boys is Willie Nelson’s favorite “local” band and that he loves them so much he is “like a grandfather” to these young men, quoting Henry Garza himself. I don’t need to tell you again that their styles encompass cross-genres, cross-generations, and cross-cultures. I don’t need to list again the influences of SRV, Santana, The Beatles, etc. etc. etc. You’ve probably read it all already.
I can tell you that not only are these guys incredible musically, but they are three of the most genuinely nice guys I’ve ever met. They invited me, El Borracho (my old man) and my friend C.C. backstage at Numbers before the show for a little chat. Ringo (the drummer) was napping, but Henry (guitar) and JoJo (bass) hung out with us, exchanged a few stories, took some pictures. JoJo told me he first learned to ride on a rented Softail. That ride inspired a bit of overconfidence in JoJo and ended on the ground, but thankfully with minor damage. JoJo’s not going to let the experience keep him off the horse. If/when he gets the chance and resources, he’ll definitely be making an H-D purchase. A man after our very hearts.
El B is a musician himself so he really likes to talk nuts and bolts with other musicians. El B and I love the song “Heaven”, which is the first single release from the CD, and so he asked Henry how he came up with it. Henry told us that one day he just started messing around, playing, and then the song just started coming out of him. El B also asked who sang lead vocals and who sang the harmonies. (Good thing El B was there to conduct my interview!) The answer was “we both do”. You both do which, lead or harmony? “Both”. They actually switch off lead and harmony throughout the songs, and it’s never planned. They perform a synchronized vocal ballet, and they do it by feel. The more we learned, the more we were and are amazed.
The show was unspeakably awe-inspiring. They opened for the Mavericks, and I believe most of the crowd was there for the headliners. We had prior engagements so didn’t stick around for the Mavs, but I heard the Houston Chronicle said LLB “stole the show”. I believe it. They performed as much of the CD as time allowed, songs I remember being played include “Señorita”, “Heaven”, “Onda”, “Real Emotions”, “Crazy Dream”. In the last song, they performed the big finish in a guitar duet switch off, with Henry and JoJo standing side by side, each playing the other’s guitar neck with their left hands while playing their own guitars with their right hands. Take a moment and imagine this if you will. JoJo is playing the bass guitar with his right hand, while fingering the lead guitar riffs on his brother’s Strat’s neck. At the same time, Henry is playing the right hand on his lead guitar, while fingering the bass line on his brother’s bass. It was – it was – oh, oh, oh. (I got a hurried photo of it, but it didn’t come out very clearly.) THEN as if that weren’t enough, still standing together, they hold their respective axes up by the left hand ONLY, continuing to play by an actual series of minute tosses and catches, fingers landing precisely on the correct frets each time. I can’t even describe it accurately enough. I can honestly say that I don’t think I’ve ever seen such playful yet artful athleticism displayed in the act of making music.
What I feel I need to tell you is that this group is a heavenly creation from every angle. But don’t mistake them for a “religious” band. They are for lack of a better term a rock band. Once you listen to the CD, you will need to see them live and once you see them live, you will set a new standard in your heart and mind of what is good, what is pure, what is music. It’s not surprising that when I asked them where they visualize themselves in 10 years, the answer was a glib “playing on the moon!”. Why not be the first band to play on the moon? was the sentiment behind the answer. As long as they are playing, that’s all they want. I happen to believe it’s what The Big Man Upstairs wants for them, too. Yeah, why not on the moon? Closer to home, right?
To begin your Los Lonely Boys experience right now, visit www.loslonelyboys.org, and buy the CD and other merchandise. The CD is also available at www.cdnow.com, www.fye.com, and www.towerrecords.com . The CD includes a bonus video of the band which can be played on your computer’s hard drive. I tried to see if the video would play on DVD with no luck (but the songs do play on a DVD player). Also, check their calendar for a show near you soon. (hey, Omaha – don’t miss the Ranch Bowl in February!!)
(pictures from show here, or link to pictures)
***************************
The Stone Coyotes
Born to Howl
Rise From the Ashes
Ride Away From the World
(Interview)
And now for the other trinity-structured familial ensemble that I met: Barbara Keith, Doug Tibbles and John Tibbles, better known as The Stone Coyotes. I gotta tell ya, meeting the three of them made me just as nervous as meeting LLB if not more. Thing is, I’ve been listening to the Stone Coyotes for a couple of years, so I’d had plenty of time to become a dug in deep starstruck fan of them, and again I was totally flipped out. But no way was I going to miss it!!
A couple of years ago, our very cool biker friend Ken came to our annual crawfish boil party with the coolest hostess gift that I’ve ever received. It was a CD by The Stone Coyotes titled Born To Howl. A HUGE fan was born and ever since I’ve been waiting for a chance to see this band’s live show. Worst thing is, ever since Born to Howl found me, I have gotten pissed off every time I hear Sheryl Crow or the like on the radio and wanted to scream “Why are YOU on the radio and not Barbara Keith!?!?
Aaaaarrrrrgggghhhhhh!!!!” (Actually, that’s still an ongoing issue with me, but we have more important things to discuss right now.)
Like the return of the Coyotes (Texas pronunciation: K-eye-oats) to Texas for their Texas Tour 2003 – 2004. A tour which has them here up through Mardi Gras, folks, so there’s still time to run out and catch a show. In fact, here are some dates to get ya started on your planning:
January 9, 2004 Borski’s Tavern – Willis, TX
(I-45N @ Shepherd Hill Exit, Willis 936-344-6212)
January 16, 2004 Jack’s – San Antonio, TX
(2950 Thousand Oaks Dr., 210-494-2309)
January 24, 2004 Continental Club – Houston, TX
(3700 Main St., 713-529-9899)
January 30, 2004 Sidecar Pub – Houston, TX
(11202 Huffmeister, 281-807-4040)
February 14, 2004 Mardi Gras – Galveston, TX
(Saengerfest Park, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.)
You should go see them, my friend. Barbara Keith is the front-woman of this band; singer, guitarist, songwriter extraordinaire. She’s been at this for a while and has a long, distinguished career under her belt as a songwriter alone. Her husband Doug, the drummer also has an enviable career as a television scriptwriter under his belt, as well as being a noteworthy contemporary artist (as in drawing pictures). Their son, John is the bassist and grew up with those two as his parents. Enough said there, imagine the influence of the atmosphere that must have abounded in that humble home. And humble they are, right down to the bone. They have every reason to not be, but they are. That humility shines through in their art from conception to performance. We could say that Barbara Keith is Bob Dylan, is Joni Mitchell, is Nancy Wilson, is Stevie Nicks, is Tom Scholz, or we could sit around all day, listening and pulling names out of the air of musicians that come to mind as we listen, but not one alone or any combination would tell the whole sssstory . of the essenccccce .. of the ever-sibilant, ever- wonderful Barbara Keith. (I say that in the most loving way!) Go listen and you’ll get that reference.
Seriously folksssss, (okay enough!!) I love this woman’s singing, I love her poetic story-telling way of songwriting, I love her guitar-playing, I love the band’s cleanly rough, pared down, garage band sounding rawness, I love that Doug sits on a metal folding chair while he bangs a kick, snare and cymbal only and makes it sound like this huge kit, I love how John fills out the sound, I love how the only vocals you hear are Barbara’s and how that’s just perfect. I LOVE THIS BAND. I loved seeing them at the Mucky Duck (www.mcgonigels.com) the day after Christmas, 2003. I loved how they first did a little acoustic set, then played an electric set that was over an hour-long and mostly requests. I loved how the first song in their electric set was a rock and roll Christmas carol, “In Excelsius Deo”. I love the 3 CD’s of theirs that I own and wear out, Born to Howl, Ride Away From the World and the newest release (and reason for the tour) Rise From the Ashes. I LOVE THIS BAND.
I was going to review each of the above-mentioned CD’s one by one for this column, but with the holidays and having kids in the house and it being impossible to really work, and wanting to get this column up so folks would know to go see this band in January, I decided to forego the usual CD review format. I can tell you that each is a necessity for any music collection. Each is packed with brand-name, top of the line Stone Coyotes product, man. This is not canned rock that can be heard at the touch of a button, no sir. This is highly sought-after, exclusive material for the discerning ear. This is real music. And can be found at:
http://www.stonecoyotes.com, http://www.cdnow.com, and http://www.towerrecords.com .
I love all these titles and there are even more to choose from. If you can only buy one the first time though, I recommend Born To Howl, probably because it was my first. But mostly because, in the words of the Stone Coyotes in “American Child”:
We’re a little bit bored
We’re a little bit wild
We’re looking for an American Child
Give us Jerry Lee Lewis
Give us Joey Ramone
And pleeeeezzze give us the Stone Coyotes. It’s the real thing, baby.
Website Index
Artists:
Los Lonely Boys
The Stone Coyotes
Venues:
Numbers – Houston, TX
McGonigels, – Houston, TX
Jack’s – San Antonio, TX
Sidecar Pub – Houston, TX
Continental Club – Houston, TX
Events:
Mardi Gras Festival – Galveston, TX
P.S. – Los Lonely Boys is also playing Mardi Gras Galveston this year on Feb. 21. Check the festivities calendar on the mardi gras website. This year’s Mardi Gras theme is “Rock and Roll” so there will be literally tons of really great music down there (Damon Troy, Charlie Robison, Little Feat, Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy to name but a few). Hope you can make it down at least once.
To Buy Music:
http://www.loslonelyboys.org
http://www.stonecoyotes.com
http://www.cdnow.com
http://www.towerrecords.com
http://www.fye.com
Archive notice: This article is preserved from the original BikerTrash.com archive. It reflects information available at the time of publication. Please verify dates, locations, prices, links, and other details before relying on them.