BEARD

I just picked up ZZ Top’s 5th album, Tejas.  Actually it showed up on my doorstep unannounced – must have been a good night.  This has always been one of my favorites, I used to have a cassette tape copy that I played it to pieces in the ’84 Pontiac Firebird I drove in high school.  Right from the get go this record rules, the honky It’s Only Love paving the way for thirty minutes of timeless desert-vibe shuffle rock.  The para-diddle drum patterns and small guitar tones collide pleasantly with raw melodic bass and blues howling vocals.  This record is a far cry from Eliminator or even Tres Hombres, the heavily distorted guitar absent, exposing the technical proficiency of Texas’ greatest band.  Tejas is certainly worth a focused and unfocused listen.

West, Bruce and Laing were a power trio formed in the aftermath of Mountain and Cream.  Consisting of  Leslie West, Jack Bruce and Corky Laing, the group rose from their drug-induced stupor to create two studio albums and a live record.  With hard, heavy and occasionally catchy riffs combined with stacks of cheeseburgers and cases of wine, West, Bruce and Laing appeared destined for excessive success.  All the major record companies lined up to sign what they collectively saw as the next Led Zeppelin.  And with Zeppelin’s engineer Andy Johns recording and co-producing, the new group was pronounced a monster before they were.  The band kicked off their residency on American radio with the small hit The Doctor.  The blues-rock titan features Leslie’s under-valued slide guitar techniques and amply displays the rhythm section.  The album only went to number 26, but the tours were selling out and the limos were always parked outside.  The booze and blow, along with food and women, conspired to derail the act on a regular basis, starving their audience of potential greatness.  What we do have is their first album Why Dontcha.  Tracked before the pressures of the road and the industry took them down, Why Dontcha is chock full of rock blessings, if nothing more.  The title track kicks off the record like a cold beer after a long day, with Leslie’s harsh roaring vocals demanding some attention.  The second song, Bruce’s Out Into The Fields, is an oddly placed ballad that leans heavily towards the bassist’s early solo records.  Laing’s drumming is pretty badass throughout while West’s swooping Hendrix-like guitar work in the outro pretty much rules.  The Doctor follows, with its infectious middle sections and insane bass playing by Bruce.  All talents are on display as the next tune has Corky singing and playing rhythm guitar with Jack on stand-up bass and harmonica.  Towards the end of the record is the bombastic Love Is Worth The Blues.  The hot licks remind me of a Beard song…without the hooks.

As a fan of the hard rock idiom I have gone on endless searches for the lost Zeppelin.  Cream only has so many records and Blodwyn Pig is just not that awesome.  Thank God for Mountain, the Leslie West / Felix Pappalardi powerhouse.  Formed around West’s paramount guitar leads and named after his enormous stature, Mountain erupted in the the late sixties and early seventies.  Fueled by egos as massive as their amps and riffs as tasty as their meals, the four-piece quickly gained commercial traction with their song Mississippi Queen.  Their fourth gig was Woodstock and they frequented the budding festival circuit of the era.  There’s a nineteen minute version of Stormy Monday from the 2nd Atlanta Pop Festival where the band flexes some serious live licks.  The monumental recording is a testament to Mountain’s fierceness.  Also, my friend Pietro looks eerily like Leslie West in this picture.

Here’s some video from last week’s Ottobar show.  The footage consists of the songs Florida and Lady Of The Castle, along with some head-banging and beer-spilling. Much love to everyone that came out and thanks to shawnavec for the vid.

We’ll be heading down south for the weekend and we’re taking drummer Sean Pumphrey of the Baltimore band Sick Weapons.  We’ve added another track for the shows, a slow blues called Fanny Pack.  The little girl’s been gone for so long, they just about turned her cable off, oh no, yes they did.  Here’s a demo from practice the other night … [Fanny Pack]

Owen Lang has created another amazing Beard video, this time for our song Florida (he’s already done one for Midnight Tuxedo). We spent two days filming the slow-motion epic that features two bags of oranges, a tanning bed, a goldfish and Patti from Long John’s Pub. Patti was amazing, she executed every pursed lip and eye-wink with ease and grace. It was a pleasure to watch. And special thanks to Calabreses Hair Designs in Canton for the use of their solarium.

Beard is a power trio of epic proportions, forever in search of the unholy grail, the group marches steadfast towards a future of uncertainty. Consisting of Jason Dove (Guitar), Bryson Dudley (Bass) and Jason “The Butcher” Butcher (Drums), Beard displays power rock in a sensitive context.  Born out of a desire to conquer and a love of finger-tapping, this band needs no invitation.  Majestic songs drift through the listener’s mind like a magic carpet ride in a never-ending story. Laced with crushing riffs and tumultuous drum fills, Beard generates a positive outcome for all.

Here’s a few photos from the Midnight Tuxedo video shoot.