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Meriwether
Posted by Steven Robertshaw on 10-Mar-08 @ 04:25 PM|
HQ: Baton Rouge, LA NOW PLAYING: Make Your Move (SURETONE) THE STORY SO FAR: Southern rock. Did Lynyrd Skynyrd and Creedence Clearwater Revival mosey to mind? Instead, maybe it should be Louisiana alterna-punks Meriwether. Skynyrd and CCR may sport more Confederate flag iconography, but neither are named for Meriwether Lewis-of the Louisiana Purchase explorers Lewis and Clark-or feature a vocalist (Drew Reilley) who's his direct descendent. Even so, you'll hear more Black Parade than Black Crowes in their genre-straddling sound. "We're kind of like a Crock- Pot of musical ideas," says Reilley. "I think that has to do with us being from the South and being influenced by everything from jazz and blues to Southern rock and Southern metal." WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW 'EM: Famous forefathers may garner you free history books, but they're little help in signing to major labels. The modern rock-infused four-piece did that the new old-fashioned way: With grassroots internet buzz (at one point, they were the No. 1 signed band on PureVolume) and relentless steel horse riding. "We just tour our asses off for the most part," says Reilley of the band who just kicked off a tour with As Cities Burn and the Photo Atlas. "The mentality of the band from the start was to just get out there and spread our name." But remember: There's a history of that in his family. -Tim Karan YOU LIKE? YOU'LL LIKE: ARMOR FOR SLEEP / THE SPILL CANVAS / MAYDAY PARADE |
