Big Head Todd And The Monsters
Truth & Salvage Company
- Crystal Hotel & Ballroom - Crystal Ballroom |
- Thursday, July 22
- 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show |
- $24 advance, $27 day of show |
- 21 and over
Tickets on sale now!
About Big Head Todd And The Monsters
Big Head Todd and The Monsters' ninth studio album Rocksteady - due July 20 on the group's Big Records imprint, distributed by Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group - finds the veteran Colorado band returning to their DIY roots and forging into surprising musical territory.
Funky, lilting, and melodic, the new collection features founding members Todd Park Mohr (lead vocals and guitars), Rob Squires (bass), and Brian Nevin (drums), with keyboardist, steel guitarist, and backup vocalist Jeremy Lawton, who joined The Monsters in January 2004. Lawton produced and mixed the album.
Rocksteady cuts across a broad swath of stylistic terrain. "Beautiful," the set's first single, offers a sunny Caribbean vibe, as does the band's cover of the Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden," long a concert staple. "Back to the Garden" and the homage "Muhammad Ali" pulse with a roots rock groove, while the set's title track is based in the like-named, revved-up Jamaican style that preceded reggae's arrival in the late ‘60s. "I Hate It When You're Gone," dressed with a full horn section, is blazing old-school R&B, while a version of Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lightning" is burning Chicago blues in a Monsters pocket.
"It's a soul/Caribbean record that rocks," Mohr says. "We almost went out of our way to take all the rock out of it, but it really rocks. It's the very first album we've ever done that's this cohesive and focused. That's what makes it shine and stand out from our other albums."
Rocksteady is the latest chapter in a rock ‘n' roll career that stretches back nearly 25 years. Founded in 1986 by Mohr, Squires, and Nevin, then University of Colorado students, Big Head Todd and The Monsters became one of the region's most popular acts through constant touring. After issuing two popular independent releases on their Big imprint, the band hooked up with Irving Azoff's Giant Records for the platinum album Sister Sweetly (1993). The Monsters issued four chart albums on Giant and Warner Bros.
Their formidable reputation rests on their stage performances; Big Head Todd and The Monsters Live was recorded on the fabled H.O.R.D.E. tour. Over the years, the group has developed a close relationship with their fans: Their last album, All the Love You Need, was released as a free download, and was snapped up by half a million of The Monsters' followers.
Rocksteady can be seen as Act One of a two-act Big Head Todd spectacular, since the band cut enough tracks to fill two CDs. A projected future release will include the sessions' more hard-edged material.
Mohr says, "We went into the studio and recorded over thirty songs. We've always been a versatile group with a wide range of influences and so our albums tend to be an eclectic mix of different genres of music. Somewhere along the line we realized we had a group of songs that fit together really well as a soul/R&B/Carribian kind of thing. So we set aside some of the harder rock stuff in order to focus on a soulful, danceable sound."
Lawton adds, "We were noticing we had these two different directions in songs. Big Head Todd albums are always like a buffet - there's always a rocker, and then there are a couple of mood songs, and then there are some R&B/soul songs. We said, ‘Let's try to concentrate on one of the branches of the tree.' We went towards this fun, happy R&B kind of sound."
Mohr attributes some of the funk in the Rocksteady sound to the influence of the late Nigerian Afrobeat titan Fela Anikulapo Kuti and his son Femi Kuti, whose work he had been listening to deeply, and to his ongoing fascination with reggae and its intersection with punk rock.
While Big Head Todd and The Monsters have worked with such well-known producers as David Bianco, Jerry Harrison, and David Z, the band found their sound refreshed by working essentially on their own with Lawton at the helm in his home studio, recording on their own schedule.
"Obviously, I have high regard for producers," Mohr says. "In this case, I didn't think anybody else was going to put the time into it - into following each strand. And being able to decide in the middle of something that you have two albums instead of one isn't something you normally can do in a producer scenario. There is just too much pressure and not enough time. For me it's all about being able to have the time and the resources to do things your way, and the right way. It's only when you do it yourself that you have that luxury."
As ever, the hard-touring Monsters will go out to meet the fans this summer. "The quality of the relationship between the band and the fan is the most important aspect of our career," says Mohr. "We've always realized that. That's why we do cruises with fans, and we sign autographs after shows. We still try to play every request. We listen to our audience and do whatever we can to acknowledge that relationship."
- website:
- http://www.bigheadtodd.com/
About Truth & Salvage Company
The six musicians of Truth & Salvage Co. boast four lead singer/songwriters, each with a unique story to tell and voice to be heard. Together, they rise up from one common seed, and something bigger is made.
Originally hailing from Atlanta, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Tupelo and various cities throughout Ohio, each member has roots in a different past. It's from these diverse origins that a company of brothers has formed, ultimately connected by the shared bond we now know as Truth & Salvage. The result is genuine American rock ‘n' roll with a timeless sound and interwoven lyrical storytelling.
Prior to the conception of Truth & Salvage Co., the members had been involved in their own side projects that include bands like Scrappy Hamilton and Old Pike. In addition, they have all performed and collaborated with many other well-known and talented acts such as The Moldy Peaches, Ben Folds Five, Jack Johnson, and The Squirrel Nut Zippers; as well as members of My Morning Jacket and Rogue Wave.
A staggered exodus in 2005 brought all six musicians to Los Angeles, where they met at Hollywood's famous Hotel Café where vocalist/guitarist Tim Jones served as the venue's talent booker. First performing together during casual late night jam sessions, they quickly discovered their chemistry was undeniable. It was on that very stage that Truth & Salvage Co. was born.
The different paths that led each of them to this point engendered a remarkable range of sounds and styles. Their palette stretches from rock to country to alternative. The 12 songs on this self-titled debut provide us with a perfect balance of four-part harmonies and precise instrumentals, combining their own playful wit with thoughtful and enduring themes.
"From not having a clue of what will happen tomorrow, and not being concerned with that in the slightest," says singer Scott Kinnebrew, the band agrees that the album pulls inspiration from every last aspect of their past sixteen years of trying to "live the dream."
It was, in fact, "the sincerity of their song writing and passionate performance" that attracted The Black Crowes' frontman Chris Robinson to produce their debut album. With Robinson, the members of Truth & Salvage Co. were pushed out of their comfort zone, transforming great songs into pure brilliance. "The man [Robinson] has got a story for every occasion and can spin some incredible yarn," says Kinnebrew. Much like Robinson, this band is full of storytelling that is inextricably linked to the music.
The songs range from the celebratory "Hail Hail" to melancholy "Old Piano" to the wistful closure of "101." This is thoughtful songwriting at its highest level - it is music that could only happen in America much like a great songbook. And it's certainly a testament to their musicianship that a band of six can truly express the shared message of love, strength, and hope. The final track on the album "Pure Mountain Angel" -- which also closes their shows and consistently elicits standing ovations -- is the song that best describes this message, or mission, as they call it: "[It is] our stand, our take on life... it tells the tales of all six of us and reminds us that, though we are blessed with fortune, this life is as serious as a heart attack," says singer Walker.
One thing that is certain is that this band has taken their time and crafted an album that speaks of the truth, yet flows like a greatest hits. "Choosing the songs we want to perform requires humility and gratitude," says Scott Kinnebrew of the band, "but that's easy because we have known and worked with each other for a long time now. There is a lot of love between us." Their different personalities and backgrounds branch out to different sounds and styles, but always hold on to the band's unifying message, maintaining the integrity of their music and the truth behind their words.
Truth & Salvage Co. toured extensively in 2009 as the opening band for The Black Crowes and in 2010 they will tour with The Avett Brothers. In addition, the band also holds regular sold-out residencies at the Hotel Café. As a result of this extensive touring, they have managed to garner a loyal following, which continues to grow with each performance. The combined support of their fans with their own undying dedication to the music has truly kept this band alive.
"There are too many doctors and lawyers; lots of people clamoring for that so-called prized-position. We could buy into that frenetic race, compromising artistic integrity for supposedly quick results, like swapping cane sugar for corn syrup. Or we could just take our time and make sure that our songs sound good, using heart, wood, all natural ingredients... this is what we choose to do," continues Kinnebrew. "We're not sure if it makes us different from the rest, but it makes us different from most, and it makes us better people. If you keep on doing something long enough the people are going to hear about it, especially if it is awesome."
Truth & Salvage Co.'s debut album is scheduled for release on May 25, 2010.
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