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Founded by Patterson Hood and life-long friend and musical partner Mike Cooley, the duo had a good run in bands prior to forming Drive-By Truckers. The two had previously played in the punk band Adam’s House Cat, which despite initial success was brushed under the carpet, the two-piece Virgil Kane which was later followed by Horsepussy, which included future Drive-By Truckers bassist Adam Howell. After Horsepussy's demise Hood moved to Athens, Georgia, U.S., and started laying the groundworks for Drive-By Truckers and hoping Cooley would make the move.
Drive-By Truckers’ debut album “Ganstabilly” was released in 1998 and showed an early proclivity towards inspired songwriting for Hood. After their follow-up album “Pizza Deliverance” released in 1999 the band packed up their things and set off on a nationwide tour, which led to the live album entitled “Alabama Ass Whuppin’”. This nationwide tour would be the first of many and due to the dedicated proclivity towards live shows with a tight-knit group of talented musicians, including Earl Hicks, Brad Morgan and Rob Malone, the band picked up a loyal and committed fan base early on.
The band is proudly Southern, their decisively smart lyrics discuss its history, politics, music, contradictions and eclectic character, the country twang and three-pronged guitar produce a gutsy kind of song. Due to friend Jenn Bryant, Drive-By Truckers were able to have an online presence in the early years of internet, and along with Wes Freed, who produced the bands graphic designs, propelled the band into many people’s consciousnesses.
Drive-By Truckers’ third album released in 2001 was a concept album titled “Southern Rock Opera” which combines the history of Lynyrd Skynyrd with fictitious band Betamax Guillotine in the South during the 1970s. Released independently on their own Soul Dump Records, due to the popularity and acclaim towards the album, it was rereleased by Mercury and Lost Highway Records the year after.
The band’s subsequent two albums titled “Decoration Day” and another concept album “The Dirty South” both received positive reviews and were followed by extensive tour schedules. The band’s seventh LP “A Blessing and a Curse” released in 2006 highlighted the band’s ability to blur genre lines and saw the Drive-By Truckers find a more British rock sound.
After a series of line-up changes that would somewhat change the identity of the group, the band’s next release 2008’s “Brighter Than Creation’s Dark” returned to a more country sound and reached No. 37 on the Billboard 200. After being released from New West Records, who arguably key-holed the band, Drive-By Truckers experienced their greatest chart successes with the albums “The Big To Do” in 2010 and the R&B murder album titled “Go-Go Boots” and made appearances on David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon.
If you like your music on the boot stomping, head nodding, southern rocking side of things then you should take the next opportunity to see DBT - you'll quickly understand what it is about the band and their music that creates such a fervent and passionate fan base around them.
You'd have to go a long way to see a better, more engaging front man than Patterson Hood. He feels every word of every song, every night. Mike Cooley, the band's other main singer and writer along with Patterson has a more laid back, country vibe to his delivery and guitar playing but his songs are no less intelligent or heart felt and, well, he's just so goddamn cool. With multi instrumentalist Jay Gonzales, Brad Morgan on drums and Matt Patton on bass this is a band that clearly enjoys what they do and are doing it as well or better now than I have ever seen before.
That said, one highlight from my first DBT show at the Manchester Academy 2 was a 15+ minute rendition of one of Patterson's narrated story songs - 18 Wheels of Love - that are so suited to his rich, Southern drawl, that had the Manchester crowd hooting and a-hollering like the good old Southern boys and girls that we had all become for the night.
Then there was Steve McQueen last time out at the Manchester Ritz which had the sprung floor bouncing like nothing I've ever seen and one of my personal favourites Let There be Rock which is always great live and which has something in for everyone to relate to. And if you like to see a band in their own hometown then their annual Homecoming shows in January/February at the legendary 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia are not to be missed. You'd be surprised how many people travel not just from all over the US, but from all over the world to catch these shows every year - its a 3 night rock n roll experience like no other, in a great part of the world surrounded by good people. If you're lucky enough to see them play their version of People Who Died you'll never forget it. But then perhaps you'll read this, go to the next DBT show and see for yourself what its all about. It'll change you and only for the better.
If you can't get to a live show sign on to the fans forum website at threedimesdown.com - every show is there for you to see. It's no substitute for the real thing but it'll get you in the mood. As one guy told me on my first Homecoming trip to Athens - "this band is gooder 'n sheeit!"
JamieL
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