While they may credit Los Angeles as the place that spawned roots-rockers Truth and Salvage, Co., the band has clung to a sound that is more Midwest and Southern-influenced than the clean sound of LA. So the band’s April move to Nashville,TN makes a lot of sense.
The band members hail from places like North Carolina and Ohio and Indiana. Their core fans are in the heartland and in the south. The tours have been playing Indianapolis multiple times each year for the past two years. Nowthe band is living closer to their musical roots.
They have also added a Hoosier to the band in the process, to go along with Tim Jones, one the band’s frontmen and guitarists.
Jones was back in his hometown of Indianapolis last week before joining his bandmates for a few dates this spring as they finish recording their sophomore album. One of those dates is at the Deluxe nightclub at the Old National Centre on May 4 (with/ Pravada and Bonesetters), debuting some songs off the new record for the Hoosier faithful.
ROB: Have you guys missed being on the road? What have you done to stay busy?
Tim Jones: We haven’t had time to miss being on the road. We toured right up until Christmas and then started pre-production on the new record and literally have been working on it right up until we moved to Nashville last week. And we’re still going to be finishing the record in between these May/June dates.
ROB: How’s the new album coming along? How will this be different than debut?
TJ: Well I’d say we’re about half way done. We spent most of February and March recording with Rob Schnapf, an amazing producer, engineer, mixer and all-around great human being. The release date will all depend on when we turn it in; probably the end of August or September.
We’re not trying to do anything drastically different. Hopefully we’ve matured as songwriters and become a better band over the last two years. A lot of people talked about our first record as a “greatest hits” so hopefully this will be a “greatest hits part two”
ROB: How’s the band? Any changes? Anyone learn any new chords?
TJ: The band is great. We have a rehearsal space set up in our house that some of us are sharing inHendersonville.
We have a new bass player, Dean Moore, who Indy readers will be happy to know is a fellow Hoosier and IU grad that I have known for years and happened to be moving out to Nashville at the same time as we were. Our last bass player, Frank, couldn’t do the move.
Walker’s been playing some harmonica lately, and we’ve learned a ton of new chords from our producer.
ROB: Touring plans? What is in the pipeline?
TJ: We’re doing weekends all based off of a Wednesday night residency in Nashville that we’re doing at the Basement, a great club underneath our friend Grimey’s New and Pre-loved Music. We’ll be headlining clubs all around. Once the record comes out we’ll be doing a nationwide tour in the fall.
ROB: How did the new songs come together?
TJ: With a lot of love and patience – same as always. Somebody will bring in a part of a verse and a chorus or even a whole finished song and we’ll try and make it the best it can be. Sometimes that means a lot of changes. Sometimes that means doing nothing.
ROB: How did the band’s move to Nashville that come about?
TJ: We had been talking about it for years. Walker’s (singer/keyboards) from Atlanta, (guitarist) Scotty’s from New Orleans, (organ player) Adam’s from Tupelo, MS. (Drummer) Smitty is from Southern Ohio, so this is closer to home for all of us. Los Angeles will always have a piece of our heart and hopefully we left a decent mark on it as well.
To be able to play more where our fans are and not have to crisscross the country so often is a big bonus. And rent is a helluva lot cheaper here.
———————
MOKB Present: Truth & Salvage Co. w/ Pravada, Bonesetters Friday May 4, 2012. Deluxe at Old National Centre … Doors 7 PM / Show 8 PM $12 Advance / $15 dos