Back to The Headhunters, man The Kentucky Headhunters kick ass. That is all I can say about those guys. Your talking about a band that has been together 40 years. October of this year marked the 20th anniversary of their debut Pickin' On Nashville album, but if you check out my interview I did with Richard Young earlier in the year (check it out here), you'll read a history that dates back to 1968. The current lineup dates back at least 25 years and is 4/5 of the line-up from their debut album. The only person missing is former lead vocalist Ricky Lee Phelps (brother of bassist and current vocalist Doug Phelps). You know, when it comes to a good band nothing beats time and experience. The Headhunters are as tight a band as you get and each member throws their own punches to make one tight, badass Southern Rock/Country band. 

So back to my story, when I watch a band I like walking around and checking the show out from every spot I can get to and on this night I could get to almost any spot I wanted. So we decided to journey back to the backstage area again and check things out, besides I was starting to get concerned that my interviews where falling through, again. So we got to the green room area only to see John Fred once again rushing by. He greeted us once again and shook my hand again as he power walked to the back saying something to the effect that he was trying to find his mom. Six John Fred handshakes into the evening, I knew it was gonna be hard to nail this dude down for an interview. So I went back out and checked The Headhunters out for a couple more songs before journeying to the back once again.

This time, the first people I saw where Black Stone Cherry lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Chris Robertson, his girl and lead guitarist/background vocalist Ben Wells. Chris and his girl walked off after speaking to Ben (and right before I walked up). I decided since I couldn't nail John Fred down that I would talk to Ben about the interview. Ben, like John Fred and Richard, was nothing but polite but said he didn't know where everyone else was and that bassist Jon Lawhon was not even there yet. He walked off saying he would see what he could do. The fact was though, The Headhunters only had a few more songs and then it was time for Black Stone Cherry to perform. So I knew this wasn't gonna be happening before their set.

So anyway The Headhunters finished up (BTW, Fred Young did an awesome "Go Fred Go" drum solo that I got to witness from side stage. He's a quiet, little ole dude, but is a monster on the drums.....A Monster! Rock On Fred!). and still no BSC interview. Now onto Black Stone Cherry's set.

As I said, I saw BSC open up Rock On The Range earlier this year and all I remember was ENERGY. That is what I got once again. The funny thing about watching BSC play in a smaller convention center venue like this was, the fact that they are used to playing in front of massive crowds. They are not the biggest band is the US right now, but they are huge in Europe, which is where they have spent most of the year playing the biggest festivals in the world, as well as, opening for one of the biggest bands in Nickelback. The fact is though, the list of bands BSC has opened for or played with is an amazing Who's Who of Rock & Metal. I mean, it really is. It blows my mind to see this list.

Back to my point though. The thing is when a band plays in front of massive crowds they have to move BIG so people can see them. They jump higher. Every movement is big. You want the people in the back to be able to see you moving on stage, you know. Well, that is how Black Stone Cherry is on stage. They have played all of these massive shows and even when they are playing a smaller venue they move BIG which pumps up the energy and gets the crowd into it. The fact is, if brand new bands would move BIG, they could get crowds on their side a lot quicker. Once again that is a whole other story though.

Black Stone Cherry put on an awesome show for their home state crowd and they let out so much energy that it's hard for any building to contain it. This convention center included. John Fred is one of the most lunatic drummer's (along with his uncle Fred) that I have ever seen play. He's standing more than he's setting. As I said though, The whole band puts on a BIG show no matter where they play.

Somewhere during the BSC set I ran into Richard again and talked to him about the interviews. He said he wanted me to get one done with BSC since I had issues last time and also said he could go ahead and do one with me for the Headhunters if I wanted.

This is the point where I asked him if he could sign The Headhunters shirt Angela had purchased. We didn't have a sharpie, so before when we had bought the shirt she asked the merch people if they had one. A guy let her borrow one but told her he really, really needed it back when she was done. This is where she hands Richard the sharpie to sign the shirt. Well, Richard obliged us with signing the shirt and then someone from a distance yelled for him. Now mind you, this was right after Richard had said he would do the interview and right after he signed the shirt.

He then proceeded to stick the sharpie in his front pocket and walk off talking to whoever it was yelling for him.

I was like, "Damn, there goes that interview" and Angela was like, "Damn there goes the sharpie!"

No, actually when he walked off I looked over at Angela and she had this weird, smiley type expression on her  face. I thought she was reacting to the fact that he took off after saying he would do the interview, but that was not the case. She was like, "He just put my sharpie right in his front pocket." Then as he rushed by us talking with someone, I noticed the sharpie right there bouncing around in his front pocket. She was eyeballing his pocket saying over and over, "See, there it is, right there." Richard done stole our Sharpie!

OK, I know this story is turning into a long one, but I promise I will finish it up this week! See you soon!

Primal

canned goods for a Concert was because this show is the 3rd annual Charity Toys For Tots/Canned Food Drive for needy Ft Knox families put on by Black Stone Cherry & The Headhunters. Everyone attending was asked to bring canned goods for donation and that they definitely did, by the way. There where cans piling up behind the tables to the left when you walked in the front door. All in the spirit of helping somebody else. That was good to see and I think they where awesome to do that. Much respect deserved.

Now back to the story, Since I couldn't get a hold of Richard, I decided to just head to the backstage area and try to track him down. I looked in the "green room" and saw no signs of him. He shouldn't be hard to spot because of his hairstyle is pretty noticeable. I did see Ben Wells (Guitars/Backing Vocals Black Stone Cherry) and a bunch of people I didn't recognize, but no Richard. Then I asked the first guy I saw, that looked like he might know what was goin' on, if he had seen Richard. He jokingly said "no", that he's "trying not to". Then he mentioned that I should try the loading area behind the stage. I took his advice and we journeyed to that loading area just a few steps behind him. When we went through the door, the guy yelled, "There's Richard" and looked toward me. That's when I noticed Richard about to rush on by and I spoke up, "Hey Richard, I'm Luie from SplatterTribe." I had talked to Richard several times, but this was the first time I met him. It's funny because he actually looked like he sounds on the phone. He was walking at a quick pace and looking in several directions at once, like he had "a million things going on."

After he turned and heard me speak, Richard came straight over, shook my hand, was nothing but polite and then asked If I was going to interview all the bands. I told him that would be awesome. If we could get it done, I would do it. So he immediately took me over and introduced the opening act Purpose, that had just left the stage, to me and told them I was gonna do an interview with them. The guys immediately gathered together and Richard led us into the green room where we could do the interview and then left us. He said to get back to him after this interview and we'd get together for the next band WillowShade, who was on stage at the time.

So I set down with Purpose and we conducted an interview in the green room. I haven't had a chance, as I write this, to review the interview yet and make sure it came out alright. I know there was alot of background noise and the guys in the band talked pretty low at times, but it was a pretty good interview. Purpose is a young Christian Rock band that is less than a year old. Good kids. That interview will be up in one form or the other very soon.

Well, I got that interview done and made my way back to the loading/staging area to find Richard or Willowshade, whoever came first.......Well, Willowshade came first. I didn't see Richard so after Willowshade came off stage, I got them together and told'm I wanted to do an interview with them. I remember, at this moment, I thought, for a moment, about the truck setting out in the cold parking lot just waiting for the chance to screw up more, but I shook it off and once WillowShade was ready we went out toward the green room to do the interview. This is when I had a brilliant moment and decided we should do the interview in the hallway between the green room and the loading area because it was quiet and the green room wasn't.

Well, we started the interview and then that was when I realized there was no quiet area because once we got into the interview, the door started slamming beside us because people where going in and out getting set for the Kentucky Headhunters to take the stage. I have not reviewed this video yet, as of this writing, to see how it came out either, but I will do that very soon, as well.

Now around this time, I hear the Headhunters taking the stage. Unfortunately due to all the running around, I had not got to check out much of Purpose or Willowshade's sets, but I did not want to miss any of the Headhunters. Now, that is no smack toward Purpose or Willowshade, but the Headhunters have been around like 40 years and I had never seen them play. So when the WillowShade interview ended, me and Angela rushed to the back/loading area so we could check The Headhunters out from the back. After checking them out for a few minutes I noticed that John Fred Young (Drummer of Black Stone Cherry and son of Richard Young) was walking by. As I said before, I had previously met John Fred toward the end of the night at Rock On The Range and we spoke about rescheduling the interview. I figured if I was gonna get this Black Stone Cherry interview together I should mention to John, beside's Richard had previously told me on the phone that the best time for the 'Cherry interview was during The Headhunters set.

So I stopped John Fred and told him who I was and I wanted to get together and try and get this interview done. That is when I noticed that John Fred was a lot like his dad. He's nothing but polite and you know how I said Richard always has "a million things going on" and how he was looking in several directions at once, well that is exactly how John Fred appears while talking to him. I mean, don't get me wrong, he'll look you in the eyes, but you can tell his mind is in a million places. If you have ever seen Black Stone Cherry perform then that would be no surprise to you because John Fred is Crazy-Energetic behind the drums.....and on the drums.....etc, etc. Anyway, I asked John if there was any way to get the interview arranged. He said he remembered us talking about the interview at ROTR and seemed game for the interview and then right at that moment I realized he was not really wanting to do this interview right now. I could tell it wasn't gonna happen at this moment......and I'll tell you why.

Well, actually I'll tell you tomorrow because this would be a good stopping point for the night.