Greyhounds is a band with nearly twenty years of history that I am just now discovering.
That’s a shame, as these guys rock.
With roots that date back to 1999 and a slew of records behind them – the latest, Cheyenne Valley Drive, is out now – Andrew Trube and Anthony Farrell have been crafting vintage soul rock together for nearly two decades. Though they hopped on board with J.J Grey & MOFRO for the better part of one of those decades, Greyhounds was always a priority. Songs were written and shows were played. In 2016, the duo went all in, making Greyhounds their singular focus.
The music world is better for it.
It was only fitting that Trube and Farrell, along with drummer Ed Miles, ended up in Memphis, at Sam Phillips Recording, to lay down the tracks for Cheyenne Valley Drive. The songs are bluesy and soulfully gritty, and there is no doubt that the history of one of our most musical cities seeped into the sessions while they were recording.
I recently caught up with guitarist Andrew Trube to chat about the new record, recording in a studio steeped in history, and his guitar rig.
BRO – Did you tune in to any ghosts of sessions past during your time at Sam Phillips Recording?
AT – It was hard not to. When you walk into the building, you are immediately struck by the energy. You can feel the past, but you also feel a rejuvenation. A bunch of great records are going to come out of there right now.
BRO – You cut the record in three days. How did that urgency influence your sessions?
AT – We pulled in the energy from the ghosts and did it how they did it. We set up some mics, rolled the tape, and hit it. Knowing the tunes helped, too. We picked a few from the catalog that we have had since 1999.
BRO – I really dig the guitar tone on “No Other Woman.” Are you a gear junkie and can you tell me about your rig?
AT – It’s pretty basic. I have a Fender Vibrolux from 1965 and a Silvertone hollow body from the sixties that I’ve been playing for the past twentyish years. They talk real good together. No pick. I just let my fingers do the talking. I try not to overthink my rig. Plug and play. I do appreciate gear, but most of it is out of my budget.
BRO – Speaking of “No Other Woman,” we are featuring it on this month’s Trail Mix. I normally ask about the story behind the song, but I want to ask you about shooting the video for it instead, as it looked like a lot of fun.
AT – We hope folks dig it. The video shoot was great. We did it in one day. We made my buddy Bobby Perkins dress in a James Bond tux and ride around town on a white horse spreading love like a country Cupid.
BRO – I know you have your ear turned towards old Memphis sounds. Favorite record recorded at Sun Studios that I should check out?
AT – So many incredible things were recorded at Sun. You really can’t go wrong. Some things that I dig that were recorded there are The Yardbirds’ “Train Kept A Rollin’,” “Saigon” by John Prine, and Sam the Sham & The Pharoahs’ “Wooly Bully,” just to name a few.
The Greyhounds have a couple dates this weekend in Colorado before taking much of the month of July off. Our friends out in the Rockies can catch the band in Crested Butte on Friday, June 29, and in Denver, June 30, on Saturday.
For more information on Greyhounds, their tour schedule, or how you can find a copy of Cheyenne Valley Drive, please cruise over to their website.
And be sure to check out the video for “No Other Woman,” along with checking the tune out on Trail Mix, where it is snuggled up with other great tracks from The Slocan Ramblers, Twisted Pine, Christine Cavazos, and more!
