The ART in FIRE

The Truth about Truth & Salvage Co.

Sound Tracks

by Aaron Gomes

Sometimes, one of the most exciting parts about booking and promoting live music is catching a band on their way up.  With a solid management team behind them, a stellar debut album produced by Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes ready for release, and an upcoming few months of world touring ahead of them, Truth & Salvage Co. seems very likely to be a band with promise.

What follows is a recent interview that I conducted with friendly T&S drummer Bill “Smitty” Smith…

Aaron Gomes: Visalia has been fortunate enough to host two Truth & Salvage Co. shows now.
Bill Smith: Yes, Visalia is a hip town that has a genuine support for the arts.  The people have been very welcoming and have taken really good care of us.

A.G.: When will the world be able to get their hands on the first full-length Truth & Salvage Co. album?

B.S.: Our album has been recorded and we are discussing a release date now with our manager and our label, Megaforce Records.  We are very excited about this album.  We were fortunate enough to have the album produced by Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes. Working with him was a memorable experience.  He has a vast knowledge of music and was very involved in our creative and recording process.  We are a band that is steeped in 4 part vocal harmony. Robinson’s expertise and hands on coaching helped us out immensely.

A.G: Rumor has it that you guys will be on the road a ton in the near future.

B.S.: We are currently touring extensively up and down the west coast, opening for national acts like Jackie Green and we just concluded a ten day run in Iraq where we performed for the troops with artist Franky Perez. Fresh off a two week tour, we are as ready as ever to bring the music to the people.

A.G.: Please share a memorable on-the-road, or show experience.

B.S.: The most memorable experience was in Iraq playing for the troops.  We were performing on a flat bed army truck, a sand storm kicked up and a convoy of M-Raps (big military trucks, picture a hum-v on steroids) came crawling in with a gang of soldiers on foot leading the way.  The wind was blowing, Franky Perez was singing Highway to Hell and the soldiers were pumping their fists to the sky.  I will never forget that moment.

A.G.: One thing that really stands out in this band is the vocal harmonies.  Are there multiple songwriters in the band, and how do the vocal arrangements generally get sorted?

B.S.: There are multiple song writers. Usually the writer of the song sings lead and after many rehearsals the harmony arrangement falls into place by the vocal range of each singer.  We are always singing harmonies wherever we go and by being around one another so often the vocal harmony comes out naturally.

A.G.: What music will probably be rockin’ in the van on your way to this Visalia show?

B.S.: Well that depends on who is driving.  We have a rule that the driver calls the music.  If Adam Grace is driving it would be; The Band of Horses or Widespread Panic.  If Walker Young is driving it would be; Waylon or Skynard.  If Scott Kinnebrew is driving it would be; Thin Lizzy or Tyler Ramsey.  If Tim Jones is driving (which never happens) it would be; Sam Cook or Ray Charles.  If Joe Edel is driving it would be; Charles Mingus or Supertramp.  If Smitty is driving it would be; Mearle Haggard or Led Zepplin.   Does this answer your question?

A.G.: How long have you guys been a band and how did it form?

B.S.: The band has been together for about 2 years.  It is a combination of two bands.  One band hails out of Asheville, NC called Scrappy Hamilton and the other is out Los Angeles called The Tim Jones band, formally of Old Pike and Chevy Downs (Indiana based bands).

The two bands decided to come together after meeting at Cranes Hollywood Tavern and created a band called The Denim Family Band.  This band was an all star line up of song writers and musicians who would gather a couple times a week to write and play songs bouncing ideas off of one another. Having more than one song writer has allowed each writer to look at their songs more objectively.  Two of the members, Lissie and George Stanford went on to pursue their solo career (Sony records and Island def jam) and the rest were left to be the currently acclaimed Truth and Salvage Company. So as you can see, it was a huge music collaborative.  A family of sorts.

A.G.: Is there anything else Visalia should know prior to your June show?

B.S.: We are very excited to return to Visalia.
Hear and see Truth & Salvage Co. at:
www.truthandsalvageco.com v