LONG RYDERS ADOPT THE MISSIONARY POSITION
DETROIT—“We definitely feel like we’re on a mission,” declares Long Ryders drummer Greg Sowders. “We feel that it’s something so important that people don’t forget that they have a real good heritage of music and that you can play it and you don’t have to sound old—you can make it sound fresh and new.
LONG RYDERS ADOPT THE MISSIONARY POSITION
DETROIT—“We definitely feel like we’re on a mission,” declares Long Ryders drummer Greg Sowders. “We feel that it’s something so important that people don’t forget that they have a real good heritage of music and that you can play it and you don’t have to sound old—you can make it sound fresh and new. We’re really proud of being an American band and that most of our roots are from American music, country and rock n’ roll.”
The Long Ryders back up that sentiment on their new Frontier LP, Native Sons, with an amalgamation of tunes that are firmly rooted in the tradition of popular music in these United States. The band’s oft-cited Byrds influences are certainly present (in fact, former Byrd Gene Clark lends a guest vocal spot oh “Ivory Tower”), but there’s also the ’60s garage-rock stylings of “Still Get By”and the Highway 61 Dylan-like speed-rap-meets-Johnny Cash talking blues take-off of “Pinal Wild Son,” all on the same side as their straight-out country kickin’