If rock-n-roll means doing things that normally wouldn’t be expected, then Collin Herring has indeed rocked balls: he asked his Dad to join his band. By no means was this a casual request, considering Collin’s invitation hinged upon one crucial stipulation. Sure Ben Roi could sing harmony and play piano, roles he’s easily filled in the past, but this time he had to learn to play the pedal steel if he wanted in on his son’s antics, an instrument that daunts and frightens even the most grizzled of session cats and road vets alike.

Collin had a song in his head that had been stewing for quite some time and it touched on loneliness, heartache, distance and alcohol-fueled regret, classic country music themes all, but sonically it had to have enough crunch-laden guitars to put him at odds with the boring, lame and uninspired group of so-called country rockers from Texas, his home state. However, to let the hacks know he knew what he was talking about, he needed a sweet cry from the steel. That’s where papa Herring came in–

–And the rest of the rag-tag crew that Collin assembled to translate his debut batch of songs, Avoiding the Circus. Recorded in Denton by Centro-Matic drummer and engineer Matt Pence (Polyphonic Spree, American Music Club), Circus was recorded live in Pence’s secluded studio and resulted in “one hell of a debut” (Harp magazine).

Lest the familial connection conjures up schmaltz like the Patridge Family, rest assured that Collin’s latest effort The Other Side of Kindness packs ample punch. Produced by Stuart Sikes (White Stripes, Modest Mouse, Loretta Lynn) the album rocks in the same way that Son Volt and Ryan Adams do, with enough distortion to put a knife in and the pedal steel to twist it.

The band recently finished their third record, Past Life Crashing, which was recorded in Nashville and produced by ex-Wilco member Ken Coomer.

Information from the artist's site.

Musicians

• Jeremy Hull: bass, upright bass
• Collin Herring: guitar, lead vocals, vocals
• Ben Roi Herring: keyboards, pedal steel guitar, vocals
• Billy Walters: drums, percussion
• Alan Durham: guitar

Influences

Calexico, Richard Buckner, Neil Young, Kathleen Edwards, Peter Bruntnell

Albums

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