Post by cofi on Jul 18, 2007 16:48:54 GMT
The Pits
Jam Band / Southern Rock / Classic Rock
Here is another great Southernrock/ Jam Band, they hail from Los Angels, California, the story so far
"The Pits", make new music that honors their roots, but isn't enslaved to them… a rare fresh sounding outfit among new bands... like Robert Randolph!"
"Quite extraordinary! The Pits are one of those bands that sidestep every pitfall that they might have fallen into. It's "Jam Band / Southern Rock / Classic Rock"...
BUT REALLY GOOD!"
"Gorgeous, simply beautifully expressed music... It’s about time someone got back into what moody blues music, turned rock, feels like. Thank you, thank you!"
"A taste of the 1960's, but with the meat of today!"
THE PITS is the creative brainchild of guitarist Fred "Doc" Gortner and lyricist John Barksdale. Supported by a semi-permanent group of like-minded touring musicians, THE PITS has always been less about launching a band than simply creating really good music.
"The goal here is not to land some major label recording contract," Barksdale says. "THE PITS was never designed to be a full time touring band. We're just writing songs that sound good to us, and if others like them, well that's great too."
That said, when THE PITS do play in their native Los Angeles, they usually attract a large audience of folks in the know. The magic of a PITS performance has been captured on their 2005 release "Live at The Gig," recorded in Hollywood in December 2004. "Live at The Gig" features many fan favorites from the band's debut album, as well as a cover of Talking Heads' "Cross-Eyed and Painless."
"We have an open door policy on THE PITS' stage," Doc says. "There's nothing I like more than jamming with friends, whether it's out on the back porch or up on stage."
Doc and John met in North Carolina while students at Duke University. A mutual interest in the blues gestated over the years and eventually gave birth to their current creative partnership.
"The songs we write draw on a number of pretty obvious influences," Barksdale says. "The perspective's a little twisted at times, but there's always an open end to let the musicians get the last word in."
The songs aren't just set-ups for THE PITS either. John and Doc make it clear that they encourage other touring bands to work PITS material into their sets.
"These songs need to live and breathe on their own," says Doc. "The only way they're going to get their due is if someone plays them. All we ask is that you give us credit and let us know how it goes."
Doc and Artimus Pyle (Lynyrd Skynyrd) Feb '07
THE PITS' 2005 debut album "Up In Front" is available at iTunes, CD Baby and on their websites www.myspace.com/pitsband and www.thepitsband.com. The album has been getting some radio airplay on blues and indie stations throughout the U.S. and Europe. THE PITS were recently discovered by the folks at Volkswagen, who have licensed their song "Movin' On."
A follow-up double album is expected to be released in 2007.
If you want to hear some of their great songs/music, call over to their myspace page, and give them a listen
You will not be disappointed
profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=59611157
Band Website, ThePitsBand.com
Band Members In the studio...
Fred "Doc" Gortner - guitars, bass, keys, drums & vox
David Daniels - strings
Robert Gates - keys
Steve Nistor - drums
Maxine Waters, Terry Wood & Julia Waters - background vox
John Barksdale - lyrics & applesauce
Any other cats who happen to be in town and stop by the studio
On the road...
Fred "Doc" Gortner - guitars & vox
Alex "Guitar" Austin - guitars
Matt Segal - keys
Smokin' Joe Ayoub - bass
Steve Nistor - drums
Maxine Waters, Terry Wood & Julia Waters - background vox
John Barksdale - lyrics & groupies
Jon Blaufarb - guest quitar licks and improv muse
Any other musical brothers and sisters who happen to be on stage
THE PITS are produced by Fred "Doc" Gortner.
Words and music © by John Barksdale & Fred "Doc" Gortner.
Jam Band / Southern Rock / Classic Rock
Here is another great Southernrock/ Jam Band, they hail from Los Angels, California, the story so far
"The Pits", make new music that honors their roots, but isn't enslaved to them… a rare fresh sounding outfit among new bands... like Robert Randolph!"
"Quite extraordinary! The Pits are one of those bands that sidestep every pitfall that they might have fallen into. It's "Jam Band / Southern Rock / Classic Rock"...
BUT REALLY GOOD!"
"Gorgeous, simply beautifully expressed music... It’s about time someone got back into what moody blues music, turned rock, feels like. Thank you, thank you!"
"A taste of the 1960's, but with the meat of today!"
THE PITS is the creative brainchild of guitarist Fred "Doc" Gortner and lyricist John Barksdale. Supported by a semi-permanent group of like-minded touring musicians, THE PITS has always been less about launching a band than simply creating really good music.
"The goal here is not to land some major label recording contract," Barksdale says. "THE PITS was never designed to be a full time touring band. We're just writing songs that sound good to us, and if others like them, well that's great too."
That said, when THE PITS do play in their native Los Angeles, they usually attract a large audience of folks in the know. The magic of a PITS performance has been captured on their 2005 release "Live at The Gig," recorded in Hollywood in December 2004. "Live at The Gig" features many fan favorites from the band's debut album, as well as a cover of Talking Heads' "Cross-Eyed and Painless."
"We have an open door policy on THE PITS' stage," Doc says. "There's nothing I like more than jamming with friends, whether it's out on the back porch or up on stage."
Doc and John met in North Carolina while students at Duke University. A mutual interest in the blues gestated over the years and eventually gave birth to their current creative partnership.
"The songs we write draw on a number of pretty obvious influences," Barksdale says. "The perspective's a little twisted at times, but there's always an open end to let the musicians get the last word in."
The songs aren't just set-ups for THE PITS either. John and Doc make it clear that they encourage other touring bands to work PITS material into their sets.
"These songs need to live and breathe on their own," says Doc. "The only way they're going to get their due is if someone plays them. All we ask is that you give us credit and let us know how it goes."
Doc and Artimus Pyle (Lynyrd Skynyrd) Feb '07
THE PITS' 2005 debut album "Up In Front" is available at iTunes, CD Baby and on their websites www.myspace.com/pitsband and www.thepitsband.com. The album has been getting some radio airplay on blues and indie stations throughout the U.S. and Europe. THE PITS were recently discovered by the folks at Volkswagen, who have licensed their song "Movin' On."
A follow-up double album is expected to be released in 2007.
If you want to hear some of their great songs/music, call over to their myspace page, and give them a listen
You will not be disappointedprofile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=59611157
Band Website, ThePitsBand.com
Band Members In the studio...
Fred "Doc" Gortner - guitars, bass, keys, drums & vox
David Daniels - strings
Robert Gates - keys
Steve Nistor - drums
Maxine Waters, Terry Wood & Julia Waters - background vox
John Barksdale - lyrics & applesauce
Any other cats who happen to be in town and stop by the studio
On the road...
Fred "Doc" Gortner - guitars & vox
Alex "Guitar" Austin - guitars
Matt Segal - keys
Smokin' Joe Ayoub - bass
Steve Nistor - drums
Maxine Waters, Terry Wood & Julia Waters - background vox
John Barksdale - lyrics & groupies
Jon Blaufarb - guest quitar licks and improv muse
Any other musical brothers and sisters who happen to be on stage
THE PITS are produced by Fred "Doc" Gortner.
Words and music © by John Barksdale & Fred "Doc" Gortner.
