Yesterday I brought you Part 1 of our Sons of Bill / Wrinkle Neck Mules post which featured an interview with the Mules’ front man Andy Stepanian.  Today I present you with Part 2 and this time around we’re talking with the lead singer of Sons of Bill, James Wilson [pictured above, standing in the center].   James, along with his brothers Sam on guitar and Abe on keys, and fellow band mates Seth Green on bass and Brian Caputo on drums, have in a short time established themselves as one of Charlottesville’s hottest acts, based in large part on the band’s hard-drivin’ country-rock sound that is equal parts Steve Earle & the Dukes and straight ahead rock n roll.

The Sons of Bill will once again team up with their good buddies the Wrinkle Neck Mules for a long overdue reunion show this Saturday at Toad’s Place in Richmond.  [ticket info].  In addition to our interviews with both lead singers, we’ve got a pair of tickets to giveaway to this Saturday’s show.  To enter to win, just drop a mighty “Yee-Haw!” in the comments section to this post or into yesterday’s Wrinkle Neck Mule feature.  I’ll announce the winner on Friday at noon.  Winner will be drawn at random and will be notified via email.

James Wilson responds to my questions after the break.  Plus we’ve got an exclusive live version of the unreleased song “Goin’ Home”, recorded live at Satellite Ballroom this past March, for your listening pleasure.  The track also features an appearance by guest guitarist Brian Chenault.  Enjoy.

————

As was the case with yesterday’s interview with Andy Stepanian, this interview is separated into two parts.  Part One features questions asked of both artists and today we get to hear James Wilson’s take on my queries.  Part Two includes questions asked of James exclusively.

Part One:

Both bands have played overseas (S.O.B on the USO tour) and the Mules in
the UK.  Granted two completely different experiences, but maybe you guys
could talk about what those experiences were like.

I wish I could say that our tour overseas was more of an enriching cultural experience than it was.  But we logged in 25 shows in 30 days in three 3 different countries, so sadly most of Japan, Korea, and Guam were viewed from bus windows.  Even then, our down-time was mostly on Military bases, which are basically little American towns, with no guides and no transportation.  Our complete lack of any knowledge of Asian culture or
language did however make for some interesting stories, too long to tell here.  Getting by was all by the inductive method, since the only 3 words we had in common were “Anyung haseo” (hello) “two” and “Coca-cola.”  Everyone thought B.J. Pendleton was a sports star,  Sam got his blonde hair yanked on, And I ate some some awful black bile that came out of some bizarre fish’s head  which made me sick for days.  Its basically
everything you could expect from a hill-billy rock band touring in Asia.  Almost all the troops were gracious towards us, and getting to hear their stories and bring a little piece of home was the highlight of the trip.

I think it’s safe to say that you and Andy (Stepanian) are pretty good friends.  How did the friendship come about?

Our first show together was our CD release party at Starr Hill two years ago.  That was only our fifth show as a band, so we all didn’t really have any idea what we were doing.  Andy really took us under his wing and showed us the ropes from that day on.  We ended up copying the Mules in every way, from the clubs we played, who we got to mix the album, booking agents, radio promotion, and everything that got us to where we are today.  Since then, we’ve shared the stage up and down the east coast and have
grown pretty close.  He also invites me up to help him sing Gary Allen tunes when I’m too drunk to stand, and has managed to break up a fight between me and some rowdy frat boys mid-song.  I’ll hopefully figure out a way to pay him back one of these days.

Sons of Bill have been described as country-rock, the Mules as a rock band
that likes bluegrass.  When you both want to listen to rock n roll, where
do you turn (artists / albums)?

some of my top rock albums -

Tom Petty - Damn the Torpedos
Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of town
Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power
GNR - Use Your Illusion II
Alice in Chains - Dirt
Pink Floyd - Dark Side

One thing that makes Sons of Bill unique is the fact that the three brothers were raised on traditional country but quickly immersed ourselves in the hard  rock from the 80’s and 90’s, and both of those influences go into the sound.  There’s a whole generation of rock n’ roll in the 70’s, the touchstone for most roots-rockers, that we missed out on growing up.  We listened to alot of Robert Johnson and Megadeth, but never really got
into all the British folks in between.

Talk about one song from the other band’s catalog that just makes you stop and say “Shit, I wish I had written that one!”

Definitely “Lowlight” from the album “Pull the Brake.”  Andy is a guy who understands that the difference between a good song and a great song is not so much what you say, but what you choose to leave out.  And this song exemplifies that.  All of his songs are eerily character driven by the obscure and unnamed dispossessed, and yet, mid-song you find yourself somehow relating.  I have no idea what the song is about, but I still get
it, and I wish I had written it.

Your musical heroes?  Any villains?

My two biggest musical heroes personally are Billy Joe Shaver and Townes Van Zandt, but for very different reasons.  One lost everyone in the world he ever loved, but still managed to find enough love in the world to make the song worth singing.  The other one turned his back on the world and everyone that loved him for the sake of the song.   I guess they’re both my heroes because I haven’t lived long enough to figure out which one was right.

You sit down at your favorite bar.  What’s the first thing you order up?

Bourbon on the rocks, almost exclusively.  But I’ve spent the last two months on the wagon, so I’ve been asking for a lot “fancy soda’s” recently.

—

Part Two:

When can we expect a follow up to your debut A Far Cry From Freedom?

Soon! Hopefully.  We’ll definitely have a new record out one way or another by 2009, and hopefully by early 2009.  We’re planning on staying an independent band, so we’ve got to make sure we’ve got our ducks in a row before we head into the studio.

How are the new songs coming along?

We’re all really proud of the new stuff, and just how much we’ve all grown musically and personally in the last two years.  Another nice thing is that everybody in the band is writing now, which is going to add tremendously to the next record.  Our sound hasn’t changed so much–still equal parts raucous and reflective– but everyone in the band has there own take on it, melodically and lyrically, and that will be showcased on the next record.

Let’s say you turn on a current country music radio station.  What’s your
first reaction to what you hear?

Its awful. Just about all of it.  Too much hair gel. Too many PRS’s and not enough telecasters. All compression and no songs.  But that horse is dead, and I’m not gonna be the one to beat it.  Its nothing new either.  There was awful pop country on the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s,  90’s, and its no surprise that its still bad today.  The main problem with so much of the Nashville scene is that it has always tried to ape the pop-rock of the time, except with worn-out rural stereotypes and a fake southern drawl.  The industry has a lock-down on rural America, from Clear-Channel to Wal-Mart, and so many people have little access to anything else.  OK, I lied, this horse is getting beaten.  I guess I just let it ruffle my feathers because its so easy to just bash country radio, when in reality so much of the “alt-country” coming out today has proven to be cold-comfort.  Wearing pearl-snaps and not being able to play your instrument doesn’t make you authentic, or worth listening too.

Any friendly advice for Andy from one Virginia boy to another now that he
finds himself in the heart of Texas?

Eat alot of Chicken Fried steak, and don’t pick a fight with any square-faced German cowboys named “Otto.”

What’s been the best part of being a part of Sons of Bill.  Personally?  Artistically?  Professionally?

Personally, as corny as it might sound, the best part about being in Sons of Bill is the chance to get close to my brothers again.  We were all so close growing up, and its been great to feel that way again, both personally and musically.  They are both amazing musicians and human-beings and I’m lucky we share Y chromosomes, otherwise they never would have agreed to join this project with me.

Professionally, I guess only time will tell.  Empirically speaking, its proven to be a professional disaster, since I have to work 3 jobs and subsist off a diet composed entirely of eggs and turnip greens just for the chance to try and make this happen for us.  We’ve been growing slow and steady though, and I guess I wouldn’t have it any other way.

How much fun was it opening for Robert Earl Keen at the Pavilion last month?  [BTW–Sons of Bill have three more shows with R.E. Keen coming up next week in the Carolinas.]  [Tour info]

Robert Earl Keen is one of my musical heroes, and it was absolutely amazing to get to share the stage with him last month.  Its one of those little reality checks you get along the way– If you had told me 5 years ago, when I was milking goats in Waco TX, that I was gonna be on road opening up for REK, I would have said you were sprouting daisies.  Its an amazing thing.

Is there any particular artist out there that still making great records that you look to and say “That’s why I want to keep making music“.

The one guy in particular is Jason Isbell, formally of the Drive-By Truckers.  He’s truly one of the the most inspiring writers, players, and front-men making music today.  The best part about it is that he’s still young, struggling, and in his prime. I’m really excited about his next solo-album and I hope he eventually gets the credit he deserves.

—

The best part about it is that their still young, struggling, and in their prime.  I’m really excited about the next Sons of Bill album and I hope they eventually get the credit they deserve.  As promised here’s the live version of the unreleased Sons of Bill song “Goin’ Home”, recorded live at the Satellite Ballroom right here in Charlottesville, VA.

Listen:
MP3:  Sons of Bill–”Goin’ Home” (live)

Popularity: 19% [?]

Tagged as: concert, MP3, Sons of Bill, tix giveaway, Toad's Place, Wrinkle Neck Mules