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Kings of Rock
After the dust cleared and the debris was removed from the field, the winner of WIMZ’s Battle of the Bands was declared. Clarence Creek rose triumphant from the ruins of 17 other bands who thrashed, wailed and fought—pick and drumstick—to the bitter end on the stage of Judy’s Nightclub on Middlebrook Pike.
The 4-year-old band used to frequent Patrick Sullivan’s, but its members have been busy strutting their stuff in Music City, says bassist Don Murray. He shares the best band spoils with lead singer Jamie Mandrell, guitarist Kevin Rigney, drummer Donnie Hutzell, and keyboardist Lance Stidham. The band has one CD titled Cigarettes, Guitars and Gasoline, and another 12 songs already recorded in anticipation of a record deal.
Of approximately 80 bands that entered, 18 were chosen to compete in the weekly showdown. Every Sunday night, three bands took the stage to perform six songs apiece: three originals and three WIMZ-worthy covers. Clarence Creek chose “Copperhead Road” by Steve Earle—one of the band’s major influences along with Lynyrd Skynyrd, whose “Devil in a Bottle” they played on the first night of competition. The band doesn’t usually play covers, but for the battle they picked “Southern fried hard rock,” Murray says.
On the final night, the six remaining bands played two originals and one cover. Judges, which varied during the preliminary rounds, included Ricky Taylor from the Jefferson County Fair, Shaun Kerwin of Game Haven, Jerry Luneke of Second Harvest Food Bank, various representatives of Broadway Sound and rock ‘n’ roll ringer Tom Bettini, former bassist of Jackyl, who currently resides in the Tri-Cities. WIMZ’s afternoon drive-time personality Billy Kidd served as the weekly emcee, although the station didn’t participate in judging.
By the last battle, audience members were in full spirit, says WIMZ account manager Dana Bailey. “The final night was insane. It was absolutely packed. I think it caught on and really grew,” she says. The station already plans to hold another battle, probably next year.
In addition to advancing to the final round, each weekly winner nabbed $250 from Broadway Sound and an opportunity to be booked by Judy’s as well as the regional fairs and Rookies sports bar, whose owner was on hand one night scouting for musical acts.
As the final champion of the Battle, Clarence Creek received a recording package from Studio at Fourth and Gill as well as airtime on WIMZ. The band will enter the studio to record the song—probably either “Thin Line” or “Long Hard Road”—that WIMZ will place into on-air rotation. “We’re just chomping at the bit,” says Murray.
Clarence Creek will also perform at upcoming WIMZ events, including the Tennessee Valley Fair and the Honda Hoot opening night party on Wednesday, June 23, in the Old City, where the champs will open for the Chillbillies. They’ll also open for former Motley Crue leader Vince Neil at the World’s Fair Park in August.
“They seemed really crisp,” says Bailey, who was impressed by the band’s stage presence. “You could tell they’d done this stuff before. I think the judges really liked their sound.” But no one ran away with the prize, she adds, commending all the contestants. “All the bands were good. It was really so close.”
Detroit Kid
Shortly after an explosive performance at Thompson-Boling arena Saturday, Kid Rock graced Barley’s with his presence, wearing a basketball jersey and carrying a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken. The after party, organized by the Nashville movement MuzikMafia, included a four-song performance by Kid Rock with a house band provided by the company. The restaurant was segregated into an area for the general public downstairs, a V.I.P. area upstairs, and a makeshift green room in the back of the upstairs bar, where Kid spent the majority of the evening. Eating chicken, no doubt.
Go.
Thursday: Yonder Mountain String Band comes to Sundown. There aren’t many weeks left, so get your fix now.
Friday: It might seem like all the great bands are at Bonnaroo, but it’s not true. Place of Skulls brings its doom rock to the Pilot Light.
Saturday: John Lee Hooker’s kid is playing at Brackins.
Sunday: If you like crooning, go see Harry Connick Jr. at Civic Auditorium. Or check out the new old-time music of the Wiyos at Barley’s.
Monday: “What the Reaganites really care about is this: they want capitalism in America to become what Karl Marx thought it would be by nature—the transcendent force and the measure of all things, the power that reduces free politics to trifling, the citizen to a ‘worker,’ the public realm to ‘the state,’ the state to an instrument of repression protecting capitalism from the menace of liberty and equality...Marx’s description of capitalist society is the Reaganite prescription for America.”
Tuesday: Cracker/Camper Van Beethoven just played Bonnaroo and now they’re playing at Blue Cats.
Wednesday: The Cheat is a badass Knoxville band playing at the Pilot Light with Detroit’s Demolition Doll Rods and Asheville’s Labiators. All great rock ’n’ roll.
—Paige M. Travis, Clint Casey, Joe Tarr
June 10, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 24
© 2004 Metro Pulse
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