ION INDIE MAGAZINE June 2016, Volume 25 | Page 39

It’s called “Red Dirt Metal”. It’s what happens when you take PANTERA, add some ZZ TOP, combine that with a little CLUTCH and let it absorb the attitude and grit of TEXOMA--that bit of Texas that meets Oklahoma, where the dirt isn’t dirt, it’s clay…deep red clay. Red Dirt Metal was founded by TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION. Formed in 2004 in Denison, TX, by lead vocalist BIG DAD RITCH and bassist JOHN EXALL, Texas Hippie Coalition is out in support of their latest release, “The Dark Side Of Black”. I had the pleasure of hanging out with four guys who generally are “in it” for the music. They were gracious enough to let me ask a few questions, drink a little whiskey with them and get a little insight into my new favorite band… MM: You could play any venue with any artist (alive or passed), who and where? Big Dad Ritch: Madison Square Garden with Pantera! What about you guys? Who would you play with? If you say, NIRVANA, Cord, I’m gonna kick you in the knee! Cord does love Nirvana. MM: Cord, would you do that? Would you play with Nirvana? Cord Pool: Hell yeah! There’s a lot of bands I’d play with! Timmy Braun: Madison Square Garden with LED ZEPPELIN. MM: Wouldn’t you like to team up with JOHN BONHAM? Timmy: Heck yeah! Maybe he’d let me use his drum set that night. MM: Tell the ION Indie Magazine readers--what is “Red Dirt Metal”? BDR: For us, Red Dirt Country is something that comes from where we come from in Texhoma--the Texas/Oklahoma area. The dirt down there, it’s more like clay and it’s RED. The country music down there with bands like KEVIN FOWLER, PAT GREEN, CROSS CANADIAN RAGWEED-- you’re looking at guys like that…that just started that “Red Dirt” thing and got it going. Red Dirt is just an extension of country music that’s trying to sneak into rock n’ roll a little bit. But it’s staying pretty much country and it’s all about story telling and it’s kind of non-directional and loose feeling--which this band is all about. You have a song like “Knee Deep” (from “The Dark Side Of Black” album)--which is as pretty close to country as a metal band is going to get. That, right next to a song like “Rise”--which is about as metal as this band’s going to get. MM: Are you friends with Pat Green? BDR: Man, Pat likes me I know that, and that’s one of the few people that does. And that’s all that we can say on that… MM: The last two albums with the current lineup--is this the best version, the long haul version of THC for touring and writing? BDR: You know, I’d like to think so! Timmy’s been with us for three albums now, he’s not just a musician, he’s a magician-and he pulled a disappearing act for just a small period of time. And Cord, well, we love him to death and hope there will be some longevity with this lineup, but with this band, you never know. MM: Well you told the fans in Boston at Tuesday night’s show that you hated guitarists but you love Cord (Pool), so it sounds like long term love to me… BDR: Yeah, we love Cord to death! MM: Saw you in Boston a couple of nights ago. If you weren’t fronting this band, I think you’d have a great career as a true old time Texas story teller. If you couldn’t do this anymore, what career path would you choose?