“ The guys from Tora Tora and Todd , Roxy Blue were playing . Everybody was kind of working for the same thing . Pulling together and helping out each other .”
– Rich about the Memphis rock family just sat down while they were playing and I said , “ This is where I ’ m at .” I just took a deep breath and said , you know , everything is on our shoulders right now . Everything world-wise , relationshipwise , everyone needs a moment to take one , deep , breath . The band got the idea and it just grew from there . That was the misconception of not being able to breathe cause of Covid or the political “ I cant breathe .” I really didn ’ t even think of that . When we were shooting the video . They were wanting us to wear a COVID mask , and I was like , No , no , no , no , this is not what it is .
What was it like hearing the play back on some of the sick harmonies to “ Sin In My Heart ?”
RICK : When they played this for me in the rehearsal studio I started jumping up and down . I just started going , “ Dude , listen , listen , this is it .” My band thinks I ’ m insane , because when I hear something like that , in my head , I hear it completely finished with layers of sounds and textures and everything on it . It sold me right and there when they played it . The line in there is , you know , my better half at that time was always looking at me and I ’ m like , you just kind of trust me on this . You know , I know I ’ m insane . And I know I ’ m a little crazy , but just come on . Just take a chance and go for a ride and see where it goes . It was just a punch in the face . It ’ s a record . I you don ’ t catch this hook , you ’ re a stupid man .
Talk about the Memphis scene and the tight bunch of bands including your buddy Todd Poole .
RICK : That ’ s one of the things when I first put this band together . I started out in Knoxville , and then I moved to Nashville . Everyone was telling me you need to go to LA ‘ cause that ’ s where all the record labels are . I ’ m in Nashville , I ’ m with every record label already . I ’ m out in LA , the competition between bands was fierce , it was more like everybody was about them . There was no camaraderie . When I got to Memphis . I came down here for a showcase . We got thrown in the middle of it because one of my best friends ever , Randy Mike Fields was in a band and they got bumped to a later schedule for us to get put on the bill . We became friends . The guys from Tora Tora and Todd , Roxy Blue were playing . Everybody was kind of working for the same thing . Pulling together and helping out each other . People though were giving me all different kinds ( Continued on next page )
Photo Credit : Shane O ’ Neail
Page 49