by Brian "Big Boy" Whitcomb Live photos are by Brian “Big Boy” Whitcomb at Angel City Promo photos are by Becky Little Tell us a little on how Andrea and Mud met and how you created your Americana Duo MM: Apparently we had been within 15 feet of each other at every show I had been to in the last three or four years. Our buddy and former drummer, Mike Adkison, finally introduced us at a Legendary Shack Shakers show. AC: When I finally got him to come over (OTP!!) and play music with me, we traded a few songs and both knew instantly that this was supposed to happen together. I was like, “SEE, I told you you should come play music with me!!”. The first song he played of his was “Dark River”. I loved it obviously since it was one of the first ones that we recorded for our first album, Easy, Sleazy and Greazy. And he even let me write a verse. The one about walking back to the trailer, duh. What’s the inspiration of your music? MM: Life and imagining what life is like for others. Corny answer, I know. AC: I think the obvious inspiration is the sleazier side of life: dive bars, unorthodox professions like prostitution, drinking booze, and other interesting vices, things like that. It’s an easy, sleazy, greazy fantasy world in my head I guess. I mean, we don’t live in a trailer, although I surely could, and I’ve never gotten so drunk that I fell off a train or played someone’s flute for money but it’s fun to write about. I love the messed up characters in our songs. There’s a few new ones on the new album too. Who hasn’t always wanted to hear a catchy little song about a used car salesman?? If that’s what he really is... What role does your music lend to the Atlanta music scene? AC: We think that we might be the only nationally touring country band in Atlanta at the moment and we’d really like to bring back the
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live music scene. It seems like it has fallen off everyone’s radar over the years, but we fully intend on bringing it back as strong as ever. Back in the day, our musical peers and mentors led the Redneck Underground, and we want to create that again. I, unfortunately, was not here at that time and would have been illegal, but I still love those guys and the music that they make. They really inspire a lot of what we do. That’s why you’ll hear the term Hillbilly Underground from us a lot. We want to see the smaller venues thrive rather than the big amphitheaters and places that charge hundreds of dollars a ticket. Most of the best shows I’ve ever seen cost $10 at Star Bar. And the sweat dripping off J.D. Wilkes’ face is free! MM: We are reminding the old-timers that it’s about bringing a new edge to something familiar and teaching the newbies it’s not about playing the same damn songs as everybody else. We are working very hard to build the roots scene here without making it about your trendy pocket watch and 1938 vest; it’s about being a hardworking American that’s in tune with music about the reality of living life in a southern metropolitan city. What is your current favorite song? Why? MM: Honestly, my favorite song is one of ours that will be released next year sometime. BUT for this purpose, “Lord, Mr. Ford” by Jerry Reed... J.R.’s attitude on a sociopolitical commentary (still relevant today) with the Jerry Reed funky twang. AC: Soooo many... but for some reason Ray Price’s “Crazy Arms” is my freakin jam lately. And also “Three Days” by Willie Nelson and Ricky Nelson’s “Lonesome Town.” I love the old stuff. We both do and I think that’s why we work so well together. And yes, Jerry Reed is God.
greaseinc.com | OCTOBER 2018
