DA NECKBONES!!!!!!!!!!
“I’ve kind of gotten to a place where I’ve done that quite a bit where it’s just like, you can overthink things too much. And just say, I’m gonna write a simple riff, the simplest thing, and just put it together and not think about it and not over-analyze it and just see what happens. And a lot of times it works, your first instincts are the best.”
–Tyler Keith, Neckbones songwriter/guitar strangler/howler monkey
Neckbones – Crack Whore Blues
Souls On Fire, 1997
Fat Possum
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’d like to offer my thanks to the late, great Neckbones. Maybe it was my recent trip to Mississippi that’s fired up the nostalgia sensors, but this Oxford juggernaut was one of the greatest southern rock ‘n’ roll bands of their era (ever?). They lasted only 7-8 years (basically 1992-2000), but at their mid-to-late ’90s peak, they perfected the art of melting faces with rocket-fueled guitars and primordial swagger. Thank you Neckbones for reminding me that stripped-down, balls-out rock ‘n’ roll is its own reward.
“Smoke that rock!”
Despite living in Oxford from 1997-2000, the only time I saw the Neckbones was in 1994 in (the) Kiln, MS…maybe it was Bay St. Louis. They killed.
I saw the Neckbones play the Union in Athens, Ohio a couple times in the late 90's. The first time I was one of only seven people in the room, (and one of three who weren't in the opening band) but they played like it was a packed house, and by the end of it all seven of us were jumping all over each other exchanging sweaty hugs, absolutely high on the sheer rock and roll ferocity of the show. An epic afterhours party, naturally followed.