KFTX presents Texas Music World Thursday at Brewster Street Ice House featuring Cross Canadian Ragweed and special guest Stephanie Briggs. This is an all ages show, and tickets are available by contacting Brewster Street at 361-884-BREW.
The Band
Cross Canadian Ragweed knows all about the ritual of keepin' on -- and
leaving nothing in reserve. The Oklahoma quartet has been pushing it to
the metal for 13 years, through four studio albums, an equal number of
live sets and 260 or so nights on the road every year. They don't
skimp. They don't compromise. They play, and live, with genuine abandon
and wouldn’t have it any other way.
"Man, there were never any other options but to stay together and play
music," says frontman and songwriter Cody Canada. "We've always wanted
to do what we're doing. We never thought we would be Tom Petty &
the Heartbreakers, but we always wanted to be around for along time.”
"We figure if we've been around for 13 years, we'll be around for 30."
The key is that Canada and company -- guitarist Grady Cross, bassist
Jeremy Plato and drummer Randy Ragsdale -- keep doing it better each
time out. The latest evidence of that is mission california.., the most
ambitious and accomplished album CCR has made to date and a triumph by
any musical measure. Its 14 tracks -- from roadhouse rockers like
"Record Exec," "Smoke Another" and "Deal" to the buoyantly poppy "NYCG"
and gentler moments such as "Dead Man," "Soul Agent" and "Lawrence,"
which features longtime friend LeAnn Womack -- find the group assured
and upbeat, even when Canada's lyrics are attacking personal turmoil
and music biz tribulations.
"I think it's the most personal album we’ve ever recorded," Canada
says. "Lyrically it's more personal. A lot of the songs I write are
about what's going on around me and not about myself; this one I had
some things happening within my family that made me kind of step back
and look at what's going on in my life and write about it."
Canada adds that "time and sobriety" were the keys in making mission
california. successful. For starters, CCR chose to again work with
fellow Okie Mike McClure formerly of the Great Divide, a longtime
compatriot who was newly sober as the band started to work on its new
songs in December. "He was with us on our first gig. He knows exactly
what we sound like and want to sound like," Canada explains "We'd never
been shitfaced in the studio before," Canada notes, "but when (McClure)
was drinking we'd drink with him just to cope.”
"But this time around he was three months focused and 100 percent
sober. That helped a lot. We felt born again on a lot of these songs on
the record."
CCR and McCLure hit Strate Studios in Santee, California, near San
Diego, in March. They cut the basic tracks in five days, then spent the
next 20 polishing them and making adjustments -- a luxury the group
never had before.
"We never really had time to do studio stuff 'cause we were always
worried about getting back on the road," Canada says. "This time we'd
record, sit back and listen and say, 'Nah, that's too digital. Let's
yank that and do something different.' It was us sitting back and
really listening for once and really harnessing it on a studio record."
CCR has been working towards this point since forming in 1994 in Yukon,
Oklahoma, and subsequently developing its craft in the potent
Stillwater scene and building an audience with its relentless touring
schedule. The band had built a buzz on college radio even before its
debut set, Carney, came out in 1998 on its own Underground Sound label.
The group's self-titled 2002 set brought it into the Universal Records
South family, which also released 2004's Soul Gravy and -- 2005's
Garage -- both of which debuted in the Top 10 of Billboard's Top
Country Albums chart --and last year's concert souvenir Back To Tulsa:
Live And Loud At Cain’s Ballroom.
“The years,” Canada says, "have taught us to be patient and you'll find
yourself." And, he adds, “it's no small matter that the four members of
Ragweed have made that journey together.”
"We’ve been friends since we were 10 years old," Canada explains, "so
all the penny-ante ********, the arguing over stupid things, we got
that out of the way a long time ago. We're lucky to have the same group
of guys in the band for so long and get along so well.”
"Sometimes we overlook it. But when we stand back and look at the whole
picture and realize how lucky we are to have grown up together first
and then had a band and still be together after all this time. It's a
pretty special thing."
admin : Come join the Crush Girls at Monster Jam this weekend!
admin : See you all at Gipsy Kings tonight!
admin : Join the Crush Girls today at the grand opening of Tobacco World at 5717 Saratoga from 4 - 7 p.m.
admin : Join the Crush Girls at Click's Billiards this Friday, Aug. 15th for 3 great bands!
admin : Make sure to sign up for our $300 3-on-3 Beach Volleyball tournament tomorrow at Padre Island Music Festival!
admin : Join us this weekend at the Padre Island Music Festival!
admin : 4320 Ayers - across from the Port Ayers station
cgomex : where is The Cadillac Bar?
admin : Miller Lite Fight Night this Saturday @ The Cadillac Bar! Join the Crush Girls (your Ring Girls) for Cotto vs. Margarito and $1 Tecate/Corona/Doss XX for the fight!
admin : George Lopez & Gavin DeGraw tickets will be given away Friday - check the Blog/Latest News for the winners!
