Featured Artist: The Tin Crows

One of my favorite things in this world is sharing music. I love listening to new songs and sharing my favorites with others. It’s always lots of fun to write about some of my favorite bands, and I’m very pleased to present you my first ever interview with a music group. I interviewed these guys several weeks ago out on the drummer’s back patio. We were just hanging out around the pool, and I love how cool they are! Not one member of the Tin Crows is stuck-up, despite their big local success.

The band hails from Summertown, Tennessee, and has recorded in Nashville and Columbia. They’re a rock group, but have some indie and funky vibes in some of their music. All of them having matching crow tattoos.

I sat down with Jake, Clint, Trent, and Cory to talk to them about the band and where they’re headed. Check it out.

A: Tell me about some of the bands you’re inspired by. Who are the big influences on your music?

Clint: Let me think…definitely the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Cory: Matchbox Twenty.

Jake: And the Kings of Leon!

A: It sounds like you guys have varied tastes! I know that Trent, your bass player, is married. Does that affect anything, seeing as how the rest of you aren’t married?

Trent: Not really, no.

Cl: No, of course not! His wife’s really good about us hanging out. (Laughs) It gives us somewhere to practice. She doesn’t mind at all. She even cut my hair for free!

A: Tell me about a fun time you’ve had, one of your favorite memories.

(Disorganized chatter)

Co: We packed up all of our stuff for an audition…and didn’t make it. You’re not going to write that down, are you?

A: Of course not!

Cl: Really, this one time, we were at a Halloween party, and I decided to go skateboarding. I had been watching The Lords of Dogtown, and you know…

Co: I just kept thinking, “What if a car comes?” You know? I was a little concerned.

Cl: Well, I was in some costume…oh, yeah! I was Lanny Heasrt [local used car salesman] and I went down a big hill, and wrecked, and broke my arm.

Co: And I remember you were more worried about the unbroken arm! You were saying that it hurt a lot worse.

A: Did you cry?

Cl: I did when I got out of the shower the next day.

A: What are you guys wanting to do with the band? Do you want to make it big?

Cl: I think every band wants to be the next Red Hot Chili Peppers, you know? But as long as we make enough to get by on, I think we’ll all be happy. It’s the music more than the money, but we do have to get by.

A: Do you have any upcoming events planned? I know you guys just put out the EP.

Cl: …We’re actually waiting to get paid…but as soon as that happens, we’re going to be back in the studio. We’ve got lots of new songs that aren’t on the EP. We do ’em live, but we want them recorded too.

J: Yeah, I think we’ll be recording in Columbia, but we’ll do it live.

Cl: Yeah, I think we learned a lot about ourselves when we went in to record. I was writing some of song lyrics on the way up there. I had my phone out while we were recording, and the guys were like, “Are your seriously texting right now?” And I told them, “No, I just don’t know the words. Just wrote them!”

Co: Yeah, I would definitely say we’re a better live band. We have more fun that way, and it sounds so much better than over-dubbing and stuff. It works.

Cl: Yeah, I don’t want to be one of those bands that has to play to a clicktrack.

J: He just likes bad music.

You can check out the guys’ new EP, Tuesday Afternoon on iTunes. The single of the record is “Tuesday Afternoon,” written by their drummer, Jake White. It’s an overall great album with a lot of “catchy-ability.” If you’re a rock fan, this band is definitely for you. Enjoy!