News
November 27th, 2007
Edge of the Wheel is currently in the studio.
The Grab Bag
April 2007
If you are a regular reader of this column, you will
no doubt be aware that most of the March edition of
The Grab Bag highlighted a select group of
alt-country/Americana artists, musicians and bands
throughout the region. Unfortunately, less than a
week after I finished the last column, I learned of
another great new band in the area with a solid roots
rock foundation that definitely deserves a mention in
this column.
Baltimore's Edge of the Wheel is a talented quintet of
experienced musicians that dares to challenge the
typical music genre silos by breathing new life into
old styles. The band does this by infusing elements
of modern pop songwriting with older musical styles
deeply rooted in the blues, thus creating a fresh
sound that is both catchy and complex at the same
time. The band calls this unique meshing of sounds
and styles Neo Americana.
Clifton Hill, the band's founding father and a
talented singer, songwriter and guitarist, describes
Neo Americana as, "new American rock that comes from
old American rock." Hill realized that there is an
almost timeless quality to the Hammond B3-soaked, down
and dirty blues rock sounds that ruled the airwaves in
the past (most recently in the '70s), and he had a
feeling that the time was right for a new band built
on this foundation when he began to see more and more
compilations of this genre popping up at stores.
Armed with an impressive resume in the music industry,
Hill and his band Kilkenny Cats were an integral part
of the nationally renowned Athens, Georgia music scene
that launched the careers of bands like R.E.M . and
B-52s in the '80s, and early drafts for some new
songs, Hill placed an add looking for a guitarist and
Shane Gardner answered the call.
During the audition, Gardner, a journeyman on the
local music scene over the years, made an immediate
connection and Hill not only had a guitar player but
he also had a songwriting partner. With the core
in-place, the lineup featuring John Kallenbach (drums) and Eric Simball (Hammond B3) was filled-in with relative ease. All five members of
the band are longtime musical veterans and they all
share the unique roots rock vision that would become
Neo Americana .. a rare combination of shared talent
and vision. As Hill said in a recent interview, "This
is an incredibly talented group of guys. Everyone in
Edge of the Wheel is an accomplished musician and they
all respect each other as members of the overall
ensemble."
With the band lineup completed, the band hit the
studio to make its first recordings together and the
result is a three-song EP called Capture that is
available as streaming audio files on the band's Web
site. Featuring guest appearances from local and
national artists like John Allen (SR-71 & Forty
Acres), Pat DeMent (SR-71, Kix & Cinder Road) and
Derry deBorja (Son Volt), this EP not only reveals the
incredible musical cohesion the players have developed
in such a short time, but it also shows just how good
Hill and Gardner are as a songwriting team.
From the poppy hook chorus in the anthemic "Coming
Home," to the vividly visual wordplay of the title
track and the smooth groove of "In Time" delivered by
the distinctive tones of the Hammond B3 and the funky
lead guitar lines, this EP showcases the considerable
range and depth of Edge of the Wheel and its Neo
Americana music in a mere three songs. I can only
imagine what the band will do with a full-length
studio album.
The real challenge a band like Edge of the Wheel faces
in the current Baltimore music scene is to find good
places to play so that it can build its audience
organically. Hill has a plan, "You simply get the
music out there, you get feedback and you build the
crowd." Sounds simple, doesn't it?
-Greg Yost
Related Sites
The Official Edge of the Wheel Website
About Edge of the Wheel
Edge of the Wheel, Neo Americana rock band, was formed in the summer of 2006. The band features singer-songwriter-guitarist Clifton Hill, guitarist-songwriter Shane Gardner, drummer John Kallenbach, and Hammond B3 keyboard player Eric Simball.
Clifton Hill's credits include 2 releases on Twin Tone (The Replacements, Soul Asylum), and the movie, Athens Georgia Inside Out sound track IRS/MCA. In addition are the compilation releases Five Ring Circus on Flip Records, REM, B-52's Pylon, Flat Duo Jets and other Athens bands.
A Big Thanks!
Edge of the Wheel would like to thank Steve Wright of Wrightway Studios for making the disc sound so sweet! John Allen of SR-71,Charm City Devils and Derry Deborja of SonVolt for their work on In Time and Coming Home; and also Pat DeMent for his work on In Time.
A Special Big Thanks!
Ross Hancock - Thanks Ross for all of your support both in the studio and out and for your contributions on the tracks. Background Vocals, Pre-Production mixing, Co-Production and the late nights
John Cimbolo thanks for being there from the beginning and for all your contributions musically and personally most noted on In Time, Coming Home and Capture. Thanks John!!!
