An energetic and wonderfully ragged-sounding rock & roll quartet out of Ohio, Wheels on Fire sounds at times like a vintage late-'60s garage band but the group's gleefully unhinged approach would be welcome in any decade. Members include singers and guitarists Michael Chaney and John Garris, keyboardist Susan Musser, and drummer Matthew Chaney, and the lack of a bass player gives the band a surprisingly sharp and raw sound, marked by blistering guitars and dual lead vocals (and plenty of attitude). The group recorded several rough demos in their basement in the summer of 2008 which came to the attention of Bruce Watson at Fat Possum Records, and the label released (in conjunction with Big Legal Mess Records) the best of these as an album, Get Famous!, in 2009, as well as a 7" EP sampler called I'm Turning into You.
Wheels on Fire Press
“They’re fun.”
-Plastic Pizza Party
“The perfect soundtrack for warm breezes and open car windows.”
-Fingertips
“Sweet, simple, soulful rock n’ roll that sounds oh so good right from the first listen…The kind of band that never goes out of style.”
-Pop Tarts Suck Toasted
“The group’s gleefully unhinged approach would be welcome in any decade.”
-Steve Leggett, All Music Guide
“Oozing pure rock n’ roll energy.”
-Indie for Bunnies (IT)
“Makes you believe again in rock & roll.”
-Herman Van Der Horst, OOR (NL)
“It’s difficult to describe the sound of a band like Wheels on Fire without resorting to cheap comparisons.”
-Emily Bartlett Hines, Nashville Scene
“A gritty group of young rockers.”
-Each Note Secure, Cincinnati Music Blog
“The kind of tunes that have been rock’s stock and trade since before Elvis.”
-Chris Deville, Columbus Alive
“Cheerful mayhem…produced with a studied disdain for fidelity and separation, the grunge fits as does the basic attitude of small city punks.”
-Doc Blues Reviews, Long Island Blues Society
Trouble in Mind Records, Chicago, IL
Squoodge Records, Austria
ABC Club, Limited Release 100 copies
Big Legal Mess
Big Legal Mess
Rosa Records
Wheels on Fire in Koln, Germany at the Sonic Ballroom
Wheels on Fire in Berlin, Germany at Wild at Heart
you were so great last night. i knew you were going to be good. but that was one of the best shows at the vault this year!!!!!!!!!! the only thing is i'm turning into you needed more cowbell. hope to see you guys back up here as soon as possible
I'm officially a resident of Austin texas so keep me posted if you guys come through and I will try to bring my friends to the show...if not, you'll see my smiling face there :)