Death On Two Wheels
by Tina Hall
April 2010
Death On Two Wheels
photo by Brian Manley | Fun With Robots
Atlanta based rock band, Death On Two Wheels features Trae Vedder (lead vocals and guitar), Andrew Knox (organ and piano), Paul Doss (lead guitar), David Fountain (bass), and Greg Neel (drums). Their new EP is set for release on Feb. 16. A new album is expected to be released by mid-year.
They are premiering two songs in the movie “The Violent Kind” at Sundance 2010. The two songs, Two Dollar Bills and Calling Us All Back Home also appear on their current release Separation of Church and Fate on Ghost Umbrella Records.
The film is brought to you by the award winning The Butchers Brothers; Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores. It is produced by Michael Ferris Gibson, Jeffrey Allard (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Andy Gould and Malek Akkad (Halloween), Jeremy Platt, and executive producer K’Dee Miller.
In celebration of the release of “The Violent Kind”, they are now offering both songs for free download at: www.deathontwowheels.bandcamp.com
Maximum Ink: When was Death On Two Wheels formed?
Trae Vedder: Formed in late 2006, played our first show in late 2007, released our debut album in late 2008.
MI: What are some of your influences?
TV: We draw heavily from 70’s rock bands, Steppenwolf to The Band, and everything in between. Personally, I draw from blues and soul classics like Lee Dorsey and R.L. Burnside. Modern bands we enjoy include Wilco, Foo Fighters, My Morning Jacket, The Whigs, and the Dewey Cox soundtrack.
MI: How does your sound differ from what is main stream on the Atlanta music scene? How would you describe the DO2W sound?
TV: Hmmm, I feel like we are a bit mainstream in a sense and that seems to set us apart actually. Atlanta has some amazing indie bands, and we consider ourselves one of them, but at the same time, we aren’t doing what Deerhunter, The Coathanges, Snowden, Black Lips, and Gentlemen Jesse are doing, we’re a bit further to the right of the left.
MI: Are all the members from the South? How is your sound most influenced by where you are from?
TV: Yes, we were all born and raised about an hour or so south of Atlanta. For me, I think the major influence stems from what albums I first saw as a child. My Pops’ collection had the classics like Frampton Comes Alive, Pure Prairie League, The Allman Brothers, etc. “Sweet Melissa” is still the song my dad plays if he picks up an acoustic. Those kind of things have their influence even when you grow up during the 90’s listening to Green Day, Foo Fighters, and The Offspring all day long.
MI: Why do you think you became a musician mainly? Did you always want to be one? What did you do before becoming a professional musician?
TV: “Music is just something that felt special to me. It combines so many elements that make life life. I turned the corner around age 13 and never really looked back. I’m double that age now and I have no regrets. My passions are to be creative and write lyrics and music. In addition to the band, I’m also a Graphic Designer. It allows the same creative freedom as being a musician and is something I’ve been doing in some form or fashion since the same adolescent time period.
MI: What was it like to have you music featured on the film, and at Sundance?
TV: I haven’t seen the film yet and I’m dying to, I think you can kind of feel that anticipation and exhilaration in all my tweets as of late. It’s incredible to have your music provide the backdrop to a motion picture. Music and Art and Film, they all go hand in hand, it’s flattering to have it all come together and to be a part of it. The Violent Kind premiered at Sundance, I really can’t say anymore than that, that kinda speaks for itself you know? Hats off to The Butcher Brothers and many many thanks for letting us be a part of the journey.
MI: The new album is expected to be released sometime mid year. Can you tell us a little more about that?
TV: Right now, we’ve got about half of the album written ... or at least we think we do. You just never know with these things, what might get cut or added and what not. Last time around, we recorded and released every song we had written to that point. This time around, we’re trying to be more focused and present a more cohesive album. We’re trying to bring more of our live element into the recordings, focusing on the song, and letting the emotion of the lyric come to the forefront.”
MI: Is there a tour to support it in the works?
TV: A tour to support the new album is far ahead and in the works, but as I said, far far ahead. We’ve completed our Again For The First Time EP which will come out this month. It revisits a few songs from our album and puts a more organic spin on them. It’s our first recordings we’ve released since Paul Doss and Greg Neel joined the band and it’s a pleasure to have them involved on this release. It’s also our first release as part of the Favorite Gentlemen community. We’ll be touring with our friends and label mates Winston Audio in February and March, come out and say hello.
MI: What can fans expect of at a live show?
TV: We’re a raw and raucous rock n roll band so expect a raw and raucous rock n roll show!
MI: Anything you’d like your fans to know most?
TV: Thank you for being one. We are here thanks to you and we are here for you. Thanks for supporting our tours and our releases, please continue to do so, not only for us, but for other indie bands out there as well. We need you and we appreciate you needing us. Thanks so much and see you out there on the road!
Death On Two Wheels
CD: Separation Of Church And Fate Record Label: The Ghost Umbrella
• Purchase Separation Of Church And Fate on Amazon
• Download Separation Of Church And Fate on Amazon