Texas band Two Tons of
Steel might be described as equal parts Elvis Presley and Elvis
Costello, with a liberal dose of Buddy Holly and a dollop of
The Ramones. It's a one-of- a-kind sound that bandleader and
frontman Kevin Geil likes to call "countrybilly." It's also a sound that's boosted
the combo to renown as the face of Texas music: with its live
performance at historical Gruene Hall of "Two Tons of Steel" in
the internationally released IMAX film "Texas: The Big Picture";
its performance of "King of a One Horse Town" in the
roots-country documentary that screens continuously at Nashville's
Country Music Hall of Fame; its swing tune as part of Lone Star
beer's ongoing regional radio campaign; and by becoming Texas
music ambassadors to ecstatic fans in Cuba and at sold-out shows
throughout Europe.
Two Tons of Steel continues as an institution at Texas' famed
Gruene Hall, where its annual Two Ton Tuesdays summer series
draws 12,000 fans, and as a popular act at Nashville's Grand
Ole Opry. For eight years, it's been voted Best Country Band
by the San Antonio Current, its hometown weekly. Called Dead
Crickets until 1996, the name changes refers to Geil's restored
'56 hardtop Cadillac.
Now, with Vegas, its eighth album and Palo Duro Records debut,
it has found itself on a supportive record label that showcases
the band's steel-driven sound. Lead singer Geil handles acoustic
guiter, Dennis Fallen plays electric guitar, Ric Ramirez plucks
the upright bass, Chris Dodd provides drums and percussion, and
Texas Steel Guitar Hall of Famer Denny Mathis adds more steel
muscle. Ramirez and Fallen also sing backup.
The band's name may have come from a car,
but Geil unabashedly admits his songwriting inspiration comes
from his wife, Elena. The title tune for Vegas was written
for her, Geil says, "because
she loves to drive and loves Vegas." A cut on the Lloyd
Maines-produced disc is the band's signature tune, "Havana
Moon," a song Geil describes as "kinda dreamy." Written
during the band's 1997 trip to Cuba, it's the only ballad on
Vegas, which Geil characterizes as "more rockin' and a bit
more raw, more of what we are live."
Two Tons' rockabilly-style cover of The
Ramones' "I Wanna
Be Sedated," which it started playing in 1998 and which
quickly became a fan fave, is also on the new album. "A
lot of guys think that they have to write everything. I take
my hat off to them when they do," says Geil. "But I
think it's great to find old songs and play them. People dig
it." In June, Palo Duro Records is slated to record Two
Tons Tuesdays 2 for CD and DVD release to commemorate the band's
10th annual summer music series at Gruene Hall.
