Las Cruces Garage Band Goes the Distance
Circa “Back in the Day” of Hendrix, Iron Butterfly, Steppenwolf, Black Sabbath, Grand Funk, Yes, and Led Zeppelin, these guys were kids who were writing their own music!
“I still remember the tom tom being strapped to Rob’s bass drum with a wide belt - a substitute for hardware”, recalls Ty Loyd, “And Leslie, who began with the band as a human mike stand, for the lack of a real stand or the money to buy one”. Les was eventually promoted to bass player due to the departure of other would-be “garagers” who went their own way.
The third part of the trio, Tyrone, was known as Tyburns because of the hair that hung next to his ears on his young face imitating real sideburns. He is now simply known as “Ty”.
As lead singer and guitarist for the band, Ty is the song writing engine for the group. However, all will admit the real chemistry happens when the threesome, Ty Loyd, Les Skaggs and Rob Allen are together in a room or on a stage making music. They have the magic, the mystique, the creative genius; that special “something” that validates their gift.
C.S. Truckin, alias Cold Sweat, alias Loyd Allen and Skaggs, and now known by their nick name “The Truck”, have a cult-like underground following of true believers who are convinced that the music merits the ears of ardent rock lovers - not to exclude the country crossover crowd!
Although they were young, these boys were contemporaries with the big bands of the 70s and 80s. Managed by Shawn Hoover, then a promoter for Concerts West, C.S. Truckin opened shows for Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow (Deep Purple), REO Speedwagon, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Brian Auger and The Buddy Miles Band (Jimi Hendrix). The band’s claim to radio fame was their song “Cruces Rush”, a song about Las Cruces, New Mexico which remained in the top 10 most-requested play list for a solid year at Albuquerque’s KRST radio station.
Fast forward to 2011 and we discover that “The Truck” has re-emerged! Their style is relevant and ranges from pop rock to country crossover. The boys in the band are more talented, more refined and more determined than ever to make the music they so enjoy and share it with the music world.
If you have the opportunity to hear C.S. Truckin, you won’t be disappointed, but be prepared. Their music is somewhat of a journey; it’s like being on a “Magical Mystery Tour”. They have a commercial side and a live side. Like prophets of the hour, they speak of love, politics and life for today’s music enthusiasts.
MTL, for The Truck
cstruckin.com
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