“WILD BUNCH!!!”
Walk into any performance of Matt Poss & The Wild Bunch and that’s what you’ll here the crowd shouting back at the band as they crank out some of the Hi-Octane Country you can hear on the second CD released by Matt Passalacqua, known in the area as Poss!
The name of the band was lifted from one of Matt’s favorite western movies. “The Wild Bunch is a traditional western,” says Matt, “but for it’s time, it pushed the limits in a lot of ways. Yet, it was honest and so it worked. That is exactly what we do in this band. We remain true to our country roots, but we are also pushing those limits instead of just playing it safe for the radio.” When asked to describe the Wild Bunch sound, phrases like “Fusion Country” or “Cosmic American Music” are often heard from band members, eschewing the old country-rock or more recent alt-country labels. “It’s just different,” says Matt. “We believe we’re carrying on the traditions of Johnny Cash, Gram Parsons, Dwight Yoakum, Steve Earle and Marty Stuart. It’s country. It’s just not your daddy’s country.”
Success!
That sound has not gone unnoticed in the Indie music scene. In 2005 and 2006, Matt Poss was named winner and finalist in VH1’s Song of the Year (http://www.songoftheyear.com/ ) songwriting contest. Song of the Year is an international songwriting contest supporting VH-1’s Save the Music Foundation. Also, this album received Honorable Mention at the Indie DIY Convention 2006 – a competition in which their album was judged against hundreds of other albums, regardless of musical genre! Late 2006 also brought acceptance into the ranks of Featured Performers for the USO/Armed Forces Entertainment. Joining such esteemed company as Kid Rock, Aaron Tippin, Charlie Robison and other talented and mainstream performers, they completed a tour of US bases in Germany during the holidays and are slated to return for a two-week two of Germany, Belgium, and England in the Summer of 2007. They received additional critical acclaim in June of 2007 by being named Featured Country Artist at Coca-Cola’s website www.mycoke.com. About the same time, they received a nomination for their latest album to the Los Angeles Music Awards. All of this tremendous achievement arrives for Matt Poss & The Wild Bunch as they roll through 2007, a year in which the momentum for their sound has reached a record pitch. But where did it all begin…and how in the world did they get here? Two words…”Fool Enough”!
Fool Enough:
In the winter of 2002, Matt Poss was busy singing
lead and playing acoustic guitar in a side-project called Lower Broadway. It was an ultra-traditional country project that would heavily influence Matt’s songwriting as he prepared to record his debut album. Before Lower Broadway, Matt was primarily a rockabilly and bluegrass singer. Some of the songs that would end up on the debut CD were written long before 2003, but all previous attempts to create a cohesive album had always been derailed.
Consequently, for the first time Matt allowed himself to freely indulge in his hardcore country leanings. The resulting fusion of styles became an album full of high-octane country and rockabilly stomps mixed in with a little bluegrass and one true-blue tear-in-your-beer ballad.
In the Spring of 2003 Matt finally pulled the trigger. “I was pushing thirty years old and had been writing songs my whole life and didn’t really have anything to show for it,” Matt says. “Most entertainers’ careers are over by 29, but I was just beginning. So, I had the players, I had the songs, and I had a studio in mind. I just decided it was going to happen…that was that.” “Fool Enough”, was recorded at Private Studios, in Urbana, with Jonathan Pines at the controls.
Wild Bunch:
When it came time to put together a band for the album Matt tapped Marty Williamson, one of Matt’s Lower Broadway mates, to play lead and rhythm guitars. “I had one of the best guitarists in the entire state of Illinois playing on my debut album,” Matt laughs. He also had the foundation of what would one-day become The Wild Bunch. Adding to this album are his equally impressive guitarist brother Larry Passalacqua, bassist brother Mike Passalacqua, and a father Larry Passalacqua Sr. pickin away on the banjo. You might say Matt has “some” musical talent in his family…like you might say the Atlantic Ocean has “some” water in it! To round things out, a host of other talented regional musicians complete this debut album.
When Matt continued his push to get the best musicians in his band to promote Fool Enough, another of Matt’s Lower Broadway mates, Rex Pickens, signed on for bass guitar. “Rex brings a great feel to the band. He has a ton of taste and a great groove,” Matt says. “Not only that, but Rex is an excellent singer and also writes some great country tunes. Beyond a doubt, when it happens, the next album will definitely have some Rex Pickens tunes on it.”
Drummer Adam “Tank” Robertson and Pedal Steel player George King a.k.a. “King” round out this powerhouse unit on the stage. “Adam filled in for us one night after our original drummer left the band. He played a flawless four hour set that night without ever having a practice with us. We knew then, we had our stick man! George, much the same one night at 8 Seconds Saloon in Indy – he just simply fit right in!”
Conclusion:
Recently, this group’s regional success has been tremendous, and they are slated to release their third CD in Febuary 2008. This year and beyond will see this group continuing their regional presence, and also the beginnings of a national and international presence with their exposure to thousands of troops throughout their Armed Forces Entertainment tours. Their Hi-Octane Country is ready for overdrive!
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