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The Gauntlet: Villebillies |
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Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, the Villebillies are the latest in a now rich lineage of credible artists from the south. A mighty crew numbering ten in all, they stand as a testament to the power of male camaraderie and the binding cohesiveness of great music. Ignoring genre boundaries the Villebillies playfully cross-pollinate country and pop, hip hop and southern whiskey rock, and what's more they're clearly having a ball doing it - as their live shows have proved attracting a diverse yet dedicated fan base.
The Villebillies are a 21st century kind of phenomenon, infusing traditional instruments and backwater blues with a fresh and contemporary musical vision. That collective vision comes from an unorthodox culmination of two bands, the original line-up of the Villebillies, and local rock band Plan of Man, who both formed over a period of time through a variety of associations, an assembly of old childhood friends and acquaintances they now stand together as an unbreakable posse with a desire to make catchy, life-affirming records that reflect their personalities. And that they do with aplomb, writing about experiences we can all relate to at some time in our lives: relationship problems, families, death and disease, partying, having no cash, and being positive. They're irreverent, funny and capable of relating your experiences to you with a deft touch that few can lay claim to.
"Everyone in here has been through a little bit," says singer Demi Demaree, who was diagnosed and overcame lymphatic cancer back in 2001. "As a team, we can conquer a lot of shit."
Creating hip hop influenced upbeat hits like Burnin Down the House and Whiskey and melodic bluegrass anthems such as Ol Faithful and Hey, the Villebillies have finally started attracting the kind of widespread adulation their legion of fans have been aware of for far too long now. With the inclusion of Toby Wright (who made Alice in Chains, Metallica and Korn sound better) on production duties, and the news they're about to put out records through their own imprint, the appropriately monikered Rhythm and Booze (part of Universal) the masses will soon be adorned with this groups extraordinarily unique music. Through adversity and tribulation the Villebillies look poised to lap up the sort of acclaim they richly deserve.
"We'll drink to that."
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