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It’s all about respect in the music world and for
one reason or another rap/rock has seemed to loose a
bit of it. What was once a cutting edge idea that started
back in the early 90’s by bands like Biohazard,
Beastie Boys and Faith No More has become
as main stream as Brittany Spears and bubble gum. Most
up-and-coming bands who blend hip hop with hard rock
come off stale and dated, sounding exactly like the
rap/rocker before them who sounds just like the rap/rocker
before them. It’s like a photocopy of a photo copy,
it just keeps getting worse. There is no creativity,
no substance, no depth and no talent. Labels are signing
rap/rock bands like hotcakes hoping to make millions
off the TRL sheep that will buy what ever it is Carson
Daly is selling.
 But,
what about bands that aren’t necessarily hopping on
the bandwagon? Bands that are rap/rock, but are true
to the art form? Who believe in the music they create?
Well, Trik Turner is one of those bands. The
Phoenix-based sextet have been putting their hearts
and soul into the music since they first formed in 1999.
Both front men [David Bowers & Doug Rid Moore] have
deep roots within the Phoenix hip-hop community and
earned their bones as emcees. When the 2 hooked up they
decided they wanted to experiment with a more diverse
array of styles. As they brought in musicians to flesh
out their vision, they realized that the players’ combined
musical chemistry had created something beyond expectation.
The band soon fell in love with the notion of blending
the two genres and pursued an all out career performing
there brand of rap/rock. They signed with RCA
in 2001 and released their self-entitled debut soon
after. The first single off the album entitled “Friends
& Family” became a huge cross-over success and even
made the Billboard top ten. But, with every success
story there is always a backlash.
As Trik Turner earned a name for themselves within main
steam America the underground heads lumped them in with
all the other rap/rock acts that they hated and declared
the band as ‘Soft.’ Since then, Trik Turner has been
on both sides of the spectrum and everything in-between.
They shared the stage with everyone from the Wu Tang
Clan to Coal Chamber and always held their ground. Their
skin is thick and they are anxious to win over the masses
and prove that they are more than “Friends & Family.”
I had the opportunity to speak with Dave Bowers about
his take on rap/rock and what he thinks of all the negativity
in this particular musical genre.
CRUD: You seem to really want to get away from the
whole “Friends & Family” vibe.. Have you guys been stereotyped
as a result of that tune? Is it a problem?
BOWERS: Naa.. It’s not a problem or anything.. The only
thing we had to overcome a little bit was when people
only know us from “Friends & Family” and then when we
come out on stage they get a little crazy and hostile
and act a fool and stuff.. I mean we win them over by
the third song, but..
CRUD: Cool, How do you win them over?
BOWERS: A lot of crowd interaction.. We just go out
and give it all to them.. Show them what we got.
CRUD: Why do you think so many people have all these
negative feelings toward rap/rock all of a sudden?
BOWERS: I have a couple of different points, but bottom
line is a good song is a good song. Now, there have
been some groups out there that have come out and have
actually given rap/rock a bad name because it was done
poorly. One thing I can’t stand is when you have a garage
band that all of a sudden decided to drop some beats
and start rapping.. It’s just not true and that’s what
makes it bad and I’m sure that’s what gave it such a
negative tone on it. In the same respect, I say what
about all this pop-punk that’s going on right now? Are
they gonna put that aside and diss that now too, just
cus there’s a lot of artists doing it.. Its just stupid..
Bottom line is a good song is a good song.
It doesn’t get any more simple than that. A good song
is a good song, you’re absolutely right. “Friends &
Family” is a good song and as a result it just took
off and became a huge hit.
CRUD: Did you ever expect that tune to become as
big as it did?
BOWERS: Umm.. Naaa.. Not really.. See, there’s two ways
to look at it.. There’s the business side and there’s
the artistic side. When RCA said they wanted to release
“Friends & Family” as the first single we were a little
bit weary about it..
CRUD: Really? That wasn’t you first choice for a
single?
BOWERS: Well, in all honesty that tune doesn’t represent
us. I mean, it’s kinda different and it’s on a bit of
the softer side than the rest of the record, so we were
kinda worried about being pigeon holes and what not.
We knew it was gonna be a good radio hit, I mean, it
was already tested in our local market.
CRUD: Yeah, that song got real hot real quick.
I know, it when that hit it went up so fast and it was
kinda scary. When something goes up that fats there’s
only on place it can go from there and that’s down.
That was scary.. But, I don’t even think that the label
was anticipating getting the big buzz it did so quick..
But, we’re definitely thankful for it, it got our name
out and everything and now where gonna be moving on
to some different singles that represent a little bit
more of the record and especially what we do live.
CRUD: Cool, and what will be the next single?
BOWERS: It’s due out June 3rd and it’s called “Sacrifice.”
CRUD: Why did you decide to go with “Sacrifice?”
BOWERS: Well, it bridges the gap from getting away from
“Friends & Family” and gets more into the heavier cuts.
CRUD: Yeah, and the vibe off “Sacrifice” seems to
be about someone at a cross-roads.
BOWERS: Exactly.. Kinda overall on the whole record
we all come from the heart and a lot of it deals with
personal stuff and “Sacrifice deals with some personal
stuff that myself and Doug [Rid Moore] have actually
gone through.. And this tune definitely bridges the
gap and with every single we put out we’ll start getting
harder and harder.
Currently the boys are gearing up for the big summer
tour with Jay-Z, 311, Hoobastank, Mos Def and us.
For tour info check out www.trikturner.com
Don Sill for Crud Magazine© 2002
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| 04/02 1 Giant Leap - My Culture
04/02 Elfpower Interview - Andrew Rieger - Creatures
04/02 Frou Frou Interview - Guy Sigsworth/Imogen Heap
04/02 Gomez Interview - Ian Ball
04/02 Idlewild - Live - London Astoria
04/02 K's Choice Interview
04/02 Leaves - Live - Camden Dingwall
04/02 Longwave Interview - Exit
04/02 Lucy Mongrel Interview
04/02 Oasis - The Hindu Times
04/02 Phantom Planet - Interview
04/02 Unwritten Law - Interview
04/02 VUE - Coordinates Interview
05/02 BRMC - LIve - Kentish Town, London
05/02 Breeders - Title K
05/02 FC Kahuna - Machine Says Yes
05/02 Moco - Live - London Monarch
05/02 Need New Body - Interview
05/02 The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Live - Soundhause, Northampton
05/02 The Bellrays - Meet The Bellrays
06/02 Fleadh Festival - Finsbury Park
06/02 Frou Frou Coordinates Interview
06/02 Incubus - Interview - Mark Einziger
06/02 North Mississippi Allstars - Interview
06/02 Papa Roach - She Loves Me Not
06/02 Proud Mary - Live - Northampton, Soundhaus
06/02 Pulp - Live - Sherwood Pines, Edwinstowe
06/02 Reindeer section - You Are My Joy
06/02 Silverchair - Diorama
|  | 06/02 Something Corporate - Leaving Through The Window
06/02 Soinc Youth - Interview
06/02 The Burn - The Smiling Face
06/02 The Coral - Live - Roadmender, Northampton
06/02 The LIbertines - Live - The Social, Nottingham
06/02 The Vines, Sheffield Leadmill
06/02 Trik Turner - Interview
06/02 Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Live, Soundhaus, Northampton
07/02 12 Stones Interview
07/02 Arolo -Interview
07/02 Buy To Let Doncaster - Anti Social Behaviour
07/02 Cassius - Interview
07/02 Farrah - Interview
07/02 Glassjaw - Interview
07/02 Neil Michael Haggerty - Interview
07/02 Hoobastank - Running Away
07/02 Leaves - Interview
07/02 LL Cool Jay Interview
07/02 Oasis - Live - Finsbury Park, London
07/02 Polyphonic Spree - Live - Camden Monarch
07/02 Queens of the Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf
07/02 Super Furry Animals - Interview
07/02 The Beatings - Live - Metro Club London
07/02 The Bellrays + The D4 - Virgin Megastore, Oxford Street London
January 2001
July - August 2001
September - October 2001
November - December 2001
January - March 2002
April - July 2002
August - December 2002 | |
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