DoubleView of Texas Hippie Coalition
at Rocklahoma 2014
Richard "Big Dad Ritch" Anderson
Texas Hippie Coalition is a loud and proud Southern rock band from Texas. Richard “Big Dad Ritch” Anderson’s deep, raspy vocals fit into the “outlaw grunge” sound of the band perfectly. THC plays a style of music that they like to call “Red Dirt Metal,” which is hardcore Southern rock with its roots in ZZ Top.
After Anderson and his buddy John Exall self-released THC’s first album Pride of Texas, the band has grown into an international favourite. Their second and third albums built up their repertoire and fame so that the excitement for the soon-to-be-released fourth album, Ride On, is reaching the boiling point.
THC’s third album, Peacemaker, was a huge hit and featured songs like “Turn It Up” and “Outlaw,” which have a true groove to them. In addition, the title track “Peacemaker” told a story from the point of view of a gun. “I am peacemaker/I send you to your maker/God damn the pusher man/Pray to God he understands/We’ll all have hell to pay/When time comes for our judgment day,” sings Big Dad Ritch.
After Anderson and his buddy John Exall self-released THC’s first album Pride of Texas, the band has grown into an international favourite. Their second and third albums built up their repertoire and fame so that the excitement for the soon-to-be-released fourth album, Ride On, is reaching the boiling point.
THC’s third album, Peacemaker, was a huge hit and featured songs like “Turn It Up” and “Outlaw,” which have a true groove to them. In addition, the title track “Peacemaker” told a story from the point of view of a gun. “I am peacemaker/I send you to your maker/God damn the pusher man/Pray to God he understands/We’ll all have hell to pay/When time comes for our judgment day,” sings Big Dad Ritch.
John Exall
Ride On should be released sometime this year. Working to make the album didn’t come with many struggles, “It was just working together, making sure all the songs sounded the way want ‘em to,” says Cord Pool (lead guitar). “I think it’s coming along really well. We’ve been working with Skid Mills out of Nashville and…everything he made…sounds badass because he’s a badass guy.”
The album has already been recorded and, “it sounds awesome,” says Pool. “I already got to hear it. I got to hear the finished product just a while ago in the van. It sounded really good. The solos I’m liking, and just the heaviness of it. It’s just good, hard, Southern, grooving metal. This could be the best THC album yet.”
Ride On will not be a carbon copy of the last three albums’ sounds. “I wanna say it’s more heavy,” says Pool. “It’s not so country… A little bit more of the Pantera mix in it. It’s a totally different take. It’s hard to even explain.”
There is already an agreement on a potential single from Ride On, Pool reveals. “It’s called 'Splinter.' We don’t know for definite, but it’s a maybe… Pretty heavy song, groovy and a punchy, metal song.”
The album has already been recorded and, “it sounds awesome,” says Pool. “I already got to hear it. I got to hear the finished product just a while ago in the van. It sounded really good. The solos I’m liking, and just the heaviness of it. It’s just good, hard, Southern, grooving metal. This could be the best THC album yet.”
Ride On will not be a carbon copy of the last three albums’ sounds. “I wanna say it’s more heavy,” says Pool. “It’s not so country… A little bit more of the Pantera mix in it. It’s a totally different take. It’s hard to even explain.”
There is already an agreement on a potential single from Ride On, Pool reveals. “It’s called 'Splinter.' We don’t know for definite, but it’s a maybe… Pretty heavy song, groovy and a punchy, metal song.”
Cord Pool
Big Dad Ritch is clearly the main man behind THC. He writes most of the lyrics and is a powerhouse of energy on stage. When writing an album with someone as charismatic and deeply invested in the music, it could be a potential problem. However, Pool says, “He’s easy to work with. I mean, as long as you watch out for him kicking you in the neck…He’s kind of violent, but not really. He just scares you sometimes; [he] makes you scared when you need to be. Like, ‘You need to play better.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, I probably do.’ It’s the funnest band I’ve been in.”
Big Dad Ritch
It’s the “funnest” band he’s been in? Well, clearly the fans agree. THC has a fan base that loves them like Miley Cyrus loves the spotlight. All bands have different ways of connecting with their fans, and the bands that are the best at it tend to be the most popular. “Well, our following actually…kind of connect[s] with us,” laughs Pool. “When we go to stuff we usually have someone always bringing catering. Like, [they] bring some lasagna or something we’re not expecting… We have great fans and they’re always lookin’ out for us.”
Elaborating, Pool adds, “When we have a blowout on the road, we go on Facebook and say, ‘we have a blowout,” and we’ll definitely find somebody.” Usually, when this happens, somebody will just show up and fix their tire.
Elaborating, Pool adds, “When we have a blowout on the road, we go on Facebook and say, ‘we have a blowout,” and we’ll definitely find somebody.” Usually, when this happens, somebody will just show up and fix their tire.
THC fans going wild during their set.
As previously mentioned, THC has a sound they call “Red Dirt Metal.” According to Pool, it doesn’t just define how the music sounds; it also defines how they look onstage. “Everybody has to have a patch when you go on stage. Everyone has to have a leather jacket. How serious they took it…made everybody looking in take it as seriously… Everything’s kinda got a meaning behind it.”
A young fan :)
THC puts on an amazing show and Pool says their biggest worry is the weather. “Last week at Rock on the Range, it was raining until half way through our set.” Thankfully, it didn’t rain and their set completely blew me away. The bass had a presence that gave the music this heavy, almost-grunge sound. Building up from there, the drums complemented everything, never too prominent or too shy. The guitar solos were so intricate and rhythmic yet never uptight. And don’t get me started on Ritch’s vocals. He has “oomph” behind his voice and the power of his pipes is insane. Together, they make the one and only, completely unique Texas Hippie Coalition. Their music is unlike any Southern rock you’ve ever heard. Seriously, give it a listen.
 | Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. Besides her website, which is her pride and joy, she works with the GRAMMY Foundation and the Long Beach Independent. Additionally, Ms. Adler is a musician, spending half of her time playing the flute, piccolo, trombone, and marching baritone. She has been with TeenView Music since the very start and hopes to make something of it in the future. |
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