The Update Section: Updated! March 2007

Posted April 8, 2007

It has come to the attention of Sons of Bill that the most recent post on the “News” section of our website was titled “New Website, Gigs, and more.”  That was posted on November 6th of last year.  The website is no longer “new” and “more” has indeed happened in the intervening five month stretch.  This post shall serve to give an update on those months, and to establish the new precedent of a monthly update, available fresh off the presses the first week of each month, only at www.SonsOfBill.com

 December 2006 saw the last public performance of founding Sons of Bill drummer, Todd Wellons.  Todd and the other SoB’s parted amicably in January when he chose to pursue his hopes and dreams in Boston, making it damn near impossible to bang the skins in a hillbilly rock band.  We all wished, and continue to wish, him well.

Luckily the drum chair scarcely had time to cool off, as the capable and well dressed tuckus of Mr. Jonathan Flax found its way behind the kit within the month.  By the end of January, Jonathan had already mastered the SoB repetoire, and played his first five shows.  Seth had meanwhile turned 23 and shaved his comely beard into a terrifying cop mustache, but that’s neither here nor there, and has since been remedied.

February brought continued steady gigging, and the official release of the re-mixed and -mastered A Far Cry From Freedom.  The mixing work was done by Chris Kress (Dave Matthews Band, Wrinkle Neck Mules) at PMD Recording, and the mastering handled by John Mayfield in Nashville, TN.  Sons of Bill also SOLD OUT their very first show in New York City, at the Old Office room of the Knitting Factory on February 17th.  Our return trip to the big city is scheduled for Friday May 11th, back at the Knitting Factory, although this time in the larger and better-appointed Taproom floor.  In other news, James and Jonathan both celebrated birthdays, and Jonathan logged his first hometown show in front of a near sell-out crowd at Starr Hill Music Hall on February 24th.

Which brings us to March (the appropriate month for us to be updating you about in early April).  The Sons of Bill continued to do what we do best: rock across Virginia burning up stages and trading freshly re-released copies of A Far Cry From Freedom for sweaty, beer-soaked ten dollar bills.  Highlights included a SOLD OUT show at the IOTA Club & Cafe in Arlington, VA (across the river from DC), and a near sell-out at Alley Katz in Richmond supporting the Wrinkle Neck Mules release of their brand new disc, The Wicks Have Met.

As of now April looks promising.  Central Virginia residents mark your calenders for April 20th when Sons of Bill will headline the first Fridays After Five of the 2007 season at the Charlottesville Pavillion.  And for fans throughout the Southeast, warm up your dialing fingers and put the radio station request line on speed dial.  A Far Cry From Freedom is set to debut on over 150 radio stations throughout the South in April. 

Until the next dispatch, which will ideally not be another five months from now, keep your ears to the airwaves and your thumbs on the dial.  Hopefully we’ll roll through your town soon, and if we don’t, drop us a line and tell us where we missed.  Have a hell of an April.

your brothers in hillbilly rock, Sons of Bill