Undeniably, The Reverend Horton Heat, aka Jim Heath, is the biggest, baddest, grittiest, greasiest, greatest rocker that ever piled his hair up and pounded the drinks down. Without question, for all of his outlandish antics, blistering stage performances and legendary musical prowess, the one thing The Rev always gets asked about is the story behind his unusual and rather clerical moniker. “Well, there used to be this guy who ran this place in Deep Ellum, Texas who used to call me Horton- my last name is Heath,” says The Rev. “Anyway, this guy hired me and right before the show he goes, ‘Your stage name should be Reverend Horton Heat! Your music is like gospel’ and I thought it was pretty ridiculous. So I’m up there playing and after the first few songs, people are saying, ‘Yeah, Reverend!’ What’s really funny is that this guy gave up the bar business, and actually became a preacher! Now he comes to our shows and says, ‘Jim, you really should drop this whole Reverend thing.’”
“I think it’s cool we’ve lasted this long,” says The Rev. “People still come out to see us play after all these years and all the shows and tours. It’s amazing. I mean, I get to sing songs about cars I love, drinking and chasing girls. Beats the hell out of the alternative.”
http://www.reverendhortonheat.com/
Doors at Nine, tickets $22 advance and $25 day of show. Reno Divorce opens
With equal parts of Orange County punk rock, honky tonk country, and rockabilly swagger, Reno Divorce strikes a unique chord of their own with their brand of “Punk Rock’n’Roll”. The band’s longevity is proof positive that paying dues is the only way to the top.
The well-crafted and deftly executed songs that straddle the line between Smithereens and Social Distortion are the bread and butter for these guys, and one listen is all it takes to realize you’ve got a band that truly stands out amongst the herd. Oh, and there’s one more thing…this aint the boys’ first rodeo… going 10 years strong and gracing some of the most legendary bars and stages around the world, they’ve played with almost all their punk heroes (ALL, Social Distortion, TSOL, Adolescents, Agent Orange,The Queers , X, The Blasters, Motorhead), and shared a tour bus with more contemporary heavy hitters, a la U.S. Bombs, The Bones, and Street Dogs. They’ve worked with the cream of the crop behind the scenes, as well.
Their forthcoming record, “Lover’s Leap” was recorded by Blasting Room alumnus Felipe Patino and mixed and mastered at the legendary studio, as well, by Andrew Berlin and Jason Livermore (Rise Against, ALL, Descendents) respectively.
The record before that, “Tears Before Breakfast,” received similar treatment, too. “Quality over quantity” is their mantra, and their four full-length releases attest to that. There’s no filler here. Instead, the boys find a way to up the ante with every record, growing musically with each outing without trading in their punk rock roots for the latest fad. Remember, these guys have to shave every morning, and bandwagon-jumping is one thing they’ll never be accused of.
With their European tours being handled by M.A.D. Booking in Europe, their following continues to grow with each trip and makes their next appearance anticipated. Among the many great festivals they’ve played, like “With Full Force”, “Speedfest”, and “The Rock-n-Ink Fest,” Reno Divorce has shown fans that they are just as at home on a massive stage as in a seedy, smokey dive. Always captivating live, and wrought with more hooks than your Uncle Bob’s tackle box, Reno Divorce has carved out a reputation as the real nitty-gritty, a true “musician’s band” that pushes the envelope with every release, without sounding contrived or formulated. Brent Loveday’s deft songwriting and clever storytelling are brought to life by the bands expert musicianship. With Loveday on lead guitar and vocals, Tye Battistella on rhythm guitar/backing vocals, Nick Golding on Bass and Ruben Patino on the drums, the band fires on all cylinders and spares no one in their way.
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